Panorama Landhaus

The rooms are a bit dated, but spotlessly clean, comfortable and had everything we needed. The beds were comfy too. The hotel gave us a lift to and from the ski lift station each day, which was a huge plus. After a long day skiing, door to door transport was ideal, much better than cramming onto a crowded bus. We'd read mixed reviews before arriving and weren't sure what to expect, but we couldn't have been happier. The guys running the hotel were brilliant, polite, welcoming, friendly and funny. They made it feel relaxed and homely from day one, and couldn't do enough for us. The food was amazing every night, fresh and well prepared, with great choice. The buffet was constantly replenished and never felt picked over or rushed. A fantastic stay, and we'd happily return and recommend it.

The hill to the hotel is steep, even though it's technically a ten minute walk. Crystal didn't indicate how severe the drive was. There was no help getting people or suitcases up, which was especially bad in the snow. Taxis won't go up the slope. See pictures. The whole hotel looks stuck in the 70s. The rooms weren't clean, with things on the floor on day one and dust and rubbish under the furniture. Showers swung from scalding to freezing because of poor plumbing. Staff were generally okay, but had no real smiles or warmth. Just functional. The food was appalling. Breakfast was very basic, and the hot items were sometimes cold. Dinner was a couple of overcooked pieces of meat, cabbage mush and other similar food. There were no puddings, only basic ready made cakes. At best, this is a very weak two star hotel. Avoid at all costs.

The walk up the hill is steep and a real workout with luggage. Take care if it's icy or snowy. The hotel could salt or grit it for peace of mind. There are grip mats along the edge, but they aren't always grippy, depending on your footwear. The location itself is excellent, only a few minutes from the main centre and lifts. The hotel's shuttle, if I remember correctly, runs 8am-10:30am to Shattberg X-press. One day the driver took us to Hinterglemm after dropping guests in Saalbach. There's an afternoon pickup too, though we didn't use it. I think you call a number for collection. We stayed a week over Christmas, booked through Crystal Ski, and the staff couldn't do enough. Crystal had insisted our twin beds couldn't be split, but we'd booked rooms 23 and 25 for us and our kids, a 12yo girl and 16yo boy who didn't want to share. The staff said no problem and had the kids' beds split within five minutes. That was a big help right at the start. The rooms are a bit dated, but super clean and had everything we needed. Ours opened onto a large shared balcony, lovely for early coffee, with great mountain views. Beds were really comfortable, though the duvets felt small for me at 6ft 3in. The shower was brilliant with no hot water issues. Storage was fine, with a large wardrobe and desk, though a desk lamp would help. There was a kettle and mini-fridge, but we chilled our beers on the balcony. The outside ski locker was large, heated and opened with a keycard. Breakfast ran 7:30am-9:30am and dinner 6:30pm-9:30pm. Breakfast was always good, with bacon, sausages, cold meats and cheeses, eggs (boiled, scrambled or fried, depending on the day), plus plenty of bread and small cakes. The boiled eggs could have had a little longer. The coffee machine was great, with apple and orange juice and teas including Earl Grey. Dinner was great too: goulash, roast beef, duck, good sides like creamed potatoes, and sometimes spaghetti. On Christmas Eve there was fondue. The seating, either in a window alcove or at smaller tables, lacked a little atmosphere, but it was all good. The chef kept the food coming at great quality. The bar shares space with the dining area and was a decent spot to relax. Edelweiss beer was €5 for 500ml, a large Zipfer €4.50, big bottles of water for the table €4 each, and soft drinks around €4. It was well stocked, nothing fancy, but exactly what you needed. The sauna is booked by putting your name on a sheet, and you get it to yourself for a while. I tried it once and lasted five minutes. Forgot how hot they are :) Big credit to Christos and Zim(Jim??), who worked tirelessly across breakfast, dinner and the bar. They're absolute legends, lively guys who were always up for helping or chatting. Just back from our week, and we'd happily return as a base for Saalbach skiing.

The staff were fantastic and very helpful, and the hotel's location is great, with lovely views. The rooms are quite comfortable and quiet. The breakfast buffet covers everything a guest could need and sets you up well for the day. We tried the evening meals during our stay, and they were definitely tasty with enough variety. The food is one of the things this hotel stands out for. Congratulations to the culinary team!