Mountain idyll Berwang
16. September 2024
Hotel whispers de luxe on Lake Chiemsee
Traveling is diverse. From a small guesthouse to a luxury hotel, everything is possible, depending on your budget and taste. According to statistics, Germany has 48,200 accommodation establishments. Of these, 12,200 are hotels and only half are classified as one to five stars by the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA).
The icing on the cake of the industry are the five-star hotels: there are only around 120 luxury hotels in Germany. These hotels offer an extensive range of exceptional amenities, including gourmet restaurants, luxurious rooms and suites with high-quality furnishings, wellness and spa facilities, a golf course, concierge service, usually an excellent location and great emphasis is placed on privacy. Although they all offer an exquisite standard, they are very different. Hotel rankings provide orientation, one of which is 101 Best. Matthias Winkler, CEO of the Sacher Group: “101 is the only relevant ranking in the world of German-speaking hotels.”
Carsten K. Rath founded the renowned and most important ranking of the German-speaking hotel industry in 2019 together with his son David Rath. Every year, it selects the 101 best hotels in Germany during a glamorous weekend.
The host for the announcement of the 2025 ranking was the Das Achental resort in Grassau, around 20 kilometers from Lake Chiemsee. One thing up front: Germany's greatest hotel (101 Icon Hotel) remains the Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, as in previous years. This hotel in a fantastic location on the Inner Alster offers the perfect ingredients for a luxury hotel and has done so since it was opened by the Härlin family in 1897. It has belonged to the Canadian Fairmont Hotel and Resorts Group for years, is managed by Ingo C. Peters and was recently extensively modernized. “This award is important for our industry and is now firmly established. The who's who of the hotel industry is represented,” emphasizes Ingo C. Peters. “But it's also important that the employees are smiling and happy. You can't win a prize with hardware alone.”
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- Carsten K. Rath honors Horst H. Schulze with the Icon Hotelier of the world – Lifetime Achievement Award
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- The best hoteliers in Germany: Mathias Gerds, Cyrus Heydarian (Breidenbacher Hof, Düsseldorf), Horst H. Schulze, Ingo C. Peters (Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg), Christian Siegling (Severin`s Resort, Sylt) and Georg Plesser (Excelsior Hotel Ernst, Cologne)
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- Thies Sponholz, Director of The Fontenay in Hamburg, is delighted to have won first place as Luxury Design Hotel of the Year
The sun had just disappeared behind Lake Chiemsee when the flurry of flashbulbs on the red carpet began: More than 270 top hoteliers such as Frank Marrenbach, CEO Althoff Hotels or Innegrit Volkhardt, Bayerischer Hof Munich, as well as celebrities from show business and economy appeared at the resort Das Achental for the “101 Grande Soirée” such as star violinist Daniel Hope, world-class tennis player Michael Stich or model Nina Meise.
The main winner and therefore Hotel of the Year is Schloss Elmau, where the G7 summit was held for the second time in 2022. “Schloss Elmau is a magical place where music, nature and inspiration merge in a unique way. My home away from home,” said Daniel Hope in his laudatory speech. The renowned artist performs on the world's major stages and has received many awards himself, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Federal Cross of Merit).
A special award went to Cyrus Heydarian, Managing Director and operator of the Breidenbacher Hof Düsseldorf: he was named “101 Icon Hotelier of the Year”.
Another highlight of the evening was the award for the world-famous hotelier Horst H. Schulze. The 85-year-old entrepreneur was named “101 Icon Hotelier of the World - Lifetime Achievement Award” for his life's work.
Horst H. Schulze started out as a waiter in Bad Neuenahr, the Olympus of his career is great: he was COO and President of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, for which he designed the legendary service standards - with his philosophy “We are Ladies & Gentlemen serving Ladies & Gentlemen” he was far ahead of his time. “He changed the world of the hotel industry, virtually invented service excellence and established it in all areas of his hotels worldwide. To this day, he continues to inspire the entire industry, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is a worthy successor to César Ritz: the king of all hoteliers and the hotelier of kings,” said Carsten K. Rath, who worked for Horst H. Schulze at Ritz-Carlton.
101 Best Ranking 2025 see below.
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- Motel One founder and CEO as well as owner of the resort Das Achental and the new Lakeside Retreat Chiemgauhof: Dieter Müller and his wife Ursula Schelle-Mueller
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- In a good mood at the gala evening at Das Achental: Cyrus Heydarian, Breidenbacher Hof and Frank Marrenbach, Manager and Managing Partner of Althoff Hotels (right)
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- Puneet Chhatwal, head of the Indian Hotels Company (left) is delighted for Korbinian Kohler. The Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach on Lake Tegernsee is Luxury Family Resort of the Year
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- Ingo C. Peters, head of the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, once again receives the award for the most outstanding hotel in Germany
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- Three-star chef Edip Sigl in action
The Achental Resort
Who is the host of the glamorous weekend?
The Achental in Grassau was named Rising Star of the Year and took second place in the Luxury Golf Resorts category. “We are incredibly proud of the whole team. The good rankings are an important sign of quality for our guests,” emphasized the owners of the 5-star resort in Grassau on Lake Chiemsee, Ursula Schelle-Müller and her husband Dieter Müller. The Achental is the icing on the cake in the Müllers' gigantic hotel portfolio, together with the recently opened Lakeside Retreat, the Chiemgauhof on Lake Chiemsee with 28 exclusive suites.
The Müllers' main business has been running successfully for over 20 years and manages without any hotel stars: The budget design hotel group Motel One currently has around 96 hotels in 13 countries and generates several hundred million euros in revenue each year.
But back to the five sparkling hotel stars in Grassau: Das Achental resort is located in the heart of Chiemgau, between the Kampenwand and Lake Chiemsee. Idyllically nestled in extensive gardens with mature trees, the resort is directly adjacent to the hotel's own 18-hole Leading Championship golf course. The style of the hotel is characterized by Bavarian tradition and modern interpretation. Loden, old wood, open fireplaces and deer antlers meet straightforward design, regional craftsmanship and high-quality furnishings, giving the hotel its own unique character. Guests reside in tasteful 179 rooms, junior suites and suites, relax in the magnificent 2,000 square meter wellness area, work out in the large fitness area, enjoy the indoor and outdoor pool, practice the perfect swing in the hotel's own PGA Premium Golf School or take part in one of the sports courses such as yoga or Pilates.
Not only hotel stars, but also culinary stars glitter above the Achental. Since June 2021, it has been setting new culinary standards with its gourmet restaurant es:senz, headed by German-Turkish executive chef Edip Sigl. The es:senz with Edip Sigl was recently awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide just three years after opening. “We make a clear promise to our guests: With every dish, we focus on the essentials, on the essence,” says the chef. “For me, this is inextricably linked to sustainable, respectful handling of the products and close cooperation with the producers in the region.” The essence of Chiemgau is brought to the plate in all its diversity and quality. Edip Sigl is also responsible for the hotel's numerous outlets such as the Weißer Hirsch restaurant, the Vinothek, the rustic Hubertushütte, the Stuben, Kaminbar, Lounge and Seehütte10.
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- The es:senz restaurant is one of the best in Germany. It has been awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide
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- Elegant Bavarian flair: the pool at the Das Achental resort is a wonderful place to relax
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- All rooms are comfortably furnished with modern accents, such as the Geigelstein junior suite shown here
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- Cozy and atmospheric: The Hubertushütte in the Achental park is also suitable for parties
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- Relaxation is guaranteed on the fur-covered rocking chairs in the spa area
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- All rooms are comfortably furnished with modern accents, such as the Geigelstein junior suite shown here
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- From the terrace of the Seehütte you can enjoy a wonderful view of nature on Lake Chiemsee
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- The Achental Resort in Grassau from the garden side – idyllic
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- With a view of the Chiemgau Alpine foothills, guests swing a club on the hotel’s own 18-hole Leading Championship golf course
“The 101 best hotels in Germany 2025” -
the first three places in the various categories:
Grand Hotels
Breidenbacher Hof, Düsseldorf
Rosewood Munich
Hotel Atlantic Hamburg
Luxury Hideaways
Sonnenalp Resort, Ofterschwang
Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt, Rottach-Egern
Alpenhof Murnau
Luxury Culinary Hotels
Hotel Bareiss, Baiersbronn
RIVA - The Hotel on Lake Constance, Constance
Söl'ring Hof, Sylt
Luxury Spa & Health Resorts
Severin's Resort & Spa Sylt
Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort, Weissenhaus (Baltic Sea)
Hotel Deimann, Schmallenberg
Luxury hotels in historical architecture
The European Court Heidelberg
Maison Messmer Baden-Baden
Hotel Stadt Hamburg Sylt
Luxury City Hotels
Mandarin Oriental, Munich
Orania. Berlin
Hotel Vila Vita Rosenpark, Marburg
Luxury Golf Resorts
Budersand Hotel - Golf & Spa - Sylt
The Achental, Grassau
The Öschberghof, Donaueschingen
Luxury Design Hotels
The Fontenay, Hamburg
Hotel Kö59, Düsseldorf
DO & CO Hotel Munich
Luxury Family Resorts
Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach, Kreuth
Relais & Châteaux Hotel Landhaus Stricker, Sylt
Grand Hotel Heiligendamm, Baltic Sea
Luxury City Palais
Excelsior Hotel Ernst, Cologne
Louis Hotel, Munich
Relais & Châteaux Hotel Bülow Palais, Dresden
Other special awards went to:
101 Icon Hotel
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg
101 Icon Hotelier of the World - Lifetime Achievement Award
Horst H. Schulze
101 Hotelier of the Year
Cyrus Heydarian
101 Hotel of the Year - Overall winner
Elmau Castle
101 Newcomer of the year
Rosewood Munich
101 Rising Star of the Year
The Achental
Photo credit
Agency People Image (c) Michael Tinnefeld (9)
Resort Das Achental (9
