All shook up in Elvis’s Germany: Visit the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s old haunts in the spa town where he lived while in the U.S. army (and you can even sleep in his bed)

Armies of women – and perhaps men too – have loved the idea of ​​sleeping in Elvis Presley’s bed.

Check into room 10 at the Hotel Villa Grunewald in the German town of Bad Nauheim, just north of Frankfurt, and you can.

What’s more, the Elvis Room, as it’s called, is left in its 1950s incarnation, including the walnut bed Elvis slept in and the toilet seat (black Bakelite, no less) that he used as a guest, during his US military service. service in Germany.

Every year, around the August 16 anniversary of the singer’s death, the town hosts an Elvis Festival – a riot of rockabillies, vintage cars, quiffs and, of course, impersonators.

You cannot sleep in room 10 during the festival, but you can during a tour. But there are many other ways to get close to The King.

At Burgpforte, you can lean against the exact spot where the singer posed for the cover of the 1959 hit A Big Hunk O’ Love. Down the street, under the arch seen in the background of the photo, is a replica from the album’s image created by famous street artist Gnasher.

At the age of 23, Elvis served in Germany from October 1, 1958 to March 2, 1960 as a member of the 1st Medium Tank Battalion.

His wealth allowed him to live outside the base. At Goethestraße 14, the house where Elvis and his entourage moved when they were imitated (in true rock ‘n’ roll style) from Hotel Villa Grunewald, you can look at the unassuming building from the street. He was asked to leave after the owner became annoyed with his entourage and the girls camped outside.

Elvis stayed in Bad Nauheim while serving as a member of the 1st Medium Tank Battalion

Elvis during his US Army service – his wealth enabled him to live off base

Wander through the park opposite and you’ll cross a bridge – not, unfortunately, over a stream called Troubled Water – on which is a bronze statue of the singer.

Beyond the park, the traffic lights at Parkstraße and Schwalheimer Straße display “waiting” and “walking” in red and green figures that are unmistakably Elvis. There’s more to Bad Nauheim than Elvis, though: as a spa town known for its mineral-rich waters, it has attracted notable guests, including the Dalai Lama.

At the Art Nouveau confection of the Sprudelhof – currently closed for restoration – a series of original and ornate bathhouses are positioned around a central courtyard, in which a round fountain shoots a plume of spring water into the air. The Sprudelhof will reopen later this year, but in the meantime, the spa’s rich, salty liquid can be sampled at Trinkkuranlage, by Bad Nauheim’s rose garden.

Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the horseshoe of colonnades leads to an orchestral shell, to the left of which is a circular structure with domes and ornamental gated gates. Head down the cool stone steps and you’ll find something reminiscent of a Faberge egg, with four golden taps spewing out a constant stream of iron-rich water.

It doesn’t taste nearly as good as the Aperol I drank at Cafe Bar Phono — in what used to be a music store where Elvis bought a guitar case and records. But it’s good for you.

If your “feel good” vibe leans more towards what you can breathe in than getting in, head to one of Bad Nauheim’s five “graduation” buildings, dating back to the 18th century, when the area was home to the salt extraction industry.

Dotted with blackthorn twigs, spring water is pumped to the top and evaporates, leaving salt crystals for the air to permeate.

The one near the Elvis bridge has a surrounding park and sunbathing area so you can enjoy the effect in comfort.

You might not leave with a bunch of pipes like The King’s, but you might feel totally shaken up – in a good way.