Werdenfelserei

The spa is the main reason we keep coming back. It covers one and a half levels, with natural wood, open spaces and an evening fireplace. The heated outdoor pool and terrace look over Garmisch and the mountains. We haven’t found anything else like it in the region. The hotel is right beside the Kurpark and a small stream, with the pedestrian zone only a two-minute walk away. There’s complimentary covered parking under the building and ski storage right next door. Rooms are cozy and well sized, with seating areas and large balconies. The gym could use more equipment for strength training. It’s geared more toward yoga and light exercise, and a few free weights or a barbell would help. The architecture is beautiful, with lots of wood, broad glass facades facing the Kurpark and Zugspitze massif, and spacious covered wooden balconies. The sun warms the wood, so sitting outside feels sheltered and cozy even when it’s cold. From the entrance onward, the place feels calm and carefully made. We think the restaurant is excellent value. Creative dishes use high-quality ingredients, and the spaces are beautifully designed. You can sense the family’s drive to get the details right, beyond what more commercially focused hotels might do. Breakfast is another highlight, with refined spreads and hearty Bavarian staples like Weißwurst, Leberkäse and Wurstsalat, as well as ham freshly sliced on a Berkel machine. Service has improved a lot since years ago. Check-in and checkout were friendly and professional, whereas service once felt a little distant. I’ve known Garmisch for over 30 years, but for a long time I rarely came back because there weren’t inspiring, high-quality hotels. Werdenfelserei has filled that gap and set a standard others could learn from. The one issue we had was temperature control. The room was uncomfortably warm overnight on our first night, then too cool the next evening after we adjusted it. The climate control still seems inconsistent, and it affected our sleep.