the idea
Together with our mobility partner, the e-car manufacturer NIO, we organized a giveaway in April 2024. A road trip through the Alps in a brand new NIO EL6. From the lower Allgäu via Tyrol, Garmisch and Walchensee to Lake Tegernsee in the south of Bavaria. An itinerary every Pretty Hôtels fan should do at least once. Because the distances are not too far, you have ample time for wellness, for short and long bike tours, a bit of sightseeing (Neuschwanstein, anyone?), hikes, discoveries and, of course, culinary delights.
The trip was won by photographer Anna Fichtner, whose work we really admire. She manages to capture moments just as you experience them yourself, informally and always with a cheerful touch. Anna took Lisa, a friend from Munich, on the trip as her assistant and together they explored the Allgäu, Tyrol and Upper Bavaria in this beautiful electric car.
The journey starts in the Alpenloge hotel in the west of Bavaria. A pretty hotel par excellence. With nine suites, situated on a hill just before the border with Vorarlberg in Austria. The hosts, Anja and Michael, opened the hotel in 2019 and since then take great care of their guests every day. Breakfast and dinner here are of Michelin-star quality. That’s not an empty phrase, we are dead serious about that.
During the day roam around in the fresh air and take in the mesmerizing Alpine panorama, go cycling or read a book in the garden. Then, in the evening meet up for dinner on the terrace or in the beautiful conservatory. The most striking thing about this hotel is that everything is of the highest quality. The duvets, the bathrooms, the lounge … even the views.
Contacts
Alpenloge
Kirchenanger 6
88175 Scheidegg
Allgäu / Bavaria
From the Alpenloge, the journey continues on via Immenstadt, Sonthofen and the picturesque Austrian Tannheimer Tal valley to Lermoos on the back of the Zugspitze. It is only about 120 kilometers or roughly 90 minutes by car. A route begging for stopovers. For example, at the Großer Alpsee before Immenstadt or in Neuschwanstein at the famous castle. We took a short detour to the Plansee. Via Reutte, the route then heads straight to the back of the Zugspitze to Lermoos.
We check-in at the Lermooser. The Lermooser is the brainchild of Johann and Cleo from Munich. They bought the former railway station building at an auction a few years back and turned it into a fantastic Inn. A house for people looking for a cool base camp for holidays in the great outdoors – with a view of 3,000 meter-high peaks. You sleep in spacious, simply designed rooms and have the option of cooking your own meals in the large communal kitchen. Dinner is then served in the former waiting room of the railway station – which transformed into a beautiful dining room. And it all comes for a very affordable rate.
Contacts
Der Lermooser
Danielstraße 23
A-6631 Lermoos
Tyrol / Austria
You simply have to love the drive from Lermoos to Lake Tegernsee. Because it takes you through one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Bavaria. The road leads you via Garmisch towards Krün and Wallgau, then we turn off at the shimmering green Walchensee and let the quiet electric car glide through the toll road into the Jachenau. (Word of advice: don’t follow the satnav and/or Google Maps, they would send the car straight over the Sylvenstein reservoir. Which is beautiful nonetheless, but not as picturesque as the Walchensee). If you want, you can drive from Lenggries via Kreuth and Rottach-Egern to Gmund, which is a bit of a detour, but well worth it.
The last stop on this journey opened in 2023. The Blyb. (pronounced: Bleib, which means “stay here” in German) is a hotel with 24 simply designed rooms in Gmund, a little more than a stone throw from the lake. It is also a hotel for people wanting to see a different side of Lake Tegernsee. No pink Ralph Lauren polo shirts are beeing seen here so far. Instead, we love their bar with cool drinks, a yoga platform and joint dinners and events. In summer, you can stroll from the hotel to the many mountain huts and meet up on the terrace in the evening. It could not be more perfect, a true fitting end to this magnificent trip.
Contacts
Blyb.
Tegernseer Straße 41
83703 Gmund
Bavaria
Many thanks to NIO Germany for giving us the opportunity to realise such trips in a modern electric car. An NIO EL6, for example, is also conveniently available as a subscription model, which means you can rent it for a certain period of time, pay a monthly fee and have no additional costs. You can register for a test drive here.
All photos: ©Anna Fichtner – www.annafichtner.com
