The Place
‘You reach it by taking the steepest chairlift I have ever been on,’ one reader reports. Equally nerve-jangling is the 10-km drive up the valley to the hotel, which is at 1300m, but everyone agrees that it is well worth it for the views. It was back in 1907 that the great-grandfather of the current owners built a hut for toboggan enthusiasts. This is now the Grafenast’s popular Stube. With its dark-brown wood and green Kachelofen, this is the heart that has grown into a comfortable health and beauty eco-resort, which claims to be Tyrol’s first carbon neutral hotel.
In the nearby forest you’ll find a yurt sauna, whilst the Unterlechners organise weekly activities such as toboganning, flaming torch-lit hikes and bread baking courses. The chef has awards for his health-conscious cooking, and all the food and drinks served are organic.
The bedrooms are pretty and snug, with great views of the valley and plenty of plain wood, but few guests spend much time in them, especially in winter. Each room is individually designed. The ski school is one minute away, while the chairlift conveniently stops the door on its way to Kellerjoch ski area (2030 m). Best of all, the hotel’s lone television set is almost impossible to find.