Like many great independently run hotels, Gut Steinbach started as a passion project. In 2011, a German count purchased an aging hotel and its surrounding property, located on a high plateau in the Cheimgau region of the Bavarian Alps, and turned the place into a stylish mountain retreat. The scenic grounds are now a certified organic farm where deer, chicken, and goats roam, and around the natural pond is a collection of sleek alpine chalets built by local craftsmen. The main building has been reimagined, too: lined in native wood and enormous glass panels, it houses a restaurant and fireplace bar, plus most of the hotel’s rustic-chic rooms and suites, where a cozy hunting-inspired aesthetic prevails. After hiking or skiing nearby, a striking spa with mirrored ceilings, exposed stone walls, and modern daybeds surrounding a large indoor pool is especially inviting.