Where Is It?
We are in the Tyrolean Zugspitz Arena, just south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, on the back side of Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze (2,962 meters). Never been? Picture a fairy-tale valley ringed by mountains and rocky peaks, with the villages of Ehrwald, Biberwier, Berwang and Lermoos. In summer, people come for hiking and mountain biking; in winter, there are five ski areas to choose from, family-friendly as well as high-alpine. What was missing was a cool place to stay.
The Hotel
Now there is one. In 2019, Cleo and Johann from Munich bought Lermoos’s former train station at auction and turned it into a real gem: the Lermooser, an instantly likable bed-and-breakfast with a clever room concept and a communal kitchen where guests can make their own lunch or dinner. The highlight, of course, is the location: if you come by train (which the hosts encourage, and which is possible even with Germany’s Deutschlandticket), you step off right in front of the hotel.
Let that sink in: the train stops right outside, yet you can hardly hear it from your room. And in Lermoos, it is not 70,000 tourists who get off the train, as at the Jungfraujoch, but more like five.
The Rooms
The Lermooser has eight very bright, modern rooms, each with its own colorfully tiled bathroom, sleeping anywhere from two to five. Our favorite is Room 3 on the second floor, with five beds side by side: perfect for a family, or a group of friends. The floors are wood, the furnishings simple. We stayed in Room 7, a dream for three, with morning sun and a view of the Zugspitze. Highly recommended.
Food
From 8 to 10:30 a.m., a generous breakfast is served downstairs in the dining room, the station’s former waiting room. The hotel also has a kiosk, so you can order drinks and snacks during the day and enjoy the view. But the idea goes further. “After skiing, a lot of people don’t want to go out for a big meal; they’d rather sit together and have some pasta,” says Johann. So he offers ready-made dishes, such as pasta with pesto or rice curries, in jars that you heat up yourself. Each room even has its own compartment in the fridge, and drinks and wine are available at very reasonable prices. Extra brownie points for that.
Special I
Arriving by electric car? There is a charging station. Cyclists and skiers have a separate bike and ski room, and there is parking right in front of the house.
Yoga & Workshops
Groups can also rent the entire house. With its large kitchen and hall, it makes a great venue for workshops (cooking classes, yoga, body and mind).
Children
Definitely welcome. The bunk beds and the five-bed room are a dream.
Ideal for
Cyclists heading south. Young families who want to spend a week exploring the mountains. Cool Berliners who would feel out of place in a wellness hotel. Classic-car enthusiasts looking for the right stopover.
Prices
Between 55 and 85 euros per person per night, including breakfast, depending on season and room.
Booking & Contact
Der Lermooser
Danielstraße 23
A-6631 Lermoos
Austria
