Der Oschberghof

Der Oschberghof

At Der Oschberghof, mornings start with a choice: tee off on one of three golf courses that add up to 45 holes, or slip into a 5,000-square-metre spa before the rest of the hotel wakes up. The property sits on the edge of the Black Forest, four kilometres from Donaueschingen's centre, set among the rolling hills of the Baar between the Black Forest, Switzerland and Lake Constance. That combination, golf on this scale paired with a spa this large, plus a kitchen carrying two Michelin stars at ÖSCH NOIR, is what separates it from other wellness hotels in the region, most of which commit to one specialty and leave it there. Spread across 128 rooms and suites on three floors, the pace stays deliberate: a heated outdoor pool, spa tub, sauna, steam room and massage rooms sit near a fitness centre, yoga space and library, with free bikes for anyone who'd rather explore the hills than the treatment menu. Five restaurants cover everything from Italian to Japanese, so groups rarely need to agree on one cuisine. A conference hall and meeting rooms pull in corporate retreats through the week, while a playroom and babysitting service bring families in on weekends, meaning quiet here is negotiated rather than guaranteed. Pets can come along for a fee. None of this works for someone wanting a walkable old town or a quick city stop; the centre is a drive away, and the whole property is designed around staying rather than going out. For a long weekend built around golf and treatments, or a small business trip with a sauna at the end of it, the range on one site is hard to match. Three golf courses, a 5,000-square-metre spa and a two-Michelin-starred kitchen sit on one property on the edge of the Black Forest. It suits golfers, spa regulars and small corporate groups more than anyone hoping to walk into town. Pets are welcome, quiet is not guaranteed.