Review: Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Badenweiler

After a travel adventure that included planes, trains, and automobiles, we finally arrived in Badenweiler and our home for the weekend, the Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA.

Booking

Badenweiler is known throughout Europe as a health resort and spa town which gives it no shortage of properties to choose from. We were in town for a wedding and, thankfully, they had this property listed on their website which made our choice easy.

We ended up booking our room directly with the hotel via their website. Since we booked late they were all out of standard rooms and we ended up with a one bedroom suite for 280 a night which included breakfast.

Location

The hotel is located on the north side of the main downtown area of Badenweiler and it is walking distance from most of the attractions in town while still being secluded. The entrance is located near the intersection of the Römerstrasse and Ernst-Eisenlohr-Strasse. Paid parking is available on-site and you’ll likely want a car if you’re here for more than a couple of days.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Badenweiler, Germany Exterior

Check-In

We entered the front doors of the hotel and found the reception desk immediately to the right. Check in was relatively quick, with a check of our Passports and a swipe of my credit card to have on file. The reception clerk gave us our room keys and provided a bit of information about the hotel and the surrounding area as well.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Badenweiler Check-In Desk

Room keys in hand, we headed out into the lobby and took the elevator up to the first floor (second floor for those of us in the states).

a room with chairs and a chandelier
a room with a large mirror column and a chandelier

Room

We were assigned room 111, a one bedroom king suite on the first floor, at the opposite end of the hall from the elevators. Upon entry, there was a short hallway leading to the living room with a large half bathroom to the right.

a room with a couch and luggage
a bathroom with a sink and toilet

At the end of the hall was a spacious living room that featured a loveseat, two chairs with a table, and a small desk. The desk also had a mini-fridge located inside.

a couch in a room
two chairs next to a table
a desk with a lamp and a phone on it

To the left of the living room was the bedroom which held a king sized bed flanked by two nightstands. Robes and towels for the pool and spa were waiting for us on the bed.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA King Suite Bedroom

Across from the bed was a small desk as well as a wardrobe with space for our hanging clothes. There was also a large, flat screen TV mounted above the desk.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA King Suite Bedroom Desk and Wardrobe

On the left side of the bedroom was the door leading to the large primary bathroom. It featured a decent sized shower, a large vanity with a sink, toilet, and bidet.

a bathroom with a sink and toilet
a bathroom with a sink and shower

The toiletries in the room were Geneva Green branded and came in single use bottles.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA King Suite Toiletries

Overall the room was quite spacious and the two bathrooms were wonderful for getting ready, since we were intown for a wedding. Since it was situated on a corner it had plenty of windows and a ton of natural light. The view wasn’t bad either.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA King Suite View

Dining

The hotel featured a restaurant in the basement as well as a lobby bar located on the ground floor. While the lobby bar wasn’t in use during our stay as it was having some work done, it seemed like a pleasant place to have a drink.

a room with a bar and chairs
a room with tables and chairs

The hotel’s main restaurant, Mr. Gmelin’s Kitchen, is also where the complimentary breakfast was served each morning. The restaurant features a large indoor seating area as well as an outdoor terrace that can be used, weather permitting.

a room with tables and chairs and a chandelier
a patio with tables and chairs

The breakfast buffet featured a variety of juice, meats, cheeses, yogurt, granola, and hot dishes. It was located as soon as you entered the restaurant. Made to order coffee and some alcoholic beverages were available at the bar or could be ordered through your server.

a table with a vase of flowers and cups on it
a buffet with food on the counter

As far as hotel breakfasts go, this one was definitely above average, especially compared to what we are used to in the United States. Though I have found that most European hotels do a similar setup as this one. We ended up eating breakfast here both days of our stay and we enjoyed it.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Breakfast

Pool

Behind the hotel is the outdoor pool and cabana area. It’s tucked away in some trees which gives it some privacy and can be reached via a path near the rear of the restaurant. While we walked down to check it out, the water was too cold for us to take a swim.

a path in a yard with trees and a building
a pool with a ladder

Spa

Given its location in the resort town of Badenweiler, and the name of the property itself, it’s no surprise that the Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA has a substantial spa and wellness area, but even I was surprised at the size of it. The entrance to the spa can be found in the basement next to the entrance for Mr. Gmelin’s Kitchen and is clearly marked. The spa is currently open between 7:30a and 9:00p daily.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Badenweiler Spa Entrance

After entering the spa, you will see the main pool straight ahead down a short hallway. The temperature in the pool was perfect, nice and refreshing without being too cold.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Badenweiler Spa Pool

There are two spaces around the pool that have lounge chairs available for use.

a room with chairs and a staircase
a room with chairs and a wood floor

Near the second group of lounge chairs, or to the left as you enter the spa, is the sauna area. It features both a wet and dry sauna. There were also showers available in this space.

Park Hotel & Spa KATHARINA Badenweiler Sauna Area

The dry sauna wasn’t yet in operation when we visited early Sunday morning so we made a call to the front desk. Someone came down a short time later and started it.

a wooden sauna with benches and a light
a foggy hallway with lights

Down an additional level from the main spa, there was a salt sauna as well as a private sauna that could be booked for a fee. We didn’t spend any time in the salt sauna but I did grab a couple of photos.

a group of chairs in a room
a fireplace in a room

Workout Facilities

In addition to the spa, the hotel also had various workout areas located on the second and third basement levels. On the second level there was a small gym as well as a lounge space. The lounge area had a small cosmetic studio which was not in use.

a room with exercise equipment
a room with chairs and plants

Finally, on the bottom level, there was a yoga room along with a pool table and lounge.

a room with a green carpet floor and a chair
a pool table in a room

Summary

I went into this stay with no expectations other than what was on the website and I left pleasantly surprised. The hotel staff was friendly and the rooms were well appointed and spacious, though slightly dated. It has a great location in town and the massive spa area makes it easy to see why people enjoy coming here as it has something for everyone. If I find myself in Badenweiler again I would absolutely consider staying here again.

In This Trip Report

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