Hotel Gappmaier

For a four-star hotel marketed around wellness and skiing, and at about EUR 350 a night for a standard double during peak season, I found it met expectations in most areas. Dining stood out, while some basics fell short. My scores: basics 2.5/5, comforts 3/5, sleep 3/5, service 4/5, dining 5/5, location 4/5, spa 3/5, overall 3.5/5. Dining was consistently good, with a good breakfast and dinner menu. Staff at arrival, departure, the bar, and restaurant were friendly and efficient. The location is close to town, though calling it doorstep skiing is a stretch. There's a tiny, barely maintained run behind the hotel and an uncomfortable cable lift to the bottom of a gondola. You have to take skis on and off a couple of times to reach the ski area. This isn't ski-in ski-out, and an intermediate skier wanting to explore the area will have to walk in ski boots for several minutes each day. The room temperature was easy to control with underfloor heating, good insulation, and a functional balcony door. The shower had strong, steady pressure, plenty of hot water, and a solid mixer. There was also a comfortable lounge seat in the corner with its own light. The outdoor pool was nicely heated, though not hot, and offered a unique experience. The Finnish sauna was clean, properly hot, and did what it should. Water, tea, fruit, and nuts were always available in the spa, but the steam room was tiny and not steamy or hot enough. There were some serious privacy and security problems. The rooms have no interior lock, chain, or latch, and no peephole. Anyone with a key-card can get in. Housekeeping entered our room twice without knocking during our stay. Soundproofing was also poor, and we could hear people walking above, below, and next door. There were no tea or coffee facilities in the room: no kettle, cups, tea, or coffee. The hotel said it couldn't provide kettles because guests take them home, even though keeping kettles available is a basic hospitality service. There was also no bar service between 10am and 3pm. Bathroom supplies were limited to one soap bottle meant for both handwashing and body wash, plus shampoo and moisturizer. You have to move the soap dispenser between the basin and shower. The toiletries weren't branded and felt harsh, despite an unverifiable eco-friendly claim. For sleeping, the light switches worked as expected from the bedside, and blackout curtains were available. But the two narrow 90cm single beds were simply pushed together to make a double, with no topper or shared sheet to cover the gap between mattresses. Couples have to sleep with that gap, and the mattresses felt soft. Housekeeping was sloppy: bathroom mats usually weren't changed, tissues weren't refilled, and the sheets weren't changed during our seven-night stay.