Baden-Baden was already a place of relaxation 2,000 years ago: the Romans made use of the city’s hot springs on the edge of the Black Forest. In the 19th century, the town became a meeting place for the European nobility and upper bourgeoisie. But Baden-Baden is anything but a dusty open-air museum: the city is full of life and surprises. And one of the biggest for me is the five-star hotel "Roomers". It is only a few minutes from the center; the world-famous casino, the Festspielhaus, the spa gardens and several museums are all within walking distance.

Here, everything is a little different

When the property opened in 2016, it seemed more like a foreign body. And I notice immediately: here, everything is a little different. At first glance, the hotel seems to fit better in Berlin or Frankfurt, where "Roomers" is in fact also present. To me, the facade with its large glass fronts looks like a deliberate break with the spa town’s classical architecture: cool, modern and almost provocatively self-assured amid the historic neighborhood. The welcome at reception, however, is once again classic Black Forest warmth, which I love.

In the lobby, Superman and Superwoman greet me – along with electronic background music. (© 2026 Noshe / Gekko Group)

A hotel like a museum of modern art

The interior was designed by the world-famous Italian designer Piero Lissoni. As I am shown to my room, I have to stop several times to take in all the small and large works of art. In the lobby, countless cuckoo clocks hang from the walls, selected books about the Black Forest stand on the shelves, and on the walls there are portraits as well as large, modern, sometimes very daring installations.

That may not be to everyone’s taste, but I am delighted. At "Roomers", there are galleries with changing exhibitions, and electronic background music plays – yes, a place as old as Baden-Baden can be this young and modern. Even the corridor, often neglected even in the best hotels, follows a coherent overall concept here: high ceilings, natural earthy colors, indirect lighting – everything at "Roomers" has been thought through.

Black Forest cuckoo clocks and modern art installations: "Roomers" plays with the contrast between tradition and innovation. (© 2026 Noshe / Gekko Group)

One of the "101 best hotels"

The hotel is operated by the Frankfurt-based "Gekko Group" and belongs to the "Marriott Autograph Collection", which values hotels with a very distinct character – and "Roomers" has plenty of that. It is also rightly included in the ranking of the "101 best hotels in Germany".

My praise goes in particular to the hotel director Dieter Ulbricht, whom I meet for a drink in the rooftop bar. While we chat, my gaze keeps drifting toward the Black Forest, which I love so much. I once completed my training as a hotel specialist in a Black Forest family hotel. With a cocktail in hand, I let the magnificent view wash over me and drift into memories, while some guests are still looking for a late refreshment in the pool – it is open until 1 a.m. The rooftop terrace at "Roomers" is, for me, one of the best and coziest in all of Germany – together with the one at the "Louis Hotel" in Munich.

The rooftop bar at "Roomers": plenty of cozy seating and a magnificent view of the surrounding hills. (© 2026 Noshe / Gekko Group)

Baden-Baden is world-famous for its Belle Époque casino, where Dostoevsky once gambled away his rubles. And of course for its thermal springs, which are said to have healing effects – perhaps a necessary counterbalance to the thrill of gambling. There is also the opportunity to unwind in the hotel itself. On 500 square meters there are five treatment rooms as well as a steam bath, a Turkish hammam and a sauna with mountain views. The gym is well equipped, using exclusively high-quality equipment from "Technogym", which I think is the best there is. It is hard to imagine more quality in a city hotel gym.

Sauna with a view: "Roomers" does justice to its spa-town location. (© 2026 Noshe / Gekko Group)

Asian fine dining in the Black Forest

When I want to eat at the hotel in the evening, a small surprise awaits me: there is only one restaurant – apart from the rooftop bar with its few international classics. That is surprising for a five-star hotel. Even more surprising is the fact that it focuses on Asian cuisine.

The concept of "Moriki" comes from the well-known German chef The Duc Ngo, who was born in Vietnam and grew up in Berlin. The Asian cuisine I find here is among the best west of Bangkok, in my view. The focus is on Japanese sushi and sashimi, but Vietnamese and Chinese accents also appear on the menu. I even detect one or two influences from the nearby Black Forest, for example in the chocolate tart for dessert. I would hardly have expected to come across such outstanding Asian cuisine in traditional Baden-Baden.

Art on the walls and culinary art on the plates: the hotel restaurant "Moriki". (© 2026 Noshe / Gekko Group)

Special quality

Asian cuisine, modern art, urban aesthetics: the hotel has made Baden-Baden younger without denying the city’s identity. The contrast works: with its bold concept, "Roomers" shows how a traditional spa town like Baden-Baden makes the leap from the past toward the future.

For me, Baden-Baden has a special quality anyway: in the morning you can stroll along Lichtentaler Allee, at midday see major art, and in the evening choose between sushi and the casino. I find this mix unique – hardly any German city combines grandeur and the present so effortlessly. Perhaps that is also why I always enjoy coming back.

As a former grand hotelier and operator of the ranking "The 101 best hotels", Carsten K. Rath is a globetrotter by profession. He travels to every hotel he writes about at his own expense.