Holiday break in Salzburgerland: A garden suite with private spa awaits you here

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Bright blue skies, beautiful mountain views and colorful treetops everywhere you look. As we board the train to Salzburgerland, my anticipation for our visit to Mozart’s city is already rising.

Salzburg is located on the Salzach River, at the northern tip of the Alps, and is also the capital of the federal state of the same name in Austria. Here, more precisely half an hour away in the idyllic Bad Vigaun, there is the boutique hotel Neuwirt, where we will spend two nights.

We also have the opportunity to dine at the on-site pub and have a hearty breakfast. The historical house fascinates us as soon as we enter the building. Presenter Katharina Schiefer (42), the fourth generation to run Neuwirt with her husband Michael, welcomes us warmly.

Garden terrace, rain shower and private sauna

It is immediately clear that hospitality is in the owner’s blood. Schiefer grew up at the inn and learned the ins and outs of the hotel industry from an early age. He reads our every request without being intrusive.

He takes our luggage and takes us to the garden apartment reserved for us. I can’t believe my eyes when I enter the room. The suite, 45 m2 larger than my apartment in Zurich, leaves nothing to be desired: in addition to the box spring bed, rain shower and flat-screen TV, the room also has a private sauna! As the name suggests, the large garden terrace with views of the Salzburg Alps should not be missed.

There were stables in the middle of the house

After admiring the suite and freshening up, we head to the inn where we encounter a seasonal 4-course game menu. Particularly noteworthy are the chestnut soup with bacon, the venison medallions and the duck liver praline, which perfects the flavour.

We provide service by the owner himself. He also recommends a glass of wine with every meal, which complements the meal perfectly. A touch of tradition and family also seems to be the recipe for the inn’s success. «Our regular guests especially appreciate that traditions are very important to us. Many customers have been coming here regularly for years,” says Schiefer. The same goes for their employees: “Most of them have been with us for years and appreciate the family atmosphere.”

But not only the food and service, but also the rooms of the restaurant make the dining experience very special: The room is characterized by a vaulted ceiling, decorative hanging lamps and numerous stone and wooden elements. The latter in particular shows that there is a lot of history in the inn. Katharina Schiefer immediately confirmed this to me: “Here we are both in the oldest part and at the very heart of the house.”

The owner says that the restaurant used to have stables. His Tyrolean great-grandfather eventually converted the farmhouse into an inn. The first guests were welcomed in 1877. “Since then, the family business has continued from generation to generation.” It is not yet known whether his son (17) or daughter (14) will one day work as a host or hostess at the hotel. But he could certainly imagine it; Especially his daughter is interested in gastronomy.

Number of rooms increased from 13 to 24

There are guest rooms as well as inns dating back to the 1960s. Over the generations, grandparents and parents continually expanded and improved the house. In 2021, Katharina Schiefer and her husband Michael extensively renovated the farmhouse and built new pieces. They went from 13 small double rooms to 24 rooms, 10 of which are suites. “The two largest suites are equipped with a private sauna, and the rest have a covered porch,” says Schiefer.

Since Haus Neuwirt’s most valuable asset is tradition, it was important for Schiefer and his family to preserve the house’s old charm. During my tour of Neuwirt, I can safely say: They were more than successful!

You must see this in Salzburg

The location of the boutique hotel is particularly ideal. The city of Salzburg, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996, is just 30 minutes away by train. You don’t even need to change, you can easily board the S3 in Bad Vigaun and stay put all the way to Salzburg main station.

I think Hohensalzburg Castle, Mirabell Palace and most importantly Mirabell Gardens, with their breathtaking city views, and the historical Getreidegasse, located in the heart of Salzburg’s old town, should not be missing from your to-do list when you go to Salzburg. If you happen to be in Getreidegasse, you can also visit the house where the famous musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born and which has been converted into a museum.

My personal highlight was definitely the Hohensalzburg Castle and especially riding the train. The baroque towers and castles of the old town are at your disposal as you travel up and down the so-called castle railway. Not to mention the view you’ll see when you go up.

Here you can marvel at Salzburg’s world-famous skyline and let it work its magic on you. The view is unique, especially on a golden autumn day in the Salzburg mountains, when it is probably snowing and the trees in the distance shine in various colors. Of course, when you go to Salzburg, you should also try the famous dumplings. The sweet, hot dessert made of eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla is not to be missed!

But not only the famous Salzburg, but also the picturesque town of Hallein with many cozy boutiques is just a stone’s throw away from Neuwirt. The town can be reached in 15 minutes by public transport or in less than 10 minutes by car. Hallein is known for its historic salt production, as well as its numerous finds from the Celtic period. You can find out more about this during a trip to the salt mine in Dürrnberg near Hallein.

One thing is for sure: Salzburg and the nearby towns of Bad Vigaun and Hallein are definitely worth a visit. Whether for a longer stay or a short trip: you will definitely not be disappointed at the Hotel and Wirtshaus Neuwirt!

This article was created as part of a press tour.

Source : Blick