Winter has arrived outside with everyone’s fireplaces set ablaze. If you are in the mood for peace and quiet, surrounded by nature, then you’ll want to plan your winter holiday in a cozy chalet. funkyGERMANY reveals four addresses for a heartwarming winter romance in Bavaria.
The Bavarian Forest: five-star wellbeing with a view of the lake
The Höfler family’s organic holiday farm is located on a small hill above the largest swimming lake in the Bavarian Forest. Here, in the Passau region, four holiday apartments and a five-star chalet invite you to enjoy a magical vacation out in the nature. The family had the luxurious chalet or as they call it, “the hut under the cherry tree” built from the wood of a 150-year-old barn, placing great emphasis on natural and environmentally friendly materials.
The view of the Rannasee from the country house with its rustic furnishings make the holiday home particularly cozy. Thanks to the underfloor heating and the crackling tiled stove, the hut is a place guests enjoy returning to after a walk around the lake, especially on cooler days. If you want, you will also find ideal relaxation from everyday life in the chalet’s own sauna. And for those of you who like to start the day off with a healthy and hearty breakfast, fresh hay milk and eggs can be acquired directly from the farm itself. This gives you enough strength for a cross-country ski tour over the surrounding trails, which lead through white, sugared meadows and forests.
The Berchtesgadener Land: tradition with a Watzmann view
The Ettlerlehen Adventure Farm is located in the Berchtesgadener Land, elevated at 1,084 meters in the middle of the sunny Hochschwarzeck plateau above Ramsau. In the middle of the beautiful nature of this winter wonderland, the Palzer family has three lovingly furnished rustic wooden chalets with spacious balconies and tiled stoves, all of them styled in a traditional manner. In the morning, guests wake up to a spectacular view of the Berchtesgaden Alps.
But there is something even better: A special highlight at the farm is the Schwitzstub’n which includes the famous Watzmann view and the subsequent snow needed for cooling off. Fun fact: The construction (in the form of a so-called field box) is reminiscent of the regional granaries that have been used by farmers in the region for centuries. Speaking of farmers, be sure to try the extensive mountain farmer’s breakfast at Hof Ettlerlehen!
The Allgäu: classics with a new guise
The Hierlhof in Bühl am Alpsee, in the middle of the Allgäu, has a long history as a holiday destination. As early as the 1950s, rooms were already rented out to guests here due to the wonderful location which is only two minutes away from the lake. Back then, these were however equipped with a shared bathroom. Today, the offer is much more convenient. The Hierl family has a luxury chalet ready for vacationers with everything your heart desires: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a fireplace. If that doesn’t seem relaxing enough, you will enjoy the sauna area in the courtyard, which also offers massages. By the way: The favorite place of the whole Hierl family is one of the rooms under the gable in the new chalet because of the beautiful mountain views it provides.
Hierlhof Zapf 
Hierlhof Zapf
The Upper Palatinate: Winter holiday fun
Since nine generations, the Dirnberger family has run the Dirnberger holiday farm in Nittenau, right on the banks of the Regen. Here, at home, in the Upper Palatinate Lake District, holidaymakers can let themselves be infected by lust for the countryside and enjoy a carefree life to the fullest with plenty of fresh air. In winter, when the fog hangs over the river and the whole landscape is covered in icy frost, there is no better place than one of the three cozy wooden holiday homes. It’s then best to make yourself comfortable right in front of the fireplace, read a book or just look out towards the wintry landscape.
You can also meet with family and friends for a joint cooking evening with the fully equipped kitchenette. A very special highlight: Your own hot tub on a small terrace right on the river bank. This is where you can sit and relax after a winter hike through the Bavarian Forest as well as the Lake District.
