My wife and I wanted to visit the Swarovski Crystal works while in Austria, so I booked a partner hotel listed on the the museums site, which happened to be the Goldener Berg. Little did I realize that the hotel was an hour and a half away. It turned out to be a happy mistake as the back roads that took us to the Goldener Berg were magnificent, with the green alps and small Austrian villages. The hotel itself was a bit tricky to find as out GPS had trouble with high altitudes. Once we located the hotel we found the staff to be incredibly friendly and helpful, the hotel comfortable and clean, and the views spectacular. We went in summer so there were very few guests and we didn't realize what time the restaurants closed, so we ended up showing up as they were closing. Instead of sending us away, the chef made a cold plate for us and we got to eat a romantic dinner alone in the restaurant. Neither the chef nor waited made a single complaint and were very friendly. Breakfast in the morning was in a restaurant with a view of the entire valley and had a great selection. There were about a dozen guests in all and everyone was extremely friendly. I can't say enough good things about this hotel, but it was really the management and staff that made our experience so wonderful. Even the owner took time to stop and chat with us. You can't go wrong staying here as long as you don't mind a beautiful, but fairly long, drive.

We just returned from 9 fabulous nights at the Hotel Goldener Berg. We stayed over New Years Eve/first week of January.

Here's my comments broken out in sections:

Location: ski in-ski out, 200metres uphill from the centre of Oberlech villiage, chairlift and ski school. Oberlech is a charming, quiet, rather exclusive, car-free mini villiage with a handful of hotels.

Arrival: You can access only via cable car, so its important to understand the arrival instructions, where to take your luggage and how to find the hotel via the tunnel when you arrive at the top of the cable car station. Be prepared for a moderate uphill walk in the snow or via the concrete underground tunnel - follow the signs. Its 200metres but would not be easy with very young children or for people with mobility issues.

Staff and service:
Hotel is family run with personal attention of the charming Daniella and her excellent staff - the service is very professional, attentive, friendly and no request is too much trouble.

Restaurants/dining:
The standard of cuisine was excellent and quite exceptional. Many places offering "Half Board" promise superior quality have been disappointing. The dining at GoldenerBerg was excellent so do not hesitate to book the Half Board.

The breakfast buffet was amazing with a huge array of options beautifully presented plus the choice of ordering cooked breakfast ala carte. The Dine Around package gives the choice of different restaurants/menus with no fewer than 4 courses. The wine list was extensive and they hosted a wine tasting in the cellar that we head was wonderful but we did not attend.

We were lucky enough to enjoy the New Years Eve extravaganza dinner, which was amazing.
Seven courses, live music, dancing and fireworks viewed from the terrace.Unfortunately we did not realise the dinner was formal in dress code, so we were in jeans and smart casual, but it did not seem to be an issue.

Rooms:
Decorated in modern Austrian style the rooms were very good. Very comfortable beds with down comforters, flat screen TV, views of the slopes.

Spa:
Fantastic spa with very modern design, wonderful view and excellent amenities. The outdoor jacuzzi "Panorama" was a highlight - often quite busy after all the skiers returned and the kids joined in!

Other:
Whilst its a small hotel (not sure exactly, maybe 45 rooms) and we were there during peak busy season, the hotel never felt full or crowded. Many guests seemed to know each other and after a few nights we started to meet a few other families. Many people we met have returned to the hotel for Christmas/New Year several times - some as many as 9 times in a row.

I had the impression were were very lucky to find a room the New Years week given the large number of repeat visits and advance bookings.

Value:
This is an expensive hotel during peak times, but was comparable to other options of similar location/offerings.

But its cost-value equation for us seemed about right. If you love skiing then you know how important convenience and location is.We had amazing snow and lots of fresh powder...this combined with the attentive service and excellent dining made it feel worth it.

We have just spent four days at the Goldenerberg and loved everything about the hotel. The staff were uniformly friendly, professional and welcoming. The food was of a very high standard - modern Austrian and the rooms and facilities excellent. We will certainly return - Lech is a lovely location and the Goldenerberg, located 200 metres above the village, fabulously located

Good points :
1) Ambiance and service levels were great. Staff seemed to really care about the guests. No request was too much trouble. Owner, Danielle, was very kind, as were all the staff we met.
2) Sensational cuisine - half board package highly recommended.
3) Dogs and kids most welcome - always a good sign.
4) Stunning spa, sauna, jacuzzi, and indoor pool area.
5) Optimal location for skiing - can ski in to doorstep.

Minor negatives :
1) Initial orientation on arrival a bit confusing, and not explained at all on booking.com reservation form - you must park your car in town, and take a cable car followed by a slippery uphill walk in the snow to get to the hotel - not a big issue, and staff were quick to sort out my confusion.
2) Wines expensive ( particularly by South African standards - I could buy a cheap DVD player or PC monitor for less than the price of a bottle of champagne), but this is probably normal for Lech. Again, not a big issue.

Summary :
My wife and I would chose this hotel again without trying to look for anywhere else in Lech / Oberlech - its that good.
Staff service ethic and empathy makes it better than most hotels elsewhere in the world.