Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach

When in Bavaria, do as the Bavarians do — no need to go full lederhosen, but a salubrious Alpine retreat by Lake Tegernsee absolutely fits the bill. Here sits Hotel Bachmair Weissach in all its renovated 19th-century glory, clearly reveling in its regional heritage: from the ornately muraled plaster façade to the sloping roofs and stout beams overhead, this is South German wholesomeness given form. Or wellness, we should say; the expansive on-site spa and fitness facilities include not just one but two spas, the more traditional Family Spa as well as the Mizu Onsen Spa, a finely crafted adaptation of the Japanese hot-spring bath that’s like nothing else in Germany.

Boutique intimacy prevails by virtue of a campus-style layout, but it’s not without grand-hotel flourishes. One catches a Hapsburg whiff in the public spaces’ elegant décor, a blend of elaborate wainscoting, millwork, and refined lodge furnishings in gorgeous natural wood. Room interiors, by Korbinian Kohler, walk the line between the sturdy and the contemporary, always with an eye for bespoke furnishings and local procurement. The palette’s a bit conservative, true, but we’ll vouch that uncomplicated, contemplative design — in-room yoga mats included — feels like the right choice in light of, well, all that beautiful light streaming through the casement windows. Get a balcony room for the full effect.

Gasthof zur Weissach keeps traditions very much alive, plating Bavarian fine-dining specialties in the main building’s 1862 parlor; there’s also a “day-bar” to tide you over with sweets and a coffee until it’s time for the main event. Or go for the unexpected at MIZU, a sushi bar-cum-lounge with occasional live jazz and DJ sets. In any case, get out and enjoy the spectacular terrain if at all possible. A mind-boggling array of physical activities awaits — paragliding, anyone? — and, in true après-ski fashion, the fireside fondue’s that much better when you’ve earned it.