Ultimate mountain retreat in the Bavarian Alps

Berge Lodge is the ultimate mountain retreat, situated at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, in Bavaria, Germany. Despite the fact that Berge (which means mountains) offers nothing in the way of a reception area, service, internet, telephone, television, breakfast or restaurant, Elle Decoration named it “the most beautiful lodge in the mountains”.

A few years ago German furniture designer Nils Holger Moorman invested in property across the street from his studio, planning on using it for storage and as a logistics center. He was met with a fair amount of opposition from the locals and as a result, planning permission was refused and Nils had to come up with an alternative solution or go bankrupt. The building dates back to 1671, previously used as a court bakery, guesthouse and youth hostel, before being abandoned and left to deteriorate. Nils came up with a new proposal to turn the building into a lodge that would be in contrast to the surrounding lodges. What you see is what you get at Nils’s lodge, innovative design, an invitation to be self-sufficient and a genuine opportunity to experience complete relaxation surrounded by nature. “You can have a five-course meal. If you cook it yourself!” states the website.

There are 16 individually designed apartments, all with names related to the mountains or the locality. The entrance corridor into the lodge is reminiscent of a minor medieval church: plain, uneven white walls traversed by numerous vault-like arches. Exposed red brickwork adds to the rustic appearance. The guest rooms have a kitchen area, a bedroom on a second floor above the bathroom, which is accessed by a metal ladder. There are no wardrobes, just coat hangers that dangle from an old ladder, and a small wooden table with benches. The guest spaces have all been rehabbed and decked out in his signature, pared-down contemporary aesthetic, with meticulous detail–from wide alpine-slat floors and custom furniture to door handles crafted by a local blacksmith and bowls made by a local woodworker. “There are so many little details that together form a language,” says Nils.

Prices range from $156 – $338 per night with a $40 surcharge for a one-night stay. There is an additional spacious kitchen to share amongst (where you can line up cooking classes), bikes and more than 1,000 books to choose from in the TV-free space. More information from here.

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