Complete all 8 modules and quizzes to go in the draw to win a trip for 2 to Austria including flights from Australia to Vienna and Eurail Passes. You will depart on a week-long journey by train through Austria visiting historic cities, immerse yourself in diverse culture and exploring stunning nature with your favourite plus one.
You will spend two nights at each of the hotels in this lesson.
The privately owned and family-run boutique hotel Altstadt Vienna is located on Spittelberg in the city’s vibrant and upcoming artists’ 7th district, only a stone’s throw from the historic city centre. The owner, Otto E. Wiesenthal turned an old patrician house into a place that is rich in character with a casual atmosphere, where guests and Viennese live door-by-door. All 62 rooms and suites – each a piece of art in its own right – are individually designed by different architects and designers, like Matteo Thun, Lena Hoschek, Roland Nemetz or Lilli Hollein, who were invited to interpret their very own view of the art of hospitality. Designer furniture, light installations, a large collection of paintings and love for detail give each room its special flavour. The cosy salon area is the centre stage for a regional breakfast – one of the hotel breakfasts you will ever have – that entails fresh products every morning. What makes the hotel so unique and charming, besides the individual rooms, are its hosts, who are welcoming each guest with a warm-hearted smile and who keep the service level up high.
The (Un)guided Tour of the hotel is an inspirational journey through the premises of the hotel to learn about the artistic process of room remodelling and how differently one and the same specification – the Viennese way of life – can be interpreted. The tour is not only for hotel guests but also for curious art lovers, design savvy travellers and everyone in between.
If you are curious about the rooms head over to the Altstadt Vienna’s Instagram channel. During the first Coronavirus Lockdown the (Un)guided Tours happened on Social Media.
Hotel Altstadt Vienna
Kirchengasse 41, 1070 Vienna
+43 1 522 66 66
Overlooking the magical scenery of Salzburg’s old town, the Hotel Sacher Salzburg is the city’s only grand hotel. Located directly on the banks of the Salzach River, the privately owned and family-run luxury hotel awaits its guests with living traditions, charming local flavours, and stunning views. The Sacher’s Gürtler and Winkler families invigorate the former aristocratic country residence with modern elegance and the remodelled collection of 110 rooms and suites (25 to 150 m2) offer a unique ambience, each of them uniquely designed. The in-house health club with a sauna & steam bath and treatment rooms allow guests to relax after a day exploring the city of Salzburg. The various restaurants and bar outlets, all with terraces, provide a resort feel within the urban heart of Salzburg. The newly renovated ‘Sacher Grill’ restaurant blends traditional dishes with creativity. From the famous SalzBurger to the tasty Tafelspitz or the beloved Wiener Schnitzel with stunning views of the Salzach river and the Old Town. At the Café Sacher Salzburg guests can enjoy the quintessential and unique Austrian coffee culture. There is no way around having a slice of the Original Sacher-Torte. The Sacher Bar invites with we mix refinement, elegance and style.
Hotel Sacher Salzburg
Schwarzstraße 5-7, 5020 Salzburg
+43 662 889770
The luxury resort DAS EDELWEISS, located in a quiet side valley of St. Johann in Pongau in the SalzburgerLand province, was recently renovated but didn’t lose any of its original charm. Above else, it’s a family-run hotel lovingly managed by the third generation of Hetteggers. At this point, 14 family members (!) are working in the stunning Alpine hotel and make it a home for their guests. The sweeping windows of each of the rooms & suites offer breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The three restaurants await guests with traditional alpine cuisine combined with international delicacies. Ingredients are locally sourced: dairy products come from Grossarl farmers, meat products from the hotels own butcher and bread either from the local bakery or baked in-house. Award winning wines can be enjoyed at the private wine bar Kork & Gloria.
One of the highlights at the hotel is the 7,000 m2 EDELWEISS Mountain Spa with an indoor aqua park with five water slides on two levels, an outdoor sports pool, an organic sauna, a Finnish sauna, an Alpine sauna, a plunge pool, an aroma steam bath, an infra-red cabin, a hot tub and on the roof-top a breathtaking infinity pool with an incredible mountain panorama. The treatments range from Hot Stone and Herbal Pouch Massages to facials with the hotel’s own beauty product range.
DAS EDELWEISS is an all-year round mountain resort: surrounded by over 400km of marked hiking trails and 140km of mountain bike routes during summer and a prime location directly on the slopes of the Grossarltal-Dorfgastein skiing area (part of the Ski amadé ski alliance).
DAS EDELWEISS Salzburg Mountain Resort
Unterbergstrasse 65, 5611 Grossarl-Salzburg
+43 6414 3000
Located in Seefeld, a small picturesque village at 1,200 m above sea level just 30min outside of Innsbruck, the ASTORIA RESORT has a long history as the epitome of Alpine luxury. In the 1950’s, the Alpine jet-set stayed here—the ladies enjoying five o’clock tea and the gentlemen their cigars. Originally the ‘Pension Britannia’, the family-run hotel combines alpine elegance with Tirolean cosiness: in each of the 82 rooms panoramic views, tradition and modernity merge perfectly. To the Mauthner family it was clear from the beginning that the ASTORIA should be a family owned five-star hotel run by directors – although today, the hotel is run by a member of the owner family: Elisabeth Gürtler. Personal care and attentive service characterize the unique ASTORIA atmosphere.
Innovations and expansions are always ongoing – the rooms and suites have been adapted to the highest standards from 2012 to 2015, while the outdoor area was last updated in 2016. Despite this long tradition of excellence, the Hotel ASTORIA is constantly changing and renovating to provide guests with the best experience.
The ASTORIA Alpin Aktiv Spa and Spa Chalet allows guests to relax and unwind on 4,700 m2. From pools and a natural swimming lake to a sauna & relaxation world and body treatments the spa area provides a long-lasting relaxation effect. The award-winning cuisine (awarded with a bonnet by Gault Millau for the tenth time in a row) at the hotel’s restaurant stands for the highest level of culinary delights and regional products.
In winter as well as in summer, Seefeld offers numerous sporting activities ranging from skiing, cross-country skiing, hiking & walking, golfing to e-biking and much more. The ASTORIA activity programme offers daily changing activities ranging from Yoga & Pilates to guided hiking tours in summer and snowshoe hikes in winter.
ASTORIA RESORT *****s
Geigenbühelstraße 185, 6100 Seefeld in Tyrol
+43 5212 2272 0