By Sarah Marx
Glorious Views, Genuine Rest
In one of the most beautiful corners of the Allgäu, the Eggensberger family has been welcoming guests in search of rest since 1976. What began as a dedicated Kneipp cure retreat has evolved over the decades into a modern four-star wellness hotel complete with its own therapy centre and certified organic kitchen.
Since 2003, the hotel has held the distinction of being the first four-star property in Germany to earn organic certification. That philosophy runs through every corner of the house: from the cosy rooms with their electrosmog-reduced natural sleep zones, to the panoramic restaurant, where guests are treated daily to everything from a breakfast buffet to an evening organic tasting menu or themed spread.
A Mediterranean, Farm-Fresh Kitchen
Fresh produce arrives straight from the family’s own certified organic farm. Alongside milk, cheese, pure beef sausage, and meat, the house-made whole-milk natural yoghurt appears both on the buffet and on the à la carte menu. The kitchen describes itself as Mediterranean, contemporary country cooking, with vegetarian and low-carbohydrate options available on request.
Rest and Relaxation, Guaranteed
A particular highlight is the newly built, expansive garden spa and wellness area, crafted entirely from natural materials — clay, untreated wood, stone, and glass. Its distinctive architecture creates a series of spaces designed purely for unwinding: a stone-pine salt sauna, a natural swimming pool, generous lounging areas, and a tea lounge all invite exploration and calm. A broad menu of nurturing treatments using pure natural cosmetics and aromatic oil massages rounds out the wellness experience.
Strength, Sustainably Built
For guests looking to do something for their back and their overall health, the hotel’s skilled, experienced physiotherapy team is on hand. Beyond back-strengthening work, Kneipp baths, and recovery programmes, there’s a wide range of medical wellness modules and efficient health weeks to choose from.
The many facets of the family-run Eggensberger come together to deliver genuinely restorative days. The house is continually being developed further by its dedicated, deeply rooted owners. After its own energy transition, certification as a Sleep Host, and a common-good economy audit, the next project is a study on healthy sleep, initiated by the hotel’s own directors — one a trained therapist, the other a specialist in aromatherapy. Drawing on Kneipp’s principles of natural living, aromatic plants play a role here too. Guests who wish can join the hotel’s senior host on a herb walk to learn about the traditional uses of wild, kitchen, and monastery herbs.
The Allgäu Riviera, as Hopfen am See is affectionately known for its sun-drenched, favoured position, is the ideal base for hiking and cycling around the lakes, into the mountains, and — not least — to the world-famous royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
