Enveloped in the steamy waters of Schloss Elmau’s Japanese onsen (a traditional oriental thermal bath) heated to a precise 40C (104F), with a backdrop of the snow-capped Bavarian Alps, I consider who had been here first.
David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Barack Obama and Joe Biden had enjoyed the best of this unique spa and cultural resort, but not, I hasten to add, in the onsen together. That would have been weird.
They and other world leaders visited the resort across two G7 summits, in 2015 and 2022.
‘No one has ever hosted it twice,’ says owner and CEO Dietmar Mueller-Elmau, ‘but we have.’
Boris swam in the lake, Barack hit the gym, and Joe had a massage. Dave no doubt took chillaxing to a new level in the six separate spa areas encompassing six pools.
The resort was founded by Dietmar’s grandfather, the influential theologian and philosopher Dr Johannes Muller, in 1916 for guests to debate and enjoy classical concerts in the untouched surroundings.
The site is vastly changed, but the music and magnificence of the Elmau Valley remain.
The resort comprises two main buildings – the more modern Retreat, with 47 suites, and the original 115-room building, Hideaway, which reflects the architecture of a traditional Bavarian castle on the outside and a luxury five-star hotel on the inside.
The Retreat, in contrast, is an homage to modern design and engineering.
Slick suites have balconies and there are double-height walls of glass in the public areas, giving unfettered views of sugar-dusted pine forests and the Wetterstein mountains beyond.
The vast lounge, painted in rich hues of russet red and gold, sees guests sink into the soft embrace of well-padded armchairs and sofas.
A huge, central, open-faced log burner creates a focal point, but nothing can compete with that view.
Large, elevated terraces with tasteful loungers and fleece blankets encourage guests to linger, drinking in the Alps and the never-ending flow of the mountain stream that cuts its way through the ice and snow below.
There is a fabulous feeling of space indoors and out, particularly noticeable in the many spa areas – the glass-walled sauna in the Retreat makes the most of the snowy landscape.
The spas and relaxation areas have the same pale limestone floors in wet areas, with oak boards for dry areas, and a russet red-and-gold palette for walls and loungers, creating a synergy that runs throughout the resort.
There are two libraries and tea rooms with cosy fireside nooks you never want to leave and where you rarely see a fellow guest, something that appeals to Dietmar.
He says: ‘I prefer to be one on one. I don’t like these big gatherings.
‘Most hotels have limited public space. I have an abundance of it, far more than is needed, but I would never want to sit in a pool with 20 others.’
He admits he has never tried any of them.
‘We have nature and music and culture,’ he says, ‘but it is a different generation, and everybody loves the spa. The politicians and the artists that come here – and they are very hard to please.’
Steam baths, ladies-only spas, an outdoor sauna where you can bathe in the icy stream and yoga classes and fitness programmes are available, as well as more specialist treatments, overseen by Medical Spa Director, Dr Imke Konig.
An expert in acupuncture, Tai Chi and, no doubt, many other things, she gives me an excellent introductory class in Qigong (a Chinese practice combining breathing, movement, and meditation), which has me hooked.
The cultural programme is also a big part of the resort’s identity.
Over 200 concerts and literary events are held here annually, and past artists have included Benjamin Britten, Yehudi Menuhin, Ian McEwan, and Julian Barnes.
During my visit, Grammy-winning pianist Chilly Gonzales gives a memorable performance.
All artists work on a ‘play to stay’ basis, experiencing the rejuvenating mountain air and resort facilities in return for their services.
As if the huge range of activities on-site were not enough, there are programmes on offer all year round, which include football, archery, tennis and e-biking.
During my winter stay, activities include sledding, cross-country, off-piste and downhill skiing and snow-biking (riding mountain bikes with spikes).
A shuttle makes several journeys daily to the pretty Austrian ski resort of Seefeld, just a 25-minute drive away.
With an excellent ski school, 17 lifts and 19 pistes, it’s good for beginners and intermediates.
Our group’s charming guide, Hermann Glatz, ensures we don’t get lost and, when my ski legs give up, finds a delightful piste-side restaurant, serving a delicious goulash and excellent Austrian beer.
As skiing takes a toll on my knees, hiking along the snowy trails surrounding Schloss Elmau turns into an unexpected highlight for me.
Crunching through five inches of fresh snow, bordered by towering pines, the silence broken only by the gurgling of a mountain stream, it’s impossible to remain unmoved by the timeless majesty of the setting.
I also take on the shorter, but much steeper, hike to the hotel’s popular lunch spot, Elmauer Alm.
The picture-perfect alpine lodge, complete with sun decks, fire pits and chequered tablecloths, serves delicious traditional fare.
The local beer is excellent, but having watched one fit-looking visitor take an embarrassing tumble on the way up, and not wanting to be the entertainment on the way down, I ration myself to a pint – or two – and make it back in one piece.
Dinner choices involve six restaurants, including the two-Michelin-starred Luce D’oro.
The Retreat’s Tutto Mondo Summit serves a small menu of beautifully executed dishes, with well-chosen wine pairings, using produce sourced as locally as possible.
Not to be missed is the intimate Kaminstuberl, serving pots of bubbling Tyrol cheese fondue, with a creative assortment of things to dip in it, from breads and potatoes to slices of ham and pickles.
Breakfast, often skipped at home, is a pleasure at the Retreat offering everything from avocado and poached eggs on toasted, dark and nutty Bavarian bread to Bucks fizz, smoked salmon and traditional German sausage.
The enthusiastic, young staff deliver a delightfully unstuffy service, their quiet efficiency helping to maintain an atmosphere of tranquility many spa resorts strive for but few achieve.
Dietmar isn’t a spa fan, but he fully appreciates the inspirational natural setting his grandfather chose for Schloss Elmau, and is doing his best to tread lightly on the landscape.
He has built two wood chip plants to fuel the resort – two so the infrastructure remains small and less visible – and also a hydro-electric plant.
Dietmar says Emily Dickinson’s poem ‘I Dwell in Possibility’ describes Schloss Elmau ‘better than anything else’.
He has certainly made the most of the possibilities his grandfather left him with.
Only time will tell if he’s finished.
