Hotel Klosterhotel Ludwig der Bayer
kloster ettal, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Alpine Monastery Brewery Accommodation
Hotel Klosterhotel Ludwig der Bayer is a monastery hotel in the Bavarian Alps, located in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It is a great place to stay on the way from Munich to the Southern German Alps, with Oberammergau and Zugspitze, famous for Linderhof Castle, close by.
The hotel is located at the entrance to the Alpine valley, opposite the 14th century Ettal Monastery. The Ettal Monastery was founded by Ludwig IV of Bavaria and the name of the hotel, 'Ludwig der Bayer', means 'Ludwig of Bavaria' or Ludwig IV. Ettal Abbey is famous for its baroque dome, the statue of the Holy Mother of God, the library and various other buildings, but it is also widely known as one of the best monastery breweries.
When you think of a hotel attached to a monastery, you get the feeling that it is somehow old-fashioned. However, the accommodation here is in modern renovated buildings with spacious and clean rooms and bathrooms. As it is located at the foot of the Alps, there is a hiking trail behind the hotel, and as there are many ski resorts nearby, there is supposed to be a sauna facility. However, looking at the reviews of those who have been there, many say that the street-facing rooms are a bit noisy.
Wish List
Here is a wish list of places I would like to stay on my next trip, including a monastic brewery and brewery accommodation in Bavaria that I missed on my last few trips to Germany.
Kloster Ettal and beer
The brewery was built in 1609 in the Ettal monastery, which had been in existence since 1330. It is said that it was built to serve the pilgrims staying at the Monastery, located on the way from Germany to Italy, and to serve the Monastery's own needs.
The Ettal Monastery Brewery is said to adhere to the traditional methods of the abbey and the clean water of the Ammergau Alps. However, as the number of visitors seeking the delicious taste of the beer has increased, the brewery has outsourced the production of the wheat beer to a separate partner company. The most popular wheat beer is 'Ettaler Benediktiner Weissbier'.
