Villa Stephanie at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa: A Hidden Gem of Luxury and Wellness in Baden-Baden
One of my most successful blog posts, entitled “9 Top Destination Spa and Wellness Resorts in the World: The Private Traveller’s To-Go List” which you can find here, detailed either wellness retreats or luxury spas which I have been to already, or are very much on my future list to visit. First up was Burgenstock Resort on Lake Lucerne, and second was Chenot Palace Weggis, both in Switzerland. Third up on that list was Villa Stephanie at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa, which has been on my radar for some time.
The breathtaking indoor pool at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, surrounded by classical red and gold panelled walls, exuding timeless elegance and tranquillity.
The Private Traveller’s Guide to Villa Stephanie: Where Wellness Meets Opulence at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa
When I booked, Villa Stephanie seemed to be very much marketed as almost a standalone hotel within a hotel, and part of Leading Hotels of the World. That part had its own Instagram account, but by the time I went to stay, it was already aware that Villa Stephanie rooms and suites were just being incorporated more into the one overall account, and offering, at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa. During my visit, the main hotel was under complete refurbishment, so it’s likely bringing this up to a higher standard means it's now going to be commensurate with the more exclusive wing, Villa Stephanie & the Parkhotel.xt
The tastefully decorated reception at Villa Stephanie, showcasing modern floral artwork and luxurious interiors that reflect the hotel's artistic sensibility.
Why Book with The Private Traveller in conjunction with Fora Travel?
Book Villa Stéphanie with Exclusive VIP Perks
Indulge in the ultimate wellness retreat at Villa Stéphanie while enjoying exclusive VIP perks through The Private Traveller and Fora Travel.
Booking with us ensures bespoke itineraries and enhanced benefits to make your stay truly extraordinary.
Typical Perks could include:
Early check-in & late check-out
Room upgrades upon availability
Daily breakfast for two
Exclusive welcome amenities
The serene cold plunge pool in the Sauna at Brenners Park-Hotel, featuring sleek black tiles and stylish aquatic decor, offering a relaxing retreat for guests.
Fast Facts for Villa Stephanie at Brenners Park - Hotel & Spa:
Address - Schillerstraße 4/6, 76530 Baden-Baden, Germany
Website - https://www.oetkercollection.com/hotels/brenners-park-hotel-spa/villa-stephanie-spa-wellbeing/
Group Website - https://www.oetkercollection.com
TripAdvisor ranking - #11 out of 49 hotels in Baden-Baden (Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa)
Contact - information.brenners@oetkercollection.com
Instagram - @villastephaniebadenbaden (now closed on IG) @brennersparkhotel @oetkercollection
Nearest airport - Frankfurt International (FRA) 168km; Stuttgart (STR) 71km - about 1hr 45min drive, traffic dependent
Opened - 2014
Number of rooms / suites - 15 (Villa Stephanie only) + Parkvilla + Brenners Park Hotel itself
Number of floors - 5 (Villa Stephanie building only)
Bars - 2 (Oleander and Fritz & Felix)
Restaurants - 3 (Fritz & Felix, Restaurant Wintergarten, & Le Salon)
Wellbeing - Spa & Wellness (indoor pool, saunas/steam room, Plunge pool, treatments), Fitness, Hair & Beauty Garden, & Brenners Medical Care
Spa brochure - https://www.oetkercollection.com/media/70812/brenners-park-hotel-spa-spa-broschur.pdf
Brenners Medical Care - https://www.oetkercollection.com/hotels/brenners-park-hotel-spa/health-and-wellness/medical-care/
Visited - November 2024
The inviting Oleander Bar at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, featuring rich red walls, elegant furnishings, and an array of premium spirits, perfect for pre-dinner drinks.
Hotel Accommodation:
Where Elegance Meets Comfort
When I first spotted Villa Stephanie, I saw this more as a standalone hotel (and medical facility/spa), but since booking (and maybe as part of the overall upgrading and refurbishment of the main hotel, Brenners Park), these now just seem to be marketed as a room type on the main website. Looking at the room categories at the moment, I think only those in Villa Stephanie (Superior/Deluxe/Villa Suite/Spa Suite) are shown alongside the adjacent Parkvilla building. Definitely the Parkvilla and Villa Stephanie buildings are connected at the ground/basement level, I’m not sure whether with the reopening of the main Brenners Park Hotel building, whether that will get connected up too. In new places, and where things change, I always love investigating how buildings connect and what’s where, so I can see a return trip on the cards to find out! At the moment here in November, there’s a lot of set up of various Christmas market locations around the old town, so it would be the perfect location to come back to in mid-Winter.
“Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of the picturesque, cosmopolitan town of Baden-Baden, presents itself as an oasis of beauty surrounded by enchanting parkland. Tradition and modern elegance connect with unparalleled spa experiences in the legendary grand hotel.”
Facilities & Service at Villa Stephanie:
Unparalleled Attention to Detail
I’ve broken down the key facilities and services and shared my thoughts on what makes Villa Stephanie a great place to stay:
My Deluxe Room 631:
Having booked a Superior Stephanie room, this was upgraded by booking with FORA to a Deluxe Room. This was on the second floor, with a balcony overlooking the gardens and down to the river Oos. With an entrance hall, main bedroom/living dressing area, and separate large bathroom, this was more than what I needed for a weekend stay but so was beautifully decorated, furnished, and presented.
Levels of Comfort:
There was no noise at all, so I had completely interrupted sleep, and everything that I could possibly have needed was on hand. On being shown into my room, there was a presentation of mineral water, chocolates, macarons, fruit, and a delicious bar (which was replenished daily) of Brenners Park Hotel chocolate marshmallow. A waiter came later with a chilled bottle of white wine. The room was serviced twice daily, and always left immaculate. Such a treat to come back today after touring around the centre of Baden-Baden, or having spa treatments either on site, or in one of the local thermal spas.
Bathroom:
This was about a third of the room at the back, with windows overlooking the side of the building so really light and spacious. There was a separate soaking tub, twin sinks on a massive vanity unit, separate WC and bidet with discrete mirrored glass door, and a separate walk-in shower with a heated in-wall mirror.
There was a whole selection of decent-sized toiletries by La Bottega for Brenners Park Hotel, and a choice of two shower gels - a shower scrub as well as a gel. The floor was heated throughout (as well as another radiator and heated towel rail), travertine tiled walls and floors, with loads of storage space, mirrors, etc. and a spare supply of towels, robes, slippers too.
Breakfast:
Served in the Restaurant Wintergarden in front of the main Brenners Hotel, this was a wow building with a wow selection of breakfast items. In a separate room behind the main dining area was a full buffet across four different tables, with everything from fruits, yoghurts, cereals, juices, shots, breads and pastries etc. Added to this there was a full hot selection from the menu, I opted for the Villa Stephanie special of avocado on sourdough toast with tomato and a poached egg. Excellent service in great surroundings, despite the obvious renovation work going on above the glass roof.
Restaurants & Bars at Brenners Park - Hotel & Spa:
Dining Excellence
As well as the restaurant/bar listed below which were open during my visit, there is usually also a Fritz & Felix bar and restaurant. I’ll need to revisit once the main Brenners Park has reopened (due to be during 2025 I believe) and test our the remaining facilities.
Restaurant Wintergarden
There would normally be a much bigger choice at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa, but apart from Le Salon below, this was the only breakfast and dining option during my stay. That said, the Wintergarden was an impressive building and they were only using part of it with the reduced number of guests. Breakfast was a lavish affair with full buffet selection as well as made-to-order items.
Oleander Bar
Adjacent to the Wintergarden, this stunning bar served drinks (a massive selection), afternoon tea and light meals from lunchtime until late evening. I went one evening before dinner for a G&T (great selection, I opted for the Monkey 47) with a delicious selection of snacks. A nice relaxing environment to read before dinner, when dining solo.
Le Salon
Le Salon was also open during my visit to Villa Stephanie, where light snacks and drinks are served from lunchtime until evening, as well as serving afternoon tea.
Room Service
There was a full room selection menu (in German & English) with breakfast to an all-day menu from noon to 11pm. There were various starters and snacks, soups, pastas, main courses and desserts, as well as a separate children’s list. The wine list was a decent size, but for drinks you had to look no further than to click the QR code for the extensive selection of drinks from the Oleander bar menu - the gin selection included some of my favourites like Tanqueray & Tanqueray Ten, The Botanist, Monkey 47, Hendricks etc.
It was easy to order, and although there were vegetarian options, I repurposed the Brenners Club Sandwich to remove the turkey, crispy bacon, and fried egg to just be lettuce, tomato, with the addition of some cheese. It was delivered within about thirty minutes, coming with a bowl of wickedly salted fried (yum) and cocktail sauce in the triple sandwich, along with my chosen Tanqueray Ten gin & tonic. Presentation and service was excellent, and it felt like a really nice treat, albeit having dinner for one in my room!
Spa & Wellness:
Rejuvenate in Style
Spa facilities were great, and you can read all about these in more detail within my separate spa blog of Villa Stephanie. I did find it slightly unusual to begin with that the facilities were all quite separate, but once I knew where everything was this was no issue whatsoever. The treatment rooms (amazing!) were just off the main reception area, the sauna (which was way more than just one single sauna) was on the level below, with a large gym further along the lower level corridor, and the incredible roman-style pool separate again and closer to the Parkhotel building. With everything being connected, it was perfectly comfortable going between facilities in just your robe.
Design & Architecture:
A Harmony of Modernity and Tradition
Villa Stephanie at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa seamlessly blends classic elegance with contemporary sophistication. The villa's architecture features a harmonious fusion of traditional European craftsmanship and modern design elements, creating a serene yet luxurious atmosphere. Expansive windows allow natural light to flood the interiors, highlighting the refined, minimalist decor. The use of high-end materials, from plush fabrics to sleek stone surfaces, enhances the sense of opulence. The design effortlessly complements the surrounding parkland, offering both privacy and breathtaking views, making Villa Stephanie the perfect retreat for those seeking both comfort and style.
What about the Baden-Baden Location?
Explore Beyond the Hotel
This was such a central location, that other than getting a BlackLane car from and back to Stuttgart Airport, I walked everywhere. It was great to walk along by the river and the Lichtentaler Allee either side (albeit the area immediately in front of Brenners Park Hotel is all private) and of course the Old Town, Casino, shops bars and restaurants were all an easy distance, as was Friedrichsbad and Caracalla Spa Thermal Baths too. Couldn’t have been a better location. There didn’t seem to be any Uber options, although local taxis were available and there was a decent and easy bus service, albeit I didn’t have call to use it. I even walked up to the Merkur Mountain funicular entrance. This was a bit of a walk, though good, especially because of the altitude climb. On the way back I came a different route through the Wasserkunstanlage Paradies.
Things to Do Nearby in Baden-Baden:
Unwind and Explore: Baden-Baden’s Top Experiences
This review is just a snapshot! For an in-depth guide to activities, check out my separate ‘Travel Diaries’ blog where I dive into the following for much more detail:
Shopping
Wander the Old Town
Friedrichsbad Thermal Baths
Caracalla Spa Thermal Baths
Stroll along Lichtentaler Allee
Take the funicular to Merkur Mountain for lunch
Food & Drink nearby at Brenners Park - Hotel & Spa:
Gastronomic Delights Await
With only being there for a few days, I mainly ate in the hotel itself, or room service, albeit I did have a meal at a nearby Italian restaurant which was spot on. More about what I did and where I ate in my Travel Diaries post for Baden-Baden.
Highlights of our stay:
There were countless highlights during our time at Villa Stephanie, but here are just a few of the standout moments that made this stay unforgettable:
Location - it was an easy transfer from Stuttgart airport with Blacklane, as I don’t think there were any flight options for me into the more local Baden-Baden airport.
In terms of Baden-Baden location, this was perfect. The three hotel buildings are right on the banks of the Oos river, with private grounds in front overlooking the riverside park. So easy to get into the centre of town in just minutes either along the river, or going out from behind Villa Stephanie.
My Deluxe Room - so quiet and a perfect riverfront/park view with a sit out balcony. Perfectly proportioned with a wow bathroom, and so perfectly serviced twice-daily.
Breakfast in the Restaurant Wintergarden - from a welcome fruit shot at reception, to the sumptuous buffet tables. Make you own Bucks Fizz or Mimosas, and the freshly baked salted pretzels were a huge highlight for me.
Dinner too in the Restaurant Wintergarden was excellent. Great choice of food, impeccable service and wonderful surroundings. It was a whole dinner experience.
Being able to walk to the nearby Friedrichsbad and the thermal experiences there.
Service - just exceptional.
Areas for improvement:
While every hotel has its high points, there's always room for improvement. Here are a few areas where Villa Stephanie could elevate the experience even further:
There’s really nothing major here at all, other than it was a bit confusing at check-in when they told me I had missed a spa appointment that morning. I had been communicating with the Brenners Medical Care team, but with visiting over a weekend this closes and I couldn’t get appointments to suit. Separately, I had booked a spa treatment for Saturday at (very precisely) 15:25; so I’ve no idea how this was meant to be before I arrived as I had the email confirmation for the following day. That said, I was given options of either later on the Friday (which suited me fine) or Saturday morning, and as it turned out the 90 minute massage was excellent.
Only other thing was that although I’d requested a king-size bed rather than a twin, on arrival I noticed that this was configured as two individual twin mattresses and made up as two individual beds. The check-in agent said it was no problem and that it would be made up as one bed at turndown. I came back from my spa treatment and time in the sauna, pool etc. to find in the evening that nothing had been changed. I know it is a German/European thing to use twins a lot, or even to use twin single duvets on a king bed, but this was just my preference. I made a request again in the morning, and it was changed over that day.
Just a personal observation, but I didn’t love the changing neon lights around the ceiling in the swimming pool. Apart from that it was stunning, the changing colours felt a bit tacky, and also a bit disconcerting when trying to relax and read.
Would I Stay Here Again?
Yes in an instant. I had a wonderful weekend stay in such superlative accommodation and surroundings. I’d love to go back and visit either in summer, once the main Brenners Park Hotel has reopened after its extensive refurbishment, or actually to visit slightly later in the year with colder weather/snow, and the Christmas markets open.
The light-filled Wintergarten at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, adorned with white tablecloths, red lamps, and garden views, creating the perfect setting for a refined culinary experience.
My final thoughts on Villa Stephanie at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa:
It was actually such a good time for me to visit, with the bulk of the (Brenners Park Hotel) rooms and suites being refurbished, as it meant the spa facilities were so quiet. I had a lovely room with great outlook, service was incredible and Baden-Baden didn’t disappoint in any way.
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Villa Stéphanie at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden offers an unparalleled luxury wellness retreat, now with exclusive VIP perks when booked through ThePrivateTraveller.com and Fora Travel.