Welcome back to The Check-In, your touchpoint for all things travel.
This week, luxury travel takes two very different routes: from the leafy forests of Baden-Baden, where Oetker’s Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa steps into its next chapter, to the untamed banks of the Zambezi, where Great Plains introduces villas that mix Mediterranean flair with wild landscapes.
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Oetker’s Spa-Focused Flagship Enters a New Era
After 18 months behind closed doors, Baden-Baden’s grande dame has returned, and she’s had quite the glow-up. Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, the German flagship of the Oetker Collection, has long reigned as one of Europe’s great spa institutions. Now, after a head-to-toe transformation, the 150-year-old landmark is stepping confidently into a new era.
The refresh spans all 79 rooms and suites, each with its own design concept, so no two are the same. It’s a bold move in a world where uniformity often wins out. “This is not just a reopening, it’s a renaissance,” says managing director Stephan Boesch. “We’ve honoured Brenners’ remarkable heritage while creating a deeply personal, refined experience that reflects how people want to travel and live today — surrounded by beauty, nature and meaning.”
The creative force behind the redesign is Countess Bergit Douglas of MM Design, daughter of Rudolf-August Oetker, whose work can also be seen in the newly refreshed rooms at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Her style is equal parts European poise and English eccentricity, with richly patterned fabrics, antique writing desks and custom chests crafted by local artisans. It’s less about making a statement and more about restoring a sense of personality to luxury.
“Brenners has always stood for refined individuality,” says Timo Gruenert, CEO of Oetker Collection. “With this renovation, we haven’t just refreshed a hotel — we’ve reignited its spirit.”
Brenners Spa & Wellbeing remains the hotel’s heartbeat, a place where diagnostics meet deep rest, where Augustinus Bader facials share space with candlelit sound baths and forest bathing sessions. Even Brenners Medical Care, the on-site health center, feels more sanctuary than clinic, offering bespoke programs within the hush of the hotel’s grounds.
It’s a new era for the German grande dame and one that sets the tone for Oetker’s next moves, with The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach opening in late 2025 and a St Tropez property to follow in 2027.
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Great Plains Unveils Puglia-inspired Villas on the Zambezi
Great Plains, the eco-tourism organization founded by National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, has unveiled the first of two new exclusive-use villas at Mpala Jena, its Victoria Falls camp in Zimbabwe. Positioned on the banks of the Zambezi River, just over three miles upstream from the main camp, the new villas mark a fresh chapter for Great Plains’ growing Zimbabwean portfolio, with a third villa on the way in November 2025.
Designed by Kevin and Shannon Lang in collaboration with architect Julia Rutherford and interior designer Tracy Kelly, the villas draw unexpected inspiration from the sun-drenched architecture of Puglia, rather than the region’s more traditional safari aesthetic. Steep thatched roofs, smooth arches and airy open spaces are designed to stay cool in summer yet warm through the winter months.
Each three-bedroom villa features its own main living area, private pool and riverfront suites along with a dedicated butler and guide. The setting, a favorite watering spot for zebra and impala, offers uninterrupted views across the river and nearby waterholes.
“Our guests are increasingly seeking expansive private retreats ideal for extended families and longer stays,” says Great Plains CEO Dereck Joubert. “The region invites exploration of every kind, from white-water rafting beside Victoria Falls to cultural encounters like guided historical high teas.”
