Naturhotel Forsthofgut

The Rooms

Suites and lodges built from local wood, stone and linen, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the mountains or the forest. The design language is Alpine modernism at its most refined — clean lines, natural materials, nothing unnecessary. Some rooms have private saunas, others have terraces that open directly onto the meadow. The beds are extraordinary. The silence, even more so.

waldSPA

A 2,000-square-metre spa that extends into the forest itself. Indoor and outdoor pools, a natural swimming lake fed by mountain springs, a series of saunas nestled among the trees, treatment rooms with views of nothing but green. The signature experience is the forest bathing programme — guided walks through old-growth pine, designed to slow the nervous system down to the rhythm of the valley. After an hour, the concept of checking your phone feels genuinely absurd.

The Restaurant

Farm-to-table Austrian cooking that draws from the valley and the surrounding Alps. The kitchen works with local producers, foragers and the hotel's own herb garden. Expect slow-braised meats, hand-rolled pasta, pickled and preserved vegetables, Austrian wines you will not find outside the region. Breakfast is a long, generous affair — fresh bread, mountain cheese, honeycomb, eggs from the farm. The kind of meal that sets the tone for an entire day of doing very little.

For Families

Forsthofgut is one of the rare hotels that manages to be genuinely luxurious and genuinely family-friendly without compromising either. The children's programme is built around nature — forest adventures, animal encounters, outdoor play in the meadows. The family suites are spacious and thoughtfully designed. And because the grounds are so vast and so free, children disappear into the landscape in the best possible way, leaving parents to the spa, the pool or the quiet of their terrace.

Leogang & the Steinberge

The hotel sits at the base of the Leoganger Steinberge, a dramatic ridge of limestone peaks that turns pink at sunset. In summer, the valley is a network of hiking and cycling trails that run through wildflower meadows and Alpine pastures. In winter, the Ski Circus Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn offers over 270 kilometres of piste, with the hotel providing direct access. But the best thing about Leogang might be how few people have heard of it. This is not Kitzbühel or St. Anton. It is quieter, less performative, more itself.

Saalbach-Hinterglemm

15 minutes by car

The larger resort village down the valley, with more dining options, a charming village centre and access to the wider ski area. Worth an evening for dinner or a wander, but the pull of Forsthofgut will likely bring you back before long.

Zell am See & Kaprun

30 minutes by car

The lake town of Zell am See is one of the most beautiful in the Austrian Alps — a deep blue lake beneath the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, a medieval centre, excellent restaurants. Pair it with the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier for high-altitude hiking even in summer, or simply walk the lakeside promenade and have lunch in town. A perfect day trip from Forsthofgut.

Salzburg

90 minutes by car

Mozart's city, the Sound of Music, the old town, the fortress on the hill. Salzburg is one of Europe's most elegant small cities and the most likely arrival point for international guests. Worth a day or a night on either end of your stay. The Altstadt is compact and endlessly walkable, the café culture is exquisite, and the Mirabell Gardens at golden hour are worth the trip alone.