InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden Review

My memories of my first visit (in 2005) to the InterContinental Resort in Berchtesgaden are many and wonderful.  I remember the beautiful drive via the Alpenstraße.  I think of the incredible view from my window at an altitude of 1000 meters.  I remember the warm hospitality and I remember the food.

Almost five years later, I found myself driving along the Alpenstraße for a return visit.

The InterContinental is set on a small plateau overlooking that Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Berchtesgadener Land, Bayern (Bavaria), immediately adjacent to Salzburg, Austria.  The park itself has five mountain ranges and it is a mixture of mountains, woodlands, rock, and alpine pastures.

As I took in the view, I recalled the site’s history.  During the National Socialist era, Field Marshal Hermann Göring built his mountain residence on this parcel of land, to be close to the Berghof, the alpine residence of Adolf Hitler.  Indeed, during the Second World War, the town of Berchtesgaden itself was a closed city and only those with connections to the Nazi party were allowed to live there.

Today things are quite different. As I wrote in my review five years ago, the hotel’s presence “is a confirmation of how good triumphed over evil.”

THE ROOM

Each room is designed so that the incredible panoramic view can be enjoyed even from bed.  My Executive Studio was comfortably furnished with a sitting area and of course the eye-popping view.  The view was just as I remembered it and I still wondered why the rooms came with flat-screen televisions as no program could possibly compete with it.

The bed was wonderful and I slept dreaming of the views.  The generously-sized marble bathroom had a separate shower and a heated floor, which felt wonderful on a cold, winter day.

The refrigerator was stocked with juice and water (all complimentary) and a tray of snacks including chocolate and nuts and fresh fruit was replenished daily.

ROAD WARRIOR SUPPORT

Internet access was fast although mobile phone reception in this particular room was iffy and I was able to place and receive calls without a problem only from one corner of the room near the desk (that was not the case at all during my previous stay).

Desk and chair were placed so that the views would be a constant distraction from work.  I remembered that the electrical outlets were concealed behind a wooden panel built into the desk so I was up and running in no time at all.

The hotel is perfect for smaller meetings (there are only 138 guest rooms) and the ballroom can accommodate 280 people for a reception and 156 when the room is set up classroom-style.  Views are included with every meeting.

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