Horben, Black Forest, Germany
A health resort in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Black Forest, where the proprietary GesundKunft®-SPA, regenerative sleep design, and Chef Niels Möller's seasonal kitchen serve one purpose: natürlich, gesund, leben.
Fifty-five geothermal probes reach 145 metres into Black Forest bedrock beneath the resort. Green roofs absorb rainfall overhead. The Schauinsland mountain fills the dining room windows, and the Rhine Plain stretches beyond. Every surface, from the shingle facade to the handcrafted natural-fibre beds of the GesundKunft®-Schlafkonzept, is tuned to one idea: turning the building itself into a space of regeneration.
Luisenhöhe calls it natürlich, gesund, leben, natural, healthy living. The GesundKunft®-SPA spans 4,400 square metres across two floors, linking medical fitness, forest sauna, and water experiences under a single philosophy. Restaurant LUISE anchors the ground floor with an open grill and a vegetable-forward menu that changes daily. Outside, a traditional orchard meadow and 900 newly planted oaks and hornbeams extend the resort's care into the surrounding UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This is a Naturort, a nature place, built for guests who want health shaped by landscape rather than routine.
Marked hiking trails leave directly from the hotel into the Black Forest. Routes climb toward the Schauinsland summit or descend through chestnut groves toward Freiburg. E-bikes are available on site for touring the Dreiländereck tri-border region, where Germany, France, and Switzerland meet within cycling distance.
Winter shifts the focus to the Feldberg, the Black Forest's highest peak. Over 100 lifts serve alpine runs, and 2,000 kilometres of groomed cross-country trails begin nearby. Snowshoeing and sledging routes wind through the surrounding valleys. In warmer months, 23 golf courses sit within 50 kilometres across the Südbaden region. Freiburg, just minutes away, adds city walks, markets, and cultural stops.
Explore additional experiences in the surrounding area.
Route length: 8.8km loopEstimated time: 2hLoop routeBerghauser Matten is a protected nature reserve classified as a conservation area (Naturschutzgebiet) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The area is officially recognized and bounded to preserve its natural environment for ecological protection and enjoyment. Visitors can experience pristine natural landscapes that support wellbeing and nature watching activities.
Route length: 3.4km loopEstimated time: 45minLoop routeÖlberg Ehrenstetten is a designated nature reserve established in 1996, providing protected natural habitats and promoting biodiversity. The area is classified under protection class 4 and holds the official status of a Naturschutzgebiet (NSG), ensuring the conservation of its natural environment. Visitors interested in nature watching and wellbeing can enjoy the preserved natural surroundings.
Area sceneryRoute length: 1km routeDifficulty: EasyVerbindung zur Haldenspur is an easy nordic skiing route connecting Haldenspur and Schauinsland. The piste is groomed for both classic and skating styles, ensuring good conditions for different skiing techniques.
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Area sceneryRoute length: 1.2km loopEstimated time: 16minLoop routeBotanischer Garten is a park and tourist attraction operated by Albert-Ludwigs-Universität. It is wheelchair accessible and open daily from 08:00 to 18:00.
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Area sceneryRoute length: 17.2km routeDifficulty: MediumSchauinslandspur is a nordic skiing route of 17.2 km distance featuring six different variants. It supports classic and skating grooming at an intermediate difficulty.
Area sceneryRoute length: 2km loopEstimated time: 27minLoop routeArlesheimersee is a nature reserve with a protected area status since 1966 and requires access permits. It is recognized for conservation efforts.
Route length: 1.7km loopEstimated time: 23minLoop routeGüterbahnhof CEF-Fläche is a protected natural area characterized by scrub vegetation. It serves as a designated habitat specifically for the protection of the Mauereidechse (a species of wall lizard). This area is classified as a protection class 4 zone.
Route length: 1.1km loopEstimated time: 15minLoop routeHonigbuck is a nature reserve classified as protection class 4 since 1963. It is a boundary-protected area focused on natural conservation.
Route length: 19.6km routeDifficulty: HardStübenwasenspur is a challenging 19.6 km nordic skiing route with advanced difficulty and variants ranging from 5.8 km to 14.9 km. The trail features a total ascent and descent of 550 meters and is groomed for classic and skating styles.
Route length: 0.6km loopEstimated time: 7minLoop routeLorettobad is a water park and recreation ground centered on swimming activities. Operated by Regio Bäder GmbH, it is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00.
An open grill stands at the centre of Restaurant LUISE. Chef de Cuisine Niels Möller builds a four-course menu around it each evening, guided by a simple conviction: bons produits, bonne cuisine. The default is plant-based and vegetable-forward. Guests add daily-changing meat, fish, or crustacean courses if they choose, or keep it fully vegan.
Ingredients arrive from the forests, meadows, and vegetable gardens of the surrounding Black Forest. The wine list runs to roughly 500 positions, with a generous open-wine selection. Mornings begin with Tischlein deck dich, a breakfast of five daily-changing specialities, regional cheeses, and charcuterie. The Kuckucksnester, cuckoo-nest alcoves along the windows, frame the Schauinsland while you eat. Afterwards, the MehrblickBAR pours nightcaps above the valley.
The GesundKunft®-SPA covers 4,400 square metres across two floors. Medical fitness, beauty treatments, and regeneration programmes share the space with multiple saunas, water experiences, and quiet relaxation areas called WohlfühlPlätze. The Waldsauna, a forest sauna, sits in the Naturgarten alongside an outdoor pool, a Ruhepavillon rest pavilion, and sun decks overlooking the meadows.
Spa access is included in every overnight stay. The GesundKunft®-Schlafkonzept extends the wellness philosophy into each room, with beds handcrafted from natural materials designed to turn sleep into active regeneration. Outside, a Liegewiese sunbathing lawn stretches into the garden. The approach is medically informed but never clinical. Forest air, geothermal warmth, and quiet views of the Schauinsland do much of the work.
Sustainability at Luisenhöhe is structural, not aspirational. The resort sits within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Black Forest, and that location shaped every building decision. Fifty-five geothermal ground probes at 145 metres depth supply heating and cooling. Heat recovery ventilation reduces energy waste. A shingle facade with enhanced insulation and multi-layer solar-control glazing manage temperature passively. All rooftops carry green planting for water retention, and a 52,000-litre cistern system collects rainfall for garden irrigation.
Beyond the buildings, the resort planted 600 sessile oaks and 300 hornbeams on neighbouring forest land. A Streuobstwiese, a traditional orchard meadow, adds 41 fruit trees. Twelve nesting boxes support bats, spotted flycatchers, and house sparrows. A bee-and-butterfly meadow borders the grounds. Food waste converts to biogas and fertiliser. Insect-friendly lighting minimises light pollution across the site. The historic chestnut avenue and old-growth trees remain protected.
Luisenhöhe – Gesundheitsresort Schwarzwald offers 3 accommodation types.
WohlfühlZimmer
Described as 'besonders, fein, stilvoll' (special, refined, stylish), these rooms feature large windows or terraces with views of the Black Forest landscape and Rhine Plain. Beds are handcrafted from high-quality natural materials.
WohlfühlSuiten
Described as 'individuell, großzügig, erleben' (individual, generous, experience). Larger suites with panoramic views, exquisitely designed bathrooms, and natural material beds.
LieblingsSuiten
Described as 'luxuriös, einzigartig, genießen' (luxurious, unique, indulge). The largest and most premium suite category, with a wide size range suggesting multiple distinct suite configurations.
Natürlich, gesund, leben. Book your stay at Luisenhöhe, where the Black Forest shapes every detail of rest and renewal.
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