48 Hours at the Thurnher's Alpenhof
Nestled in the Arlberg ski region, the Thurnher's Alpenhof is Austria's westernmost member of "the Leading Hotels of the world". While many luxury travelers might prefer Lech for its lively town centre and glamorous shops and hotels, Zürs is more the peaceful place - making it ideal for couples, families or elder travelers. Before I arrived at the hotel, I had to unwind the majestic Flexenpass, but finally I was treated with an eye-catching view of lit up Zürs. When I entered the main entrance, a glass of rosé champagne was already offered and the front desk staff took care of all the paperwork and the luggage. A tour of the house followed.
The best room to book is definitely their Spa Suite, featuring one of the most wonderful bathrooms I have ever seen. If you opt for the more affordable version, go for a Double Room like I got. Classical, tough comfy design with a TV, exclusive materials and daylight creating a warm and intimate atmosphere, making it your private haven inside the cold ski resort. The bathroom was small but with the daylight a very lovely place: lots of light, single vanity, tub- and shower-combo as well as a toilet. Although the pictures show full-size Etro toiletries, I had to find out that they now feature Molton Brown products (now only 100ml bottles but still with a very nice smell). The bedroom was a nice mix of wonderful rosé and purple tones and tasteful furniture. The room itself would not be worth a stay at the hotel but this is what you get for 500 euros a night at the Arlberg Ski Resort.
Before I headed towards the restaurant area, it was time to discover the Thurnher's Spa. Located opposite the front desk, the wonderfully designed spa area was the right place to recover from exhausting skiing. A cool indoor pool, heated to 30°c, comfortable lounge chairs and a huge day bed can be found on the first floor, while the sauna area is located on the basement. With a bio sauna, dry sauna, steam room, cold diving pool, showers and an elegant relaxation room plus window inside the pool, the spa had absolutely everything a luxury traveler could seek for. Remember that you stayed there for skiing and make sure to find the spa just for your relaxation, as the fitness room is on the really small side. In the evenings there is also a life guard on site, which was a little bit uncomfortable when alone in the spa.
After a shower with Molton Brown, I was ready to head towards the restaurant. When I entered the restaurant, I was greeted by the Maitre who was also accompanying me to the table. He took excellent care of me the whole evening. Altough it was a holiday and there was a buffet set-up, he even offered me to pick a selection of dishes and serve it directly to the table. This was so super friendly, he (sorry but I forgot his name) and the other waiter Marco made my stay very adorable and the culinary experience was absolutely a big plus. Not only the service was great, also the quality of the food was extraordinary. The Thurnher's Alpenhof tries hard to offer high quality dishes, so it was not by chance that I had wonderful lobster soup or Fondue Chinoise on the second evening. I would say that there is nothing to improve in terms of the culinary experience!
Although the hotel is a true gem in one of Europe's best ski resorts and the style is really nice, I had to discover some issues during my stay: Beside the fact that there is no minibar in the double rooms, I also had to find out that the Wi-Fi did not work property in my room, which is quite annoying when you have a job like ours. However it worked well in the Lobby Lounge. Beside these facts, the hotel is a wonderful, yet tranquil place to go skiing without the dazzling side effects of other glamorous ski resort like St. Moritz, Lech or Courchevel. It's a place to be treated like royalty with full service and personal atmosphere on the slopes of the Arlberg ski resort. Go there for a romantic, food or solo trip, the staff will take good care of you and you can really focus on skiing and relaxing in their lovely, newly renovated spa area!
The hotel is still privately owned and one of Austria's only members of "the Leading Hotels of the world". Although I did not have the chance to meet or see the owners personally, you could feel the personal touch throughout the hotel. All interior pieces are chosen by Mrs. Dr. Zarges personally - honestly, she has an excellent taste!
We were guests of the Thurnher's Alpenhof for Editorial purposes, however the review expresses our personal opinion.
