Thurntaler Rast

Getting there takes a bit of extra travel, but Thurntaler Rast is well worth it. The staff were attentive and the atmosphere felt warm and inviting. The food was sensational, with every dish seeming carefully made. Highly recommend it for the cuisine and service.

The rooms are old-fashioned, though I think that suits this kind of location. They were perfectly clean. The restaurant was nice, the food tasty and nicely presented, and the staff friendly.

We chose Thurntaler Rast for dinner twice during our five days in the area, partly to get to know the locals. As guests, we were asked to keep our expenses on record and settle them on the last day. At checkout, the bill was handed over for a quick payment, and only when we checked the entries did we notice what looked like unclear and inflated charges. We went back to ask about them, but unfortunately didn't get the clarity or honesty we expected. There were several things that didn't add up. Two scoops of ice cream with cream were charged at 12€ each, even though the daily menu had listed them at 4€ the day before. The seven breakfast breads we ordered over five days had different prices each day. We were charged for bread on all six mornings, plus extra entries for seven semmel at 4.9€ and five kornspitz at 6.5€ that we never received. The delicious Hesse Liebe ice cream cost 5€ in a regular size, while the children's half portion was more at 5.4€, even though the waiter had suggested a smaller one for the kids. We were also told water was free, then charged 3.3€ for a liter of tap water from the mountain, not San Pellegrino. The steak was another disappointment. I asked for a bloody steak and was told, 'we will see'. What arrived was dry and overcooked, with stringy meat that made me wonder if it was beef or chicken. It wasn't red inside, and I didn't want to complain, so I refused the plate. The kids had fruit jam, which I used to add at least a little taste to the otherwise neutral meat. The few vegetables did make the plate look nicer. Later I found out it cost 40€ for what was probably an old cow, at most 200g. I don't mind paying a lot for steak when the quality and the order match the price. I recently had a delicious, perhaps expensive but worth-it 450g, six-month-aged tomahawk for 35€ at a steak house. That was very different from this Thurntaler Scam. The owner eventually admitted that charging 3x12€ instead of 3x4€ for the ice cream was an error, and refunded that amount. That was the only point on which I felt he was honest. Other explanations were that prices weren't in the till and depended on who served you, that the half ice cream simply cost more than the full one, that water was free when served by an employee but not by the owner, and that the meat was a real heavy piece of beef worth its price. I was happy to discover Austria, its beautiful countryside and many friendly people. I'm writing this because honesty matters to me and I want to share my opinion, even though it doesn't come from a happy place. Enjoy Austria, but think twice before having dinner at Thurntaler Rast unless you're willing to accept what felt to us like being scammed and robbed by the establishment.

It's at 2000 metres, but you can drive right up to the Thurntaler. A handy place to start walks from, with excellent Tirolian food and very friendly service.