Christmas Getaway

The last weekend before Christmas is coming soon and if you did not yet get the full feeling of Christmas mood, then this might be the places to be before the 24th December.

1. Head to a Christmas Market
Austria, North Italy, Germany and Switzerland as well as the Czech Republic boast some of the most beautiful christmas markets you can find. My top favourite christmas markets are the one in Kitzbühel, Vienna and Salzburg in Austria, Munich and Prague. I more prefer the small christmas markets instead of the oversized ones - they have a more charming style with good quality food and drinks.

2. Plan a relaxing trip to a wellness resort
Do like I do and find yourself again at a luxurious five-star property in the alps. Go swimming under the stars while the snow is falling and the air is fresher than ever. Some dazzling examples are the Arosa Grand-Spa Resort and the Grand Tirolia in the area of Kitzbühel, Schloss Fuschl near Salzburg, as well as the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa, Switzerland.

3. Stay at home and escape for New Year's Eve
Relax in a peaceful surrounding of your own home. Pack your bags on Christmas Day and reserve your seat for a long-haul flight bringing you to an exotic destination such as the Maldives, Seychelles, or the Caribbean. If you prefer to stay within Europe, head to Greece, Sicily or Portugal. My favourite place for an Italian Escape to the Aeolian Islands is the Therasia Resort on the island of Vulcano. Rooms start at 150 Euros including an excellent dinner and lavish buffet breakfast with stunning sea views.

Hotel Check - Kitzbühel Part I

Just returned back from a very relaxing stay at the Arosa Grand-Spa Kitzbühel.  The weather outside was perfect for a pre-Christmas getaway, lots of snow and a picture-perfect scenery. The arrival at the Arosa is more than stunning, driving through a tunnel until you arrive at the main entrance.

We were greeted very friendly with a hot welcome drink, before we were accompanied to our perfectly situated room.  Located on the 6^th floor of the “Mountain Wing”, our room boasted beautiful views over the resort to the city centre and the world-famous “Hahnenkamm”.

The room was clean and bright with a warming atmosphere. A very nice touch were the welcome amenities, which included homemade Christmas pastries, macarons and complimentary bottled water.

Behind the generous wardrobes, we found ourselves in a sleek bathroom with no-named toiletries, a separate toilet and large shower with three different kinds of shower experiences.  In general, the room came up to our expectations and we were really surprised by the beautiful welcome amenities.

The main reason for staying at the Arosa Kitzbühel is the Spa area, which boasts two floors of pure relaxation. I really loved the enormous indoor pool from which you could swim outside to the outdoor pool without leaving the pool. You can feel snowflakes falling into your face while swimming in hot water and exploring the beauty of the Austrian Alps and the surrounded winter wonderland scenery.

All staff members were very friendly and helpful and they even brought us drinks to the lounge bed on the pool.

We had the opportunity to have dinner at “Monte e Mare”, the restaurant on the hotel’s own golf course. This was a great possibility to have the best duck I’ve ever had.

A perfect day always starts with a heavenly breakfast! The buffet was varied and large, while the choice of bread was simply enormous. The service at breakfast was good and personal, too.

In total I was very satisfied with the service, the design and the provided facilities. 

Restaurant Check - Innsbruck - Part IV

The restaurant „Das Schindler“ is situated next to the main entrance of the shopping center “Kaufhaus Tyrol”. The atmosphere is casual and the service is average. They have a lunch menu at a set price of about 13 euros for two courses. There are also 3- and 4-course menus. The menu is changing every week and I go there very often with friends to have breakfast as well as for lunch. 

Last Friday I went there with a colleague and I ordered thinly sliced Carpaccio followed by risotto with mushrooms. In addition, my colleague had mixed salad and thai chicken with risotto. 

The quality was good and the portions not large but enough as a lunch menu. The best about the set lunch menus is that they are served fast and the price is reasonable.

Restaurant “Das Schindler”

Maria-Theresien-Straße
6020 Innsbruck

Austria