Family Hotels with Indoor Pools in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

An indoor pool turns a mountain holiday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen into a safer bet for families. After a morning hike, a cable car ride or a day on the slopes, children can swim whatever the weather, and parents can use the saunas that most of these hotels add to their wellness areas. The six hotels listed here differ in the size of their pools, the space they give to toddlers, and their position: in Garmisch near the shops and the mountain railway, or outside the centre by a lake.

For families with toddlers, two hotels stand out. The Obermühle 4*S Boutique Resort, rated 9.1, has the most complete pool setup on this page: a 15-metre indoor pool, a dedicated children's pool and an outdoor pool that opens in summer, with family rooms, a spa and a sauna. Hotel Zugspitze, a family-run 4-star in the Garmisch quarter and the best rated at 9.3, has an indoor pool that is shallow at one end for small children, plus saunas, a steam room and a relaxation area. Either would be my first choice with children under six.

The HYPERION Hotel Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the 5-star option, in a modern building on the Garmisch side of town and within walking distance of the Zugspitzbahn station. Its wellness area has a heated indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room and a fitness zone that is open to families until 6 p.m., which gives children a clear time slot after a day out. It scores 8.6 and offers family rooms and ski storage. For families planning a trip up the Zugspitze by rail, its location saves a transfer on the morning of the excursion.

The aja Garmisch-Partenkirchen has the largest wellness area of the six: an indoor pool, an outdoor infinity pool facing the Alps, saunas, steam baths and a rooftop bar, in a large, bright and recent building. It scores 8.5. The Staudacherhof, rated 8.8 from more than 700 reviews, takes a different approach, with a heated indoor pool and spa, a breakfast room facing the Zugspitze massif, and free bikes for guests, including e-bikes and children's sizes from 20 to 26 inches. For active families who want to cycle the valley and swim afterwards, it is a strong choice.

The Riessersee Hotel is the quiet alternative, set on the Riessersee lake about ten minutes by car from the centre of Garmisch. Its indoor pool is smaller than those of the chain hotels, but floor-to-ceiling windows look directly onto the lake and the Wetterstein mountains, which children tend to remember. It scores 8.7, with a spa, a sauna, free parking and a restaurant. I would pick it for families arriving by car who prefer walks around the lake and calm evenings to being in the middle of town, and who do not need a separate toddler pool.