And the winner is … was the phrase on 5 May 2025 during the presentation of the Wellness Aphrodite, Lieblings Chalet Award and COOLEST POOL. For the 22nd time, the successful travel platform meintophotel.de honoured the best wellness hotels in the German-speaking region, based on the meintophotel.de travel portal. The Lieblings Chalet Award and the COOLEST POOL were presented for the second time as part of a joint gala. The impressive setting for this high-profile event was provided by the Schlosshotel Kitzbühel, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The Wellness Aphrodite 2025 in the Overall Concept category was awarded to Hotel Weisses Kreuz in Burgeis (South Tyrol). Exceptional entrepreneur Erich Falkensteiner from Falkensteiner Hotels & Residences received a standing ovation for being honoured with the jury’s special award “Tradition & Vision”. The travel platform meintophotel.de presented the Wellness Aphrodite 2025 in eleven categories: Wellness Cuisine, Beyond Fitness, Holistic Beauty & Wellbeing, Babymoon, Spa Design, Signature Treatment, Lodging, Spa Personality, Ecology & Sustainability, Overall Concept, and Exceptional – Jury Award for Tradition & Vision. The winners of the Wellness Aphrodite were selected by an expert jury based on the meintophotel.de travel portal and the high-quality Mein Tophotel Guide 2025. The jury included Prof. Dr. Marco Gardini, Deputy Director of the Bavarian Centre for Tourism at Kempten University of Applied Sciences and Professor of International Hospitality Management and Marketing at the Faculty of Tourism Management; Sven Huckenbeck, internationally recognised consultant in the wellness industry; Anke Brendt, Product Manager at FIBO (leading trade fair for fitness, wellness and health, Cologne); TV and top chef Christian Henze; Stephanie Ganterer, hotel coach at Brandnamic, a full-service marketing agency in Brixen; and Sarah Leoni, editor at the trade magazine Tophotel and Mein Tophotel. The castle hall and the exclusive marketplace of Schlosshotel Kitzbühel provided the perfect backdrop for the presentation of the most coveted awards for wellness hotels, chalets, and hotel pools in the German-speaking region: the Wellness Aphrodite 2025, the Lieblings Chalet Award, and the Coolster Pool. Host Uwe Schramm was delighted to welcome the approximately 140 invited guests from the hotel industry, suppliers, trade associations and the press. As Alexander Holzmann, publisher of the Holzmann Medien Group, emphasised in his speech, it is a special honour to host the award ceremony in such a prestigious venue and glamorous location as the Schlosshotel in Kitzbühel. Presenter Michael Sporer from Bavarian Television guided the programme with his usual confidence. The event was framed by a varied programme that included an exclusive fashion show by the traditional label Kinga Mathe, a premium BABOR skin analysis and a unique robotic massage experience. The evening’s awards began with the presentation of the COOLEST POOL 2025. Out of the top 12 pools in the online voting, which saw more than 8,000 participants, the pool at FREIGOLD Impulshotel in Freistadt (Austria) won first place. The Lieblings Chalet Award 2025, presented by the editorial team of Mein Tophotel, was awarded in three categories. The winners of the Lieblings Chalet Award 2025:
Category Cuisine: Chalets Valsegg, Vals (Italy)
Category Interior Design: Chalet Resort ZU KIRCHWIES, Lajen (Italy)
Category Concept: Hofgut Hafnerleiten, Bad Birnbach (Germany) The winning hotels of the Wellness Aphrodite 2025:
Category Wellness Cuisine: Reischlhof Wellness & Naturresort, Wegscheid (Germany)
Category Beyond Fitness: Alpenresort Schwarz, Mieming (Austria)
Category Holistic Beauty & Wellbeing: Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort, Naturns (Italy)
Category Spa Design: Hotel Jungbrunn – Der Gutzeitort, Tannheim (Austria)
Category Lodging: GAMS zu zweit, Bezau (Austria)
Category Ecology & Sustainability: Naturhotel Waldklause, Längenfeld (Austria)
Category Babymoon: Das König Ludwig Inspiration Spa, Schwangau (Germany)
Category Spa Personality: Sara Comper, Seeleiten Lake Spa Hotel
Category Overall Concept: Hotel Weisses Kreuz, Burgeis (Italy) Signature Treatment Among the treatments demonstrated on site, the hay application from Hauber’s Naturresort in Oberstaufen impressed the jury. The successful finale of the evening was the presentation of the “Exceptional – Jury Award for Tradition and Vision”. Laudator Prof. Dr. Marco A. Gardini honoured exceptional entrepreneur Erich Falkensteiner as a visionary of European hospitality, whose name is inseparably linked with quality, innovation, and entrepreneurial courage. With his clear strategy, deeply rooted regional values and flair for international trends, he has built the Falkensteiner Group into one of Europe’s leading hotel brands. To great applause, the award winner accepted the Wellness Aphrodite and thanked the jury. Family Cup 2025: Award for the Best Family Hotels |
With a memorable award ceremony, the best family hotels in the German-speaking region were honoured for the 17th time with the prestigious Family Cup. The renowned award, presented by the travel portal meintophotel.de, sets international standards for excellence in family hospitality. Hotel Bareiss in the Black Forest was honoured with a special award for its 30 years of dedication to edutainment. Among the more than 100 invited guests from the hotel industry, suppliers, trade associations, and the press, the host Uwe Schramm, managing director of Schlosshotel Kitzbühel, warmly welcomed everyone to the festive DAS Kaps. The crème de la crème of the hotel industry was present. Michael Sporer, presenter at Bavarian Radio, expertly guided the event with his usual ease and charming personality, entertaining the guests. Jaqueline Schaffrath, Head of 'Mein Tophotel', presented the trophies to the proud winners. This year, the jury awarded a special prize in the Family Cup 2025 in the category of Edutainment. It was given to Hotel Bareiss in the Black Forest to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its "Kinderdörfle" (Children’s Village). What began as a heartfelt project by the Bareiss family has long since become a beacon of lovingly lived pedagogy and imaginative edutainment. The Family Cup was awarded this year in five categories: Cuisine, Leisure Programme, Family Wellness, Lodging, and Overall Concept. An expert jury determined the winners of the Family Cup based on the travel portal meintophotel.de and the high-quality 'Mein Tophotel' Hotel Guide 2025. This year, Prof. Dr. Marco A. Gardini – Deputy Director of the Bavarian Centre for Tourism at Kempten University of Applied Sciences and Professor of International Hospitality Management and Marketing at the Faculty of Tourism Management – once again contributed his expertise to the jury. The jury also included Jaqueline Schaffrath, Sarah Leoni, editor of the trade magazine Tophotel and the meintophotel.de travel portal, and Stephanie Ganterer, hotel coach at Brandnamic, a full-service marketing agency in Brixen. Cuisine
In the Cuisine category, the jury was impressed by the Familotel Landhaus Averbeck in Bergen (Germany). Here, guests can enjoy an all-inclusive concept with fresh, regional buffets throughout the day, featuring homemade treats and beverages. Highlights such as the show kitchen, exclusive kitchen parties, and the Hygge-Landhaus ambiance in all outlets provide moments of enjoyment. The long-standing collaboration with sustainably managed farms, as well as the hotel’s own vegetable garden and chicken farming, where children are encouraged to help, are especially noteworthy. Also nominated: Falkensteiner Family Resort Lido in Ehrenburg (Italy), Das Mühlwald – Quality Family Time Resort in Natz/Schabs (Italy). Leisure Programme
The Feuerstein Nature Family Resort in Brenner (Italy) impressed the jury with its outstanding leisure programme. This exceptional resort is a true sanctuary for families, located in the heart of nature – featuring a riding stable, Feuerstein Farm with alpacas and more, a spectacular Mountain Spa with family areas, and outdoor experiences amidst the alpine landscape. Educational programmes based on Maria Montessori, creative play areas, and loving care ensure that children learn through play while parents can relax. A brand-new addition is the walk-through dollhouse and the Action Room with a Ninja Warrior course and interactive games on the iWall. Also nominated: Familotel Kaiserhof, Berwang (Austria), Familotel Ottonenhof, Diemelsee (Germany). Family-Wellness
In the new Family Wellness category, the Quellenhof Luxury Resort Passeier in St. Martin (Italy) took first place. With 10,500 sqm, the wellness and spa areas of this five-star luxury resort, featuring 25 saunas and twelve pools, are the largest in South Tyrol. There is a dedicated Medical Center for prevention and early diagnostics, along with a wide range of treatment and leisure options. A standout feature is the separation between the adults' and family areas, the latter of which includes the Aqua Family Park with a water slide paradise and pools for all ages. The other nominees: Weissenhäuser Strand Ferien- und Freizeitpark (Germany), Familienresort Buchau in Maurach (Austria), Familotel Allgäuer Berghof in Gunzesried/Ofterschwang (Germany). Lodging
The new design rooms at the Falkensteiner Family Resort Lido in Ehrenburg (Italy) are truly breathtaking. They are specially designed to meet the needs of families and couples with babies, offering the highest level of comfort and a cozy atmosphere. With high-quality materials, partially separated children's rooms, and thoughtful details like cozy nests in high places, baby extras, and balconies overlooking the natural lake, the lodging area becomes the perfect oasis of well-being for both adults and children. Also nominated: Maria adventure family hotel & lodge, I-Obereggen (Italy), Erlebnishotel Krønasår – The Museum Hotel at Europa-Park in Rust (Germany). Overall Concept
According to the expert jury, the Ulrichshof Nature – Family – Design in Rimbach (Germany) sets the standard in the Overall Concept category. With a wellness area covering over 5,500 sqm, 9 sport and fun pools, a parents' spa with a natural bath, daily children's care from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., its own riding stable, numerous indoor and outdoor play areas, and much more, the Ulrichshof makes the vacation experience perfect for families! And stagnation is not an option: Year after year, the Brandl-Lankes family continues to make intergenerational improvements, such as in the culinary offerings, which impressively draw inspiration from the fairy tales and legends of the Bavarian Forest. Here, enjoying family-friendly organic cuisine becomes a true adventure. Also nominated: Sonnenalp Resort, Ofterschwang (Germany), Hotel Bareiss in the Black Forest (Germany). For more information about the Kitzbühel destination, please visit kitzbuehel.com |
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