About this hotel
General information
Schloss Elmau sits alone in the Elmau valley, some 1,000 m up at the foot of the Wetterstein mountains in Upper Bavaria, close to the Austrian border. It is one estate with two hotels, both members of The Leading Hotels of the World. The Hideaway is the castle itself, built between 1914 and 1916, with 100 rooms, suites and family apartments. The Retreat, a contemporary house on a hilltop 150 m to the west, holds 47 generously sized rooms and suites behind floor-to-ceiling glass. Breakfast is served in the house where guests stay; everything else is shared across both.
Interiors combine Asian touches, Italian elegance and natural materials gathered from around the world. The estate has kept its own cultural tradition for more than a century: up to 150 concerts a year in its concert hall, alongside festivals, readings, political debates and symposia, plus an in-house bookshop. Guests have six spas – three for families and three for adults only – nine restaurants across the two houses, a mountain restaurant at 1,200 m and an extensive programme for children and teenagers.
Location
The estate lies in the secluded Elmau valley at the foot of the Wetterstein range, between the Zugspitze and the Karwendel mountains, on the border between Bavaria and Austria. Munich is 100 km away, Innsbruck 45 km and Garmisch-Partenkirchen 18 km; the final 6 km from the village of Klais follow a toll road. The hotel arranges transfers from Munich and Innsbruck airports and runs a shuttle from Klais railway station, about 15 minutes away.
Spa
The estate's six spas are split between family areas and adults-only areas for guests aged 16 and over:
- Badehaus Spa (Hideaway, 16+) – three heated outdoor infinity pools: a 25 m rooftop pool, a 20 m saltwater pool at 35 °C and the 18 m Sunset Pool, where swimwear is optional; large saunas, a brine steam bath, a cold plunge pool, a tea lounge with an open fire, the Jivamukti Yoga Center, a Pilates studio, 17 treatment rooms and the Ananda restaurant.
- Oriental Hamam (Hideaway, 16+) – an authentic 500 m² hammam with three domed rooms, four treatment rooms, two steam baths and a tea lounge, lined with Jura stone.
- Hideaway Family Spa – a 25 m indoor infinity pool at 32 °C, Finnish and herbal saunas, a brine steam bath and an infrared cabin; children learn to swim here.
- Shantigiri Adult Spa (Retreat, 16+) – a 20 m infinity pool at 32 °C, a Japanese onsen at 40 °C, a fireside lounge, a relaxation room facing the mountains and two sauna and brine steam areas, one of them swimwear-free.
- Shantigiri Family Spa (Retreat) – a 25 m infinity pool, a fireside relaxation room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a barrel sauna, seven treatment rooms and a gym.
- Nature Spa – a natural pool of about 10 m in the Ferchenbach mountain stream, a heated lap pool (27 °C, in summer), a rustic sauna and loungers on the bank; sauna and ice bathing all year round.
A Traditional Chinese Medicine centre and an osteopathy practice complete the offer, with daily yoga, Pilates, Taiji, QiGong and Gaga classes and longevity programmes built around ice bathing, intermittent fasting and music.
Sports & leisure
The mountains around Elmau set the agenda in every season:
- three clay tennis courts in the Nature Spa (in the warmer months), with coaching from the Sunball tennis school;
- golf on three nearby courses in Oberau, Wallgau and Seefeld, reached free of charge in the hotel's electric BMWs;
- hiking, rock climbing in the Wetterstein and Karwendel ranges, and a running trail of up to 9 km along the Ferchenbach to Lake Ferchensee;
- road cycling and mountain biking, archery and fly fishing;
- rowing and stand-up paddling on Lake Eibsee, kitesurfing and windsurfing on Lake Walchensee;
- gyms with spiroergometric testing and personal trainers, plus yoga, Pilates, Taiji and QiGong;
- in winter, an ice rink with hockey kit in front of the hotel, curling, cross-country skiing in the valley and a 3 km toboggan run down from the Elmauer Alm.
Guests can also borrow all-electric BMWs free of charge to explore the region.
For children
The estate is designed for holidays both with and away from the children. The Kids Club for ages 2–5 is open daily all year, free of charge and without booking, with crafts, stories, outings into nature and a shared lunch. The Kids & Teens Club for ages 6 and over opens daily during school holidays, with craft projects, stream games, rallies and evening films. Further programmes include football camps with coaches from Bundesliga clubs, AI creativity labs, chess, photography, science and woodworking workshops, swimming lessons, archery from age 6, pony rides and, in winter, ski school from age 4. Three family spas and the family restaurants La Salle and Tutto Mondo complete the offer.
Restaurants & bars
Nine restaurants are spread across the two houses, alongside bars and lounges:
- Ikigai (Hideaway) – French-Japanese haute cuisine;
- La Salle (Hideaway) – family restaurant with modern European-Alpine cooking, buffets and dishes from an open kitchen;
- Fidelio (Hideaway) – Thai, Indian and Chinese cuisine with live jazz piano;
- Kaminstube (Hideaway) – cheese fondue;
- Ananda (Hideaway) – adults-only spa restaurant in the Badehaus for light lunches and snacks;
- Summit (Retreat) – Mediterranean cuisine, adults only;
- Summit Pavilion (Retreat) – Japanese cuisine and sushi with Alpine produce, adults only, with views of the Wetterstein;
- Tutto Mondo (Retreat) – family restaurant with Mediterranean and regional dishes;
- Ganesha (Retreat) – private dining for groups of up to 32;
- Elmauer Alm – mountain restaurant at 1,200 m serving Bavarian classics, a 45-minute walk from the hotel;
- Al Camino Bar (Hideaway) – fireside bar with live jazz piano every evening;
- Tea Lounge, Silentium Library and Smokers Lounge (Hideaway) and Library Lounge (Retreat) – lounges, libraries and terraces with mountain views.
Swimming
The estate's pools include heated outdoor infinity pools at the Badehaus and both Shantigiri spas, a 25 m indoor pool in the Hideaway Family Spa and a natural pool in the Ferchenbach stream at the Nature Spa. In summer guests swim in the clear waters of Lake Ferchensee, 3 km away, which warms to 22–24 °C, and in Lakes Geroldsee and Barmsee.
Skiing
Downhill skiing is close by in Seefeld in the Austrian Alps, on the World Cup runs of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and on the Zugspitze glacier, with snowboarding and ski touring for all levels. The Elmau valley itself has trails for classic and skate cross-country skiing. A ski school runs group classes for children from age 4, Monday to Friday.
Pets
Dogs are accepted in a limited number of rooms at the Hideaway only.
Rooms
The estate has 147 rooms and suites: 100 in the Hideaway castle, including its West Wing and tower, and 47 at the Retreat. In-room dining is not available in the West Wing or the tower.
Oak parquet, Loribaft rugs, Asian and Italian furniture, natural-stone bathrooms in most categories, minibar and Wi-Fi; Retreat rooms add floor-to-ceiling windows, B&B Italia furniture and silent inductive cooling.
Hideaway Single/Double Room
East-facing room for one or two guests with a 180 × 210 cm bed and a natural-stone shower room.
Hideaway Artist Room
Compact east-facing room for one guest with a 110 cm bed and a shower room; some have a balcony.
Hideaway Small Double Room Deluxe
South-facing room with a 160 × 210 cm bed and a natural-stone shower room; some with a balcony.
Hideaway Double Room Deluxe
South-facing room with a 180 × 210 cm bed and a stone bathroom with shower.
Hideaway Double Room Deluxe with Balcony
West-facing room with a balcony, a 200 × 210 cm bed and a large bathroom with bath, shower and separate WC.
Hideaway Double Room Deluxe Tower
Room on the sixth to eighth floor of the tower with views east, south and west, even from the shower room. The lift stops at the fourth floor and room service is not available.
Hideaway Junior Suite Courtyard Deluxe
Suite overlooking the inner courtyard, with a 200 × 210 cm bed, sofa bed and dressing room; some bathrooms have an XXL shower only.
Hideaway Junior Suite Historic
East-facing suite with a 180 × 200 cm bed, a sofa bed and a bathroom with shower and separate WC.
Hideaway Junior Suite Deluxe
South- or west-facing suite with a large double bed, sofa bed and a bathroom with bath and shower; sleeps up to four.
Hideaway Junior Suite Deluxe with Balcony
South- or west-facing suite with a balcony, sofa bed and a large stone bathroom with bath, shower and separate WC.
Hideaway Fürsten Deluxe Room
Spacious corner-tower room facing south-west with panoramic views and a balcony, a 200 × 210 cm bed, sofa bed, chaise longue and dressing room; bathroom with bath and shower.
Hideaway Family Suite Deluxe Sous le Toit
South-facing family suite under the roof: a bedroom with a 200 × 210 cm bed and a living room with chaise longue and sofa bed, some with a bunk bed; sleeps up to four.
Hideaway Family Suite Deluxe
Family apartment with two bedrooms, some with a bunk bed in the second room, and two stone bathrooms.
Hideaway Family Suite Deluxe Près du Ciel
South- or west-facing family suite with two bedrooms, a sofa bed and chaise longue, and a bathtub looking out to the mountains.
Hideaway Artist Suite
North-facing suite with valley views, a separate bedroom and a living room with sofa bed; bathroom with bath.
Hideaway Courtyard Apartment Deluxe
Two connected courtyard-view suites with two bedrooms, two sofa beds, two bathrooms and a children's room with a daybed; for four guests.
Hideaway West Wing Junior Suite
Ground-floor West Wing suite with floor-to-ceiling windows opening to the garden, a separate living area, kitchenette and small shower room; Lambert furniture.
Hideaway West Wing Junior Suite Deluxe
South-facing suite with garden access or, on the upper floors, a fully opening glass front; 200 × 210 cm bed, living area, chaise longue and a large stone bathroom. Some connect to a neighbouring suite to form a family apartment.
Hideaway West Wing Junior Suite Loft
Split-level south-facing suite with a fully opening glass front, two 180 × 200 cm beds (one on the gallery), sofa bed, kitchenette and a bathroom with bath and shower.
Hideaway West Wing Junior Suite Loft Deluxe
Split-level south-facing suite with two large beds (one on the gallery), a chaise longue and a spacious stone bathroom with XXL shower and Toto washlet.
Hideaway West Wing Suite
South-facing suite with a fully opening glass front, 200 × 210 cm bed, two sofa beds in separate living areas, kitchenette and dining table; bathroom with bath and shower.
Hideaway West Wing Suite Deluxe
South-facing suite on the same plan – bedroom, living areas with sofa bed, kitchenette and dining table – finished with a stone bathroom and Loribaft rugs.
Hideaway West Wing Family Duplex Apartment Puristic
Two simply furnished ground-floor suites with garden access, joined by a fully opening partition; one bathroom with bath and shower, the other a very small shower room. For four guests.
Hideaway West Wing Family Duplex Apartment Deluxe
Two Deluxe junior suites joined by a fully opening partition, with spacious natural-stone bathrooms; for four guests.
Hideaway West Wing Apartment Deluxe
Apartment with fully opening windows facing south, west and north: two bedrooms with large beds, two stone bathrooms, a spacious living area with sofa bed and a kitchenette; sleeps up to six.
Hideaway West Wing Apartment Puristic
Apartment on the same plan – two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living area with sofa bed and kitchenette – with a plainer finish; sleeps up to six.
Retreat Double Room
South-facing room with a balcony, loggia or terrace, floor-to-ceiling windows, a 200 × 210 cm bed and an XXL stone bathroom with shower and Toto washlet.
Retreat Junior Suite
South-facing suite with a balcony, loggia or terrace, a 200 × 210 cm bed, chaise longue and sofa bed; bathroom with bath and shower.
Retreat Junior Suite XXL
Generous south-facing suite with a loggia or terrace on the spa or garden level, a 200 × 210 cm bed, chaise longue, sofa bed and a bathroom with bath and shower.
Retreat Ferchenbach Apartment
A Ferchenbach Suite connected to a Double Room; for four guests.
Retreat Ferchenbach Suite
South-facing suite with a balcony, loggia or terrace, separate bedroom and living room, chaise longue and sofa bed; bathroom with bath, shower and separate WC.
Retreat Family Suite
Family suite overlooking the Elmau valley, with a parents' bedroom behind floor-to-ceiling windows and a children's room with two single beds; first-floor suites have a terrace.
Retreat Valley Suite
Suite with a balcony and views over the Elmau valley, a bedroom, a living room with sofa and sofa bed, a walk-in wardrobe and a stone bathroom with shower.
Retreat Summit Suite
Suite with mountain views to the east, south and west, a south balcony, bedroom, children's room with two beds and separate living room; bathroom with freestanding bath, plus a dressing room.
Retreat Presidential Suite
A Summit Suite connected to a Valley Suite; for four guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.