Exploring Stanglwirt, The Ultimate Wellness Resort in Austria

There is a cozy library just off the lobby bar of Stanglwirt, a Bio-Hotel near the mountain resort town of Kitzbuhl, Austria. The windows and doors of this wood-lined library haven let fresh air in as the rolling hills greet the stately Wilder Kaiser mountain backdrop. The library features books in different languages. Bibliothec speaks to the global clientele coming to one of Europe’s most unique wellness-focused destinations.

A 400-year-old tavern turned bio-hotel and resort, Stanglwirt captures the deep-seated culture specific to its home state of Tyrol, Austria with a true appreciation for sustaining the land for its community, its guests, and its legacy. Owned and operated by Balthazar Hauser and his family since the 1700s, the resort’s guiding principle, “The old must never be damaged by the new” resounds through its hallowed halls. 

During a stay at the storied Austrian alpine escape, guests will easily fall into the Stanglwirt routine. Soul-quenching days consist of fitness-filled mornings followed by slow afternoons of spa relaxation capped off with cozy evenings of refined dining. 

Stanglwirt’s 140 rooms are all decked out in quintessential Bavarian mountain details. The locally reclaimed pine wood and rocks lining the white stucco walls are softened with crisp linen bedding and pure wool accents. There are marble bathrooms, spacious patios, and best of all, wood-burning fireplaces. The Stanglwirt suites strike the balance of authenticity and modern luxury, resulting in uncanny coziness with welcoming staff catering to guests’ every whim. 

The Stanglwirt Wellness World

Aside from its historical roots and cultural homage to its home region, Stanglwirt’s passion for wellness is unique to any other wellness resort worldwide. The property boasts endless square footage of state-of-the-art facilities for fitness, spa, tennis, boxing, golf, horseback riding, outdoor adventures, and more. Being active, replenishing your body, and enjoying Austrian nature are essential to a Stanglwirt stay. With the plentiful menu of programming, wellness can be achieved however each guest sees fit. 

The Wellness World at Stanglwirt is a destination on its own. There are five different types of saunas, three steam baths, a waterfall grotto, a saltwater grotto, natural spring pools, lap pools, heated saltwater pools, a whirlpool, and a kids adventure pool complete with a waterfall. 

The resort’s signature pine sauna, which fits up to 40 people, hosts afternoon sweat sessions led by an aromatherapist for authentic Austrian detox and rejuvenation overlooking the Austrian Alps. 

The indoor/outdoor hydro land surrounds a five-star spa with an unparalleled treatment menu of signature services. 

The emphasis on bespoke fitness is encouraged at Stanglwirt. Led by staff medical fitness trainer Björn Schulz, the hotel offers personalized health consultations, tailored workout sessions, and specialized training with state-of-the-art technology like polar training and a competition-sized boxing ring. Some of the world’s most prominent athletes, including professional tennis and soccer stars, boxers, gold medalists, and Austrian hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, frequent Stanglwirt for the unique fitness immersion of the resort. 

Of course, the natural Austrian alpine scenery compliments the resort’s commitment to fitness. Summer is filled with hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, and Nordic walking while winter is filled with skiing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and more. The horseback riding program boasts a new indoor equestrian center (observed from a large window in the hotel’s bar lounge) where the resort’s rare Lipizzaner horses show off. 

Sustainable Austrian Cuisine

The culinary offerings at Stanglwirt follow the same recipe of cultural classics with luxury innovation. Stanglwirt’s fully functioning, organic farm allows the resort to produce, harvest, and serve many of its signature ingredients. 

Their Black Angus cattle operation produces milk, cheese, and farm-raised beef while produce is grown on-site. 

Gasthof, Stanglwirt’s restaurant, located in the original part of the property, is classic Tyrolean cooking at its best with dishes like Schlutzkrapfen stuffed pasta and Wienerschnitzel. The cozy, dimly lit dining room transports guests back hundreds of years, with a large window overlooking the cow stall for diners to enjoy. 

After an extensive breakfast spread with housemade pastries and live cooking stations, the more elevated Hotel Restaurant offers a daily changing pre-fixe gourmet menu with an impressive wine list and a lovely harpist in the background.

Stanglwirt’s Wall of Fame

A white stucco hall leading to the hotel’s outside quietly boasts hundreds of small framed photos of the resort’s jaw-dropping Rolodex of celebrity guests. The rows of visitors from the past 100 years, like Bing Crosby, Henry Ford, Audrey Hepburn, European royalty, world leaders, and many others, seem unimaginable. 

This wall of fame is a testament to the resort’s hospitality prowess. It proves Stanglwirt is a gem treasured by every traveler seeking a scenic blend of wellness, luxury, and authentic Bavarian culture.