{"id":11408,"date":"2026-08-14T09:00:33","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T07:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bleisuretraveller.com\/?p=11408"},"modified":"2026-08-28T17:36:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T15:36:19","slug":"workation-with-your-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bleisuretraveller.com\/en\/workation-with-your-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Workation with your dog"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cToday, many hotels are pet-friendly. After all, holidays with dogs and other pets are all the rage.
\nI tried out just how well a workation works with my Doberman in Chiemgau.\u201d Bianca Schmid-Bartosch<\/h3>\n

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If you\u2019re able to leave your (home) office because your employer allows 20 days of workation a year, then I think you should make the most of it. Tessa, my one-and-one-half year old Doberman, isn\u2019t a small dog. So I don\u2019t want to fly with her until she can sit in the cabin in the seat next to me \u2013 the Italians are already setting an example on short-haul flights. But for now, travelling by car suits us just fine: we\u2019ve booked a few days in the Bavarian Chiemgau region, at the Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux Gut Steinbach in Reit im Winkl. The plan: work during the day and explore the surroundings with my dog before and after.<\/p>\n

All dog owners know that a trip always has to be planned with the hotel, the dog, and yourself in mind. I always prefer a ground-floor room in case Tessa needs to go out during the night \u2013 and this time I\u2019m particularly lucky. As well as the rooms, the estate has seven chalets set around a natural swimming lake and within sight of the main building. And since it\u2019s the off-season, we\u2019re lucky enough to have one of them.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re given a very warm welcome at check-in. Tessa \u2013 we\u2019re kindly told \u2013 is allowed into some of the restaurant\u2019s dining rooms and onto the terrace. She\u2019s not a fan of the spa and the swimming pond isn\u2019t really her thing either. Just as well that dogs aren\u2019t allowed in there anyway.<\/p>\n

Our chalet is the smallest: 150 sqm of Alpine-style comfort with a living room, kitchen and sauna plus a terrace downstairs and two bedrooms with a balcony upstairs. Tessa starts watching the robot lawnmower go by and greets the other dogs in the chalets with a bark. I have a quick go at the internet \u2013 after all, I\u2019ve got work to do here. But there are no lags or delays; Wi-Fi is excellent in the other parts of the hotel too.<\/p>\n

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A productive Bavarian workation<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s the first heatwave of the year, so we spend most of our time outdoors. It\u2019s a short walk to dinner, but it takes a bit longer when the other human-dog pairs take the same route. On the terrace of the \u2018Heimat\u2019 restaurant, various dogs are lying under the tables, whilst the food \u2013 awarded a Green Star by the Michelin Guide \u2013 is served on the tables. 80 per cent of the products here come from within a proximity of 80 km. The staff take plenty of time for us \u2013 they\u2019re interested, very friendly, and dog lovers. Tessa doesn\u2019t know what to make of all the compliments and cuddles.<\/p>\n

A little later, she\u2019s fast asleep downstairs in the chalet on her own \u00adcushion; the hotel has provided a bowl and some treats. In the morning, we explore the woods and rivers around the estate \u2013 an Alpine dream.
\nAt 8 o\u2019clock sharp, I switch on my laptop. Breakfast, which is delivered to the chalet by request, is hot, fresh, and arrives right on time. I work on the terrace. Tessa is lying on a spot next to me. Every now and then, we both have a drink of spring water. A workation can be so Bavarian \u2013 and so productive.<\/p>\n

Whilst Tessa is having her afternoon nap, I\u2019m drawn to the 2,000-sqm spa: a 16-metre pool, saunas, and a facial. Even in winter, the view here must be a dream.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: a slight grumble from Tessa as I pack the car after three days. As relaxed and focused as I was whilst working, I was still able to enjoy the new \u00adadventures with my dog.<\/p>\n

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Bianca Schmid-Bartosch …<\/h3>\n

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… is Head of Group Compliance at a German lorry manufacturer and works from home four days a week. She is allowed to apply for a \u2018workation\u2019 in another European country for 20 days, subject to strict rules. While her dog sometimes gets a bit impatient at home, he was totally relaxed during their workation at Lake Chiemsee.<\/p>\n

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Photos: private, Gut Steinebach<\/p>\n