Best Luxury Hotels in Austria

This Grande Dame dates back to 1889, perched in a convenient location just minutes’ walk from the ski lift and the Felsentherme thermal spa. There’s an onsite wellness centre of its own too, with an indoor pool. Hotel Salzburger Hof Bad Gastein also has a games room, a library and two bars (Bellini and Ritz) with live music for leisure, a vaulted wine cellar and six restaurants for onsite dining. The decor blends a rustic style with grander features such as wrought iron balconies and crystal chandeliers. Guest rooms range from small doubles to twins sleeping four.

This chalet mansion has a picture postcard, gingerbread house appeal. Wood panelling continues inside, for a contemporary Alpine look. Kids can let off some steam in the onsite playground, and there’s a play corner in the cosy restaurant so adults can linger over set menus of Tyrolean cuisine. Each room at Der Malzl comes with a spa bag containing bathrobes and slippers, so you can saunter down to the sauna, steam bath and hot tub (all offering sublime mountain views). A shuttle bus runs from right outside the pension, to the Patscherkofel Ski Area in Igls.

This four-star family-run boutique hotel is ideal for guests seeking a homely stay. Echoes of nature run through the warm and exquisite interior design in its 70 rooms. Bold textiles, chandeliers, feature patterns and natural wood textures fuse rustic and refined elements to create a unique and cosy environment. Organic and sustainably sourced menus can be enjoyed at the hotel’s restaurant, Heleni, while the outdoor pool, sensuous spa and quaint garden alcoves provide plenty of opportunity for relaxation. It has the added benefit of being an environmentally certified, energy-saving establishment.

This romantic wellness hotel in the Olympic region of Seefeld is a haven for active couples and families alike (that includes your dogs  – the host family has five of their own and extends the five-star treatment to four-legged visitors). There’s plenty of adventure to be had with activities including outdoor moonlit swims, tobogganing, igloo building, curling and snowshoe hiking. The hotel’s ethos is to cater to the needs of each individual with warm hospitality and fantastic food. If you’d like to escape the outside world with a loved one, pay a visit to the private spa for couples treatments, or enjoy the saunas and relaxation areas of the main spa. While the hotel’s exterior and some of the suites are traditional in style (this was once a 16th-century monastery), the theme of the interior design in its 90 rooms is contemporary and comfortable.

The Rosewood Schloss Fuschl stands proudly in the beautiful city of Salzburg and has an interesting history and a list of important past guests. This historic castle overlooks the shimmering waters of Lake Fuschl and is nestled in the natural beauty of the Austrian Alps. Rosewood offers a range of 98 guest rooms with accommodation options including rooms, suites, and sophisticated waterfront chalets. Each room is stylishly decorated with a seamless blend of classical and contemporary furnishings and boast sensational vistas from expansive windows. There is a wide range of on-site dining establishments and bars which offer indulgent local and international dishes that have been carefully crafted by hand-picked chefs from locally sourced produce. Rosewood Schloss Fuschl allows for hosting unforgettable events in a lush, tranquil setting and offers catering and customisation options to fulfil every wish and impress guests.

Often described as the best thermal spa in the Alps, this is the place for water lovers. Enjoy magical winter swims as the steam rises from the unusual bowl-shaped outdoor pools (there are a total of twelve indoor and outdoor pools to choose from). Sweat away your cares in one of the seven saunas and enjoy tasty cuisine in the four restaurants and bars and take in the epic mountain vistas of the Ötztal valley. Visitors can stay for the day by buying a spa pass or book a room in the adjoining hotel. The site is instantly recognisable with it’s futuristic, quirky architectural design, while the interior design is chic. Facilities are state of the art and it’s easy to see why this hotel won the World Spa Award for the World’s Best Mineral & Hot Springs Spa in 2018.

Open-plan rooms with locally sourced timber ceilings, distressed stone walls, natural stone, granite, exposed concrete, freestanding tubs and beds made up with crisp white linen that look directly onto the snow through wall-sized windows, bring the outside in. It’s contemporary yet rustic, with a kitchen garden and resident cows and chickens to supply herbs, veg, milk and eggs to the dining room’s service of family recipes. A Finnish sauna, a steam bath and an inside-outside pool with mountain views allow guests to fully unwind, as does the flaming fire beside which seats are arranged in the hotel’s Bauhaus Lounge.

A modern take on the classic Alpine chalet, Avenida Mountain Lodges features a stone and timber exterior, with a comfortably furnished elevated terrace for drinks with a view. Guests are accommodated in individually furnished studios or apartments, all of which have a balcony or a terrace and benefit from a free garage parking spot. It’s just 1,500 m from the centre of Saalbach where you can find plenty of apres activity, but there’s also an on-site restaurant, Rosso, as well as a bar, a relaxation area and a sauna with infrared seats.

Occupying a prime position in the village centre, close to the ski lifts, Vaya is a relatively recent build, having opened in 2016. Breakfast is always included in your stay in this modern establishment whose exterior resembles a luxury yacht. Natural wood features heavily in the design, inside and out, complemented by muted colours. VAYA’s Bar & Grill offers lunch and dinner, as well as a fine morning buffet. The menu places a focus on Mediterranean inspired cuisine and is carefully considered to include many plant-based dishes. Hot and cold experiences are available in the spa, and the rooftop terrace is a great place to unwind.

The Radisson Hotel Graz, the first upscale Radisson in Austria, has opened. Located by the central train station, the newly built hotel features 232 rooms with Scandinavian-inspired design and introduces the Balaustine restaurant concept to Graz.

The hotel’s 232 rooms are the largest in the city, designed in Radisson’s signature style with natural materials and muted tones for a calming space. Rooms offer multiple USB ports, streaming-capable TVs, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Options include quiet courtyard-facing rooms and spacious Premium Rooms with espresso machines and views of Europaplatz square.

Radisson Hotel Graz features the Balaustine restaurant under a glass roof in the inner courtyard, offering a casual-fine dining experience inspired by the Barbary coast and the Levant. The menu combines fresh flavours and bold textures. The adjacent bar provides a co-working space, lounge seating, and a selection of cocktails and wines from Styria and beyond, all within a Scandinavian-inspired design.

The Hirt family have been at the helm of this boutique property for four generations – since its launch in the 19th century. As such, it receives a personal approach, with thoughtful touches like the aroma of pine oil through bedrooms and a curated art collection. SkyRelax & Fitness is on the third floor, with wonderful rooftop views of the Rhine Valley and mountains. It incorporates Holzmanufaktur NOHrD exercise equipment, a vitamin bar and library, and workouts and e-bike hire in the main building. hirschIV is the in-house fine dining venue with indoor and outdoor spaces. Here you can begin the day with an INTRO breakfast, geared to your own preferences.