48 Hours at the Sporthotel Stock

Nestled above the lively town of Mayerhofen, the Stock resort is perfectly situated on half way between the Hintertux glacier and the main valley. Upon driving up the windy road from Mayrhofen, we approached the town of Finkenberg where we soon ended up driving through the main entrance of the Stock resort. We were welcomed with a nice smile, refreshing hot towels and a glass of Daniel Stocks (the owner and managing director) "Mount Stock Sparkling" wine. After leaving the car keys at the font desk, they arranged everything that all our bags and stuff were brought to our suite.

Melanie, the nice front desk lady accompanied us to our Suite Tirol, a lovely suite with typical tyrolean furniture, fire place, vast balcony, walk-in wardrobe, separate toilet and bidet, as well as a spacious and bright bathroom. The comfort of the room was really good, although it is not my kind of style - I prefer the new Alpine Lodge Suites or the "Residenz Suites". While many wellness resorts in Austria offer a free minibar, the Stock resort wants to offer a more extensive selection including sparkling wine, soft drinks, water, snacks and red and white wines. Therefore there is a charge for each item in the minibar, but they have a bar of free unlimited soft drinks in the restaurant area!

The restaurant area is styled in different ways and you are seated according to availability. We were seated in a part where there were no kids - really much appreciated. Throughout our stay every staff member was extremely friendly and efficient, they were always happy to asisst and went beyond our expectations. In terms of culinary, the Stock resort offers a six course menu according to their website. We had to experience that the first two courses consist of the spread and butter as well as salad from the buffet - something we were not used to at previous stays (eg Alpen Palace, Castel Fragsburg). Maybe this is not the case during Gala Dinner where all courses are served. The quality of the food was very good, one evening we got a fillet of Black Agnus beef and the second day we had a fillet of trout and pork fillet.

As the highlight of the Stock resort, the amazingly vast Wellness and Spa area is one of the hugest we have experienced so far. Spreading over 5.000 square metres, this spa offers everything you could dream of. Our favourite places are the new 35 metre panorama outdoor pool (heated to 28 degree celsius), the hot outdoor jacuzzi next to the sauna area, the heated indoor sole pool in a rural looking cave, as well as the refreshing mountain lake situated in a cavy room, at a temperature of approximately 20 degrees celsius. In addition to the pools there are plenty of saunas, steam baths, relaxation rooms with water beds and an area with a small snack buffet and coffee.

During our stay, the resort offered a lot of activities with the retired ski star Hans Enn. Beside sport activities, there were also a lot of family, spa as well as culinary activities. We took part at the wine safari through Austrian wines in the wonderfully styled wine cellar. 

All in all the Stock resort is a truly amazing place for families, couples and friends seeking for a cool wellness and sport week. The service is great, the rooms very spacious and the spa truly world class. We can highly recommend this place. 

We were guests of the Stock Resort Finkenberg. This review has not been influenced and expresses our personal opinion.

24 Hours at the Jagdgut Wachtelhof

Have you ever dreamed of a Private Ski Hideaway with lots of fur, fire places, wooden rooms, elegant design and a perfect situation - meters from the lifts and slopes - in the heart of the Alps? Well, you might have, but never thought that this dream is even affordable. Alright, it is not Gstaad, St. Moritz, Courchevel or Kitzbühel - it's simply Maria Alm - more exactely Hinterthal. That doesn't mean that you have to miss five stars, excellent food, luxurious furniture and personalized service: the Jagdgut Wachtelhof has everything. 

So why else should you spend your holidays at this lovely Small Luxury Hotel Property (SLH)? I would define the factors service, spa, food, location as well as my favourite part: design. Styled and designed by no one else than Mr. Michel Bönan himself, this hotel could also be a hotspot in Florence or Rome (he also designed the famous J.K.Place hotels). This was why my colleague, Mr. Beverage Executive and me arrived with high expectations and a need for a day of doing simply nothing than relax (we have been skiing for three days in various ski resorts in the Tyrol before).

Upon driving the driveway, we were impressed by the charme of the building and the location, near the slopes. Mrs. Maierhofer welcomed us and while we filled out the paper work, we were treated with an excellent rosé sparkling wine which tasted like fresh berries from the forest. After a short tour through the hotel, including the private cinema (a real highlight), the underground bar "Schluf" as well as the spa, we were accompanied to our wnderful yet spacious Deluxe Room.

Inside the room we found a handwritten letter and a small sledge with the hotel branding as a welcome gift - a very nice touch. The minibar as well as a large bottle of sparklig water was complimentary and much appreciated by us (most of the hotels only offer still bottled water). The whole room was larger than expected and we even had a sofa, walk-in wardrobe, hallway and a small but very nice bathroom with shower-/tub combo, toilet and single vanity. The toiletries were branded by the sister hotel and made by a German soap factory - however the smell was very good and the size at 100ml is very generous, too!

The yet so stylish "Heurigen Spa" turned out to be even more glamorous in the inside. Beside a huge dry sauna, an armomatic shower, changing rooms, vast showers and a small bar in the heart of the small building, there was an impressive and perfectely designed relaxation room overlooking the heated outdoor pool, snow capped roofs and mountains as well as fire places around the pool. There was also a jacuzzi around the corner, but at 26 degrees celsius we didn't find it comfortable to use - by the way the water level of the swimming pool is simpy too low (guessing it was 1 to 1.20 metres) and the temperature was also way too low - also the reason why no guest was using it. This should be considered to change in order to be a real spa hideaway.

Another important part of our stay - the food and beverage outlets: Having dined at the best restaurants, we found the cusine of the Jagdgut Wachtelhof very good for the region and the type of hotel/restaurant which is the typical Austrian chalet style. From the salmon tartar, the cream soup of chestnut, to the main course, which was a perfectly cooked fillet of venison with butter "spätzle" and an excellent sauce. The grand final was a parfait of elderberries on a milky and creamy souce. We had an excellent Barbera d'Alba (perfect to meat) and a glass of excellent Austrian Eiswein, followed by a housemade nut liquor. 

Last but not least - a stay with Mr. Beverage Executive wouldn't be final without having an excellent post-dinner drink -  we got two different ways of Gin Tonic (in fact it wasn't something you might think of!). I took the excellent "Mare" with spanish Gin, while my colleague chose the one with German Gin (helping to his home country ;-) ). Honestly, it was the best Gin Tonic we both ever had and it took our breath with every sip we took! This was the best barkeeper and hopefully he doesn't return to Apulia - where he is originally from.

All in all this is a perfect ski hideaway in the real Austrian Alps and we guess the prices are very moderate for what you get. You will feel like owning a private ski chalet - due to the guest-staff ratio of 17 rooms and nearly as many staff members.

We were invited by the Hütter-Bönan Hotel Group for a test stay at the Jagdgut Wachtelhof. All our above written represents our personal opinion and hasn't been influenced in any way.

24 Hours at the Hotel Cervosa

The first hotel of our first and only "Ski Week" indeed exceeded all our expectations. In the real center of Serfaus - one of the loveliest ski towns I have ever seen - a bit up on a small hill, there is a true wellness and gourmet temple: The Hotel Cervosa Serfaus. Owned and managed by the welcoming Westreicher Family - Mr. Hugo Westreicher takes care of the guests by himself when he walks through the restaurant every evening during the dinner. Mrs. Westreicher, the friendly and welcoming soul of the house welcomed us with a glass of sparkling wine. 

Upon entering our wonderfully designed and very spacious "Junior Suite de Luxe", we were really surprised to find a bottle of sparkling wine and a nice welcome plate with apples and chocolate donuts. I really liked the layout of our suite - the bathroom was kind of open plan with access from the bedroom and the hallway. A very nice touch was the Nespresso coffee machine, the warm colors of the room as well as the balcony on the south side overlooking the wonderfully snowed town and the new spa building. 

I would describe the atmosphere of the room as very comfortable and welcoming, simply perfect for a ski hotel like the Cervosa. Our huge bathroom offers a bath tub, walk-in shower and a separated toilet with bidet. The toiletries were by Bulgari and therefore as luxurious as the complete experience we had during these two days. In addition to the furniture, I experienced the bed sheets and the mattress as very heavenly. 

One of the most important parts of this hotel is the vast wellness and spa area which boasts more than 3.000 square meters of pure tranquility and relaxation over three floors. The entry level is equipped with a large indoor pool, two jacuzzis and a separated area for treatments. Furthermore there is a huge thermal area, a large and wonderful steam bath, an aromatic sauna as well as a jacuzzi, hot loungers and water beds on the first basement. A recently added spa building can be accessed through a tunnel. In this spa building there is a small bar for tea and drinks, two wonderful relaxation rooms, a breath-taking panoramic sauna as well as a heated outdoor pool with fire places and views over the snow capped mountains and house roofs of Serfaus.

After the relaxing spa break, we headed down to the hotel's own restaurant. Fortunately we arrived on Sunday and were therefore invited to be part of the Gala evening with an amazing Gala Dinner, including six courses. The first course was a sashimi of tuna, followed by a creamy cocos-curry soup, a breast of quail and a sorbet of mango with lots of champagne. The main course was an excellent fillet of veal with potato gratin and vegetables - sounds not as good as it tasted. The grand final was a wonderful chocolate cake with a gorgeous mock ice cream. Finally we were treated with excellent cheese from the Tyrol.

On Monday we had the possibility to discover the slopes of the enormous ski resort "Serfaus Fiss Ladis". Unfortunately the weather was not the best and therefore not that good for a lovely ski day. During our ski day we discovered that the resort attracts a lot of families and beginners. If you want to live your ski dreams as a professional skier, you need to hide away to the black, more extreme slopes. All in all, there are some really goof food outlets, such as the Lassida Restaurant, the Fine Dine at Masner and the new Seealm Hög. 

A very special thanks to the Westreicher Family for the generous invitation to the overnight stay with half board. Our ski day has been sponsored by the tourism region "Serfaus Fiss Ladis".

Skiing in the real Swiss Alps

Staying at The Chedi Andermatt

The best inspiration always comes when you are really relaxed! So am I at the stunning 35-meter indoor pool at The Chedi Spa in the exciting and world-famous Chedi Andermatt (according to the several international press releases).

Did you ever heard of Andermatt?

The hotel itself could not be anyhow more luxurious and more decadent, 2400 square meters large and Asian influenced Spa, 35 meter indoor pool, 7 meter high ceilings in the lobby, wine and cigar library, 200 gas cheminees, a Japanese Restaurant, a main Restaurant where a two-michelin starred chef is working, enormous rooms and even larger suites, as well as ski butlers, just to mention some details of this fascinating property. 

As The Chedi recently opened, in late December 2013 to be more exactely, there are some problems occuring. The worst problem for me was the Front Desk staff, which was not really able to work as perfect as the restaurant or the spa team. I ordered a newspaper to be delivered to the room every day and did receive it upon complaining after the third night! Furthermore there was a hole in the bed sheet on the sofa bed at the fourth evening. Again, after complaining at the front desk, the wrong sheet (a sheet and a duvet for a 2x2 meter bed) was delivered. This happened to me again when I called the front desk to clean the minibar as there was water running outside it, but nobody ever arrived to clean it. 

There is a lot to do at the Chedi Andermatt to be perfect, but if they unwind all these circumstances, this hotel might be sometime the best in Southern Switzerland. 

I would also like to mention that there are also good points when staying at the Chedi, like the excellent culinary experience at the Japanese Restaurant as well as at the Restaurant, managed by chef Mansour Memerian where there are 4 show kitchens. Furthermore Joel, the Assistant Restaurant Manager did everything that my birthday is unforgettable, so did the kind Concierge Riccardo! I got a very nice birthday cake and some very nice and personal presents from the staff members of the Chedi!

Did I already mention that the Spa is world-class? I had an excellent 60 minutes treatment (by Sandra) in one of their wonderful and maybe most spacious treatment rooms I have ever been! For all those to who the indoor pool appeals too cold, 27 degrees celsius, there are three different Hydrotherapy pools at the lower floor of the spa, at 32c, 36c and 42c. 

Our suite, a Deluxe Suite, is simply cool, luxurious, enormous and fully sound proofed. I love the surround sound system by Bose, you can feel every beat of the music. The beds are like heaven, if no hole in the sheet, and the bathroom is definitely my style: walk in shower, electronic toilet, double vanities, free standing bath tub in front of a stunning stone wall, and finally Acqua di Parma toiletries! 

There is one more thing I learned while staying for 5 nights at this picturesque property:

The more you appreciate the staff members and the more you socialize with them, the friendlier and more personal they are! They will keep you in mind as a nice and convenient guest, which is always welcome! Extra amenities or special requests are never impossible for these sort of guests!

New 5-Star Hotel in Tyrol sheduled to open in Mösern!

After a decade, a new 5-star hotel in the Tyrol is finally sceduled to open soon. 

As the fourth hotel in the surrounding of Seefeld in Tyrol, the new "For Friends" - a simple name as well - is the only one with breath-taking views over the main valley of Tyrol - the "Inntal".

I am really excited about the opening ceremony and about the ongoing operations. We will soon see if they keep the prices as high as they are now entered in the system or if they will fall when the opening date is coming sooner. To be honest, it really looks great on the first pictures and normally I am not wrong with my expecations. 

The lobby and the pool area remembers me of the recently opened InterContinental in Davos, which is as sleek and stylish as the soon to be opened "for Friends" Resort. 

Be sure that I will test this place after it has opened and of course me or one of my colleagues will report immediately, as always!

Have a great weekend,

Daniel

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2013 - Welcome 2014! 

2013 was a year full of new experiences and a lot of fun. Besides discovering new places I met new people and learned a lot of new things.

What about your travel plans for this year?Will you be going this summer? Asia, Australia, Africa, America or to Europe? Côte d’Azur, Costa Brava, Amalfi Coast or Santorin? 

Normally I am the person who does an extensive research, before choosing the right holiday destination, but sometimes even I have to act fast. So I did, when booking my ski holiday for 2014 in the newly Chedi Andermatt. 


At this time I do not have any concrete plans for the summer 2014. I am thinking about spending some days on the Côte d’Azur, Amalfi Coast, Capri or on the island of Vulcano (as I reported in recent posts). I know that there a beautiful places in Spain, Turkey or Greece, but I do not want to miss the undoubtedly excellent service, you can expect of a world-class hotel in Italy or France. Further interesting places such as Marrakech or Beirut, are not as safe as they have been a few years ago, due to terror attacks and political problems. 

The weather could not be better in Austria, so there should be no day without being on the slopes of a vast ski resort. My favourite place to ski is the ski resort of "Obergurgl-Hochgurgl" which got more crowded over the last three years, but due to the enormous scale of the resort there is no need to worry about tons of people.

I would like to thank you for reading my posts and your interest in my Luxury Travel Blog.

Last but not least I wish you all a happy and successful New Year 2014, may all your wishes come true!