A Holiday in the Allgäu in a Holiday Apartment: Your Guide to a Mountain Break

Mountains outside the window, a lake to jump into and your own kitchen in the evening instead of a hotel buffet: for many of our guests, a holiday in the Allgäu in a holiday apartment is the most relaxed way to experience the region. In this guide you will find out why a holiday apartment is such a good choice in the Allgäu in particular, which town suits which kind of holiday, what to expect in each season and what to look out for when booking – with tips from us as hosts from Immenstadt. Towns, places to visit, weather and getting here are all summarised in our overview Holidays in the Allgäu.

Why a holiday apartment is the better choice in the Allgäu

In the Allgäu you spend most of your time outdoors: hiking, swimming, skiing or up on the alpine pastures with the children. So it is nice when the day fits around you rather than fixed mealtimes. In a holiday apartment you have breakfast whenever you like, pack your own picnic for the walk and, if you feel like it, cook in the evening with Allgäu cheese from the market. Or you head to the inn after all, with no obligation whatsoever.

Then there is the space. A family with two children needs two rooms in a hotel; in a holiday apartment they have a living area, kitchen, bedroom and usually a balcony with a mountain view. The evening is then yours: the children are asleep, you sit outside with a glass of wine and watch the Grünten glow in the dusk.

It is good for your holiday budget too: per person and night, a holiday apartment is usually cheaper than a comparable hotel room, especially for three or more people and stays of a few days. If you book directly with the host, you also save the booking fees of the big portals.

Which town in the Allgäu suits your holiday?

The Allgäu is large, and every town has its own character. Our holiday apartments are in the Oberallgäu, in the south between the Alpsee and Oberstdorf – an area we know from our own everyday lives.

Immenstadt on the Großer Alpsee is our home and the most versatile base: the largest natural lake in the Allgäu just a few minutes away, the Alpsee Bergwelt with its mountain coaster and high-ropes course for families, the Nagelfluhkette for hiking and a small old town with a weekly market. Here you get lake and mountains in one holiday.

Sonthofen, Germany's southernmost town, sits centrally between all the valleys of the Oberallgäu. From here you are in Oberstdorf, at the Alpsee or in Bad Hindelang in twenty minutes, yet you have all the shops and an indoor pool in town. Ideal if you want to discover something different every day.

Blaichach, with the Gunzesrieder Tal, is the quiet alternative right next door: alpine pastures, mountain streams and hardly any through traffic. Oberstdorf is the classic choice for the high Alps, with the Nebelhorn, Fellhorn and Breitachklamm gorge, and is correspondingly popular. And Oberstaufen in the west is known for wellness, the Schroth cure and the ski areas on the Hochgrat and Imberg. Which town suits you best is explained in detail in our article Where to stay in the Allgäu?

The Allgäu in summer, winter and in between

In summer it is all about lake and mountain. In the morning a walk up the Mittag or along the Nagelfluhkette, in the afternoon a dip in the Alpsee, in the evening a cold supper on the balcony. We have collected the most beautiful routes, from gentle lakeside paths to summit hikes, on our page Hiking holidays in the Allgäu. For families, the summer toboggan runs, the high-ropes course and the many alpine farms where children can stroke the cows are also well worth it. All destinations with a map can be found in our overview of places to visit in the Allgäu.

In winter the holiday apartment becomes a cosy ski chalet. Oberstdorf, Ofterschwang, Bolsterlang, Oberstaufen and Balderschwang are all within reach, plus cross-country trails in the valley and winter walking paths for everyone who doesn't need skis. After a day on the slopes, your things dry in your own apartment, and if you have booked a holiday apartment with a sauna, you can warm up wonderfully afterwards. Our guide to the ski areas in the Allgäu gives you an overview of the pistes.

Our favourite tip is autumn. Between early September and mid-October the views are at their clearest, the forests turn golden, the Viehscheid (the traditional cattle drive) brings the cows down from the alpine pastures, and the apartments are cheaper and more available than in high summer. Why we love this time so much is explained in our article on the best time to visit the Allgäu.

Which holiday apartment suits whom

Families above all need space and short distances: a second bedroom, a proper kitchen, a parking space by the house and ideally a meadow or lake within walking distance. Many of our apartments sleep up to six people, with a cot on request. If you are travelling with grandparents or as two families, you will find suitable accommodation on our page Holiday apartment for 6 people.

Couples often want a view, peace and quiet and a little luxury. A loft with a mountain view, a penthouse or our chalet with its private infrared sauna are made for exactly that. And if you are travelling with a dog, look for level access, easy-care floors and walks right outside the door. What else matters is covered in our guide to a holiday apartment with a dog in the Allgäu.

Booking a holiday apartment in the Allgäu: our checklist

We know each of our apartments personally and know what matters to our guests. These points are worth checking before you book:

• Check the location: how far is it to the bakery, the lake, the nearest mountain railway? Short distances make everyday holiday life easier.
• Look at the kitchen: if you like to cook, a hob, oven, dishwasher and coffee machine are part of the package.
• Look at the sleeping arrangements: with “up to 6 people” it is worth checking the number of bedrooms. For longer stays, proper beds are more comfortable than a sofa bed.
• Parking and arrival: your own parking space right by the house is convenient, especially in winter. If you drive an electric car, it is worth looking for a charging point.
• Clarify the extras: dogs welcome? Sauna available? Cot on request? You will find all of this in each apartment's list of amenities.
• Book directly with the host: you pay no booking fee, and during your stay you can reach someone who knows the apartment around the clock.

How much does a holiday in an Allgäu holiday apartment cost?

The price depends on the apartment, the season and the length of your stay: a summer week at the Alpsee costs more than a weekend in November, and for longer stays the price per night usually goes down. With us, you see the fixed price for your dates before you book, with no hidden fees. On top of this there is the local visitor's tax (Kurtaxe), which in return gets you discounts on mountain railways and swimming pools.

If you are flexible, travelling in the off-season is cheapest: in spring, in autumn and in the weeks between the school holidays. The hiking trails are quieter then too, and you get a table at the inn more quickly.

Our holiday apartments in the Allgäu

Here is a selection of our apartments in Immenstadt and Sonthofen. You can see straight away what is available, book directly online and receive your confirmation within minutes.

Alpin Loft

Immenstadt

From79€67€/ night

• up to 6 guests
• 3 beds
• 1 bathroom

Book now

Alpsee Panorama

Immenstadt

From69€59€/ night

• up to 4 guests
• 2 beds
• 1 bathroom

Book now

Maisonette Stüble

Immenstadt

From69€59€/ night

• up to 4 guests
• 2 beds
• 1 bathroom

Book now

You can find all our accommodation at a glance on our overview page Holiday apartments in the Allgäu.

Frequently asked questions about a holiday apartment in the Allgäu