Magical Hotels – 6 tips to create a magical atmosphere at home

Do you know those moments when you walk into a room and think: “Wow, just magical!” Or enchanting, romantic… How do you create that special atmosphere? We asked professionals from international hotels for their tips on how to create a magical atmosphere during the winter months.

1 Tip: candles, candles, candles

One hotel that truly deserves to be called “magical” is the Hotel Klosterbr?u in Seefeld, Tyrol. Built on the site of a 500-year-old monastery, the sixth generation of the Seyrling family to run the hotel has preserved many of the old walls and vaults.

Candlelight creates the perfect atmosphere. Hotel Klosterbr?u is famous for its daily candle-lighting, with around 500 candles. However, a number of these have now been replaced by LED lights – fire safety and sustainability here go hand in hand. Piano music and a fireplace in the hotel bar, as well as the morning mist over the “Garden of Eden,” also add to the special atmosphere.

The Lifestylehotel SAND on Germany’s Baltic coast also uses candles to create a magical atmosphere.

“At SAND, we love real candlelight, and lots of it. It creates a very special, relaxed and warm atmosphere in all areas. Through the large glass windows you can especially enjoy the “blue hour” in November.” – Lifestylehotel SAND

The “blue hour” by candlelight

Side note: How environmentally friendly are candles?

That depends on what kind of candles you use. Most candles on the market contain paraffin, a byproduct of petroleum refining, and many also contain palm oil. Both are environmentally questionable ingredients, as we explain in our look at sustainable candles. Soy candles are sustainable and vegan. Unfortunately, they are not very affordable.

Tip: Buy eco-friendly candles and use them selectively. For an hour in the afternoon or evening and not as a permanent light source (which would also take away the “magic” effect). It is also better for the air quality.

2 Tip: Decorate with natural materials

At the Naturresort Gerbehof in Friedrichshafen near Lake Constance and at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb, natural decorations create a charming atmosphere during the winter season. Twigs and pine cones are especially popular during the Christmas season.

Floral decoration at Keemala in Phuket

The Keemala in Phuket, Thailand is part of the “zero waste” movement and tries to avoid plastic throughout the resort. This includes decorations, of course. For weddings and other celebrations, Keemala uses only natural flower garlands and floral decorations that are completely biodegradable.

Keemala owes its “enchanted” atmosphere to the unique architectural style of its villas, which blend seamlessly into the Thai rainforest – it would be difficult for you to recreate such a setting at home.

Side note: How sustainable is decorating with natural materials?

The more natural, the better! Once they’ve served their decorative purpose, colorful leaves, chestnuts, pine cones and fallen branches can go straight to the compost, where they will decompose into soil.

It is less sustainable to paint or spray the leaves, especially with glitter. Glitter is made of plastic and essentially “microplastics in a can”. The small glitter particles spread quickly and can easily enter the water system.

Tip: Avoid glitter and varnish when making decorations, and use natural twine to hold your natural decorations together-it can also be composted. And if you must use glitter, opt for organic glitter..

3 Tip: Fireplace

The two German hotels Birkenhof* Spa & Genussresort in the Upper Palatinate and STURM in the Rh?n Biosphere Reserve both recommend an open fire for a magical atmosphere.

Of course, this is not easily done at home, and major renovations are not feasible. Especially if you live in a rented property. The only option then is to enjoy candles.

Side note: How sustainable is a fireplace?

According to the German Environmental Agency, you should avoid using a fireplace as a heat source because wood (trees) is a major CO2 sink. If you do occasionally use a fireplace, such as in a vacation home, make sure you use seasoned, untreated wood and do not use paper to light it.

4 Tip: Firebowl

While you can not easily build a fireplace into your home, a fire bowl is affordable and provides a safe surface for a cozy fire in the backyard or on the patio.

It is also a popular way for our sustainable partners to create a magical winter atmosphere for their guests.

Hotel Das Rübezahl

The Rübezahl Lounge is always cozy during the cold season, with mulled wine and punch, a fire, festive pastries and a fire bowl on the terrace.

Naturhotel Outside

Fireplace on the terrace of the Naturhotel Outside in the Hohe Tauern National Park. “We offer our guests punch and mulled wine at the fireplace on the terrace as part of an ‘honesty bar’ ?ANDERGASSEN | Naturhotel Outside

Hotel Weihrerhof*

The atmosphere at the lake is unique, with wafts of mist, the colorful autumn forests, and our afternoon fire at the lake.

Side note: How environmentally friendly is an open fire in a fire bowl?

According to the German Federal Environmental Agency, there are many dangers to be aware of when using an open fire, and pollutants can also be released into the air – especially when burning green waste or shrubs.

Tip: Use only untreated and well-seasoned wood in the fire bowl, and be aware of other things such as wind, flying sparks, and proper behavior around the fireplace (especially when children are present).

5 Tip: Garden lighting

Garden lighting can also help create a magical atmosphere. For example, Gut Guntrams near Vienna illuminates its Crystal Garden (which is already magical) and its water lily pond features underwater lighting.

Side note: How sustainable is garden lighting?

At night, darkness is best. In particular, insects and other nocturnal animals can be disturbed by lighting. For this reason, some regions have designated light-protected areas.

Tip: You don’t have to leave your lights on all night. When planning your garden lighting, make sure you can turn it off. Some solar garden plugs, for example, are not designed to be turned off. Then you can use the lighting on a limited basis (when you’re expecting guests, like a hotel) and turn it off when it’s no longer needed.

Tip: Colorful foods to beat the winter blues

We recently received a rather unusual tip from the LA VIMEA Vegan Hotel** in Naturns, South Tyrol:

“We create a magical atmosphere during the dreary fall months with the fantastic colors of our all-vegan menu!”

Colorful food and bright colors in general lift the spirits and create a special magic! We hope these tips help you look forward to the magical season of fall with positivity and anticipation, and whet your appetite for coziness! Do you have a tip for creating a magical atmosphere in your home? Let us know in the comments below!