Lodge Am Krippenstein

It's hard to put into words what a special place this is. A hotel that you have to take a cable car to get to and you sleep above the clouds is pretty rare. I was traveling with my sister and brother-in-law and this was the stop on our trip we'd really been looking forward to. The idea of hiking in the Alps and then getting to stay up there while the rest of the crowds descended seemed like a dream. It got even better when we arrived and were so kindly given the top room suite as it was unoccupied for the evening What an absolute gift that was! The room itself was very mountain chic with panoramic views of the mountains (and sunrise) along with an amazing shower and sauna. We hiked the Heilbronner Circular Trail which brings you through the mountains where you see a few art installations as well as the beautiful surroundings. You can then take the cable car back to the Lodge to close the loop (highly recommend as that stretch of the trail is very steep). Back at the Lodge is was such a treat to be able to change out of our hiking clothes and wander downstairs to the large deck to sit with a couple of beers and watch the sunset. I think we were one of three rooms staying there that night so the word "peaceful" hardly comes close to describing the experience. Every staff member we encountered were absolutely lovely and helpful. The beer was cold and the food really yummy. Excellent schnitzel and homemade soup. The breakfast in the morning was also very nice. As we were exploring a bit more in the morning the hotel was kind enough to hold our bags after we'd checked out of our room. After hiking around a bit more we returned to get our bags and found they'd started a fire out in the big fire pit next to the Lodge. Even though it was only 11am we were able to get a beer and bring it outside with us to sit by the fire and enjoy our final time there. The experience of staying up on the mountain really would have been amazing enough. But the fact that the Lodge, and staff, were beyond wonderful just made it even better. I can't recommend this location enough. I hope that I will be able to return someday and stay again to find new joy and adventures!