Allgäu Vital Oberstaufen

There are no meal options at all if you book a single or double room here, no breakfast, no kitchen, nothing. The website advertises breakfast, but it isn't served. I couldn't get a reply to my emails or messages through the booking platform. When I called, a man answered from somewhere away from the hotel and couldn't access my booking. He just told me to cancel. I said the website and other platforms need to be corrected so they don't advertise breakfast. I haven't had service this unprofessional in a long time. Can a place with no meals even call itself a hotel? Be warned if you're booking a room rather than an apartment.

The Oberstaufen Plus Pass was a big part of the great value here, with things like the mountain lifts and water park included. The pool and sauna were fantastic, and I’d definitely recommend the place to families. We stayed in early January with our toddler. Everyone was so friendly, and it felt like home. The rooms were functional, though they could use a little more equipment. Some still had carpet, and there was no microwave in the kitchenette. We were out and about a lot, so it wasn't a big issue.

The setup worked well for our group: we used the two double rooms for sleeping and the single room in the middle as a dining and gathering space. The three rooms connect through several doors, with the kitchen in the hallway. Each room had its own bathroom, not large but adequate, and a balcony. One balcony faced the street, but we still slept fine. I was woken once by the nearby chapel bell at 6:30 a.m. Everything was clean, comfortable, and nicely furnished. The kitchen had an oven, a good-sized fridge, toaster, kettle, two hotplates, enough pots, and a frying pan. There was no casserole dish, and two hotplates made more elaborate cooking difficult. The Senseo machine shown in some photos is gone, replaced by a regular coffee maker. We could use the pool and sauna even though the apartment is rented by a private landlord, and the hotel staff were still friendly. The sauna's cozy relaxation area is open daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; the pool runs from morning until 8 p.m. In the large shared room downstairs, there's a drinks fridge with things like beer and milk, plus a coffee machine with a cash box where you put in money. I was also offered the Oberstaufen Plus card, another nice extra. The location is convenient. Edeka is about a 10-minute walk, while Norma, which is significantly cheaper, is a few minutes away by car. The town center and the summer toboggan run, or Hündle, are also nearby. One practical thing: we left the key on the outside of each apartment door. If you were in the kitchen without a key, with both apartment doors shut and no one else around, you could get locked out because each door only has a knob.

We could walk into town in a short time, and several hiking routes start right from here. The apartment itself was fantastic, with modern furnishings and a fully equipped kitchen that had everything we needed. The spa area was clean and mostly empty, and we had the pool to ourselves.