The Credentials:
President Barack Obama, the Dalai Lama and our English WAGs are among those who have stayed at this five-star hotel which is part of the Oetker Collection of ‘masterpiece hotels’. It’s easy to see why: set in a stunning private park on the bank of the Oosbach River, the hotel boasts a rich 135-plus-year history, 100 individually designed rooms (all with fab views, marble bathrooms with double sinks and plenty of space; our junior suite was 700sqft) and a luxury spa (and a lot more besides).
Dine:
There’s a designated breakfast room, so you can enjoy a leisurely morning without worrying about arriving just as the kitchen closes. Sitting on the terrace overlooking the park isn’t a bad way to start the day and the impressive buffet includes a to-die-for cheese selection, pastries, breads (exclusively delivered daily from a nearby bakery), preserves such as gooseberry and kiwi, cereals including cappuccino, an egg/pancake chef…
The hotel (and Baden-Baden in general) focuses on regional and seasonal produce. What’s more, the windows of the two Michelin-starred Park Restaurant open out so it feels like the garden is brought into the beautiful room. It is open Wednesday to Sunday so head chef Andreas Krolik will definitely be there during your visit.
We enjoyed dinner overlooking the park and the famous Lichtentaler Allee in (or outside, I should say) the Mediterranean Wintergarten Restaurant while listening to the pianist. The menu is imaginative (and can be tailored to any special nutritional requirements) –and the desserts are stunning. We ate in the restaurant two consecutive evenings because it was so good. I particularly loved the fragrant vegetable curry with peas, cauliflower, asparagus (£19) while the black forest gateaux with cherry brandy panna cotta, condiment cherries, chocolate ice-cream and almond bisque (£11) is a must.
Sleep:
With a balcony overlooking the park, our huge junior suite had the perfect mix of contemporary design and antiques. All junior suites have an alcove separating the bedroom to the living area and a separate dressing area and a bathroom I dream of having back home. There were also plenty of thoughtful touches – gorgeous flowers, a plate of fruit, water by our bedside and a welcome invitation to cocktails and a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the hotel.
Who Goes There?
The rich and famous. Did I mention the private villa with bullet-proof windows located within the hotel? We were convinced the Russian mafia were staying in the suite next to ours…
Out & About:
Baden-Baden is a gorgeous cultural spa town located in the northern foothills of the Black Forest. We crossed the bridge from the hotel’s gardens and strolled through the town’s gardens running adjacent to the Cultural Mile passing the Festspielhaus (Europe’s second largest opera and concert hall), the Belle Epoch Kurhaus and the oldest casino in Germany. We bought chocolates from Café König; explored the Gönneranlage rose garden with its 400 varieties; checked out the world’s first museum dedicated to the Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé and climbed the hills, taking the Merkurbergbahn (funicular railway) to the observation tower on Mount Merkur.
The Best Thing:
The attention to detail is second to none. The spa facilities are famous in a town famous for its spa facilities; the hotel’s furnishings are sumptuous; the bar is convivial and intimate; there are even cigar sommeliers who can provide you with your own a private compartment in the humidor during your stay…
The Worst Thing:
This is sheer nit-picking: we’d have preferred an alternative to the generous-sized Spirit of Jaipur own-brand toiletries, especially as top-notch brands such as Sisley and SkinCeuticals are used in the spa.
The Details:
Brenner’s Beauty Break: two nights in a standard double or single room, including breakfast buffet; welcome with flowers, fruit basket and mineral water; deluxe programme which includes beauty milk bath; spa special for the body with body peeling and aroma wrap and beauty facial plus full use of spa facilities. Double occupancy, rate per person €775; single occupancy €920
www.brenners.com; reservations@brenners.com; 0049 7221 9000
