Middle of December, freezing cold, snow, ice and constant fog. Lockdown and restrictions putting a stop to any thought of travel. General feeling of emptiness and impending world doom in the air… Then Saviour!
Leela was still holding in her possession a 2 year old, Covid induced forgetfulness voucher for the Feuerberg resort. And with Hotel restrictions being lifted on 17th December she amazingly was able to book a room and a 2 night stay with the voucher for the opening day in what they call their most basic single room.
Let me just start by saying nothing is basic in this place. It’s one of the most sought after destinations in the whole of Austria. Booked years in advance by wealthy travellers from around Europe and a single (cheap) room will set you back a cool €200 per night, per person. And thats if you can even get one in the first place.
The Hotel is located at 1700 m on the Gerlizen Alp in Southern Austria. The road to it is difficult especially if it has snowed recently but we were fortunate that it had been cleaned and we did not need the snow chains.
Arriving in the first hours of it re-opening after lockdown was always going to be a little chaotic but they are so well drilled and smooth that only the other impatient guests were the problem.
Going to our room and worrying that the “basic” option may be a little cramped was not worth the energy as even their most basic room was very large. Nice bed, WC, separate bathroom and enough space for all our unnecessary packing. Ok there was not the view which the South facing rooms and suites command but it was also half the price.
Our initial pre-plan of being on the mountain hiking and snowshoeing went straight out the window when we arrived in the car park. And by midday we were already in our complementary bathrobes and wondering around the majestic spa area. Both of us are very fit and active people but we are also both very capable of doing absolutely nothing. And nothing we did for the best part of 3 days.
This place is famous for its food but also for the spa. I have been to quite a few in my time all over Europe, but this one is just phenomenal. Not just because of the location which cant be beat, but also for the diversity and sheer quality. There is literally something for everyone in there.
After getting over the overwhelmingness of the first couple of hours we finally found our way around the complexity of walkways, pools, family, clothed/non-clothed options and found what worked for us. We settled on hanging around the glorious infinity pool and then making forays to the various saunas, cold dip pools and hot pools feeding from this area. Always returning to the pool and enjoying the incredible views.
We were so lucky with the weather the whole time we were there. Snow and freezing cold temperatures with clear skies and views in all directions. And best of all as the other guests were there to ski. A notion that just baffled us as why would you spend so much money on this facility and then go away from it all day. We found that we had the spa virtually to ourselves each day until after the lifts closed and the masses returned around 5pm. Which was then time to go and get ready for dinner anyway which is a complete other story.
Coming from my background I didn’t spend time in any hotels where you didn’t stick to the carpet on entry. So this place was way out of my league. Being shown to our table and walking past the buffet which would have fed a third world country on its own, I had to take a lesson in which knife, fork and spoon to use for each course. Where I come from there is just one of each and you use them for whatever you’re eating.
In total honesty the evening meal was too posh for me with foods that I did not know existed or could not pronounce. But I really enjoyed the experience and there was nothing left on my plate after any sitting, even if I didn’t fully know exactly what I was eating. After dinner we sat in the wonderful bar area and enjoyed a superb gin and tonic whilst listening to a man trying to entertain and sing who was a cross between a really bad piano playing Billy Joel and an overenthusiastic Hoff. But nevertheless he was enjoying and so were we.
Waking early next morning after a wonderful sleep in a very comfortable bed we were nearly the first to breakfast. Where once again we were completely overwhelmed by the choice of food on offer and we just wanted to try everything. Omelettes, bacon, sausage, fruits, yogurts and exquisite coffees, all finished off with waffles and syrup. It was a workout in itself just to survive. And all the while looking out at the stunning morning sunrise views which were brought to an abrupt halt.
We were really enjoying every moment, every taste, every sense of this incredible experience and then we looked at the people that were now surrounding us. 3 tables, one family, 2 couples, mixed countries. The first thing we noticed was that they were all sitting facing away from the incredible view. Next they requested that the blinds were closed so that the morning sun did not bother them. But the most unfathomable thing was what they were eating.
Now you have to bear in mind that this was the first day the hotel was open after a long lockdown. They had paid between 200-500 Euro per person per night for this experience. And they all wanted to sit in a dark room, be on their mobile phones and eat… well this was incredible… Dry Semmel with sliced cheese and ham… And that was it. Quite unbelievable to us with the choice of organic fresh breads and locally farmed cheeses and yogurts on offer. Not to mention the fresh fruits, juices and warm products being freshly made to your every request. So we laughed together and enjoyed finishing an exotic spread whilst peering at the dawn through the slats in the blinds.
Feeling quite lethargic after breakfast we decided to sit outside and watch the dawn rise to day and on the way through the lounge to the terrace we found another coffee machine where we took two cups and noticed a bottle on the shelf that said Whiskey. After I confirmed that this was actual alcohol we fully loaded our cups and sat under thermal blankets enjoying the beauty of our surroundings whilst knocking back a few shots of coffee. And it was not even 9am!
Dressing for dinner and breakfast was enough for us, so immediately getting back to being naked we were off once again for another incredible day of relaxing, swimming and sauna. Only broken up by intermittent naps and some visits to the pick-n-mix table which had an exotic choice of nuts and fruits and really great juices. The day followed the previous and the evening meal was just as incredible as the nights before.
After Another wonderful night’s sleep, another incredible breakfast, and a whiskey on the terrace, we stayed in the spa until the latest 4pm check-out and sadly made our way home.
Two nights was most definitely enough for us as I don’t think we could have eaten like that for another day. But what a two night break it was. One of the most amazing experiences of our lives and we lived every single moment of it whilst there.
Thank you to the wealthy ex-boss of Leela for giving us this opportunity to experience something we would otherwise never have.
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