The historic, 207-bedroom Elbresidenz, perched on the banks of the Elbe River in Bad Schandau, Germany, has undergone a transformation after the floods of 2013, and is now in soft-opening mode under new ownership.
Toskanaworld Group, which operates
spas and hotels across Germany, is now running the five-star Elbresidenz, including the 2,100sqm (22,604sq ft) wellness area, which is spread over four floors and will include special areas for meditation and yoga as well as ayurvedic and medical treatments.
Toskanaworld also operates the neighbouring 1,830sq m (19,698sq ft) Toskana Therme, which includes four different pools – including the Liquid Sound Temple, with a unique underwater musical flotation experience – as well as a spacious Saunaland with steam bath, frozen ice and outdoor sauna.
“Currently, all of this is included in the price of an overnight stay in the hotel Elbresidenz,” said Marion Schneider, CEO and co-owner of Toskanaworld and Elbresidenz. “As the Therme is only three minutes’ walk apart by foot, the advantage is obvious….The two ‘Wellness parks’ as we call them – one in the hotel and one in the Therme – do complement one another, as they offer different treatments with different brands.”
The Elbresidenz’s wellness centre includes a pool, steam bath, organic sauna, Finnish sauna, adventure shower, relaxation room, warm loungers, six cosmetic rooms, six massage rooms, five yoga and wellness rooms and three ayurveda rooms.
The wellness area has a theme of ‘The world in spa,’ and offers treatments such as Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massages, as well as rituals using French skincare brand Sothys and high-tech natural cosmetics line Dr. Joseph from Tyrol.
Currently, the hotel offers ‘Wellness Ayurveda,’ consisting mainly of ayurvedic massage, but Schneider said that based on guest interest, she might develop a full range of ayurvedic offerings, including consultation and treatment by an ayurvedic doctor.
“We have eight treatment rooms fully-equipped for ayurvedic treatments, which gives the right size for it,” she explained.
The Elbresidenz itself is comprised of nine historic houses, most of which date from the 18th century. The building was inundated with water after the Elbe River burst its banks 2013, and has been completely revamped with the help of architect Andreas Ollertz.
Approximately €12.5m was spent on new investments after the flood, including relocating the substation from the flooded area to the upper floors to secure the power supply and installing a mobile large-scale kitchen that can be disassembled and moved in case of a flood.
The hotel is uniquely positioned not just on the banks of the picturesque Elbe River, but also on the doorstep of Germany’s Saxon-Switzerland National Park, which boasts unique sandstone rock formations, untouched forests and miles of hiking trails. The Elbe bicycle path runs right outside the Elberesidenz, and the hotel offers bikes for tours through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains towards Dresden and along the Saxon Wine Trail.
“The combination of activities in nature and spa treatments will be one of our unique selling propositions in Bad Schandau, mainly for our hotel guests as they will need to rest and enjoy after such a full day,” said Schneider. “Our team is currently working on a programme based on centuries of outdoor hikes and decades of professional wellness. Powerful programmes which make a difference is our goal.”
Schneider also has a vision of establishing Bad Schandau as a haven for healing therapies, and taking ownership of the Elbresidenz is the next step in that vision. With many therapists having flocked to the region after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Schneider said there is a rich range of offerings and a strong network of highly-qualified and motivated therapists.
“We want to give our visitors the chance to learn and experience world medicine,” she said. “This needs time and energy – and we are currently investing both. Combined with the power of nature, this will be an unforgettable experience of transformation.”
