Do you love the scents of lavender, sandalwood, and citrus? It’s understandable. Essential oils are making a huge comeback right now, and they’re perfect for winter. My own interest began quite unspectacularly: A friend was selling the oils, and I wanted to support her….suddenly, there were little brown bottles everywhere in my apartment. At first, I was skeptical, but little by little, the oils found their way into my everyday life—in the diffuser, as a little help during cold and flu season, or in DIY skincare products.

Winter companions and uplifting scents

If you only know essential oils as “nice-smelling” feel-good aids, you’ll be surprised to learn that there’s a whole science behind these little bottles. It’s not conventional medicine, but it has a long tradition and is based on empirical knowledge and different worldviews.

For this article, I spoke with our sustainable hoteliers and learned that:

Essential oils are a staple of professional spas.

 

Here, you can learn a thing or two from the pros—from application techniques to fragrance combinations that calm, strengthen, or energize.

And for your information: All oil brand recommendations are purely informational. We do not receive any commission or benefits from them. They are based on the personal experience of our partner hoteliers or ourselves.

Essential oils: Tradition, healing approaches, and worldviews

Today, essential oils are used in a wide variety of contexts—from natural medicine and energy healing to spiritual rituals. That’s what makes them so exciting—everyone discovers something different in them. Some people enjoy them for their fragrance, some use them as a tool for emotional balance, while others incorporate them into a holistic lifestyle.

Connection with the four elements

Dr. Colomba Aura Romeo of ADLER Spa Resorts & Lodges offers a unique perspective. She incorporates complementary medicine and herbal knowledge with the concept of the four elements: earth, water, air, and fire.

She views essential oils as concentrated plant energies that have physical and energetic effects. The blends she creates are designed to release blockages and strengthen areas where we are “lacking” something.

Example: If you feel like you have too much air and not enough earth—meaning you’re restless, tense, or preoccupied—you can regain your footing with warm wood and root scents.

Practical tips and examples: How professionals use essential oils — and how you can use them at home

#1 Grounding & energetic stability: Root chakra oil

According to Far Eastern tradition, chakras are subtle energy centers in the body. At Naturhotel Outside in the Hohe Tauern National Park in East Tyrol, they use chakra oils from TEAM Dr. Joseph. These oils target specific chakras: the sacral, solar plexus, and root. The root chakra, located at the coccyx, represents stability, security, and belonging. The corresponding grounding blend contains vetiver, cypress, and frankincense. During spa treatments, such as the 80-minute Holistic Body & Face Ritual, one to two drops are applied to the chakra and gently massaged in.

How to use it at home:

 → If you are seeking calm, grounding, and inner stability, massage one drop into your tailbone.

#2 Regeneration after exercise and stress: Arnica and St. John’s wort

Essential oils play a central role at the energy-self-sufficient Aparthotel OLM Nature Escape. Many guests spend their days hiking through nature and relax in the evening in the apartment suites, which have private saunas and freestanding bathtubs. The arnica and St. John’s wort scents, classics for muscle regeneration, are particularly popular at OLM Nature Escape.

How to use it at home:
 → Mix a few drops with a carrier oil, such as almond oil, and massage into tense muscles. Ideal after sports or long workdays, or for relaxing your neck.

OLM Nature Escape emphasizes that they only use natural oils, such as certified natural cosmetics from Team Dr. Joseph and organic oils from Bergila. Bergila is also the preferred brand of SANDnature on the Baltic Sea, used in treatments and diffusers to create a calm, clear atmosphere.

#3 Forest feeling & vitality: Cedarwood and lemon

Here’s another tip from the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb. This eco-friendly wellness hotel offers aromatic oil massages year-round, which are particularly atmospheric during the cold season.

• Cedarwood (grounding, warm, woodsy)
• Lemon (clear, fresh, energizing)

How to use it at home:
 → Try cedarwood in the diffuser in the evening.
 → Use lemon oil in the morning for an energy boost or while working from home.

#4 Relaxation & free breathing: Swiss stone pine, mountain pine, spruce, and lavender

The adults-only tree hotel My Arbor near Brixen uses fragrances from local plants – traditionally distilled by the (already mentioned) South Tyrolean family business Bergila. They recommend the scents of Swiss stone pine, mountain pine, spruce, and lavender, because these essences:

• calm
• ease breathing
• bring natural elements directly into the room

How to use it at home:
 → Add 2–3 drops to a diffuser or warm bath.

By the way, the Allgäu-based “Romantic Hideaway” Das Rübezahl also takes this approach, using essential oils in relaxation baths. The wellness hotel has diffusers in its spa area and offers aromatic oil massages.

#5 Cleansing, Smudging, and Purifying: Herbs and Essential Oils

At the Naturresort Gerbehof on Lake Constance, essential oils—including those from dōTERRA and Primavera—are used in conjunction with incense rituals. Herbs such as sage and other local plants are burned to “energetically clear” rooms.

How to use at home:
 → Carefully burn sage or other herbs, for example, in an incense burner.
 → Alternatively, gently vaporize essential oils in a bowl of water.

#6 Clarity & freshness: Mint, rosemary, lemongrass, and lime

Gut Sonnenhausen (located near Munich) is a sustainable hotel that is often booked for events and conferences. In addition to the historic building’s inspiring atmosphere and its location in the countryside, the conference rooms feature invigorating scents recommended by Gut Sonnenhausen’s naturopath:

• Mint & Rosemary → Concentration & Focus
• Lemongrass & Lime → Vitality & Positive Mood

Here’s another tip: immediately after the room has been cleaned, an “energy fragrance” is sprayed. It’s a ritual that guests love!

How to use at home:
 → After cleaning, spray a few drops of essential oil in the room. Use calming scents in the evening and energizing scents in the morning.
→ Place a diffuser at your workplace to enhance the atmosphere with appropriate scents.

The scents of vacation – and why they make us so happy

Finally, things become more intimate: scents evoke memories more quickly than photos do.

Island scents & herbal breezes – Hotel Korinjak, Croatia

The Hotel Korinjak on the island of Iž uses essential oils as part of its natural wellness philosophy. Massages, rituals, and gentle aromatherapy incorporate scents such as:

• Lavender
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Wild fennel
• Lemon balm

These scents come directly from the landscape—the dry, warm, aromatic air of Dalmatia.

„In a place where nature already smells so good, essential oils are not just a therapy—they are a continuation of what is already in the air.“ – Hotel Korinjak

Scents of the Andes, the Rainforest & Culture – Inkaterra Hotels, Peru

Each of the unique Inkaterra hotels in Peru has its own scent—tailored to nature, the region, and history:

• Monte Limón at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel: fresh, lemony, clarifying
• Palo Santo at Inkaterra La Casona in Cusco: calming, spiritually cleansing
• Broom flower (Retama) in the Sacred Valley (Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba): gentle, floral, grounding
• Sangapilla at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica: subtly sweet, tropical, close to nature

These scents accompany guests throughout Peru like a common thread — and often remain in their memories long after their trip. You can also take them home with you in the form of linen spray, cosmetics, or oil, which is why they stick with you.

Things to look out for when buying essential oils

All of our Green Pearls® partners prioritize the use of natural, high-quality, certified organic oils. Pure oils contain unadulterated plant ingredients, are free from synthetic additives, and provide a much more authentic effect. Additionally, by choosing organic products, you support sustainable agriculture, fair manufacturing processes, and mindful use of natural resources.

When buying essential oils for home use, look for labels such as “100% natural,” “certified organic,” “ecologically distilled,” or “natural cosmetic quality.” Quality is important not only for the fragrance but also for your well-being.

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