The Place
Two changes of ownership in the last few years might give pause for tought, but readers still rate this the best small hotel in town. This is one of the highest resorts in Austria but the straggling village lacks a heart. Just below the church is this hotel, built in 1958 and named for the 1095-metre mountain straight across the ravine.
‘Another dark, rather old-fashioned interior’ was our first impression. That refers to the entrance. ‘Strikingly modern, Italian influence’ was our reaction to the restaurant and bar. Glasses glitter against a mirror, reflecting light on to the white walls. In one room, cushions and curtains are in patterns of deep purple, black and red; in another, wooden chairs are painted peacock-blue. Even the meny covers are fuschia. Only the whitestove looks typically Austrian.
Guests, mainly from Italy and France, include families who are now bringing their grandchildren. No doubt they approve of the changes, such as the hyacinth-blue fabrics and bleached wood in some bedrooms, the wicker chairs and pale pink and lilac colours in others. What remains the same is the 2-minute run down through the woods to the Uga ski-lift.