The Stanglwirt: Luxurious tradition in the Tyrolean Alps
For most Austrians, this is Bio- and Wellnesshotel Stanglwirt a term. Even if you have never visited the hotel and therefore cannot quite place it, the name floats around somewhere in the back of everyone's mind. I know it from somewhere...
When the terms Weißwurstparty, Kitzbühel or Hahnenkamm are mentioned, the penny drops. Hardly any Austrian can ignore the ski event of the year and therefore also the almost equally famous Weißwurstparty at the Stanglwirt, where even world stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger come dancing.
We wanted to know why the Stanglwirt is so popular and were allowed to spend a weekend there.
Arrival/Arrival
The Stanglwirt is located in the municipality of Going am Wilden Kaiser in Tyrol, surrounded by breathtaking nature. You can hardly miss the traditional business (they have been welcoming guests for over four centuries), after all, the area now covers an area of 120,000m²! There is enough space for every guest.
When we arrive at the 5* organic and wellness resort, we are worried that we are a bit out of place, but the opposite is the case. We are warmly welcomed by the attentive staff, dressed in traditional Austrian costume.
From the reception you can see the riding hall where the hotel's own Lipizzaner horses are trained. Incidentally, this is also the place where the aforementioned white sausage party takes place in winter. We park our car near our room.
We explore the facility. What immediately strikes us are the many swimming pools. These are divided into 2 worlds, those for families and those for those seeking peace and quiet. We start with the family:
family wellness world
Felsenbad (indoor and outdoor pool)
The ambience of this pool is unique. You feel like you are in a grotto. The waterfall trickles gently. The water here is 32 degrees. As soon as you enter this room, you feel pure relaxation. The highlight of the rock pool is that you can swim outside regardless of the season. Outside you have a perfect view of the area and the Wilder Kaiser.
Felsenbad sauna and whirlpool
This room is located next to the indoor rock pool and will make your sauna heart beat faster. You should definitely try out the large whirlpool.
Tip: be sure to go upstairs and try one of the loungers. Here, too, you have a wonderful view of the Wilder Kaiser through huge glass panes. Here you can enjoy the peace and quiet, no matter what the weather is like outside.
Well, we have to admit, we came with our 2-year-old. There isn't much time for relaxation. But that makes the... all the more helpful.
children's water world
Every child's dream. There are several small pools indoors, naturally at a distance from guests seeking peace and quiet. The pools all have different depths, so there is something for every age. For the very little ones there is a small slide, and for the slightly older ones there is a pool with currents that becomes a kind of giant whirlpool.
The highlight is definitely the 120-meter-long water slide. The course record here is an incredible 13 seconds. It's hard to imagine, as it took me about 19 seconds and even that seemed extremely fast. This slide is a real adventure, and not just for children.
In the outdoor area you will also find the Stanglwirt SPA with Beauty & Massage (fees apply) and outdoor family sports pool.
wellness world for those seeking peace and quiet
Things are much more relaxed in this area.
Here you will find a saltwater pool with 36° and a 25m professional swimming pool with time measurement with a rest area in front.
We found the natural bathing lake with 517 m².
There is another whisper zone here and if you like, you can even go to the textile-free sauna world Of course, we took the photos early in the morning when there was not a single guest here.
We found the rock crystal steam bath (50°C). Also unique is the waterfall grotto, which unfortunately doesn't come across as well in the photos as it does in reality. You feel like you're in the jungle.
We leave the water worlds and want to explore the area further. A little way off we come across the children's farm.
children's farm
Children will find entertainment here. They can do crafts, play, pet and feed rabbits, jump into the haystack and do everything that children love about farms.
You can even drop your children off here if you book in advance! If only we had been told this a little earlier 😉 In any case, it was almost impossible to get our children to leave here again.
What else is there at Stanglwirt?
There is simply too much to be able to do everything in one weekend. Many of the services are inclusive services and do not cost anything extra (like the ones mentioned above). An exact You can find an overview here.
Other special services such as tennis lessons, fishing or Lipizzaner riding naturally cost extra.
Here are a few examples of what else is available:
- An award-winning tennis village with 14 courts
- Award-winning Golf Sport Academy Stanglwirt (fee required) with Driving Ranch (free of charge)
- In-house Lipizzaner stud farm/riding area
- boxing ring (the Klitschkos often train here)
- fitness garden
- gym
- A private Stangl Alm with cheese dairy
- An in-house bowling alley
- Various restaurants (we recommend the one with a unique cowshed view 😊)
- e-bike rental
If someone is missing something, the Stanglwirt also offers lots of courses and excursion options such as yoga, Nordic walking, climbing, hiking, mountain biking and more.
Does the Stanglwirt also have disadvantages?
We found a small one. The program and entertainment options are so varied that it was really hard for us to leave the resort. But there are countless places worth seeing in the area. You can find an article about it here.