Pension Elisabeth

We love coming back to this fantastic apartment, and this was our second stay. It's very clean, with very friendly hosts, and a direct view of the ski lift. On sunny days you can sit on the terrace right in front of the apartment. The bread delivery service works perfectly, and the cross-country ski track starts just outside the door. A perfect place for 2 to 3 people.

There's a good breakfast in a nice breakfast room, and plenty of drinks available for self-service in the evenings at reasonable prices. The room was small but charming, and the owners were very friendly. A lovely bed and breakfast. I highly recommend it.

The worst part was how the hosts at Pension Elisabeth handled it. They knew from experience that local youth were prone to damaging cars, but didn't even suggest parking ours somewhere else. Instead, they made fun of us, and the owner was quite rude when we tried to check out. We stayed there at the end of August, expecting the quiet village of St. Jakob to feel like a haven. That idea didn't last long. The village youth center and sports club are directly across the street, and the youth were having a great time until 5 a.m. It felt like staying beside a party hotspot, exactly what you want after leaving the city for a quiet country break. The next morning our car was damaged, so we had to call the police and file a report against persons unknown. Half the morning was gone. If you want a peaceful holiday, to come home with an undamaged car, and to be treated kindly, you'd be better off booking somewhere else, whether a hotel, guesthouse, or inn.

The location didn't make up for the stay. It's right next to a youth center, where loud parties, broken wipers and smashed windows seem to be normal. We were regular visitors to Austrian guesthouses, but won't return here. We booked three balcony rooms and got only two, and our emails beforehand went unanswered. At arrival, there was no personal greeting, just a blunt note saying the hosts were at a village party. Breakfast then started half an hour late on both mornings. When we asked if it normally began at 7:30, we got a blank look and a curt “So what? It'll just be a bit later today.” We were left with dry rolls and Nutella unless we wanted to wait another half hour for cheese, cold cuts and other basics. At least the coffee was ready in time to wash down the dust. The breakfast setup might work if no more than three people show up, and they take turns eating. The food is arranged in a tiny alcove with barely room for one person, and it felt like the supply matched that space. First at the buffet gets the fresh apple. The owners, who seem to be the only staff, offered no real service or response. Questions about Wi-Fi, milk or coffee got a quick, brusque answer if we went into their private kitchen and interrupted a family gathering. You'd better be ready for the evil look. In short, maximum rudeness and minimum service. Pension Elisabeth is a good example of how to show you don't want guests. Once was enough.