Olympic Hotel

The breakfast was splendid, with lots of variety, and we even watched two swans courting on the canal while we ate. From the 13th floor the view was spectacular. The hotel felt like home, and we slept incredibly well. The bed was extremely comfortable, and although we wondered if we’d miss our pillows at home, the ones there were fine. Everything was superlative.

The lobby and adjoining bar had a lively feel, especially during happy hour, and the breakfast buffet had everything I could have wanted. I was also glad to get some movement in at the good gym after two business days of sitting. I ran out of time to try the sauna or the really cool wooden hot tubs. Getting there was easy: I took a €3,50 bus from the airport to a stop about a 10-minute walk away. The location is great, and the front desk staff were charming and helpful. I spoke with Thom and his look-alike colleague, whose name I’m sorry I didn’t catch. I was pleasantly surprised by my three-night stay at the Olympic Hotel and will definitely return for my next business trip to Amsterdam.

We’ve skied around Europe and the USA for over 30 years, and The Hotel Olympia and Ischgl have made it into our top few destination combinations. What stands out most is how friendly and helpful everyone is. From the family management to the waitresses and cleaners, people are cheerful, engaging, and ready to help. The owners are around and involved throughout the day, and nothing feels like too much trouble. Lift passes, reserved parking, and everything else are ready when you arrive. The evening meals were so good that we ate at the hotel all week instead of trying restaurants in town. There’s a varied menu, prepared to a high standard, often using produce from the family’s own farms. Breakfast was outstanding too, with a broad choice of good quality food. The location is ideal, about five minutes from town but away from Ischgl’s noisy après-ski bars. The spa has clean, pleasant saunas and steam rooms, plus a large quiet area to relax. It can get busy with groups of men at times. That may have been down to our January visit, when there were lots of boys’ ski trips. We love Austria in both summer and winter, and while things are efficient and high-standard there generally, the Olympic and Ischgl still stand out. We’ll definitely be back.

There were several frustrations with the room and service. The room was listed with a king-size bed, but it was two singles pushed together with separate duvets. I kept sliding into the gap while sleeping. The air conditioning was loud, and without it the room became stuffy. The only WiFi offered was public, which made me question the privacy. Breakfast was included until we booked a second person in the room. Then it turned out there was only one breakfast per room, and we had to pay for the other. They also still require prepayments, which are treated as deposits. About half the questions I sent the hotel staff, online or in person, went unanswered. Check-in is done online through a third-party website to collect passport details, though it’s still possible to check in at the hotel.