Justine Gosling went to the Alps in Austria for a brilliant summer weekend away with the whole family
Well ahead of my sister and I, my seven and nine-year-old niece and nephew burst through the hotel room door in a whirlwind of excited squeals as they explored our home for the next few days, with the loudest squeal saved for when they spotted the outdoor swimming pool.
Within five minutes of arriving, all four of us were donning our costumes, white spa dressing gowns and reindeer embroidered slippers, posing for a matchy-matchy selfie in the room’s full length mirror. This chic ensemble ended up being the weekend’s uniform, setting an appropriately relaxed mood for the trip. We would be spending a long weekend at Naturhotel Forsthofgut in the small town of Leogang in southern Austria, a 90-minute drive from Salzburg.
The hotel promised a stress free, memorable stay. Everything to keep a family entertained for a few days is contained within the relatively small grounds, resting in a sunny, forested valley. My first view of our serene surroundings from our room’s balcony told me we were somewhere special. The emerald green “recreational lake” hugged the wood clad, chalet-style hotel, which complements the dramatic, mountainous landscape. It all takes place below the bluest of skies and warm late-summer sun.
The hotel has beautiful views of the Alps in Austria
Later, we discovered the squeal-inducing outdoor pool was one of a pair of infinity pools, with a smaller children’s pool featuring a multi-level flume and indoor/outdoor wet-play area. All of this meant we barely needed to entertain the kids. The 10-year-old, Joseph, is a competent swimmer and would be found paddle boarding on the lake or having water fights with his new German friends. He’s terrible at time keeping but, without fail, he’d know when it was 3pm – AKA ‘strudel time’ – in the restaurant. Matilda, the 7-year-old, would take apples from bowls scattered around to feed to her new BFF ‘Rocky’, an extremely friendly reindeer and the hotel’s much-loved mascot.
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The kid’s club was open from 8am-9pm and went far beyond the usual offerings. Matilda baked bread in the cooking class and painted a portrait of Rocky in the art studio. In the woodwork club, Joseph assembled a boat, which not only floated in the lake but actually propelled itself forwards courtesy of a rubber band. The biggest smiles of the trip were seen during a family horse riding lesson at the hotel’s newly opened stables. We didn’t have time for a tennis lesson or to try out the children’s MBT cycle track.
Everyone was having too much fun to ask for TVs or iPads, it was a rare weekend without arguments over screen time
With the kids occupied, the grownups could enjoy alone time at the adult-only area of the hotel. This multi-story building houses a spa, sauna, chill out rooms, gym, and a steaming infinity pool that looks out to the surrounding mountains. Every evening before dinner we took a stroll to visit the farm animals; Sissi the donkey was the instant favourite. Mealtimes were easy, with the hotel setting the same table with the same staff for every meal. The kids loved the independence of choosing their own food from the buffet, while the adults ordered from the a la carte menu of locally sourced dishes. A babysitter can be arranged if needed.
On our final morning, in what felt like a fitting farewell to our alpine home, we took the nearby bubble lift up the mountain to get further into the Alps. The kids were in awe the moment we exited the mist and popped out above the clouds. Looking across the blanket of cloud to the jagged, snow-covered mountains was the weekend’s most memorable vista.
Our stay offered a perfect balance of family and alone-time for all. The kids thrived with the freedom the hotel gifted them, far from the short rein they usually get back home. Watching them race around the lake on paddle boards, belly laugh with newly made friends, and pick up a few German words made my heart swell. They were even having too much fun to ask for TVs or iPads; a rare weekend without arguments over screen time.
And as for the adults, happy couples snuggled up on loungers, contentedly watching their kids, heads in books, no phones in sight. Our time at Naturhotel Forsthofgut was effortless, wholesome, and full of precious memory-making and relaxation, one we’d all love to return to.
VISIT THE AUSTRIAN ALPS YOURSELF
A family suite during half term is priced from €1,200 per night for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids aged from 6-9 years old. The price includes three quarter board (breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner and daily childcare from 9am-9pm). At other times rooms are from €880 per night on the same basis – visit forsthofgut.at/en
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