Der Laerchenhof

The food is amazing, and everything felt perfect. This is one of the best hotels in Europe.

We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Der Larchenhof. My husband learned to ski here 40 years ago, so we were excited to come back. Check-in was effortless, and we felt looked after from the moment we arrived. Our room was spacious, with a balcony we hadn't expected, and the little bedtime storybook for my toddler was a thoughtful touch. The spa was beautiful, especially the relaxation room and its view, and my facial and massage were superb. I'd highly recommend it. We also enjoyed all our meals, despite reading reviews that criticized the food, and loved dressing up for Friday dinner. The reason I'm not giving five stars is that a couple of staff members seemed annoyed when we couldn't speak German and wouldn't switch to English, even though we were clearly struggling to order. I understand if they didn't speak English, but they could at least have offered us an English menu. Those were available, and we could have compared it with the other menu.

We found very little to fault. The Wi-Fi kept disconnecting, so reception could have been better, but that was about it. The spa was a big reason we chose the hotel, and it was unlike anywhere else, with 5.000sq.m. of facilities. Our favorite part was the two huts at the top of the hill with an outdoor Jacuzzi. The breakfast buffet was extraordinarily generous, and the 6/7-course dinner was worth its price. The room was beautiful in an Austrian wood style, with a fireplace, and very clean. The staff were among the friendliest we've ever met and treated us like celebrities. Our main waitress, Maria, was especially good, and we appreciated her warm manner and chats. My wife had a birthday during our stay, and the hotel gave us a lovely chocolate assortment and a greeting from the director.

The room was amazing, the food was some of the best I've ever had, and the spa facilities are second to none. The grounds are kept looking beautiful. I also had an incredible massage, one of my best, and the therapist was extremely professional. A massage here is a must. Some staff were attentive and wonderful, though others seemed like they didn't want to be there. There were several letdowns. The spa opens at 12:00, so you can't use it on checkout day, and gym machines cost extra. We weren't told about the long-pants dinner dress code. Since our room was 1.5km from the main building, we couldn't get back to change in time, and were made to eat away from the main restaurant in an empty area on my partner's birthday. It made us feel unwelcome through no fault of our own. I'd told the hotel it was her birthday and they said they'd surprise her, but the surprise was a printed happy birthday letter from reception. The welcome drinks were stingy too, just a tiny beer or prosecco with juice in it. Better to skip them altogether. The man who showed us to our room sped off through the resort at a ridiculous speed and didn't offer to help with bags at the annex, even though reception had said he would. We managed fine, but that wasn't what we'd been told. Please make the dress code clear and don't charge extra for gym use.