Crackling fireplaces, farm-fresh cream, and peaks dusted like sugar.
A Curated Edit of 7 of the Best Hotels in the Austrian Alps
The Austrian Alps have a gentler kind of magic, shaped by forested slopes, wide valleys and villages where life feels unhurried and familiar. There’s comfort everywhere – in the scent of warm bread, the glow of timbered rooms, the way steam drifts from saunas after cold-air walks. Our curated edit of the best hotels in the Austrian Alps celebrates this quiet generosity. These stays are built from natural materials, thoughtful design and a deep connection to place. Each one invites you to slow down, savour the landscape and feel the calm settle in.
01. Eriro Hotel
Ehrwalder Alm 4, 6632 Ehrwald
5 Star // 9 Suites
Why we love this hotel
Eriro feels carved directly from the mountainscape, a hideaway where simplicity becomes its own quiet form of luxury. Wood, loden and hand-crafted materials create a warmth that mirrors the forest outside, while floor-to-ceiling windows bring the alpine stillness into every suite. The architecture is purposeful and restrained, allowing the raw character of the landscape to guide the experience. For travellers seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps that feel elemental rather than ornate, eriro offers a rare encounter with nature’s presence, a place where silence becomes grounding instead of empty.
Life at this hotel
Here, time moves differently. The restaurant cooks over an open fire, its flavours shaped by wind, weather and local traditions, each dish served on wood or stone like a small tribute to the mountains. Paths around the retreat lead into forests scented with moss and cool soil, while the suites offer a protective quiet that feels instinctively comforting. Light shifts across the room throughout the day, drawing guests into a slower rhythm. What stays with you is the sense of being gently restored, held by nature rather than distracted from it.
Where raw nature becomes calm
02. Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel
Zug 5, 6764 Lech am Arlberg
4 Star // 80 Rooms
Why we love this hotel
Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel blends centuries of Alpine history with a contemporary spirit that feels both grounded and quietly daring. The interconnected houses form a small village of their own, where wood, stone and warm light echo the character of Zug’s landscape. What sets it apart is the devotion to craft: from its storied origins as a Walser farmhouse to today’s design-forward retreat with a culinary world unlike any other. For travellers seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps that pair authenticity with imagination, Rote Wand offers a rare, sensory-rich experience.
Life at this hotel
Life at Rote Wand revolves around taste, atmosphere and a rhythm shaped by the kitchens. Breakfast arrives slowly, served at the table beside the fire or in the lounge, while afternoons drift into Cake Time and late lunches that honour local tradition. The Stuben glow with rustic intimacy, and the Chef’s Table in the old schoolhouse becomes an evening of theatre and precision, each course tied to the region’s ingredients. Between swims, spa rituals and quiet corners, the hotel feels like a place where pleasure is taken seriously.
Where heritage meets bold, playful flavour
03. Mesnerhaus & Gourmetrestaurant
Markt 56, 5570 Mauterndorf, Salzburg
Boutique hotel // 6 Rooms
Why we love this hotel
Mesnerhaus feels like a rare meeting point between centuries-old walls and deeply personal cuisine. The house carries its 1420 origins with quiet dignity, while the Steffners bring warmth, clarity and imagination to every detail. Natural wood, soft daylight and thoughtful craftsmanship shape rooms that feel calm and rooted in place. The restaurant below is the soul of the house, where regional ingredients become modern, expressive plates. For travellers seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps that honour heritage through creativity, Mesnerhaus offers a stay where history and flavour are inseparable.
Life at this hotel
Staying here means slipping into a gentle rhythm shaped by the kitchen and the landscape around it. Guests move from candlelit dinners crafted with Lungau ingredients to quiet rooms where natural materials and soft light encourage real rest. Breakfast feels intimate and generous, the kind that sets a tone for the day rather than rushes it. Outside, the Biosphere Reserve spreads in every direction, offering quiet trails and clear mountain air. Inside, Maria and Josef’s hospitality creates a sense of belonging that lingers long after leaving.
A quiet refuge shaped by flavour
04. HOTEL SEPP – Adults Only
Hochkönigstraße 21, 5761 Maria Alm
4 Star // 46 Rooms
Why we love this hotel
Hotel SEPP brings a playful streak to the mountains, mixing retro touches, warm wood and a social, free-spirited energy that feels distinctly its own. The design is bold but never loud, a blend of leather, loden and crafted details that make each room feel like a personal hideout. What anchors it most is the atmosphere: generous brunches that stretch to early afternoon, rooftop dinners cooked live, and a spirit built entirely around connection. For travellers seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps with character and community, SEPP delivers something refreshing and real.
Life at this hotel
Life at SEPP happens in layers. Some guests gather on the rooftop where steam drifts from the infinity pool and the Airstream sauna warms the cold air. Others drift to the leather lounge with a drink or sway lazily on a balcony swing with the mountains just beyond. Evenings carry a soft buzz as the show kitchen fills the attic with scent and sound, turning dinner into a shared ritual. There is always a place to join in and always a corner to retreat, both shaped by the same generous spirit.
Cosy buzz with a bold edge
05. The Comodo Bad Gastein
Kötschachtaler Straße 25, 5640 Bad Gastein
4 Star // 70 Rooms
Why we love this hotel
The Comodo Bad Gastein blends mid-century nostalgia with a grounded Alpine spirit, turning an old health resort into a creative hideaway shaped by design, light and mountain calm. Oak, terrazzo and vintage silhouettes give the interiors a soft pulse, while views stretch toward forest pines and the deep Gastein valley. Its rhythm is thoughtful, warm and quietly stylish, anchored by a sustainable approach and a kitchen guided by local growers. For travellers seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps that feel both contemporary and rooted, this one stands out with ease.
Life at this hotel
Life here moves between stillness and gentle buzz. Some guests settle into the lounge where textured fabrics, earthy tones and curated art invite long conversations. Others drift toward the wellness spaces, letting steam, warm water and valley views soften the day. The restaurant brings its own hum, dishes arriving bright and unfussy, shaped by the farms just beyond the village. Evenings often linger in the bar, where classic cocktails meet the glow of soft lighting. Everywhere, the feeling is the same: calm, creative, quietly social.
Mid-century ease in the pines
06. Coolnest hotel
Hochschwendberg 529, 6283 Schwendau, Zillertal
4 Star // 40 Rooms
Why we love this hotel
Coolnest brings a playful, design-forward energy to the valley, turning Alpine views into something bright, modern and joyfully relaxed. Wood, glass and soft colour accents shape rooms they call “nests”, each one opening onto wide terraces that frame the Zillertal peaks. The rooftop pool feels suspended above the valley, and the whole place leans into connection, creativity and ease. For travellers seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps with personality and warmth, this stay blends comfort with a spirited, contemporary twist that still feels grounded in mountain life.
Life at this hotel
Step inside and the mood shifts toward something freer. Music drifts from the rooftop bar, guests wrapped in towels move between pool and lounge, and the scent of wood and warm stone rises from the spa. The building itself feels openhearted, designed for people who enjoy sharing space without pressure. Meals unfold high above the valley, plates arriving colourful and generous, while terraces fill with sunlight long into the afternoon. It’s a place where energy comes in waves, shaped as much by the people as the mountains.
Mountain energy, modern soul
07. Wiesergut
Wiesern 48, 5754 Hinterglemm
5 Star // 26 Rooms
Why we love this hotel
Wiesergut feels like a deep breath held between mountains, where minimalism warms rather than cools. Light pours through floor-to-ceiling windows, touching linen, stone and textured wood in a way that softens every edge. The farm roots of the Kröll family run quietly through the experience, from fresh bread to milk from their own Pinzgau cattle. The new BergLoft and BergSuite add a layer of intimate luxury, giving guests private pools, saunas and total seclusion. For those seeking hotels in the Austrian Alps with true soul, this is a rare find.
Life at this hotel
Here, the rhythm feels almost elemental. Guests move between quiet suites and the garden paths where herbs are clipped for dinner, or slip into the spa where warm water meets the scent of alpine wood. Meals are unhurried, served without buffet tables or noise, just the calm of dishes shaped by the farm and the season. Across the property, fireplaces glow, windows frame the valley, and the air carries the softness of a place designed to restore. It’s the kind of stay that steadies you without asking for effort.
Minimalism softened by nature
