Genießerhotel Sonnenhof in Grän im Tannheimer Tal. Foto: Christian Schneider

eMove360° hotel tip for battery charging: Genießerhotel Sonnenhof in the Tannheimer Tal

For the current eMove360° Magazin we visited the Genießerhotel Sonnenhof in the picturesque Tannheimer Tal – a lovingly run retreat for all those who long for nature and award-winning cuisine

By Sabine Metzger

Put an end to everyday life. Breathe in the fresh mountain air, enjoy the peace and quiet, go on a hiking or cycling tour, float in the crystal-clear lake and let yourself be pampered at the Genießerhotel Sonnenhof. That’s the motto for our time out in the Tannheimer Tal. The picturesque high valley lies just a few kilometers behind the German-Austrian border. The journey from Bavaria is easy, quick and toll-free: from Munich, it’s 150 kilometers and two hours to the natural idyll.

The sun is shining, the mountains stretch up into the blue sky, colorful flower meadows sway in the gentle early summer wind. We are in love with the wide high valley framed by the Allgäu Alps, the scattered villages with their wooden shingled houses, the crystal-clear mountain lakes and the varied cycling and hiking tours for all levels of fitness.

Spoiled by the sun…

… the Müller family’s gourmet hotel Sonnenhof is located just outside the village of Grän, surrounded by greenery. With a view of the mountains, just a stone’s throw from Lake Haldensee, the family-run hotel offers fine wellness and stylish, comfortable rooms. On top of this, Patrick Müller’s cuisine, which has been awarded a total of five toques, and a cornucopia of liquid treasures in the wine cellar – the passion of the host, who is also happy to be found in the kitchen.

… crowned with toques

The sun shines more often than average in the Tannheimer Tal. The fact that this has a positive effect on your mood is not only noticeable in the warm and cheerful welcome from Madlen Müller at the Sonnenhof, but can also be tasted. Her husband Patrick Müller’s culinary flights of fancy are impressively illustrated by the Gault Millau awards, which show how down-to-earth dishes can be combined with international specialties. “Our guests can enjoy this culinary field of tension in all three kitchen lines, the three-quarter gourmet board, in the gourmet restaurant Das Müllers, which has been awarded two toques, and in the gourmet restaurant Alps & Ocean with its three toques,” says the chef.

His signature dishes include Müllers Beef Tatar – fine, hand-cut fillet of beef, refined with a dollop of gold selection caviar and smoked bread in the Wirtshaus or in the Alps & Ocean Tatar of sturgeon – oyster leaves, char caviar from Carinthia, dill mayo, dill oil and beurre blanc. Guests are personally looked after by hostess Christina Müller, who came to the Tannheimer Tal from neighboring Bavaria for love.

Müller to the power of two

In the charming vacation address, where the brothers of the house help out with their wives, there are “Müller to the power of two” in the kitchen: due to a short-term bottleneck, Rainer Müller quickly helped out his brother, top chef Patrick, at the stove and has hardly been able to get away from it since. “Who would have thought that an old passion could be rekindled out of necessity,” laughs Christina Müller, whose husband also trained as a chef a long time ago.

When host and neo-chef Rainer Müller is not assisting in the kitchen, he devotes himself with verve to his real hobbyhorse, a top-class wine cellar. With expertise and an unerring instinct, he has collected around 1,200 exceptional rarities and vintages, which Gault Millau named “Wine List of the Year 2022”. The wines in Müller’s wine book are among the best from all over the world, including (as yet) unknown vintners.

Hiking to the power of three

We enjoy this all-round pampering program to the full, chatting with Christina Müller at the hotel bar about her old home in Upper Bavaria and her love of the Tannheimer Tal, which is still an insider tip in the greater Munich area. Most of the regular guests come from Baden-Württemberg and Switzerland. The Tannheimer Tal has long since ceased to be an insider tip among cyclists, whether mountain, gravel, e-bikers or racing cyclists. Hikers will find 300 kilometers of hiking trails spread over three levels: Those who prefer a more leisurely pace can hike from village to village, past picturesque chapels, traditional farms and clear mountain lakes. The middle level includes panoramic trails that are easily accessible by cable car and offer impressive views. Finally, the top level with challenging routes and via ferratas makes the hearts of experienced mountaineers beat faster. Popular destinations for experienced hikers are the Gimpel (2176 meters) and the Rote Flüh (2108 meters). Incidentally, house guests can use the summer mountain lifts free of charge.

Nature idyll Vilsalpsee

The easy hike to the Vilsalpsee lake and on to the Bergacht waterfall is one of the absolute highlights of the Tannheimer Tal. After about an hour’s walk from the village of Tannheim, you reach the crystal-clear lake, surrounded by mountains. The flat hiking trail along the lake to the Vilsalpe leads past green meadows and steeply rising mountains. The impressive Bergacht waterfall awaits at the end. The water plunges almost 400 meters into the depths here. Especially in early summer, when the meltwater rushes down from the mountains, this is a unique natural experience. On the way back, we fortify ourselves with an apple strudel at the Vilsalpe. We can return to Tannheim either on foot, by bus, on the Tannheimer Alpenexpress tourist train or romantically by horse-drawn carriage (only on request).

Crystal-clear bathing pleasures

Within walking distance of the Hotel Sonnenhof is the Haldensee, the largest of the six mountain lakes in the Tannheimer Tal with an area of 77 hectares. The mountains rise steeply on its northern and southern sides, while its eastern and western shores have flat beaches. The highlight for all bathing beauties is the outdoor pool with toddler pool, a safe non-swimmer area, massage jets and waterfall, a sports pool and a 50-metre-long water slide. The 500 square meter water surface is heated to a more than pleasant temperature by a solar system. So let’s dive into the pleasant water.

Deep relaxation with a mountain view

Back at the Sonnenhof, we indulge in a soothing massage with Swiss stone pine oil in the Sky Spa on the fourth floor with a view of the Gaishorn and Wannenjoch peaks. Float weightlessly and deeply relaxed in the 38 degree warm, bubbling water surrounded by changing lights in the mountain grotto. The last rays of sunshine tickle our noses as we doze on the lounger in the garden and dream of the delicacies that the two Müller brothers and their team are preparing for the evening menu. Battery charging at its best…

Further information:

Address: Genießerhotel Sonnenhof, Family Müller, four-star superior, Füssener-Jöchle-Straße 5, 6673 Grän, Austria, Tel. +43 5675 6375, post@sonnenhof-tirol.com, www.sonnenhof-tirol.com

Charging: Four charging stations

Wellness: Spa, indoor pool, sauna area, wellness garden, barefoot path, Kneipp pool

Member: Genießer Hotels & Restaurants (www.geniessererhotels.com), Jeunes Restaurateurs (Patrick Müller)

Directions: Vignette-free from Bavaria. Autobahn A7 to the Oy-Mittelberg exit, federal road B 310 in the direction of Wertach/Oberjoch, after 15 kilometers turn off into the Tannheimer Tal. Alternatively: Via Kaufbeuren, Oberstaufen

Region: www.tannheimertal.com

You can read this and other articles on the subject of electromobility & autonomous driving in the current issue of eMove360°. PDF download free of charge or order the handy and beautiful printed version in the online Shop.