Baden Baden is a charming little town in southwestern
Germany’s Black Forest, near the French border. Located along the Oos River and
nestled amidst beautiful mountains, the town is as visually beautiful as it is
uplifting. The people are kind, the food is thoughtful, and life hums along at
a slow but steady pace. It’s a lovely change from the hustle and bustle of winter
in Seattle, and a place we will certainly return to at other times of the year.
Baden means bath in German, and the name is a bit redundant but accurate as
Baden Baden is known for their baths and people travel from afar to experience
them. Fortunately for us, our hotel had a large spa, pool, and sauna area, so
we were able to experience what Baden Baden is known for, all from the comfort
of our hotel robes and slippers!
Where to Play
Shopping
- The Sophienstrasse, the Fifth Avenue of Baden Baden, is lined with luxury
shops like Max Mara, Hermes, etc. One of the shops we enjoyed popping into was
Massimo Dutti, an Italian clothier that is known for their classic cuts and
fine fabrics. I picked up a great leather coat and Ryan found a couple of tops
to bring home.
Sipping
- We relaxed in a cozy café called Kaffehaus. This sweet little oasis from the
cold offered comfortable seating and delectable baked goods, along with a
smattering of fine European chocolates and of course, all the cappuccinos you
can drink. I loved the wide array of teas that took up an entire wall and
featured all kinds of inventive flavors of green, herbal, and black teas. If
you’re in the mood for something stronger, the Wagener Galerie (a mini shopping
mall in Baden Baden) has a fantastic cocktail bar on the third floor. We
enjoyed Veuve Clicquot for 10 euro a glass!
Sightseeing
- Our favorite spot to visit was the Christmas market, which you can read about as its own post.
Where to Stay
Roomers is a boutique hotel that’s part of the Gekko Group, which owns a number of
luxury European hotels. Ultra-hip in design, the hotel casts a somewhat masculine
and modern vibe, but the welcoming and accommodating staff helps you to feel
right at home. Our room looked out over the town and was located, conveniently,
on the same floor as the gym, spa, and sauna, and was easily accessible to the
pool. Most days I had the gym to myself, and I enjoyed the sweeping views of
the hills from the outward facing treadmill, and I was even able to work in
some TRX and free weights thanks to the offerings of the gym which went beyond
the handful of machines you find in most closet-like hotel gyms. The amenities
were certainly a big draw of staying at Roomers. I enjoyed the rooftop heated
pool to myself more than once, and I delighted in swimming laps in the
goldilocks temperature of the water—that sweet spot between bathwater and Jacuzzi.
The hotel restaurant, Moriki, was one of our favorite spots in town (see “Where
to Eat”), and we found out on our last day in Frankfurt that there is a Moriki
there as well. Our favorite part about the hotel? It's hard to say as the lobby features a billiard table, a candy bar, and low-backed couches for lounging with champagne. But, perhaps best of all were the luxurious two hour
breakfasts that we sumptuously enjoyed in the Moriki space (which becomes a
lavish breakfast buffet complete with a la carte menu items as well – including
the best avocado toast we’ve ever had!). Though we spent nearly a week at
Roomers, we could have happily extended our stay a second week had we known
what a great spot this was!
Where to Dine
Moriki– Located inside Roomers Hotel on the edge of the central part of Baden Baden,
this is modern Japanese food at its best. From sushi to stir fry to spicy
edamame, every dish was simple yet flavorful. We enjoyed our meal at Moriki so
much that we went back a second time on our last evening in Baden Baden, a
testament to the food and service. Ryan tried a variety of sushi, seafood, and
meat dishes while I had the same meal twice – vegan sushi and a lovely spinach
and truffle salad with fried tofu, a dish I recreated at home (post
forthcoming)!
Fritz and Felix – Nestled in the heart of old town within the hotel ornate and fancy
Brenners Park Hotel, this was a treat indeed. Boasting that they are a
restaurant of “Casual Fine Dining”, the restaurant offers a number of locally
sourced, seasonal dishes. The walls are decorated with local art, and one that
drew my attention was a miniature VW bus, though some of the larger canvas
paintings were quite stunning. One detail we noted is that Fritz and Felix
caters to their customers. The hotel had let the hostess know I am vegan, and
they created a special dessert in advance of our arrival, a lovely and decadent
chocolate mousse dish with a crispy coconut rice cake and fresh berries. They
had a quiet corner table reserved for us and our waiter was happy to let us
linger for several hours, stopping by now and then to check on our food or to
provide an insider tip on where my husband could catch the next day’s Seahawks
game. Our meal was sumptuous and memorable. Had they been open on Sundays, we
would have returned a second time! Upon leaving, we were gifted a small book
that tells the fairytale story of Fritz and Felix, a fox and rabbit pair, who
go on adventures. What a lovely final touch to a perfect meal!
Mamma Lina’s Ristorante – This is the best family run Italian restaurant we have ever
been to, and clearly the word has gotten out because it is BUSY. Bustling with
tourists and locals alike, we managed to snag a table in the quieter back
section of Mamma Lina’s during the prime time of Saturday night dining. Though
many Italian restaurants are unable to accommodate a vegan diet, our server was
incredibly knowledgeable and assured me the cooks could take care of me, even
asking what kind of soup I would like despite that none were on the menu. In
the end, I wound up with bruschetta, a lovely salad, and a beautiful bowl of
real Italian minestrone (clear broth, loads of veggies), while Ryan opted for
the house special, homemade noodles tossed in a giant parmesan wheel. Oh, and
did I mention they make their bread from scratch? It comes out as the love child
of naan and ciabatta, fired in a pizza oven. YUM.
