Nationalpark Lodge Grossglockner

The spa and wellness area was amazing, and the food was top-notch. We were only a few metres from the cable car, and the hotel had plenty for our small children. We spent five days there in January for a skiing holiday, but the weather sent us off to do lots of other things too. The bar with the fireplace was a lovely place to gather after dinner.

The restaurant serves very good local food at reasonable prices, and we’d happily recommend the kitchen. We also loved the pool and sauna, especially the outdoor area among the mountains. We visited in summer, so the pool felt refreshingly cold, which we liked. The team was friendly and helpful from the start, even though we arrived with a dog and bikes, which isn’t always the case. The hotel sits in a beautiful, central spot, with routes down the valley, into the small nearby valley, or up the Glockern Hochalpenstrasse. We’ll be back.

The spa is great, and the food is good with plenty of variety. The hotel is well located, but the ski slopes are below the average for Austrian resorts, with no other ski areas nearby. It may suit beginner skiers. The premium suites are just larger rooms, and the bathrooms don’t seem to have had much renovation since the last century. That might be acceptable at the right price, but this isn’t good value for money. It’s also funny to have to pay for tap water in the restaurant. Staff were quite rude, except for one person, and there are so many rules that it’s easy to end up not complying with one. Sadly, not every paid ad in the Financial Times tells the truth.

The only real plus for me was the location. The hotel feels old and neglected, and the rooms are dated and badly need renovating. My mattress was extremely soft and uncomfortable, so getting a good night’s sleep was difficult. Service was poor and nowhere near what I’d expect at this price. I was very disappointed, especially since the stay costs far too much for what you get.