3 Best Hotels in Berchtesgaden, The Bavarian Alps

It's hard to imagine a more majestic hotel location than this one, high in the hills outside Berchtesgaden, surrounded by quiet woods and with sweeping mountain panoramas. The hotel itself is dripping with five-star luxury, yet retains a quiet, relaxed feel. Amenities range from four restaurants (including the two-Michelin-starred PUR and fondue-specialist Bergstüberl) to an extensive luxury spa, to childcare in a devoted play area. Despite its size, the hotel blends well into the countryside and affords a feeling of isolation from which you can enjoy the stunning landscape around.

A 10-minute drive west of Berchtesgaden, on the way to the Watzmann (the region's highest mountain), this upmarket Alpine retreat has a spa and pool and includes meals in the rates. There's a special focus on sustainability—the owners have used the surrounding area to enhance its minimal interior design, and they work with local farmers to ensure regional and local cuisine with zero waste is served as part of the meal plan—as well as on "switching off", with rooms free of tablets and TVs (unless specifically requested), Wi-Fi turned off at night, and telescopes for counting the stars. It's ideally located for a number of trailheads, making it an ideal overnight stay for hikers. Many of cozy rooms have private balconies, while the large senior suites include open fireplaces. All bookings are "half-board plus," which means the extensive breakfast and evening buffets are supplemented by light lunches and afternoon cakes.