The well-known holiday brand “WellVital® – Wellbeing in Bavaria” presents wellness hotels and spas with a clear commitment to quality and a Bavarian flavour.

The BAVARIA TOURISM WellVital® brand has been providing orientation in the wellness holiday market since 2002. Only hotels and spas that offer a range of wellness services with a regional touch, energizing local cuisine, expert advice and high quality service are permitted to carry the coveted seal of approval. Around 50 partner establishments have met the strict criteria and are certified partners of the brand. As part of the certification, there is a chance to obtain premium status. This rating only applies to hotels that rise above the other tested hotels, satisfying the demanding criteria to an exceptional degree. For establishments that are active in the field of medical wellness, there is an additional certification – inspired by the Letter of Intent of the German Medical Wellness Association.

Since 2012, the hotels and spas must undergo an inspection by the certification body TÜV Rheinland in order to be accepted by the brand. This ensures a verified level of quality you can trust. When carrying out its inspections, TÜV Rheinland grades the WellVital partners on the following points: Appropriate overall hotel concept (e.g. pleasant atmosphere of well-being, contemporary interior design), qualified and well-trained staff providing quality advice, particularly in the wellness area, attractiveness of the spa facilities, regional food and drink and the variety of energy-giving food. Hotels that carry the WellVital premium label stand out from the other inspected establishments due to features such as better interior design, particularly high service quality or exceptional spa and wellness amenities.

Along with the promise of quality, the WellVital® brand strongly emphasises regional flavour. Herbs, oils, salt, hay and hops: Bavarian nature supplies the perfect essentials for relaxing wellness treatments. When certifying partners, close attention is paid to the use of regional products in the spas.

A bed of hay: The Allgäu is rich in pristine, unspoilt countryside. Many plants with healing properties grow in the meadows and pastures here: acanthus, buttercup, St. John’s wort, sorrel and ribwort. Up to 200 flowers and herbs are present in the hay harvested from the mountain slopes. Locals have long been aware of the health benefits of many plants, and hay plays an important role in the spas of this region, which offer guests traditional and sophisticated applications based on the power of local herbs. One unforgettable experience is the meadow hay bath: The essential oils from the hay, the characteristic scent and above all the direct skin contact all have a relaxing and purifying effect, stimulating the metabolism.

Spruce up your soul: The woods in the Nature Park Frankenwald (Franconian Forest) are not just a unique natural experience. The air is full of the resinous tang of the forest, which always has the effect of refreshing the body and clearing the mind. The aromas of the forest are a genuine wellness factor. This is why spruce needles, as a native natural product, are also used in various wellness applications. These include a sharp spruce infusion in the sauna, a hot bath in fresh spruce needles and a massage with spruce needle oil. The entire power of the tree can be found in the young, bright green spruce shoots: The elements within these shoots strengthen connective tissue, firm up the skin, purify the entire organism and have a revitalising effect.

Relaxing in the green gold: Sages, healers and doctors have been aware of the benefits of hops for human health since the Middle Ages. This tradition is still carried on today in the region called Hallertau, where hops are grown on a huge scale. There they are known in common parlance as the “green gold”. The hop cones are especially popular due to their calming effect. They ensure a deep, inner relaxation. However, at the same time they are valued for their demonstrable revitalising effect. The special active substances within hops not only render free radicals harmless, but also firm up tissue and help the body with cell structure. Whether they are used as a hop oil massage or a beer brew bath, applications using the green gold are a real elixir of youth, which enable wellness enthusiasts to return to their everyday lives full of power and vitality.

You can find more information about WellVital and many beneficial holiday offers at www.bavaria.by/wellness-wellvital-in-bavaria-germany.

Text and photo: Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH