Winter wonderland Austria

"Ski and toboggan well!"

It's "Ski and toboggan well!" time again in Austria. We've taken a look around and present the most beautiful hotels, coziest chalets and best regions for your winter vacation.

Almrausch deluxe: Holidays in a chalet

Close to nature and far away from everyday life: chalet vacations stand for maximum individuality and privacy. And also for cozy chalet luxury at its finest! A successful example: the Holzleb'n vacation village in the romantic Grossarl Valley with eight chalets for two to 14 people. Whichever chalet you choose, a wood-burning stove, sauna and outdoor bathtub are included as standard. Massage and beauty treatments can be booked directly in your own chalet as an additional service. The two Senhoog Luxury Holiday Homes are also located in the province of Salzburg, high above Leogang, with 180 and 250 m2 of living space and private spas and infinity pools. Other amenities include a breakfast service in the morning and the "Senhoog wish fulfillers", who can do the shopping, arrange ski passes, book private chefs or organize helicopter shuttles. In contrast, the mountain village of Prechtlgut in Wagrain promises "Holidays like back then, with the luxury of today". Located opposite the Grafenberg valley station with access to the Ski amadé ski area, you feel like you're in another world here. New this winter is the Pool Luxury Lodge on two floors and with its own infinity pool that can be used all year round. And then there are the Golden Hill Country Chalets & Suites in southern Styria. Winter sports are not possible around the impressive complex, which consists of an old country house, five country chalets, a premium chalet and a panorama loft, but each retreat has its own private spa with sauna. The premium chalet Steppenfuchs and the loft are even equipped with outdoor Jacuzzis and an infinity pool or natural swimming pond. In addition to tours along the Sausal Wine Route in a Lamborghini Huracán Evo Spyder, the hosts also offer balloon rides and horseback riding. Graz, just 35 kilometers away, also offers numerous cultural and shopping opportunities.

www.holzlebn.at www.senhoog.com www.prechtlgut.at www.golden-hill.at


Wintertime in the Zillertal


535 kilometers of slopes spread over four ski areas, 460 kilometers of cleared hiking trails as well as 125 kilometers of cross-country ski trails and 14 toboggan runs make the Tyrolean Zillertal one of the most popular destinations in Tyrol - and a paradise for winter holidaymakers. The hotels around the villages of Fügen-Kaltenbach, Zell-Gerlos, Mayrhofen-Hippach and Tux-Finkenberg are just as heavenly. Our favorites: the sustainably designed Gartenhotel Crystal with its cozy Swiss stone pine suites, large spa area and organic gourmet cuisine, the ZillergrundRock Luxury Mountain Lodge, which boasts a panoramic pool on two levels and modern-styled rooms and suites - and of course the Adler Inn with a 2,000 m2 wellness area from which you can see as far as the Hintertux Glacier. Also worth mentioning are the hotels of the Zillertal-based Schultz Group. Among the absolute highlights - in the truest sense of the word - of the family-run company are the Kristallhütte and the Wedelhütte, two gourmet institutions located at 2,147 and 2,350 meters respectively in the middle of the ski area. If you want, you can also spend the night high up on the mountain in rooms and suites, some of which have whirlpools and saunas, and be the first to ski down into the valley in the morning. Two other recommended addresses in the Schultz Group are the Mountain Lofts Apartments, also located on the slopes, and the Sportresidenz Zillertal, a boutique hotel with just 22 rooms and suites, which scores points in summer with its location on the golf course and in winter with direct access to the cross-country ski trails. Two renowned premium hotels with a new look are the Neue Post Mayrhofen with seven innovative pool suites and a year-round heated rooftop outdoor pool and the Zillertalerhof, a very special Alpine hideaway and design hotel.

www.zillertal.at www.gartenhotel-crystal.at www.zillergrund.at www.adlerinn.com www.kristallhuette.at www.wedelhuette.at www.sportresidenz.at www.neue-post.at www.zillertalerhof.at


Where winter lives: More top hotels in Austria


Did you know that you can look forward to a total of 364 kilometers of slopes and 73 lifts in the Paznaun Valley? They can all be reached quickly and easily from the Hotel SeeMount. But the "Active Nature Resort" doesn't just score points with its central location. The hotel's own wellness world with its panoramic outdoor pool, various saunas, infrared lounge and first-class wellness treatments is just as worth seeing and experiencing. A visit to the à la carte Gipfelgenuss restaurant, where local Schlutzkrapfen doughnuts are on the menu as well as Mediterranean tagliatelle in lobster and orange sauce, offers a completely different kind of gourmet experience. The SeeMOUNT experience is rounded off by the stylishly designed rooms and suites, which offer the perfect ambience for a restful night's sleep after a last drink at the Erleb-Bar.
Go for Das.Goldberg - this is the motto for anyone looking for a unique design hotel with direct access to the slopes in the impressive Gastein Valley. You can stay in individually styled rooms and suites or perhaps even in the elegant "Spa.Chalet" with its own saunas, open fireplace and a view of the starry sky from your bed. Much of what is served on the plates - and in the cups - at the Goldberg is produced in-house. For example, the bread from the hotel's own bakery or the coffee, which is roasted by the chef himself. The 1,500 m2 spa area with healing cave and water and sauna world is just as exclusive. Finally, may we take you to the impressive mountain world around the Großglockner? The picture-book village of Kals in East Tyrol is home to the Gradonna Resort. Chalet or hotel room? Whichever you choose, you can always ski right up to the front door after a long day on the slopes. The Gradonna Mountain Spa is the perfect oasis of relaxation with a sauna area, indoor/outdoor pools and its own line of natural cosmetics for massages and beauty treatments. The Gradonna gourmet restaurant has been awarded a toque by Gault Millau and combines local delicacies with Mediterranean influences - a mix that guarantees great enjoyment with a view of Austria's highest mountain.

www.seemount.at www.dasgoldberg.at www.gradonna.at