Wellness Weekends: Four Relaxing Hideaways with Spas Between the Alps and the North Sea

Das Kranzbach has all the makings of a fairytale castle—British noblewoman Mary Isabel Portman fell head over heels for the Garmisch landscapes while travelling around the region over a century ago. Smitten by her surroundings, in 1913, she had an English-style country residence built not far from Wettersteinspitze. But the outbreak of World War I  shattered her dreams—even though her holiday home was completed, she was never able to move in. In 2007, as the local villagers coined it, the so-called English castle awoke from its slumber. Ilse Crawford, renowned for designing New York’s Soho House, was inspired by Portman’s original vision for the hotel’s interior.

The result? A space that artfully captures the essence of yesteryear without sacrificing 21st-century luxury. Guests can choose between staying in the historic main house, modern extension or unique treehouse suites. The latter invites you to drift off to sleep between the crowns of ancient trees. The hotel’s extensive wellness area reveals a range of saunas, steam baths and pools, as well as a large sunbathing lawn.

Schloss Selchow is an impressive chateau tucked away in the small village of Selchow at the heart of Dahme-Heideseen Nature Park’s expansive landscapes. The house’s hosts, Susanne and Christoph Kamps, have been renting out this lavishly refurbished and renovated manor since 2016. It was initially erected in 1913 as a summer residence. Today, the elegant rooms reveal herringbone parquet flooring, Art Deco-inspired furnishings and a contemporary kitchen with antique tiled floors.

Schloss Selchow’s 1,200-square-metre space is designed to host larger groups of up to 16 people and can only be rented out as a whole. This luxurious getaway in Brandenburg features seven bedrooms with cosy queen-sized beds, a dining room with a long banquet table and a garden hall with a concert grand piano. A cinema, library with a billiard table, cosy fireplace corners and deluxe wellness area with a hammam and Finnish sauna make for the perfect spa retreat. The terrace offers beautiful views over the expansive park and Großen Selchower See.

Ordinger Sandstrand embodies carefree American surfer spirit in a quiet dune landscape. Beach Motel St. Peter-Ording’s low-key, shabby-chic ambience evokes daydreams of West Coast beach houses, sun-bleached hair, wetsuits and flip-flops—footwear frequently donned by the unpretentious yet professional team. From smaller rooms to spacious lofts and suites, Beach Motel has something to suit everyone’s needs.

Bond over tapas and wood-fired pizza in the hotel’s in-house restaurant or share a late-night drink at the bar. Long walks on the sandy, 112-kilometre beach and mudflat hikes past the famous pile dwellings are best followed by relaxing evenings at the private cinema or in-house spa. Three saunas, eight treatment rooms and a spacious relaxation area with exciting showers beckon. Treat yourself to a soothing facial treatment or full-body massage before relaxing in the outdoor hammock area and letting the salty North Sea breeze blow through your hair. Well-worth a visit, rain or shine!

Balderschwang, renowned as Germany’s highest and smallest independent municipality, was once only accessible from Austria. Today, you can reach the remote high valley where the Traubels run their family-owned wellness hotel, Hubertus Mountain Refugio Allgäu, via various routes. The feelings of peacefulness and solitude still prevail. Traditional farmhouse architecture meets contemporary design at the heart of Nagelfluh Nature Reserve.

This extensively renovated house aptly merges the then with the now-–brushed woods, linens and furs lend the space its countryside character without sacrificing present-day luxuries. Anyone seeking to combine wellness holidays with time in nature will feel right at home here. At 1,044 metres above sea level, relaxation is guaranteed at this heated outdoor pool, various saunas and steam bath. The wellness experience is perfectly rounded off with yoga classes, massages and detox rituals.