Wellness consists of many components — and the food is without question one of the most important. It is what turns a stay in a spa hotel into a pleasure in the first place. We have looked around and report here on the state of things when it comes to “wellness and culinary art” in Bavaria's spa hotels.
The result of our research in advance: Bavaria's spa hotels offer an excellent mixture of down-to-earth cold platters and international top cuisine. That was not always so. In recent years guests' expectations have risen considerably — they are worldly and know the level of international hotel-keeping. What is expected today is no longer only a programme of massages, beauty treatments and activities but an all-round coherent pampering programme that as a matter of course accommodates individual wishes and intolerances.
How important is the food to you on a wellness holiday?
If our small survey is anything to go by, hotels could almost save themselves the latest pool landscape — as long as the food tastes good. That is put pointedly, but it hits a true core: hardly anything ruins a holiday as reliably as bad food. What good food is, of course, is another matter, because tastes differ — a real challenge for hoteliers.
The difference between good food and culinary art
How does the balancing act succeed? On the one hand the food should come from the region, be produced sustainably and ideally be prepared according to traditional recipes — on the other, guests are keen to try things and want to discover the delicacies of distant countries at the table too. Uniting both under one roof is not easy.
The German term “Kulinaristik” itself comes from the German Academy for Culinary Art, co-founded in 2000 by the chefs Eckart Witzigmann and Vincent Klink among others. It derives from the Latin *culina* (kitchen) and means the art of cooking in its whole breadth: it is precisely not only about filling up but about genuine pleasure and everything that belongs to it — from the origin of the ingredients to the culture of eating.
Gourmets are in the right place in a spa hotel
In Bavaria the choice of culinarily convincing spa hotels is large. Expressly recommendable is “Oswalds Gourmetstube” at the Landromantik spa hotel Oswald, awarded a MICHELIN star:
“This elegant little parlour is a genuine culinary hotspot in the Bavarian Forest. First-class produce becomes fine classic dishes here. And let the competent service recommend the right wine for the menu.” (The inspectors of the Guide MICHELIN)
At the Hotel Mooshof, in turn, you choose from four different restaurant areas, each with its own charm and, alongside the pleasures of the palate, a magnificent view of the Bavarian Forest. Love of detail and a select wine list with old and young rarities are to be found at the Hotel St. Florian too.
Combining wellness and cuisine is part of good form today. We wish you much joy in trying the delicacies — and much relaxation. Enjoy your meal!