Edelweiss and flamingos – welcome to the Arlberg

From the outside, nothing special. But you just have to look down at the carpet on which you are tapping your boots before entering: there are not these pretty alpine flowers that appear there, but a … giraffe wearing a crown of flowers. As soon as you cross the entrance – guarded by two dog statues wearing Christmas balls as a necklace – a sculpture of this same giraffe welcomes visitors. Because in this venerable hotel, the mascot is neither a chamois nor a marmot but a graceful giraffe wearing a crown of flowers! Don't ask me why, I have no idea!

An equally exotic and surprising bestiary in a mountain hotel, wanders around the walls of the dining room. Flamingos and birds of paradise seem to twirl in exotic vegetation while beyond the windows the snowstorm rages.

These unusual little touches can be seen throughout the house, immediately putting you in a good mood.

The 62 rooms, all different, are no exception. All are furnished with a lot of attention to detail without overloading them. On the contrary, a certain "sparseness" makes it possible to highlight everything: the magnificent carpet on the wooden floor, the heavy and beautiful curtains, the old comfortable armchairs, the old wooden secretary desk, the headboard of the bed in fabric printed with oriental patterns without forgetting the fish acting as taps in the bathroom.

 

 

 

On the bedside table, a surprise box awaits us: the perfect kit to spend a perfect night of love: a cachet to digest the fondue, sweets for fresh breath, a condom, earplugs to not hear snore the man after the effort, and an eye mask to sink serenely into a restful beauty sleep. Us, it made us laugh and we made good use of (almost) all the content. Too bad, this wink full of humor had offended some loyal customers…

It is probably this mix of genres that gives the Edelweiss hotel all its charm, lovingly renovated antique furniture, magnificent Toile de Jouy-like fabrics, and then, where you least expect it, an unusual accessory.

“The hotel has always been a bit special,” smiles Irmgard Wiener, who manages the establishment with her husband. So in the 80s it was famous for its large club in the basement, and the first ski lift in Zürs was right next to it.

If there are hardly any more unbridled parties in the basement - to preserve the calm of the customers -, we do not get bored there. After an après-ski drink at the bar – try to get a seat in front of the large fireplace, otherwise the deep sofas and armchairs are very comfortable too – put on your boots to reach the Flexenhäusl to first taste a hearty fondue ( several kinds of meat, vegetables) before letting yourself be carried away by the music and dancing on the benches and tables. In the evening, it is reserved for adults (it is better, given the noise level of the music).

 

 

 

The Flexenhäusl is one of the three restaurants of the Hotel Edelweiss. The classic one -where the pink flamingos roam on the tapestry, offers customers who are on half board a 4-course menu to choose freely from the menu. Which is more than appreciated.

 

 

 

The third restaurant has become legendary even though it is only the second winter that it has welcomed its guests. The “TIAN Bistro am Berg” offers the vegetarian-vegan world of Paul Ivic in the heart of the mountains. Paul Ivic's TIAN in Vienna is the only vegetarian restaurant in Austria to have been awarded a Michelin star and four Gault Millau toques since 2014. Even for meat lovers, dinner is a delight. His concept: a menu to share. All the dishes arrive on the table (much like Greek mezzes) and each guest serves himself as he pleases. It was simply delicious. Nicely prepared plates with tasty vegetables, mushrooms, soups, fruits.

 

 

 

A small spa with sauna, steam room, massages, and physiotherapy treatments helps recover after a day of skiing. Perfect to start a relaxed evening.

The hotel is ideally located just a few steps from the ski lifts. The local bus (free) which connects with the center of Lech and which allows you to reach other slopes, stops just in front of the hotel.

Because most of the hotel's guests obviously come to hit the slopes of the famous resort of Lech-Zürs, a meeting place for the rich and elegant but also for winter sports enthusiasts. The village is located in the heart of the Arlberg and its connected ski areas: 300 km of downhill ski slopes, 200 km for freeride. Non-skiers enjoy the many winter hiking trails.