Spain’s resort has THREE golf courses and a two-star Michelin restaurant, Portugal have a cooking school and Italy get their own coffee roastery… The top five hotels picked by England’s Euro 2024 rivals

Gareth Southgate and his England squad touched down in Germany on Monday to begin a campaign they hope will end in glory on July 14.

The Three Lions are one of the favorites to lift the trophy and have spared no expense to ensure the squad is in the most comfortable environment possible during their stay.

Harry Kane and Co. will stay at the Weimarer Land Spa and Golf Resort in Blankenhain – a town of less than 7,000 inhabitants. Their isolation is deliberate, with Southgate reportedly keen to avoid the ‘circus’ that emerged in England’s Baden-Baden camp during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

However, other countries have not been plagued by the same problems over the years. Many have chosen to set up camp in the same place where they lived for 18 years.

Before the action that starts on Friday, Mailsport looks at where the other tournament candidates will be staying in the coming month.

Germany – Adidas home base, Herzogenaurach

The hosts were reportedly keen to perform at the Weimarer but faced pressure from DFB sponsor Adidas to make the most of their custom-built facility. And you can see why.

Die Mannschaft resides at the company’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach on a site called Home Ground. The complex was built four years ago and was used by the national team during the pan-European European Championship 2020 three years ago.

The site is a sprawling collection of cabin-like structures that, according to the design team, “center around the well-being of the team.”

The units, made entirely of prefabricated cross-laminated timber, feel like a village in a forest.

As such, Home Ground functions like a village and is complete with a central plaza with restaurants, offices and health facilities, as well as sleeping accommodations with forest views.

There are beautiful deep canopies and exposed wooden elements that add to the aesthetic of a nature retreat.

Italy – Four Seasons Hotel, Iserlohn

The defending champions have decided to base themselves in the town of Iserlohn in North Rhine-Westphalia, chosen largely for its proximity to the side’s first two matches in Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen.

The Four Seasons Hotel Iserlohn is not part of the famous chain, but is a family business. Surrounded by forests and lakes, it creates a natural and peaceful environment for its guests.

The entire hotel is closed to the players, who can relax in a large indoor pool, while there is also a spa with a sauna and rain shower. The rooms are also spacious and many have a balcony overlooking the surrounding woods.

Italians are known for their passion for coffee, and the hotel has its own coffee roaster where guests can brew their own coffee.

Luciano Spalletti’s side will need some rest, especially as they get deep into the tournament, and the hotel has a mini golf course where they can let off steam.

Spain – The Oschberghof, Donaueschingen

Spain, which has won the European Championship three times, is staying at The Oschberghof hotel in Donaueschingen, a town in the Black Forest in south-west Germany.

The five-star resort has 127 rooms and suites and no fewer than five restaurants. The Osch Noir restaurant is the highlight of the bunch and has been awarded two Michelin stars.

Golf is often the pastime of choice for English players in their spare time, and that seems likely to be the case for their Spanish counterparts, who have a choice of three courses and a total of 45 holes.

The hotel also features a state-of-the-art gym, spa and indoor and outdoor pool.

Table tennis and table football are also offered and can serve as team bonding exercises during the tournament.

France – Best Western Premier Park Hotel & Spa, Bad Lippspringe

Didier Deschamps’ men have chosen to train at the home stadium of second division side Paderborn, and will stay at the nearby four-star Best Western Premier Park Hotel & Spa in Bad Lippspringe, North Rhine-Westphalia.

The resort features an indoor pool and a spa center, while players are served regional and Mediterranean cuisine at the Karl Restaurant.

The setting is picturesque, with the hotel next to the Teutoburg Forest, and there is a large water fountain to greet the players every time they arrive at their base.

Bad Lippspringe Golf Club is just two kilometers away, while there is also a piano lounge on site for players to enjoy.

Portugal – Kloosterpoort, Harsewinkel

Portugal are staying in the same hotel they chose for the 2006 World Cup: Kloosterpoort. This is again located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, but this time in the town of Harsewinkel.

Eighteen years ago, Portugal reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, but will want to go a few steps further at this summer’s European Championship.

There are 151 available rooms in the four-star hotel, with two restaurants and a bistro for guests.

Kloosterpoort also has a cooking school if one of the players thinks he is a good hand in the kitchen.

Golf could be the order of the day when it comes to relaxing, as there are four golf courses in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, while the hotel itself offers a spa room, bicycles to hire and a converted barn that has now been converted. to a gym.