Luisenhöhe - Gesundheitsresort Schwarzwald — Hotel in GVV Hexental

My husband and I are Americans who live in Germany and badly needed a few days' break. I kept seeing ads for Luisenhoehe on Facebook. Even though we were hoping to leave Germany on our break, those ads kept tempting me. It looked like just the kind of place we love-- good food, an excellent spa area, beautiful views, and plenty to do. It finally came down to flipping a coin, and Luisenhoehe was the winner.||We spent four nights at this unique, brand new hotel just outside of Freiburg, an area we'd both been wanting to explore. From the very beginning, we were warmly and professionally received by the friendly staff. I booked one of the largest wellness rooms with the optional dinner boarding. We parked in the underground garage, appreciating that parking is included in the room rate, and there was plenty of it available. ||There were some things about our experience that I thought were amazing. The food was the most notable part of our stay. Every day, we were offered small plates of innovative cuisine. Some of the things we had were positively mind blowing, with combinations we didn't expect to work as well as they did. I'm a fairly picky eater, and there were only a couple of things I didn't try because they had an ingredient I can't eat. The one night it wasn't possible to leave out that ingredient, I was offered an alternative dish that was amazing. The included breakfasts were among the best I've ever had anywhere.||The bar staff was also great. My husband especially enjoyed trying the non-alcoholic cocktails. On our first day, my husband noticed the hotel had Chemex decanters on display. When he asked about them, the bartender said that almost no one orders filtered coffee. so they use the decanters for another purpose. When we ordered filtered coffee, the barista apologetically said he wasn't able to offer it because he didn't have all of the required equipment. That was a pity, although I guess it's understandable, if no one was ordering it. It was no big deal, though, since the coffee they did have was exceptional. Again, some of the best I've had anywhere.||I didn't really care too much for the seating in the restaurant, which often required us to sit very close to other patrons. However, as a former server, I can understand why the staff kept everyone in one dining room. One night, we sat at the communal table, which was kind of awkward and uncomfortable, as it required clambering up on a stool. Another night, we were snugly sandwiched between two couples. However, the food and service were so good that we got over that fairly quickly.||I was not that impressed by the room, although it did have some unique features that were nice. Our room was located right next to the pool and spa area, which meant that sometimes we had to choose between having fresh air and having to listen to people in the pool, or sitting in a stuffy room. It wasn't so bad during our visit, but I would imagine that when that hotel is eventually full, having a room by the spa and pool area could be less than ideal. ||The bed was a little too firm for my liking, although that is a personal preference. I didn't really care for the bathroom set up, either. Instead of a separate room, it was open concept, with a stall for the toilet, and a shower with a clear glass window that offered a view into the room. I would think that would be awkward for people sharing a room who weren't in a relationship. The shower head is huge, but it has somewhat low water pressure. I also didn't care for the concrete floor, although I'm sure it's easy to keep it clean. ||I did like the cool electric shutter on the window, which was operated by a control on the wall. The bottom half of the window was glass, and there was a sunshade that offered a view as it also blocked the sun. We could also close the glass door and draw the blackout curtains. There was plenty of lighting in the room, which I appreciated, especially since they were warm and appealing lamps, rather than overhead fixtures. There were also plenty of outlets for our electronics. ||Every day, the fridge was stocked with a novel non-alcoholic beverage and a house made snack of some sort, as well as fruit. The snacks ranged from baked sweets to salads. I thought that was a nice touch.||We enjoyed the heated pool, although we didn't have time to have spa treatments. I hope we can rectify that on a future trip. I also hope that at some point, the hotel adds hot tubs! ||Overall, in spite of my minor criticisms, we really loved our time at Luisenhoehe. There's a lot to do in the surrounding area of Freiburg, so we have a reason to return. Just the views around the hotel are worth returning for. I could have sat in the bar and watched the weather all day. And we were warmly and genuinely invited to return by several staff members. You can't really put a price tag on hospitality like that! ||The exceptional food and the warm and friendly staff make Luisenhoehe worthy of five stars, even if there's still room for improvement. I truly hope it catches on and thrives. And I hope the chef stays, because he's a wizard! The food...

We had a nice arrival in this beautiful hotel that is located in a very quiet, natural site. The room was pretty but quite small. Our first overall impression was good. However, after we had our first meal, we became less enthusiastic. We got one set menu - little adaptations were possible. From previous experiences we are more used to at least one or two options when getting half board. Of course, if the food is great than this is less of a problem but for us that was not the case. There are a lot of fermented/pickled products used which upset our stomachs quite a bit. Also the wait was quite long in between dishes as the kitchen uses large tweezers to put (almost) every single thing on the dish - which is incredibly inefficient and unnecessary. We did mention that the food was not for us at the reception and they did their best to adapt the food the second night, which was better than the first night but still not very good. For breakfast you also get the same sort of food - the only thing on the “buffet” is marmelade, cheese, ham and juice. Another thing that was a little bit unpleasant is that most personnel keeps speaking German even if you clearly don’t understand German. And it was also quite cold in the dining room. On the plus side: the wellness is very nice, very new and clean and was definitely enjoyable. The fitness is not bad either but it was a little hard to understand how the machines work and there was very little guidance. Luckily a friendly guest helped us with this as this does not function as other fitness appliances. And lastly: the bed in our room was not comfortable. After we mentioned this, they did put a topper on the bed but this did not compensate for the low quality of the matras. So overall: our stay was not super enjoyable but the hotel does have a lot of great aspects. I would recommend it mostly for people who are really into “healthy”...

When the hosts are chefs and manage a hotel, something special is created. Caroline and Niels love to be hosts, and you can feel it in everything and every moment. The delightful generosity with a deep regional connection opens up new culinary experiences, away from the usual product escalation and superlatives. Free from constraints and dogmas, you experience a plant-focused cuisine with the pointed use of regional fish and meat dishes. Fresh, soothing, humbling, different, and yet so familiar. The open fire, not only at the fireplace but also in the kitchen, contributes to the authenticity and coziness. The dishes gain an additional layer of flavor, and Niels skillfully plays with smokiness and the heat of the open fire. Wine enthusiasts can find inspiration and have a real selection of special winemakers, well-known names from the region, natural wines, and sought-after rarities from all over the world. Everything is possible, nothing is obligatory. The coffee is a delight! Made on their own roasting machine, which is not only a spectacle but also functional, standing in the middle of the room. Wonderful coffee, expertly prepared. Those who live nearby are enviable, as they can get lost in the vastness of the view alongside the culinary delights. When Will Guidara says that service is black and white and hospitality is color, then this is the newest, most colorful spot in...