Harisch Hotel Weisses Rossl

The location of the Weisses Rössl is very good, right in the city and only steps from the shopping street. But our stay from 18th to 22nd of December was deeply disappointing. We came for my wife's birthday on the 20th, and paid 750€ a night for a room in the Seidlalm category, advertised from 30sqm. We arrived late and tired on the 18th to find room 116, which was barely 20sqm, not 30 or more. It was on what they called the “first” floor, but on that side of the building it was below ground, and felt like being under the surface. We complained that it wasn’t the size we booked. At first they said room 116 was in the Seidlam category and sizes could vary under their terms. It felt like they were cheating us, though maybe it was a system mistake. I don’t know whether it was incompetence or deliberate, but it wasn’t acceptable. They said there were no other rooms. Only after I said we’d leave immediately did they move us to room 119. It was only a little bigger, still on the “first” floor, but had separate sleeping and living rooms. Both rooms were terribly loud. Noise from the Zuma Restaurant kept us from falling asleep before midnight. Despite a recent refurbishment, things were damaged or didn’t work: the shaving mirror was loose, the fan rattled, and the safe was blocked. We didn’t know the hotel had no restaurant of its own, only Zuma, which is usually fully booked. We were told it would be no problem as hotel guests, but after waiting more than 30 minutes while hungry, we got a “coffee table” for dinner. The meal was expensive and the service was abysmal. Dishes didn’t arrive in the right order, and the sides came after the main course was finished. My wife’s salmon was cold, but she was so hungry by then she didn’t complain. My 105€ crab dish was cold too and arrived five minutes after hers. I tried one of the four crab legs and complained. Twenty minutes later, it came back just warmed up, with only three legs. Are you kidding? The staff were friendly and tried hard, but couldn’t make up for it. We got a dessert for free, at least, but 240€ for two, with no wine and only water, was a lot for that experience. The whole team there seemed to be Greek, apparently hired from the Zuma team in Mykonos. That’s not a complaint, but it felt odd to ask something at the desk in Kitzbühel, Austria and be asked whether I spoke English. I don’t mind paying 700, 900, or even 1.000 for a night, but I expect professional treatment, and the Weisses Rössl was far from that. Nobody even noticed it was my wife’s birthday, which showed poor management. Selling rooms on the “first” floor to anyone other than party people feels almost criminal, or at least outrageous.

The lounge is shared with Zuma restaurant, so there isn’t really a comfortable hotel lobby where you can relax with your child. The place is huge and it’s easy to get confused finding your room. Room service could use more attention too, as the menu doesn’t have many choices. Still, the rooms are lovely, clean, and nicely designed, and some have pleasant mountain views. It’s a modern, comfortable luxury hotel. The staff are very kind and caring. Special thanks to George from room service, and Ntamir and Daniel at reception.

Right in the heart of Kitzbühel, with a fantastic shuttle to the valley station, this 5* LHW is top class in every way. The rooms are large, modern, and spotless, and the breakfast buffet has everything you could want. The spa is inviting too. Service is exceptional. The staff are incredibly friendly, anticipate what you need, and take care of special requests straight away. Every detail feels just right. I can recommend the hotel without reservation.

The bar and Zuma were the best parts of the stay, and we chose the hotel after visiting the year before. But on arrival they told us we’d been upgraded, and we didn’t want or like that room. To us, it was a downgrade. The room we’d originally booked wasn’t available, presumably because it had been given to someone else, so we had to stay in another room and move halfway through the trip. They weren’t upfront about what had happened, and sorting it out was slow and painful. Breakfast was below par for a 4* hotel, let alone a 5* one.