They are supposed to be places to breathe a sigh of relief and pure relaxation. Hotels in which one reflects on the essential things in life. Living passion. Where you can relax. We are talking about barefoot HOTELS. Conceived by the German actor, artist and entrepreneur, Til Schweiger, they are the result of combining the uncomplicated life on the American East Coast with the nonchalance of Pacific Malibu.

From Timmendorf to the world

Schweiger opened his first hotel of the brand in 2017, in the municipality of Timmendorfer Strand. Since 2021, this has been known under the name The Cozy Hotel, thriving even without Schweiger. But Schweiger has long since turned his attention to new projects. In 2018, he signed a contract with the arcona Hotel & Resorts Group as an operating company, acting as a licensor. With a major partner at his side, the final result was the barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge in South Africa. On the website, well-known celebrities are enthusiastic about the experience, including Franz Beckenbauer, Mikka Häkkinen, Gerhard Delling, Maria Höfl-Riesch - and: Til Schweiger. After the successful project in South Africa, further international projects are now planned. But first, another barefoot HOTEL is to be built in Germany. More precisely, in Bad Wiessee, Bavaria, within walking distance of Lake Tegernsee.

barefoot HOTEL Tegernsee

Admittedly, the start was somewhat bumpy. The original design led to protests from residents and the Schutzgemeinschaft Tegernsee. So LSA Architekten GmbH, under the leadership of Christof Lampardius from Munich, redesigned the project. The result is to be a future-oriented, distinctive hotel project, which is to be built sustainably in wood hybrid construction. As far as possible it is to work self-sufficient in terms of energy. "In the development of the project, the focus was on the connection between nature and man, implemented through clear lines, simple forms with natural materials and sustainable building materials," says Lampadius. The Bad Wiessee municipal council has now given the green light for the new building. "With today's planning, we have taken into account the criticisms from the neighbours, the municipality of Bad Wiessee and the Miesbach District Office," said Rainer Leidecker, representative of the hotel project company. "The architecture is adapted to the region - a country house style, interpreted in a modern way, in the character of three elongated courtyards with an intermediate building."

What all barefoot HOTELS have in common: white linen, rough wood, woven wicker and light fabrics dominate the interior design. Restrained charm and refreshing lightness, plus a feeling of informality are the result. In the Tegernsee Valley, future guests will stay in 104 rooms from four different categories. In addition to a roof terrace, a restaurant, a spa with indoor and outdoor pools and three seminar rooms, there will be underground parking and a store with feel-good products from the hotel, chosen by Til Schweiger himself. The latter thinks: "Concept and location are a perfect match." As of when guests can convince themselves of this is still unclear. The target date is 2024. barefoothotels.com