How does Oberstaufen PLUS programme work?

That Sounds great - but where is the catch?
There isn’t a catch. The Oberstaufen PLUS hosts offer the programme to their guests free of charge for the duration of their stay – they pay the usual room rate – or holiday apartment price, without any extra charges or extra costs. Oberstaufen PLUS is a free service offered by the hotel and guest house hosts. That’s what we call hospitality!

What exactly does Oberstaufen PLUS offer me?
You can use the following leisure activities free of charge and for the duration of your stay with your visitors card:

In the summer:

• Hochgratbahn:
  Free ascent and descent – hover at nearly 1,800 metres, enjoy the panoramic view from the sun terrace of Oberstaufen’s local mountain and experience the wide variety of walks. It includes travel at sunrise, sunset and full moon

• Imbergbahn: Free ascent and descent with the modern cable car to the area that crosses the border on and around the Imberg mountain – paths for the whole family, alpine adventure path with activities along the way, rustic huts and refreshments along the way

• Hündlebahn with toboggan: Free ascent and descent – experience this family friendly leisure activity on the Hündle mountain with adventure walking path, children’s playground, mini petting-zoo and opportunities for refreshments. Includes use of the summer tobogganing run (1 ride per hour)

• Swimming area Aquaria: Free admission to the pool and spa – great fun in all weathers – heated outdoor pool, sports pool, 100 metre water slide and a large sauna area

• Outdoor Thalkirchdorf: Free admission to the pool with extra lanes for swimmers, children’s pool and large garden for sunbathing

• Sport Hauber high rope adventure park: unlimited use for 2 hours everyday

• Crazy golf in Oberstaufen: Crazy golf free of charge at the “Glashaus Bistro” in the spa gardens, “Kurpark” in Oberstaufen – great fun for big and small

• Farmhouse museum: Free admission to the farmhouse museum in Knechtenhofen

• Local museum Oberstaufen: Free admission to the local museum “beim Strumpfar” – learn about the everyday life from years ago and the history of Oberstaufen

• Shuttle bus Oberstaufen: Unlimited travel free of charge with the bus line 9795 Oberstaufen – Steibis – Imbergbahn – Hochgratbahn.

• Car parks: Free parking on nine car parks in Oberstaufen – at the parking metre the guest will receive a ticket, valid for the longest duration possible

• Nutritional advice: Free admission to the lectures in the Färberhaus

• Discounts of 5% in certain shops, cafes, restaurants and bars.

In the winter:

• Imbergbahn & Ski Arena Steibis: Free ski pass for Oberstaufen’s largest skiing area with snow making facilities. Free ascent and descent for unlimited winter walking – with rustic huts and opportunities for refreshments

• Hochgratbahn: Free ski pass for Oberstaufens longest ski run. Free ascent and descent – the unique panoramic view at over 1,800 metres is an ideal place to sunbathe. Includes use of the cable car in the evening and at full moon

• Hündlebahn: Free ski pass for the family friendly skiing area on the Hündle, joining together with the ski lifts in Thalkirchdorf. Free ascent and descent with the Hündlebahn for winter walking or rustic refreshments

• Ski lifts Thalkirchdorf: ski pass for the family friendly ski area of Thalkirchdorf, joining together with the Hündle ski lifts. Indludes floodlit skiing in Thalkirchdorf

• Ski lifts Sinswang: Free ski pass – the ski area is ideal for small skiers and large beginners

• Spa aquaria: Free admission to the pool and spa – great fun in all weathers – heated outdoor pool, sports pool, 100 metre water slide and a large sauna area

• Ice Center upper baptisms: Unlimited use of the ice rink for ice skating and curling, free of charge at the “Glashaus Bistro” in the spa gardens (Kurpark) Oberstaufen.

• Museum upper baptisms: Free admission to the local museum “beim Strumpfar” – learn about the everyday life from years ago and the history of Oberstaufen

• Shuttle bus Oberstaufen: Unlimited travel free of charge with the bus line 9795 Oberstaufen – Steibis – Imbergbahn – Hochgratbahn

• Car parks: Free parking on nine car parks in Oberstaufen – at the parking metre the guest will receive a ticket, valid for the longest duration possible

• Nutritional advice: Free admission to the lectures in the Färberhaus.

• 5 Percent discount in gastronomy and in the shops.
  
  How often and for how long can I use the Oberstaufen PLUS programme?
  You can use per overnight stay at one of the Oberstaufen PLUS hosts all of the benefits listed (above) for a whole day. For example: You stay for a long weekend from Thursday until Sunday (3 nights) at one of the hosts and therefore are allowed to use Oberstaufen PLUS either from Thursday until Saturday (3 days), or from Friday until Sunday (also 3 days) or on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (again 3 days).
  
  How does it differ from the Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF programme?
  Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF offers in addition to all of the benefits listed (above), unlimited golf without paying for green fees on 5 golf courses, with a total of 94 holes:

• Golf Centre upper baptisms: Play golf without paying for green fees on the 18-hole course at Oberstaufen-Buflings (par 68, handicap of 36 is required) and unlimited use of the practice facilities

• Golf course Waldegg Wiggensbach: Unlimited use of the 27-hole course with Germany’s highest tee (par 70, handicap of 54 is required) and free use of the practice facilities

• Golfpark Castle Road Lenzfried: Free use of the 9-hole course, after meeting the course requirements (par 68, handicap of 54 is required) with free use of the practice facilities

• Golf Park Scheidegg: Play golf without green fees. Opening in summer 2011: On the Scheidegger sun terrace extends the new 9-hole course.

• Golfclub Memmingen West Erhart: Play golf without green fees. The varied, flat 18-hole course can often be a year-round game. Including 5 +2 hole short course.

Most of the Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF hotels offer further green fee discounts on other courses in the region – 15 golf courses are accessible within 1 hour’s drive.

Don’t I really have to pay the green fee?
You really don’t have to pay the green fee. Green fee is booked onto the guest card per overnight stay at one of the Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF hotels. The green fee can then be redeemed at one of the participating golf courses. Without any extra charge or costs.

Aren’t there any capacity problems?
Not usually – it might be the case that now and again one of the partners is busier than an other, but this happens on just a few days per year and at peak times.
The ski runs in the whole region are usually fuller during Carnival, Christmas and New Year holidays, but that has always been the case. On a rainy day in the holidays the swimming pools are busier. The golf courses are more frequented during competitions or due to perfect weather conditions. Nothing has changed in that respect at all.

What type of guest card is it?
As a guest at one of the Oberstaufen PLUS hosts or PLUS GOLF hotels you receive your own personalised Allgäu-Walser card with Oberstaufen PLUS or Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF on it. The guest card is a plastic card with an integrated, functioning chip on which all of the relevant details eg. validity and areas of authorized access have been saved. At lots of the service partners the guest card is held onto a special terminal that checks validity and acceptance (free admission, free travel etc.) On the mountain transport system and on the ski lifts the guests don’t have to go to the cash desk – the modern authorisation system enables direct entry through the turnstile and barriers. Just hold your Allgäu-Walser card on the designated terminal and enjoy a free ride.

Where do I become the Oberstaufen PLUS and Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF?
Over 320 hosts in Oberstaufen provide their customers with Oberstaufen PLUS – you can choose between hotels of all different categories, guest houses and private bed and breakfast places, holiday apartments or a holiday on the farm.

Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF has 17 partner hotels ranging from cosy family hotels to 4 star superior hotels.

Can I buy the Allgäu-Walser card with the Oberstaufen PLUS and the Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF programme on it?
No. The Allgäu-Walser card with Oberstaufen PLUS or the Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF is a free service of the participating hosts and cannot be bought.

How is it financed, if the guests don’t pay anything?.
The system works through a tightly run co-operation between the hosts, service partners and Oberstaufen tourist board. The hosts pay a monthly marketing fee into a dual account, the service partners receive the revenues deriving from the services used. Oberstaufen PLUS and PLUS GOLF has been designed to offer the guests more value for money and to make the time spent in Oberstaufen an unforgettable experience – that is the joint aim of the co-operation.

Oberstaufen PLUS and Oberstaufen PLUS GOLF is based on an extraordinary close relationship between all participants, that is only found in a few holiday resorts. The result is that you as an Oberstaufen guest benefit from the joint work. That is the reason why you can use Oberstaufen PLUS and PLUS GOLF as and when you please, without exploiting it – so that other guests can also benefit from the programme in years to come.

What else can I use my guest card for?
You receive further discounts with your Allgäu-Walser card at over 120 partners in the whole of Allgäu and Kleinwalsertal (further mountain transport systems, adventure pools, leisure facilities, outdoor activities, museums, exhibitions and more).

Is there anything else I need to know?
There are rules that need to be considered when using the Oberstaufen PLUS and PLUS GOLF programme that have been agreed upon. The rules apply to the guests, participating hosts and service partners as well as the Oberstaufen tourist board. The conditions of use are displayed at each participating host and you receive them from your host in the card case. It has been agreed upon for example that the guest card is not transferable, is not to be passed on, and what to do in case of loss etc.

Where can I get further information?
Oberstaufen tourist board is happy to advise you – per email under info@oberstaufen.de or per telephone under +49 8386 93000. The official website of Oberstaufen is available under www.oberstaufen.com