Kempinski Takes Over Management of Resort in Bavarian Alps

The former InterContinental Berchtesgaden resort in the Obersalzberg area of the Bavarian Alps, has been reborn as the Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden.

Modern and straightforward in appearance, the hotel comprises 138 rooms and suites on four floors along with the Kempinski The Spa, three restaurants, a bar and six meeting rooms. A unique feature is the panoramic view from anywhere in the hotel that makes the Alpine peaks and meadows appear to be almost within arms' reach.

The soul and centre of the Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden is the spacious lobby with its elegant oakwood floor, soft earthen colour palette and high-end interiors. The 7-metres-high wall of hewn Styrian gneiss, several oversized lampshades and contemporary antler lamps are eye-catching. Here guest can relax around the open fireplace and discuss the day's events or find a new favourite among 130 types of gin and over 300 types of whisky at the Kaminbar.

The interiors of the 138 rooms and suites were maintained in their unpretentious classic design, each one featuring a balcony, a terrace or floor-to-ceiling windows. Freshly cut flowers, cosy cushions, a well-stocked minibar containing soft drinks and local beer, as well as turndown service all create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.

In honour of the opening under the Kempinski brand, Michelin-starred chef Ulrich Heiman created three new menus for the Le Ciel: Welt (world), Bayerische Alpen (Bavarian Alps) and the purely vegetarian menu called Kraut & Rüben. Gourmets can look forward to the reopening of the Le Ciel on 22 May.

The comfortable Bergstüberl restaurant serves traditional Alpine dishes in a casual beer garden atmosphere. Named after the first mountaineer to traverse the Watzmann East Face in 1881, the second new restaurant, the Johann Grill, serves refined regional cuisine like free-roaming ox carpaccio or venison fillet. The extensive terrace offering panoramic views is the perfect place to linger a little longer.

The 1,400 sqm Kempinski The Spa features an outdoor pool and relaxation area, twelve treatment rooms where guests can enjoy La Prairie and Alpienne products and treatments inspired by the seasons of the year. Precious natural oils, organic Alpine herbs, local salts and fresh mountain spring water round out the range of products used by the wellness professionals. Exclusive treatments with a regional twist, specially developed for the hotel, include salt stone massages, a tie back to the long-standing tradition of salt mining in the Berchtesgaden region.

The affiliated Golf Club Berchtesgaden's 9-hole golf course is one of the highest golf courses in Germany, while in winter, the hotel offers immediate access to the Gutshof auf dem Eckerbichl ski area. For shopping and cultural treats, guests can head down to Berchtesgaden or to nearby Salzburg.