Bliss, relaxation and rejuvenation. These are words in other people’s vocabulary certainly not mine. Running a successful travel blog and trying to get a new business off the ground doesn’t leave any room for those words. Or so I thought….
Then I spent a weekend at the Alpenresort Schwarz. The spa hotel is located in a bright green valley flanked by row upon row of impressive peaks – most of them still snow-covered, although the snow has long since left the valley. (The resort’s golf course, coincidentally the longest in Austria, was open the beginning of March). It’s the ultimate location for relaxation and has been designed to maximize the views. And it’s just a 2 hour drive from Munich, making it a great weekend getaway. Although you’ll want to stay longer. Trust me.
Hot tub and outdoor pool.
There are SOOOOOO many wonderful things I want to say about the overall hotel experience, but all in due time. The spa itself is worthy of exploring.
Me relaxing outdoors enjoying the mountain views.
The Alpenresort Schwarz features an impressive 4000 sq m spa area that combines traditional and modern technologies with an emphasis on service. The Pirktl family owned hotel ensures you will be treated like Austrian royalty. When I showed up for my mud treatment the esthetician immediately inquired about my knee injury. What? How did she know? The same thing happened at dinner when we sat down the very first night. Unprompted, our server handed me a gluten-free menu. I was flabbergasted! It’s this attention to detail that separates the Alpenresort Schwarz from any other spa hotel that I’ve stayed at. After inquiring I found out that I had mentioned these things at the time of booking and they had been passed on to the respective staff.
Oasis room which can be rented as your own private spa.
Many spa hotels which offer a measly selection of activities. The Alpenresort Schwarz had 5 different activities happening that day including Qi Gong, Yoga and Fitness Training. They also offer guided hikes of different abilities and bikes are also available to rent. We were informed that while the activities offered change throughout the year (like the sunrise hike in summer), there is always a consistent number of activities throughout the year – even during off-peak times – which should be noted is very seldom at the Alpenresort Schwarz.
The 4000 sq m spa area itself is breathtaking. One of my favorite features were the large outdoor pool which Martha Pirktl said had the same quality as drinking water:
Impressive outdoor pool.
The other feature that I loved was the separate children’s area. Several interactive pools have been designed just for kids, where they can splash and yell without disturbing the adult area. There’s also a 92m long water slide, which I had to try. All in the name of research of course – 3 times!
The 92m long water slide in the children’s area.
I also loved the hotel’s blend of traditions with modern technology. The hay bath treatment (yes such a thing exists) is a several hundred year old Tyrolean tradition but uses modern equipment to enhance the treatment. The hot stone massage is offered in an entirely differently designed room, giving it a completely different aesthetic:
Hot stone massage room.
No spa hotel in Austria would be complete without the much-loved sauna. Fortunately Alpenresort Schwarz has several:
- Classic Finnish-style sauna – because some like it hot!
- Gentle herbal bio-sauna for ultimate relaxation
- Women’s only sauna for privacy and peace of mind
- Soothing saltwater steam baths
- Serene Alpine garden with outdoor sauna and exquisite mountain views
- Diving pool, sauna pool, tea bar and stylish relaxation rooms
- Traditional Turkish Hammam, for combined sauna and massage treatment
Turkish Hamman
Full confession here. Saunas are not my thing, much to the chagrin of my German husband who loves them. I swore that I would never visit a sauna again, but I broke that vow at the Alpenresort Schwarz by trying the herbal-bio sauna. Surprisingly, I didn’t hate it…but that’s a whole other post. My husband who knows his way around a sauna said this was the nicest one he had ever been to!
Feeling brave, I also decided to forgo my usual spa treatment of a back massage and tried a mud treatment composed of local Tyrolean mud. Of which it turns out there are ten different kinds. The idea of having a stranger rub mud all over my body made me slightly uncomfortable, but the esthetician was so friendly and professional that my discomfort soon faded. After covering me in mud, she wrapped me in plastic, covered me in a blanket and submerged me into a water bed. It’s meant to simulate being a baby in a mother’s womb. I can’t say I’ve ever given any thought to what it would feel like to be in my mother’s womb. But if feeling cozy and feeling each of the tight muscles in my back and shoulder release into pure relaxation is what it’s like, it’s a very good place.
