Schliffkopf - Baiersbronn

Sometimes, a prime location correlates with low quality for guests come for the view. At Schliffkopf, it’s almost the opposite. The remote location miles away from small villages let alone larger cities mandates top propositions. In addition, the culinary competition in the surrounding regions is...fierce, if not brutal. Despite (or due to) several disasters over the past decades, like two big fires, Schliffkopf recovered both as a hotel and as a restaurant. The latest re-launch offers more than what you could expect on the top of a hill on m altitude: spacious rooms with amazing views, a large spa area with open-air space (yes, on the mountain) and a restaurant that offers an excellent mix of local specialties and classical dishes that are discreetly modernised. The wine-list is appropriate for the menu and also features many of the excellent local products as well as some international highlights. I was quite disappointed with the service, though: the waiters were not of the same quality as the food or the location. It is somehow understandable as they have to employ many seasonal workers from ‘far’ away and some don’t seem to be pursuing a career in tourism, hotels or restaurants. This aspect is certainly not a reason to avoid Schliffkopf. On the contrary, even if you are only ‘close by’, i.e. km away, you must make a detour to come here, take a walk and have a snack. If you can plan one or two overnight stays – even better, it will be memorable.

Sometimes, a prime location correlates with low quality for guests come for the view. At Schliffkopf, it’s almost the opposite. The remote location miles away from small villages let alone larger cities mandates top propositions. In addition, the culinary competition in the surrounding regions is fierce, if not brutal. Despite (or due to) several disasters over the past decades, like two big fires, Schliffkopf recovered both as a hotel and as a restaurant. The latest re-launch offers more than what you could expect on the top of a hill on 1,000 m altitude: spacious rooms with amazing views, a large spa area with open-air space (yes, on the mountain) and a restaurant that offers an excellent mix of local specialties and classical dishes that are discreetly modernised. The wine-list is appropriate for the menu and also features many of the excellent local products as well as some international highlights. I was quite disappointed with the service, though: the waiters were not of the same quality as the food or the location. It is somehow understandable as they have to employ many seasonal workers from ‘far’ away and some don’t seem to be pursuing a career in tourism, hotels or restaurants. This aspect is certainly not a reason to avoid Schliffkopf. On the contrary, even if you are only ‘close by’, i.e. 50 km away, you must make a detour to come here, take a walk and have a snack. If you can plan one or two overnight stays – even better, it will be memorable.