Holidays with a clear conscience
Disclaimer: The following text has been automatically translated from German.
Lush meadows, bubbling springs, lush forests - boutique hotel Das Rübezahl in Schwangau is surrounded by magnificent nature. So it's all the sadder to think that all this is under massive threat from climate change. After all, the beautiful Allgäu region is not immune. In order to make this unique nature experience possible for future generations, the hotel places great emphasis on sustainability: "We don't take this natural paradise for granted. You have to actively protect it. We are reminded of this every day," says junior manager Alexander Thurm.
On a current occasion: We can consider ourselves lucky that we have already optimised our building services for years, so that we can leave all our wellness attractions open over the winter of 2022 without a guilty conscience. Our pool is completely heated by the waste heat from our cold storage houses and is of course covered outside opening hours, the heating of our sauna ovens is reduced to a minimum by a time and energy management system as well as state-of-the-art insulation.
Green, greener, Rübezahl!
To actively protect the environment, the hotel generates almost all of its electricity needs using its own photovoltaic system. This green electricity also directly benefits the hotel guests thanks to the five e-car charging stations. In addition, the Rübezahl promotes biodiversity with its own special flower and herb meadows, the playground, so to speak, of our hotel's own beekeeping. Sometimes, however, sustainability also requires a bit of creativity. Where to put the waste heat from the refrigerated warehouses? Put it in the pool! Collected rainwater? Perfect for watering the garden. What do you make from stained bananas? A smoothie for breakfast! After all, avoiding food waste is part of a clever kitchen philosophy!
"We use resources that are right on our doorstep," says Alexander Thurm. For this, the Thurms consciously dig deep into their pockets. For the renovation of the mountain hut belonging to the hotel, only wood from the region is used. In the restaurant, guests enjoy filtered mountain water from the crystal-clear Schwangau mountain springs. Unnecessarily exotic foods are also avoided. Instead, regional and seasonal products are preferred on the plate. Even the honey at the breakfast table comes from the hotel's own bee hotel.
Environmental protection - a task for generations
Sustainability has not just been an issue for the Thurm family since yesterday. For generations, the Rübezahl has tried to be as mindful as possible of its environment. Nevertheless, the hotel also passes on part of its responsibility to its guests. In order to offset the already small CO2 footprint, guests can support various offsetting projects by paying a small contribution. If you like, you can forego the daily room cleaning and have a tree planted instead. "After all, holidays should not be at the expense of nature," says Alexander Thurm.
The efforts of the owner family are paying off. The hotel is a partner of the Bavarian Climate and Environment Pact and is one of the most climate-friendly hotels worldwide. This is proven by the Green Pearls® seal, which the Rübezahl was awarded in June. Sustainability is also a high priority for future projects. In the next steps, the Thurm family wants to be able to store the electricity produced and at the same time monitor energy guzzlers in the hotel with the help of artificial intelligence and switch them off if possible: "Once a sauna is heated up properly, the sauna heater no longer needs to be on permanently," explains Alexander Thurm. This way, even taking a sauna can be done with a clear conscience.
With the support of our hotel guests, we have already been able to plant some trees in the region. In September 2022, we planted the first 40 trees and shrubs around our Rohrkopf Hut. Currently, the next reforestation projects are already being planned for the coming months. 
Further information on our sustainability initiatives: Link