This was our third New Year in Reischach, but our first staying in the Rubner Hotel Rudolf. Our welcome was the best we had experienced anywhere - although English-speaking visitors are few and far between (there were no British tour groups) we were greeted in English with the words "this is your home". That set the tone for our stay. Nothing was too much trouble for any of the hotel personnel. For example, we were told on our first evening that if we didn't like anything on the very varied dinner menu (a mixture of Italian and Austrian, made with excellent local ingredients) then the chef would gladly prepare a steak, pasta etc. The food was great and included tea time snacks.
Our room was very clean and all the rooms seemed to have balconies from which to admire the mountains. The hotel's position is excellent - not just for skiing but also for access to local transport. There is a twice hourly bus service for the 10-minute journey to the nearby medieval town of Bruneck/Brunico, which has excellent and interesting shopping, with lots of charming shops selling things which can't be bought elsewhere. From there there are good local transport links to throughout the Puster valley. For example, Innichen/San Candido is 40 minutes away by train in one direction, and Bozen/Bolzano about 2 hours away in another. For 22 euros a combined local transport and museum card leaves you spoiled for choice, even in the period between Christmas and New Year, when we visited, and I went to different places each day, typically returning to collapse in the spa before dinner. As a non-ski-er having lots to do as well as using the hotel's excellent spa makes the holiday. My skiing family had a great time, as there are so many different runs, for different abilities.
I think what really sets this hotel apart, and makes it outstanding, is that all the personnel are so welcoming and helpful - not just some of them. We definitely plan to stay at the Hotel Rubner again.