Outdoor fan looking for a home away from home amidst the mountains or city tripper eager to stay in the heart of the action - let us introduce you to this year's Austria Hotel Collection, featuring premier hotels for all types of traveller.

It's almost the second May bank holiday. And while many Brits will be going away, others will use the extra day off to plan their summer getaway. Destinations matter, no doubt, but it's equally important to find a hotel where guests feel straight at home, where they can stretch their legs after a day of sightseeing or sporty activities, or, if it's a more relaxed getaway, recharge their batteries at the hotel pool.

Let us introduce you to the Austria Hotel Collection, our annually curated list of premier hotels, featuring places for all tastes. Every hotel on this list is unique, but they all exemplify the best in Austrian hospitality.

Hotels for active outdoor breaks

• Stanglwirt Green Spa Resort in Kitzbühel is an organic farm and luxury hotel both in one. Having welcomed guests for over 400 years, it was transformed from a rustic inn into a five-star complex, with a luxurious on-site fitness world as well as its very own Lippizaner stud. 
• Hotel Unterschwarzachhof in Saalbach-Hinterglemm has direct access to hiking and mountain biking, private horse stables and a petting zoo. The hotel doubles as a farm, allowing guests to adopt and care for ponies, alpacas, goats, donkeys or sheep during their stay. 
• Hotel Gotthard in Lech am Arlberg, run in the third generation of the Walch family, combines luxury with authenticity. Guests have hiking and biking trails, golf courses, climbing spots, and canyoning options right at their doorsteps. 
• Hotel GUT Trattlerhof (GUT meaning “GOOD” in German) in South Austria's Nockberge region scores with prime access to hiking and biking trails, and a spa. Guests can book “GUTshof” experiences like riding sessions, e-bike tours or explore the region in a vintage tractor or Tesla Y.
• Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl in the Ötztal Alps is surrounded by 21 three-thousanders, making it an excellent choice for active travellers. It is also home to Tirol's highest horse stables with 17 Haflinger horses. Another highlight is their in-house Glacier Spa with a glass roof.
• The Eder Collection is not just one, but a group of three hotels in Maria Alm near Zell am See: Hotel eder is a traditional family-owned gem, while Hotel SEPP, is an adult-only retreat for guests aged 21 and over. Hotel EdeR FriDa is the place to be for families. 
  
  

Alpine hotels for spa and wellness fans

• Hotel Böglerhof started out as a farmhouse, was then transformed into an inn and is now the first and only 5-star hotel in Alpbach, Tirol. Their Bögler's Lodge is a stand-alone wellness complex with an adult-only spa, saunas, a yoga studio, an outdoor pool, and a kids area.
• Aqua Dome – Tirol Therme Längenfeld houses Tirol's largest spa oases with 12 indoor and outdoor pools, 14 saunas, massages and treatment options. The highlight are their three futuristic floating bowl pools with massage nozzles, underwater music and light effects. 
• Hotel Krallerhof in Leogang, SalzburgerLand, captures the essence of the landscape and its revitalising energy. The family-run hotel houses an award-winning spa, “ATMOSPHERE by Krallerhof”, with a 50-m outdoor pool, a natural swimming lake, longevity treatments and more. 
• Forsthofgut, also in Leogang, is a sustainable farm-turned luxury hotel featuring Europe's first forest spa, an adult-only oasis with an old-wood sauna, herbal and steam paths, as well as an onsen-style and a 25-m-long sports pool with stunning mountain views.
• Mountain Resort Feuerberg is a four-star retreat on an alpine plateau with views over all of Carinthia. Their wellness sanctuary boasts a natural swimming lake, an award-winning (and very Instagrammable) infinity pool, 10 regular pools, 11 saunas and 16 relaxation oases. 
• MountNesslerhof in Großarl, SalzburgerLand, has an in-house wellness oasis with a 25-m long indoor pool, a natural swimming lake, an outdoor saltwater pool and a cold water pond, as well as 5 saunas and steam baths, and more than 100 longevity treatment options. 
  
  

Luxury hotels right at the lakeshore

• Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden sits on the shores of Lake Wörthersee in Carinthia and is a celebrity hotspot. It scores with luxurious rooms, breakfast in the castle ballroom, their Aquapura Lake SPA (three indoor and outdoor pools, sauna and steambaths and exclusive Beach Club.
• Romantik Hotel Im Weissen Rössl is a landmark in the Salzkammergut region which found worldwide fame with the eponymous 1930 operetta and the 1960 musical film of the same name. Today, the hotel is just as elegant, but also has an award-winning restaurant and a lakeside spa.
  
  

Mountain retreats for gourmands

• Walch's Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel in Lech am Arlberg features Chef's Table, run by 2-Michelin-Star-winner Julian Stieger, Stuben, awarded with a Green MICHELIN star (famous for their fondues!), the casual Hotelrestaurant & Bar and the reservation-only Friends and Fools. 
• Burg Hotel Lech in the same region has a restaurant serving five- to six course menus with Mediterranean and Austrian delights while their Lechtaler Stube also offers French haute cuisine. The hotel houses one of the largest wine cellars in Western Austria with some 60,000 bottles.
• Hotel Arlberg Lech is a coffee house turned luxury hotel and a celebrity favourite. The highlight of their main restaurant is the six-course Chef's Choice Dinner, a mix of family recipes with Asian and Mediterranean touches. For Italian specialties, head to the more casual La Fenice.
• Der Löwe (“The Lion”) in Leogang is popular for its down-to-earth cuisine. Guests can enjoy Austrian dishes in the main restaurant; Italian Pinsa vibes in the LEOs Kitchen & Bar and rare spirits and best Austrian wine in the LIONS LOUNGE, plus learn how to make Kaiserschmarren.

Hotels in the heart of Vienna

• Almanac Palais Vienna is a boutique 5-star luxury hotel blending architectural heritage with contemporary design right on the Ring Boulevard. -It features a spacious spa (including a 14 m long indoor pool) and à la carte breakfast with many plant-based options.
• Hotel Ambassador opened in 1898 right between St Stephen's Cathedral and the State Opera and is as alegant as its name. The bar provides the perfect place to unwind after a long day, while the spacious top floor apartments come with private terraces and picture-perfect city views.
• Hotel Astoria Vienna, modelled after the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and right on Kärntnerstrasse shopping street, has reopened after extensive renovations, preserving its historic Art Deco elements while adding modernised and more eco-friendly amenities.
• Henriette Stadthotel Vienna in the hip 2nd district, the former home of Johann Strauß, is organic, fair-trade and sustainable. Their philosophy: "No, we're not trying to change the whole world. But our little piece of it? Definitely." Their home-madebreakfast is especially popular. 
• Singerstrasse 21/15, just 300 metres from St Stephen's Cathedral, features Viennese Art Decor luxury double rooms as well as 66 fully equipped apartments with kitchen units, dining areas, and walk-in wardrobes, perfect for both short- and long-term stays. 
  
  

Artsy city hotels for design fans

• Hotel Altstadt, a colourful and stylish home away from home, sits right in the heart of Vienna's laid-back artist district Spittelberg, surrounded by no-frills “Beisl” pubs, boutique shops, small bars and award-winning eateries. It is Vienna's first hotel certified with the Austrian Eco-label.
• Hotel Harmonie in Vienna's trendy Servitenviertel owes its name to the former nearby Harmonie Theatre. Soloists from the State Opera's ballet created many of the design elements by moving across a canvas with colour pigment, transforming every room into an art experience. 
• Hotel Sans Souci is a sparkly, luxury place in Vienna housing a private collection of world-famous Roy Lichtenstein (in the public areas as well as all suites) and the longest hotel pool in town under a glittering chandelier! Champagne fans will love the complimentary glass for breakfast.
• NALA Individuell Hotel in Innsbruck is a modern city escape with colourful rooms and apartments all individually designed in line with their quirky names (from “Cinema” to “Climb Up”, “Snow White” and “Zen”). Bonus: The hotel is running on 90% green energy. 
  

Happy browsing and hopefully see you in Austria soon! 

Austria Tourism

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