Hotel Panther’a

The noise made it nearly impossible to sleep. There's a bar right under the windows, and drunk British tourists were shouting, screaming and playing music at all hours. The food was awful too, low quality, badly prepared and completely tasteless. The restaurant constantly smelled of burned grease and smoke, as if the kitchen was always in crisis. One day there was even a false fire alarm after someone left oil on the stove. Totally unacceptable for a hotel claiming four stars. The restaurant staff were extremely unprofessional. The Greek waitress came across as rude and arrogant, treating guests like a burden instead of customers. The cook was around 18 and clearly inexperienced, and it showed in every amateurish, poorly executed dish. Panter'A in Saalbach was one of the worst hotel experiences I've had. It's a complete disgrace for a place claiming to be four star. It survives only because of its central location, not its quality. I do not recommend it to anyone who cares about good food, professional service or getting a night's sleep. Stay far away.

We come away once a year for a holiday where we can leave the cooking to someone else, and at this price we expected the food to feel like a 4-star hotel. It didn't. The hotel has plenty going for it: a great location, a lovely wellness and pool area, clean, stylish, comfortable rooms, and very friendly, helpful staff. Free summer parking in the garage was another big plus. Meals were often small and tasted as if they came from packet mixes, cheap ingredients, or were prepared in advance. The cold pasta with plain tomato sauce, soggy salad, syrup-based breakfast juice, and pudding served in burnt milk with a frozen, mushy strawberry were disappointing. One night's lasagna was as flat as the plate. The "stroganoff" had two small pieces of meat and three croquettes, barely enough for a child. There were no high chairs for small children, either. Service at meals seemed set up to need as little staff as possible. Soup, starters, and desserts were self-service, with just one person working while about 50 guests ate. Our package said there would be an afternoon snack from 4 to 5 PM, but there was nothing set out. When we asked, they improvised a basic toast with fries. We only asked that one time during the week. A few dishes stood out in a good way: the tiramisu at dinner was genuinely delicious, and the grilled salmon was one of the rare mains that felt worthy of a 4-star meal. Those were exceptions. Improving the food would make the hotel feel more in line with its price and star rating.

The ski location is hard to beat, and that's the main reason to stay here. Our room was comfortable and the bed was great, though we had no balcony and looked out at other rooms. Staff were attentive and did their best to help when my wife and I were both ill with flu. The pool was nice, if small and sometimes busy, and the spa was fairly basic. Food was the biggest problem. Breakfast eggs and sausages weren't good, and potatoes weren't offered, so I mostly ate fruit. Dinner had only two choices, and some dishes were inedible. Nearly all four of us sent our meals back half eaten. Other nights the food was alright, but it seemed to rely on cheap ingredients and mass production. I've skied often in Austria, and this was the worst food I've had. With better meals, I'd have rated the stay four stars, perhaps close to five. The restaurant also needs more staff. We waited a long time between starter and main, and drinks took 5-10 minutes to arrive. The staff tried hard, but when the hotel was busy they looked stressed. One or two more people could ease that pressure. Room cleaning fell short too: used cups and glasses were left for us to take downstairs, and we had to empty the bin ourselves. You expect more than fresh-looking sheets on the bed. I had concerns about the management replies to negative or constructive reviews. They didn't come across as professional, and guests who spend a lot on a holiday are entitled to give their opinions. If I'd read those replies before booking, I might have chosen somewhere else because they didn't give me confidence that problems would be handled well. I enjoyed the trip, but wouldn't book again because of the food. Saalbach is a great ski area, and the hotel's position for skiing is unbeatable. If the food reached the level of its competitors, I'd reconsider.

My husband, son and I had such a lovely stay last week, we’re already planning another visit. The owner is a delight, the hotel is spotless, and the staff are fantastic and so helpful. It was lovely to see the same smiling faces as last year. My husband and I will be back in three weeks!