Schloss Elmau Luxury Spa Retreat & Cultural Hideaway

I have stayed at this wonderful place 2 times before with my wife and kids. It has always been excellent. But unfortunately this third time was different. We visited over the weekend and upon arrival we found out that the full actual schloss, hideaway, was fully booked and closed off for a private event. That means no access for us to that spa area, no visits to the restaurants and jazz bar there and no access to the kids club and almost no kids activities. But we paid the same price as usual. If we would know this earlier we would have changed to another weekend. We mentioned it twice during our stay that we were very disappointed with this and the answer was simply: oh, sorry to hear that. So, very disappointing I must say.

This resort is great for relaxation, a true gem! Great location! Very kind service and a stunning castle with a beautiful library, bar, book shop ... only the SPA has too much patina and could need some love (renovation). We definetely will be back.

Our trip to the Schloss did not start out well. We had reservations to stay at the Retreat and the day before we arrived, we found out that we would not have any access the Hideaway for the length of our stay(there was a group that had rented it out) and that we should have been informed of that when we booked. I was not happy as it's advertised as stay at one property and enjoy both. Phillip & Lukas (managers) went out of their way to make the best of the situation by upgrading our room and making dinner & lunch reservations for us off property. Fabienne & Phillipp from the front desk/concierge staff were also very helpful andfriendly. All in all it was a lovely stay and my husband and i agreed that mistakes get made and it's how a company handles the mistakes that really mean something and they owned their mistake and tried their best to make our experience positive. pros: lovely setting, great spa ("secret sauna by the river!), BMW loaner cars (the most gorgeous cars ever), bike rentals, sun loungers by the river, great bathrobes cons: the staff is young and although accommodating they could be a little more polished and let things fall through the cracks at times, the breakfast was good but not extensive (although I did appreciate the champagne) the restaurant situation is a little confusing - they advertise that there are three restaurants in the Retreat but it's really just three rooms that all serve the same menu and since we couldn't got to the other resort, that was very limited- I'm guessing it would be better if we could have used both resorts. The dinner were good but expensive in my opinion for what we got and I would say that the food was the lowpoint for us of an otherwise world class resort.

Wow - really wow that experience thanks to schloss elmau for everything so a good service - so a good life there really privat life with respect for the nature and super service- thank you for everything we will be back- i van only say herr Dietmar WOW - thanks

The hotel itself is remarkable, boasting a stunning building and a magical surrounding that catches the moment you arrive. However, service and quality of food (LaSalle restaurant) were not great - not what you would expect from a hotel that claims to be among the top worldwide. Firstly, the breakfast experience was underwhelming. We regularly faced long waiting times, and the waiters seemed challenged to clean the tables properly. Our dining options were severely limited as all but one restaurant were closed for a private company event, which was disappointing given the hotel's and its restaurants’ reputation. Quality in the main restaurant was Ok, nothing special. The room service also failed to impress. Simple tasks like organizing clothes were overlooked, and there was no evening service, which I would expect as standard in a hotel of this caliber. As someone participating in the early morning yoga retreats, the lack of extra amenities like tea or water was a shame. Last not least, the hotel's text message system for booking tables was not working, causing unnecessary churn. Overall, the experience felt average and certainly not worth the premium price. Apparently experience was different in the past according to (several) returning guests, yet prices kept increasing while quality kept decreasing according to them.

I had a truly amazing stay. Schloss elmau is a one of a kind hotel. Very few hotels feel as warm and welcoming as schloss elmau, while still feeling luxurious. Service is on top, and the area is absolutely stunning. The spas are unbeatable. Once you’ve been at schloss elmau you can never go to another spa, because it will never be able to match schloss elmau.

One of my most favorite places in the world to return to each year, Schloss Elmau is that special. The relaxation rooms, pools, spas and wellness features are exceptional (both in comfort and impeccable architectural detail), on my latest trip I especially enjoyed the newly constructed Sunset Lounge. The staff is always kind and everyone is fluent in English (the majority of guests are German), they are courteous, efficient and invested in providing a 5-star hotel experience. Even in the off season when the flowers are not in bloom, the beauty of the surrounding mountains create a breathtaking backdrop to be enjoyed from every window, in every wing, in every building. To my fellow vegans - Schloss Elmau will delight you with options at all restaurants, bars and lounges. Tutto Mundo / Retreat has an entire 4 course vegan menu! The restaurant concepts change throughout the year but the menus always have vegan options and the breakfast buffets in both Retreat and La Salle offer tofu scrambles, avocado toast and Oatly spreads - all featuring clearly marked ingredient placards. You will be spoilt for choice!

It is a stunning property. Our view outside our full wall of windows was breathtaking. The food, spa, pools, and accommodations were first class. We equally enjoyed our time indoors and outdoors. The only challenge was navigating the property due to its grandness, but by the second day I had figured it out. It was perfect for our girls trip and I can't wait to go back with my husband.

Amazing hotel - 3 of the nicest outdoor pools in the world all in one hotel. And the beautiful Bach + Sauna. The rooms in the main building are beautiful. Haven't tried the Retreat. Food is great in the Retreat and the Japanese, the main restaurant is OK. My main problem with the hotel is that the coffee is very poor. In the bar they haver a Segafredo (train station coffee) and in the breakfast room a huge push button thing (probably a WMF). None of it is even passable. Amazing considering how much attention to detail there is elsewhere in the hotel. Tea? Superb selection and preparation. There's even a dedicated Tea Room. But the coffee sucks. I really hope you get any of the following before I come back next year: -fresh filter coffee, -a really good machine for the breakfast room and advise from a decent Barista. One other thing - the BBQ evening was a disaster when we were there - very undercooked burgers and sausages, cold chewy beef. A real let-down.