History & future

Our history

for 4 generations

Into the future with a tangible past

The Obermühle through the ages - the history goes back almost 400 years. How it all began ...

A significant coat of arms, female power and a host mentality spanning generations - the Obermühle 4*S Alpin SPA Resort looks back on a long and exciting history. In some corners of the Obermühle there are even contemporary witnesses to be discovered. We bridge the gap between tradition and a modern, homely ambience: authentic, unique, stylish.

1634

The mill as an imperial enterprise

The year was 1634 and it was to be one of the most important days for mill owner Mathias Reiser and his Obermühle, as he received the coat of arms of the bourgeois nobility from Emperor Maximilian. This year marks the beginning of the 300-year family tradition of the Obermühle. However, running a grinding and sawmill was an arduous and dangerous undertaking and led to the deaths of some of the male heirs. It is thanks to the business acumen of descendant Katharina Betz that you can read about the Hotel Obermühle today.
Historical picture of the Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen - insight into the traditional history of today's 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle.
1925

From the mill to the pension

In 1925, Katharina Betz dissolved the grinding mill, which had become unprofitable, in order to set up a guesthouse. After a short time, the business was able to expand and enjoyed a good reputation. The Second World War began. Misappropriation and a major fire threatened the existence of the Obermühle. After the war, the boarding house was placed under the control of the American army. At the beginning of the 1950s, the Obermühle returned to the family and was run as a boarding house. Katharina and Karl Betz were succeeded by their daughter Rothraut Wolf, together with her husband, master brewer Oskar Wolf. They quickly set about planning extensive renovations.

1968

A new hotel is being built

Shortly before Christmas 1968, the nervousness within the entire family was almost palpable. Would it be possible to get the Hotel Obermühle up and running again before the huge rush of guests around Christmas? Every member of the family lent a hand and the first guests were welcomed just in time for Christmas. From then on, the Hotel Obermühle was an integral part of Garmisch's social culture. Even then, guests such as the famous composer Richard Strauss appreciated the skillful interplay of tradition and modernity.
1978

Culinary delights at the Obermühle

Peter Wolf and his wife Mariele brought a breath of fresh air to the Obermühle. They continued the tradition of the Obermühle with a great deal of passion and imagination. Within a short time, Peter Wolf made a name for himself with his excellent cuisine, which was known far beyond the city limits. This was followed by awards, accolades and, last but not least, admission to the Chaine de Rôtisseurs. Peter Wolf and his wife Mariele thus laid the foundations for the Obermühle's culinary delights.

2013

A breath of fresh air at all levels

Host culture in the fourth generation: Christian Wolf took over the Obermühle in 2013 and has mastered the balancing act between long-standing tradition and the demands of today. The appearance of the Obermühle has often changed, not least due to the extensive renovation work carried out in 2013, 2015 and 2017. With the birth of daughter Magdalena, the 5th generation is now in the starting blocks ....

Host family of the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in traditional costume in front of the hotel.
Christian Wolf, Managing Director of the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
2019

The Obermühle 4.0

In 2019, the Obermühle underwent its most extensive renovation ever. 47 new rooms, an exclusive wellness area with infinity pool, conference and seminar facilities and an expansion of all public areas - the hotel was closed for around 6 months for this purpose and reopened in October 2019.

2021

The Obermühle in hibernation

For the first time in our long history since 1948, our family did not have any guests at the Obermühle over Christmas. The culprit: a global pandemic. The Obermühle has seen many difficult times and the family has always risen to the challenges. Together with our employees, we took advantage of the forced time-out and embellished and rebuilt the Obermühle in many areas.

Winter exterior view of the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with infinity pool and view of the Alps.
View of the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with terrace, garden and view of the Alps in winter
2022

Looking to the future with confidence

We were also able to present our guests with many new features in winter 2022. We have managed to renovate four more family suites in the main building and open another whirlpool in the sauna garden just in time for the winter season. You can look forward to seeing what else we have planned this year ...

2023

Pirates in the Obermühle

At the turn of the year 2023, pirates were spotted by our young guests in the Obermühle.

We want guests of all ages to feel at home with us. That's why we were able to complete our new children's pool area with pirate ship and slide, as well as lots of water games, just in time for the turn of the year 2022/23.

Children's pool with play ship and slide at the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Children's and family pool at the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen - ideal for family vacations with children
2024

Exclusive minigolf fun

Owner & host Christian Wolf has dreamed of having his own mini golf course since he was a child. In spring 2024, the time had finally come and within six weeks, a high-quality 9-hole course with an in-house design was realized in cooperation with the Swedish company for play golf courses. This was opened just in time for Easter and has been a great pleasure not only for our young guests ever since. A childhood dream came true, and not just for the owner family.

Hotel garden with modern minigolf course at the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Hotel garden with modern minigolf course at the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Obermühle as team base camp for EURO 2024

The Obermühle and the entire team were given a special honor: We were able to host the Scottish national team exclusively as the official TEAM BASECAMP of EURO 2024. The extremely likeable team led by coach Steve Clarke left lasting impressions at the Obermühle. We are proud to be part of this unique European Championship.

Scotland
The 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was the official team hotel of the Scottish national team during UEFA Euro 2024.
Career as a receptionist at the 4-star Alpin Spa Resort Obermühle in Garmisch-Partenkirchen - work in a warm reception team.
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+49 8821 7040

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