Austria is the most welcoming mountain country in the Alps. Its ski villages are full of character, with onion-domed churches, painted chalets and lively après-ski, and its family-run hotels are famous for their hospitality, their spas and their food. In winter, the Arlberg, Kitzbühel and the Tyrol offer some of the best skiing in Europe; in summer, the same mountains are laced with hiking and biking trails, and the lakes of the Salzkammergut are among the loveliest in the world.
These are the 9 Austrian hotels in our collection, from a seven-suite gourmet hideaway in St. Anton to some of the best family spa hotels in the Alps.
The best hotels in the Austrian Alps at a glance
- Best for classic Alpine glamour: Post Lech Arlberg
- Best for food: Hotel Tannenhof, St. Anton
- Best for Kitzbühel: Tennerhof
- Best for families: Schlosshotel Fiss and Naturhotel Forsthofgut
- Best for spa and après-ski: Trofana Royal, Ischgl
- Best for spa and cross-country skiing: Alpin Resort Sacher, Seefeld
- Best boutique chalet: Jagdgut Wachtelhof
- Best on a budget: Heritage Hotel Hallstatt
The Arlberg: Lech and St. Anton
1. Post Lech Arlberg, Lech
Best for: families, couples, skiers and lovers of traditional style
The original grand inn of Lech, one of the most exclusive and beautiful ski villages in the Alps, has been run by the Moosbrugger family since 1937. A member of Relais & Châteaux, it combines individually styled rooms, varied dining and mountain-facing pools with the warmth of a traditional Alpine inn, and pets are welcome. Read our review of Post Lech Arlberg.
2. Hotel Tannenhof, St. Anton am Arlberg
Best for: couples, food lovers and small groups
The most exclusive hotel in St. Anton is a century-old house transformed into a contemporary hideaway, with just seven suites, a pool and spa, and a gourmet restaurant with two Michelin stars and two Michelin Keys. Read our review of Hotel Tannenhof.
Tyrol: Ischgl, Fiss and Kitzbühel
3. Trofana Royal, Ischgl
Best for: skiers, food lovers and spa lovers
The grandest hotel in Ischgl, the party capital of the Alps, stands just 100 metres from the lifts of the Silvretta Arena, with a 2,500-square-metre spa, indoor and outdoor pools and the cooking of celebrated chef Martin Sieberer. Read our review of Trofana Royal.
4. Schlosshotel Fiss, Fiss
Best for: families with children of all ages, skiers and spa lovers
High above the Tyrolean village of Fiss, with direct slope access in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Schlosshotel Fiss is one of the best family ski hotels in Austria, with a 5,000-square-metre spa split into adults' and family areas and daily kids' activities from the age of two. Read our review of Schlosshotel Fiss.
5. Tennerhof, Kitzbühel
Best for: couples, families and lovers of classic Tyrolean style
Kitzbühel's most charming luxury hotel is a traditional Tyrolean chalet in gardens on the sunny slopes above the medieval town. A Relais & Châteaux member with 39 rooms and suites, it has pools, a spa and excellent gourmet dining, with the famous Hahnenkamm a short shuttle ride away. Read our review of Tennerhof.
Seefeld
6. Alpin Resort Sacher, Seefeld
Best for: couples, spa lovers and cross-country skiers
The mountain home of the family behind Vienna's Hotel Sacher and the Original Sacher-Torte stands on a sunny plateau at 1,200 metres, about half an hour from Innsbruck. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, it has 81 rooms and suites, a 4,700-square-metre spa with indoor, outdoor and infinity pools and a natural swimming lake, and cross-country trails almost from the door. Read our review of Alpin Resort Sacher.
Salzburger Land
7. Naturhotel Forsthofgut, Leogang
Best for: families, couples, spa lovers and mountain bikers
A farm and forestry estate since 1617, run by the Schmuck family since 1905, Forsthofgut is now one of Austria's best family hotels, with an adults-only forest spa, a family spa and the slopes of the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn close by. Read our review of Naturhotel Forsthofgut.
8. Jagdgut Wachtelhof, Hinterthal
Best for: couples, families and lovers of traditional Alpine style
Once a hunting estate in a quiet hamlet of the Hochkönig region, the Wachtelhof has been restored by the Hütter family with the Florentine designer Michele Bönan as an intimate five-star chalet hotel of just 17 rooms, with a spa chalet of three saunas, about an hour from Salzburg. Read our review of Jagdgut Wachtelhof.
The Salzkammergut
9. Heritage Hotel Hallstatt, Hallstatt
Best for: couples, photographers and history lovers
In one of the most photographed villages on Earth, clinging to a ledge between a steep mountainside and a deep lake, Heritage Hotel Hallstatt lets you experience the village at dusk and dawn, after the crowds have gone, at a fair price. Salzburg is about an hour and a half away. Read our review of Heritage Hotel Hallstatt.
When to go to the Austrian Alps
The ski season usually runs from December to April, with January and March often the best months for quieter slopes. Christmas, New Year and the February holidays are the busiest weeks, and Kitzbühel fills for the Hahnenkamm races in late January. Summer, from June to September, brings hiking, mountain biking, mountain lakes and the Salzburg Festival in July and August. Many Austrian ski hotels close between seasons, in spring and autumn, so check dates before booking.
How to plan a trip to the Austrian Alps
Innsbruck and Salzburg are the main gateways, with Munich and Zurich also within easy reach. The Arlberg is about an hour from Innsbruck, and Kitzbühel, Leogang and Hinterthal are about an hour or so from Salzburg. Austria's trains are excellent, and St. Anton, Kitzbühel and Leogang all have stations. For more, see our guides to the best family ski resorts, winter wonderland villages in the Alps, the best spa hotels in the Alps and the best mountain hotels in the Alps.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best hotels in the Austrian Alps?
Our favourites include Post Lech Arlberg, Hotel Tannenhof in St. Anton, Trofana Royal in Ischgl, Schlosshotel Fiss, Tennerhof in Kitzbühel, Naturhotel Forsthofgut in Leogang and Jagdgut Wachtelhof.
What is the best family ski hotel in Austria?
Schlosshotel Fiss and Naturhotel Forsthofgut are two of the best family hotels in the Alps, with large family spas and children's programmes.
Where should I stay in Kitzbühel?
Tennerhof, a Relais & Châteaux chalet in gardens above the town, is Kitzbühel's most charming luxury hotel.
When is the best time to ski in Austria?
January and March for quieter slopes; Christmas, New Year and February are the busiest weeks.
