Are you familiar with Lake Tegernsee? It’s not just a weekend playground for cliché Munich locals, but a fancy holiday destination. Think of traditional Bavarian Breweries by the lake serving beer and Knödel or 5-star hotels with Michelin-starred restaurants. But in Gmund, a picturesque, little village in the north, a few locals have created a truly atypical place. If the rest of the lake would be Manhattan, this is definitely Williamsburg.
The hotel
Although the hotel is located on a busy road, it is relatively well protected from traffic by its large park. As you enter the majestic grounds, you are greeted by the yellow main building. A stately villa from the 1890s. Inside: Find new coolness, reduced, simple and yet immediately cosy. Music bubbles through the corridors from small loudspeakers, a barman takes your order for the first drink. Speaking about the bar: After a couple of drinks. you will become best friends.
You will also get along nicely with the simple furnishings. A typical hotel lobby with the charm of a Singapore Airlines lounge? Not here! A word of praise at this point to the architect Veronika Weiss who happens to live next door.
The rooms
We stayed in one of the suites (no. 22) on the first floor. Not much to say except: Fantastic. A historic parlor with grandiose, original stucco paintings on the ceiling and a view of the garden, where we spotted a sauna house and a very smart glass house. It is called the bakery, where pizza evenings and various workshops are held on certain occasions. There are 13 rooms in the main building and another 16 in an adjoining building. The most beautiful rooms are the suites on the first floor (no. 24 and 25) with a view of the lake. The small surcharge for those is worth it.
The restaurant
The Blyb. founders understood what the hospitality industry is all about: the heart of a hotel should be the restaurant. This is where people meet and where you really feel the energy of the place. It helps that the Blyb. is also open to patrons who are not overnight guests. The result is a colorful mix of locals and strangers who are best described by “likeminded” based on their clothing and interests.
It also helps that the food is nothing short of spectacular. Chef Jacques Thull and his young team create local delicatessen creations such as Bavarian sashimi, burrata with variations of beetroot or vegan braised pointed cabbage with smoked carrot sauce and confit potatoes. During our visit, everything was first-class, especially the sourdough bread in which you would just love to roll around in (it will probably frowned upon though).
The restaurant is open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. Lunch is also available from Monday to Sunday. And breakfast (also at top level and also available as a vegan option) is of course served daily.
The bosses
Let’s state the obvious: For the guys behind the Blyb. concept, this is not their first rodeo so to speak. Florian Zibert is an experienced communications expert, while Moritz Meyn and Wolfgang Hingerl have made a name for themselves in Munich with the Michelin-starred restaurant Mural and the Mural Farmhouse. They were awarded “Restaurateur of the Year” by the Rolling Pin in 2022.
Wellness
Ideal for the late afternoon after a hike: a visit to the sauna house in the garden. Or a dip in the fantastic lake of course.
Specials
The Blyb. is a place to meet, plain and simple. In addition to opulent dinners, there will be workshops of various kinds. The yoga facilities are suitable for retreats. In the summer, people play boccia and venture out to the lake, to the mountain and to the many neighboring communities. Once a month there will be a karaoke evening – like on New Year’s Eve.
Surrounding
At Lake Tegernsee there is something new to discover every day. The most important hikes: Take a tour from the hotel to the Neureuth Alm. From Rottach Egern to the Tegernseer Hütte. Visit the Haubentaucher restaurant in Rottach-Egern and of course the brewery Tegernseer Brauhaus. Or go swimming directly in front of the hotel. There is a little bath.
In winter: Skiing in the Spitzingsee ski area. Or a little further down in Sudelfeld. A ski tour to the Wallberg. Ice swimming right in front of the house. And winter hikes by the lake.
Prices
Doubles from 140 to 320 euros including breakfast. If you book a room between January 28 and February 11 they will offer a 15% discount on every booking. Just use the code PRETTY-HOTELS-BLYB in their booking engine on their website. Travel dates must be between Jan. 28 and March 22nd.
Combine with
We would recommend a combination of three days Blyb. and three days Lermooser in Lermoos. Both hotels are very different, but they share the same vibe. Also great for gourmet fans: three days at the Blyb. and then head down to South Tyrol and stay at the 1477 Reichhalter.
Booking & Contacts
Blyb.
Tegernseer Straße 41
83703 Gmund
Germany
