There is a good reason guests return year after year to the SPA HOTEL Jagdhof in the Austrian Alps. Not only is it set in a beautiful valley just 30 minutes from Innsbruck or two hours from Munich surrounded by high peaked snowy mountains, woods and a fast flowing river, the atmosphere is so welcoming it is like spending time with your second family.
Nestled in the Stubai Valley, everything about the hotel is charming. Built in traditional Tyrolean style, on the edge of the pretty village of Neustift, there is something on offer for every holidaymaker. If you are a skier the Stubai Glacier – where pistes soar to a lofty 3,300 metres above sea level meaning snow is guaranteed - is half an hour away and twice-daily shuttles are included. If you just want to unwind and relax you are in the perfect spot.
I travelled with my wife Jo and 20-year-old son Hugo, lucky enough to experience the biggest snowfalls in the area in 100 years. But our four-day trip in January offered so much more than a normal long weekend trip to the Alps whizzing down the slopes.
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What gives The Jagdhof a distinct edge is just how embracing the hotel is. Led by husband and wife owners Armin and Christina Pfurtscheller the staff take an enormous pleasure in making sure you enjoy all the hotel offers.
The spa is out of this world. No wonder it was voted Europe’s Best Luxury Romantic Destination Spa 2019 in the World Luxury Spa Awards! Set over three levels, it is the perfect place to relax after a day on the slopes. There is a wide selection of sauna and steam rooms to choose from offering wonderful aromas of aromatic oils and therapeutic mountain herbs.
The swimming pool snakes round one level inside and a cleverly designed hatch allows you to go outside and enjoy lengths under the stars before jumping into the outside Jacuzzi. In total, the area is a sizeable 3,000 sqm and also includes every treatment you could possibly wish for. If you really want to indulge you can book the newly built private spa chalet for exclusive use. I was not surprised to hear that the French and South Korean football squads visit the five star establishment annually for some R&R and team bonding.
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Pre-dinner drinks in the bar with its open wood fire and live music is another way to unwind and help recharge your batteries. And being part of the Relais & Chateaux collection of hotels and restaurants the food is also of the highest quality with locally sourced gourmet delights on offer.
The set menu dinner is a five course feast beautifully prepared by 32-year-old German chef Boris Meyer which perfectly accompanies the wines which has been lovingly selected by the owner and his sommelier Albin Mayr. They met when they were both working in Michelin star restaurants in France and their award-winning cellar now has more than 20,000 bottles gathered from the world’s top vineyards including some exceptional Austrian wines. Other highlights included joining other guests to take part in bowling on ice and having a traditional fondue dinner in a gondola on the terrace. It really is a very special hotel, with nothing too much trouble for the staff, and one we will always remember.
The hotel is included in the Niche Destinations portfolio (niche-destinations.com). For more information: hotel-jagdhof.at.
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