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It was almost exactly half a year ago when we pressed the pause button in the middle of the pre-Christmas rush and explored two wonderful wellness hotels in the Allgäu. At the beginning of July we set off again towards the Allgäu Alps. Instead of walking through fairytale winter landscapes, this time we wanted to hike across lush green meadows and give our bodies and minds a well-deserved break from everyday life.
And this time out came at exactly the right time – I was so looking forward to swapping the stuffy city apartment warmed by the sun for the fresh breeze of the Allgäu Alps. Finally sleeping through the night with the window open without being woken up by the rattling of the first tram in the early hours of the morning. “Summer freshness” par excellence.
Wellness days in Oberstaufen
The first stop on this summer tour through the Allgäu takes us to a well-known place. In 2012, we spent a lovely pre-Christmas relaxing weekend at the Rosenalp Health Resort & Spa in Oberstaufen. A lot has happened in the past seven years, and not just for us. The Rosenalp also welcomes us with a few new features. The entire wellness area has since been redesigned – the centerpiece: the two-story, light-flooded indoor pool. And the traditional family business is also keeping pace with the needs of the times when it comes to spa treatments. While senior manager Rita Schädler and her husband pioneered the Schroth cure in the 1960s, laying the foundation for the hotel’s success story, they have recently started offering alkaline fasting, which is increasingly in demand. With its comprehensive range of sports, wellness and culinary offerings, the Rosenalp appeals not only to spa guests, but also to people like me who simply want to treat themselves to a few days of relaxation.
We curb our curiosity about the newly designed wellness area for a moment and first take a closer look at our room. All room categories at the Rosenalp are named after types of roses. We are staying in a double room “La Royale”, which not only scores with its spacious and bright ambience, but also offers us a fantastic view over the complex to the striking peaks of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park.
#1 just let your mind wander
With a spacious indoor pool and outdoor pool with bubble loungers, a spacious sauna area, various relaxation rooms and an extensive garden with plenty of places to retreat, the Rosenalp offers the perfect setting for extended wellness days. Equipped with reading material, a bikini and sunglasses, I then make my way to the Rosenalp Spa, do a few laps in the indoor pool and enjoy simply doing nothing for the rest of the afternoon.
#2 Clear your head
After an extensive afternoon of wellness, the wonderful summer weather lures us towards the mountains the next morning. Oberstaufen is located on the edge of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park, which is the first cross-border nature park between Germany and Austria and stretches over 400 km.2 unique cultural and natural landscape. Directly opposite the Rosenalp is the highest peak of the Nagelfluhkette. At 1,834 meters high, the Hochgrat offers a phenomenal panoramic view from Lake Constance across the Allgäu to the Alps, making it one of the most popular destinations in the region. We also lace up our hiking boots and make our way towards the valley station of the Hochgratbahn. There we are chauffeured up the mountain in one of the nostalgic, bright yellow 4-person cabins. The mountain station is at 1,708 meters above sea level, so our own muscle power is required for the last 130 meters of altitude. The summit path leads directly along the ridge and offers spectacular views down below. After a climb of almost 20 minutes, we reach the summit cross and take in the 360° panorama. Wow!
The trip to the Hochgrat can be easily combined with a half-day hike. We follow the hiking trail towards the Untere Lauchalpe down into the valley. Here in the alpine area around Steibis there are some impressive veteran trees. The huge sycamore maples, wych elms, silver firs and yews that are scattered across the alpine pastures are between 250 and 500 years old. What have these trees experienced! We follow the hiking trail via Alpe Schilpere to the Oberstiegalpe mountain inn and hike from there back to the valley station of the Hochgratbahn. A beautiful circuit that, with its mighty giant trees and idyllically placed chapels, offers the perfect setting to focus your thoughts and focus on the here and now.
#3 Recharge your batteries in nature
It’s not just the centuries-old giant trees that exude magical strength. The Buchenegger Waterfalls not far from Oberstaufen are also a place of power and offer the longed-for cooling off on hot summer days. The atmosphere is particularly great in the early morning hours.
We visited the waterfall shortly after sunrise. The steep, winding path that leads from Buchenegg to the waterfall in 20 minutes offers the perfect conditions for a morning workout; hike down, sit on a rock, breathe in and out the fresh, moist air, feel the spray on your skin, hike back up and start the day full of energy.
#4 Do something good for your body
Retreat, feeling, being there and movement; these are the four themes of mindfulness in the Allgäu. The Rosenalp incorporates these elements into its offering and offers plenty of opportunities to exercise as part of its extensive sports and activity program – whether focused on yourself as part of personal training or together with a group of like-minded people as part of the weekly program. From yoga to water gymnastics to Latin aerobics, sports enthusiasts can really let off steam here. If you want to work on your weak points, individual coaching with sports trainer Melania Fink is the best option. Before this class, I mentally prepared myself for an intensive, sweaty strength training session. But Melanie Fink’s first exercise immediately addresses my biggest weak point: conscious breathing. I had already struggled with this in yoga classes. Melania is not put off by my initial displeasure with the breathing exercises and over the course of the class she gets me to breathe deeply into my stomach.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, selected sauna infusions are carried out as part of the weekly program: From mountain pine to lavender to Japanese mint oil, a special experience for passionate sauna-goers.
If you want to treat your body to an extra moment of relaxation in addition to your daily exercise, you will find a wide range of massages, wraps, baths and special treatments in the spa menu. I am torn as to whether I should try a singing bowl, herbal stamp or hot stone massage and ultimately decide on the mountain salt stamp massage – a treat for my dry skin.
#5 Enjoy consciously
Another specialty of the Rosenalp is the focus on a healthy, balanced diet. Head chef Helmut Beng is a trained diet cook and manages to create menus that avoid stressful foods without sacrificing enjoyment. One speciality is the Rosenalp light cuisine.
I think the concept of light cuisine is brilliant. I often feel “overfull” after a multi-course evening meal and go to bed feeling full. Thanks to the absence of carbohydrates and the small – but extremely “appealing” – portions that are served for dinner as part of the light cuisine, this feeling has been avoided for once. Recommended for everyone who wants to enjoy consciously.
Even after our second visit to Oberstaufen, we still feel the “Rosenalp effect”: after two days of fresh air, lots of exercise and a healthy diet, our energy reserves are noticeably recharged. I’ve also become curious about alkaline fasting – I’d like to try that next time.
Practical tips for your stay at the Rosenalp Health Resort & Spa
- You can reach Oberstaufen from Zurich by train via Lindau in just under 3.5 hours. The transfer from the train station to the hotel and back is included. The journey by car takes around 2 hours.
- Room prices vary depending on the season and start at 129 euros per person in a double room. Use of the wellness area and participation in the weekly activity program are included. You can find an overview of the offers and packages here: The Rosenalp Offers
- As a hotel guest you will receive the Oberstaufen PLUS Card upon arrival. This card allows you to benefit from free admission to various service providers – such as free use of the mountain railways (including one ascent and descent per day)
- From Monday to Friday, the Rosenalp offers guided afternoon hikes in the region.
- Oberstaufen is a good starting point for hikes in the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park as well as for bike and e-bike tours in the Allgäu. If you arrive without your own bike, you can rent bikes in Oberstaufen.