PEAKLIFE

A summer holiday in the most scenic locales of Europe sounds like a perfect tonic for the soul and a rejuvenating elixir for the body. Steeped in the spirit of luxury and opulence, the Oetker Collection’s Masterpiece Hotels, Estates and Villas blend legendary hospitality with genuine warmth in some of the most delightful destinations in the world. We highlight three of the group’s most stunning hotels, which promise absolute bliss and charming visits.

Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Baden-Baden, Germany

Located in the historic spa town of Baden-Baden—which has just been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and nestled in the foothills of the Black Forest, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa is a 150-year-old grand dame hotel with world-class wellness and its own private park just steps away. Covering an area of 5,000 square metres and spanning over five floors, Villa Stéphanie offers 15 additional ultra-modern suites and rooms. It is also home to one of the most advanced spas in Europe, comprising a 500-square-metre sauna and thermal area, an indoor swimming pool, plunge pool, and an extensive fitness facility. The famed Brenners medical care centre offers aesthetic and integrative holistic medicine, physiotherapy, and aesthetic dentistry, as well as signature weight loss and digital detox programmes.

Brenners is home to several dining options, including the innovative casual fine-dining restaurant Fritz & Felix, as well as the Wintergarten restaurant, which offers traditional German dishes with a modern twist, and Rive Gauche Brasserie, which focuses on French classics. Kaminhalle is a refined drawing room offering live classical music daily, where guests have the option to unwind by the fire with tea or cocktails. A few steps away, The Orleandar bar offers elegant cocktails in the evening, and contains a posh Cigar Lounge. For those who prefer simpler pleasures, Brenners offers a delightful limited-edition afternoon tea, curated in collaboration with famed French pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

The destination has an array of attractions, including the Black Forest for biking and hiking, the second biggest opera house in Europe, Museum Frieder Burda, the Belle Époque Casino, Iffezheim racecourse, and plenty of options for car enthusiasts, including The International Vintage Car Meeting.

Hotel La Palma, Capri, Italy

Capri’s original and oldest hotel celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2022. Transformed from an 80-room property into a spacious 50-room summer haven, inclusive of 18 suites, all with their own private terrace or balcony, this glamorous and vibrant retreat embodies the essence of La Dolce Vita in the heart of the eternally charming Italian island.

Located steps away from the famous La Piazzetta, iconic nightclub La Taverna Anema e Core, and La Palma Beach Club, the hotel itself includes a pool, pool deck and bar as well as a spa that features three treatment rooms, a sauna, steam bath, ice shower, relaxation space and fitness centre.

Famed Michelin-starred Chef Gennaro Esposito, who originally hails from neighbouring Sorrento, heads culinary direction and is a master of unpretentious, delectable Italian fare. In addition to Gennaro’s, Bianca’s is a newly built rooftop restaurant, designed as a glittering culinary destination with spectacular views of Capri town and the sea in the distance. A seasonal property, Hotel La Palma opens yearly from April through the end of October.

Chateau St. Martin & Spa, Vence, France

A stunning summer hideaway, this 34-acre hilltop chateau is situated in a historic 12th-century, former Knights Templar Commandry, with part of the original wall still standing today, and 40 recently renovated rooms and suites, as well as six private villas set in the hills behind the property. The hotel has a magnificent oversized outdoor heated swimming pool, two clay tennis courts and four private cabanas. The grounds are home to around 300 olive trees (each 100 years old), which produce the olive oil used in the hotel’s kitchens. At Le Saint-Martin, Chef Jean-Luc Lefrançois transforms local harvests and bounty from the flourishing kitchen garden into Michelin-starred cuisine, paired with sweeping views of the Côte d’Azur. L’Oliveraie, nestled under the boughs of the olive trees, serves herb-infused dishes sundrenched in Mediterranean flavours. Le Rossini, which boasts rare tapestries commissioned from Manufacture des Gobelins in Paris more than 200 years ago, is the most refined yet cosy setting for afternoon tea or a refreshing evening cocktail enjoyed out on the terrace. The underground wine cellar carved out of rock, houses more than 8,000 bottles and offers exclusively curated wine tastings.

The award-winning Spa Saint-Martin has four elegant treatment rooms, including a couples’ room, as well as a flower-strewn gazebo. Nearby Saint-Paul De Vence—one of the best-preserved villages in France—is known for its art galleries. The property has its own private helipad, which means that the Monaco Grand Prix is just 10 minutes away, while a trip to Saint-Tropez only takes a quick 20-minute spin. Dedicated to protecting and preserving its environment, Chateau-Saint Martin & Spa is home to an insect hotel, several birdhouses, and four beehives, from which homemade honey is served to guests. The property also uses hydropower for 50% of its electricity consumption. Resident rabbits are known to pop up throughout the grounds, too. A seasonal property, Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa opens yearly from May through the end of October.

In addition to these phenomenal properties, Oetker Collection’s current portfolio includes Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, Le Bristol Paris, The Lanesborough London, L’Apogée Courchevel, Eden Rock-St Barths, Jumby Bay Island in Antigua, Palácio Tangará in São Paulo, The Woodward in Geneva, and more than 150 private villas and estates around the globe.