Posted: Feb. 6, 2023 | Last Update: 10. Feb 2023
'Grüß Gott' from Damüls, Austria. That's in the far western corner of the country, very close to the Swiss and German border. This past weekend we came here for skiing - and with us, another 16 friends (aged 3months - 50+ years). That means you will get not only my opinion but that of a lot of different people here - we all agree on the verdict by the way.
One more thing: I have uploaded a lot of videos to this review - make sure you have accepted functional cookies, otherwise you won't be able to see them.
The family run 'Alpenstern Panoramahotel 4****superior' is located in Damüls, Vorarlberg, western Austria. Damüls is the snowiest village in the world and home to 330 permanent inhabitants.
The only way to get to the hotel is by car, a good 45minutes from larger towns like Bregenz, while the nearest airports are Zurich and Innsbruck.
Upon arrival in Damüls you realise: it's an 'un-touristy tourist destination' - which sounds weird, but is what it felt like. What I mean is there is no tourist infrastructure such as cafés, shops, high street etc., the main focus is very clearly lodging both in summer for hiking and in winter for skiing. For those looking for the above mentioned 'touristy infrastructure', the nearest towns are Bregenz and Bludenz, both about a 45min car ride away.
Our hotel, the Alpenstern Panoramahotel, is located in Oberdamüls (Upper Damüls), directly on the ski slope, ideal for 'ski in / ski out' - you won't miss it, as it is at the end of the cul-de-sac you need to drive up to get to the (included) parking garage.
Official check-in time is 3pm. For those arriving earlier, you can make use of the wellness & spa area for a fee of 15 Euro per person. Or you can just get your ski on and enjoy the snow.
However, if you just want to kill some time, there is plenty of room in the reception area - from cozy seating areas with dimmed light in the lobby to sunlit tables offering a panoramic view in the restaurant 'Genusshalde' (pile of indulgence), where you can have a bite or a drink. Or maybe you just want to go shop for some typical Austrian souvenirs? You're in luck, the shop is right there.
We were lucky: despite the hotel being fully booked, our room was ready at 1:30pm and the lovely receptionist handed me the room key no questions asked.
Wi-Fi is free and the connection is good throughout.
We booked a room of the category 'Alpenrose', situated on the first floor. The room description states a size of 32sqm, sleeps 2-4 people, has a south facing balcony and a modern bathroom with separate lavatory. And that's exactly what we got!
Our room was freshly renovated, bright and airy, and furnished in a modern-minimalistic Alpine style - the bed facing the panoramic window and balcony with an amazing vista of the mountain range.
The king-size box-spring was new, comfortable and had good quality linen as well as additional blankets in Alpenstern branding. If necessary, the pull-out sofa would have provided additional sleeping space for two more people.
Of course, the room amenities comprised a safe, a wardrobe (with plenty of wooden hangers), a desk and a TV.
And, as is mandatory for a hotel of 4****superior rating, guests also get their own branded dressing gown and slippers, plus a bag. I want to point out that the dressing gowns were available in literally any and all sizes, from newborn baby to XXL.
The family-rooms:
At the time of our stay in early February 2022, the family rooms have not yet been renovated - they are proper 'dinosaurs' with a definitive 80s look and feel to them. Do you remember the old orange-and-brown curtains etc.? Yes, those ...
Therefore, I strongly recommend double checking this before booking, to avoid negative surprises.
I sincerely hope the family rooms will be modernised soon to fit in the new and modern feel of the Alpenstern Hotel.
The Alpenstern Hotel is located directly on the ski slope, meaning you can just put on your skis and go from right outside the lobby. That's of course ideal for all guests who brought their own gear. However, for those of you needing rental equipment, it is going to be a bit of a hassle having to first drive back down to the 'village' in order to find the rental shop, and then having to haul the gear back up to the hotel.
When it comes to ski storage, the hotel however shines! There is a designated changing and storage room with individual lockers.
Not only are the cupboards lockable, they also come with a heating system blowing hot air, so you can put on cozy warm and dry gear instead of having to get into yesterday's still damp, cold equipment. Definite thumbs-up for this feature!
You like it? Book your stay at Panoramahotel Alpenstern 4****s
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Even as a non-skier, I got my money's worth at Hotel Alpenstern.
The hotel features two separate spa areas: one downstairs with an indoors pool, an infinity outdoors pool (panoramic view of the mountains), a sauna and a relax zone:
... and another spa area called 'Himmelreich-spa' (Kingdom of Heaven spa) on the third floor.
The latter one features a beautiful panoramic sauna (85°C) with a fantastic view of the mountains, a low temperature sauna, a steam room, several cozy relaxation zones with comfortable beds and a snack bar offering teas, water, home made ginger syrup, fruit, dried fruits and nuts.
Here at Himmelreich-spa you can also book several treatments like hot stone massage, foot reflexology or yoni steaming.
Watch my walk-throughs of the upstairs wellness area and panoramic sauna:
The one thing we personally thought was missing was a jacuzzi or a pool you can sit / lie and relax in - that's not possible in the downstairs swimming pool at almost 5' water depth.
You like it? Book your stay at Panoramahotel Alpenstern 4****s
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Your stay at the Alpenstern Hotel includes half board, served at the restaurant 'Anno 1580': there is a big breakfast buffet (plus your choice of egg dishes à la carte), unlimited hot drinks, fruit juices and make-your-own smoothies, etc.
For dinner, you get a 5 course meal, and your main dish has to be chosen beforehand. There is a meat, a fish and a vegetarian choice every night. The first course is always a salad you can help yourself to at the buffet, followed by a regional cuisine starter, a soup, your main of choice and a dessert.
If you were expecting your typical Austrian dishes, you might be slightly disappointing - the menu is international and features at least one Asian inspired course (e.g. Pad Thai noodles or Tom Yam soup). We all agreed the food was okay, but wouldn't come back just for dinner.
You like it? Book your stay at Panoramahotel Alpenstern 4****s
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Unless you are out and about for lunch, you can stay at the hotel and have a bite in the popular hotel restaurant 'Genusshalde' (pile of indulgence), which is a real magnet for skiers and hikers from all over the place, too.
It's here that you will find the Austrian classic dishes such as Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Kaiserschmarrn (fluffy shredded pancakes), Schnitzel or Apple Strudel.
While pretty much everything at Hotel Alpenstern is in the upper middle-class pricing segment, we thought that the cakes in particular were very good value for money.
The restaurant offers a beautiful vista of the mountains and has a huge outdoor area where you can sit in the sun and enjoy your food and beverages:
This is where the Alpenstern Hotel really shone! All staff we met were very attentive and accommodating of special requests. We were a large group of 16-20 people, and we did keep them on their toes.
A particular shout out to the bar staff Oliver, Dammith and Attila, who we kept on their toes with all the many wine and cocktail requests. They provided a top notch service!
You like it? Book your stay at Panoramahotel Alpenstern 4****s
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Overall, I would rate the experience at Hotel Alpenstern 8/10 points.
Value for money is okay overall and good for that particular region in high season.
If you are looking for a hotel with superb location for skiing and don't mind a somewhat secluded location for the duration of your stay, this hotel is for you.
However, if you are looking to go out in the evenings, or shopping during the days, or if you are looking for a gourmet trip, you might want to consider elsewhere.
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