Just returned from a five day vacation at the Goldener Berg. From the Austrian "nibbles" on arrival to the handshake from the desk clerk at departure, the hotel was a delight. The service was on par with that received on prior skiiing vacations in Zermatt, without the Swiss formality. The food was delicious to a carnivore such as myself, although I do feel the Dine Around menu needs more diverse options. Frau Pfefferkorn was a delightful and we plan to return as soon as possible.

Usually our ski holidays involve carrying 2 sets of skis at the end of the day (2 kids 7 and 9 yrs) and other logistics including babysitters, rushing to/from ski school and racing to get ready in time for ' the first lift'. While we love ski holidays we are usually exhausted at the end and feel like we need 'a real holiday'. Our experience in Oberlech was entirely different.

Goldener Berg is true ski in/ ski out, right on the slope. The hotel is located a 200m walk above the top of the Oberlech cable car, so it does involve some walking up hill if you go out without your skis. However the views are spectacular and significantly better than those closer to the cable car. Our kids were able to ski down to the ski school drop off point themselves and were dropped off directly to the hotel for lunch and after the PM session. The oberlech ski school was excellent, but be aware that it is very small and out of school holidays there aren't many kids (unlike Australian ski resorts, they don't guarantee availability of a suitable lesson, and my son was in the wrong level for a week due to a lack of kids - sadly you don't find out until after the first day and have paid for a week).

The food at goldener berg is excellent and the half board relatively good value. I also particularly enjoyed the wines which I thought were very reasonably priced.

The kids felt very well looked after at goldener berg. My 9yr old daughter described kids club as "awesome". Sandra took a very genuine interest in the kids and really looked after them, down to making sure they ate their vegetables, got to bed on time, brushed their teeth and washed/brushed their hair. They also did lots of crafts, went tubing, played in the snow, had pool parties etc. Sandra is a true gem. There were a few days the kids didn't ski and it was wonderful knowing they were well looked after. The kids sitting for dinner also meant that my husband and I could have some dinners on our own.

Our room was small for 4 people (studio de luxe) but was well organized with heaps of storage space.

Lech is a resort for those who enjoy sleeping in but still want 'first tracks' (lifts don't open until a respectable 9am). There were never any queues and most slopes are groomed. We were underwhelmed by the quality of the snow for most of our stay and only skied 3/4 hrs a day, however we found heaps of other things to do during our 3 week holiday. The outdoor jacuzzi was visited daily, and the kids loved the 1.5km toboggan ride and indoor pool. There are also lounge chairs with blankets out on the deck that are very comfortable.

Our plans were to visit Colorado next year. Now they are to revisit Goldener Berg.

Great Hotel in a great location right next to the lifts. The room was value for money with a view looking down the hill. (choose the "Madloch").
High quality food.They offer different courses every day (halfboard strongly recommended). The main restaurant has an excellent view and a very warm atmosphere. The spa also worth visiting and relaxing after skiing.
The most important thing is the behavior of the staff. Polite helpful, always with a smile....excellent! They make you feel like home.
Also many thanks to the staff for the immediate response to an urgent health problem we had. Many thanks to Sabine and Joachim and everyone who helped us!!!

Yiannis, Eleni

We've spent numerous ski vacations at this hotel (close to 20), as a couple, with friends, with small children (even babies) - and now with teenagers. The kids simply refuse to discuss any alternative!

Why we go back:

Location. It's simply not possible to have more "ski in/ski out" than Goldener Berg has. And a good and clean ski room as well.

Food. Breakfast is healthy and full of choices, and gives you an energized and wholesome start to the day in the slopes. Lunch is optional - but we do almost all our lunches at the hotel. There's a lovely reserved indoor lounge for house guests, a beautiful sun terrace where an area is reserved for a "gourmet ecke" - with a special and exclusive menu. Finally there's a wonderful, wonderful gourmet five course dinner every evening. Breakfast and dinner included in the price.

Skiing conditions. They are simply excellent in the area. Perfect slopes. Every day. Very impressing work put into the whole area when it comes to modernising and upgrading. It's been fun to follow through the years. Also - and very important: a limited amount of ski tickets are released each day, so there are hardly ever any queues!

Ambience. Goldener Berg is unbeatable on this account. The whole place itself has it, and it's heavy underlined by the friendly and professional staff who will memorize your name and room number within a day or two.

Wine cellar. One of Austrias most diverse wine cellars. The patron himself is very, very skillful - so is his sommeliers.

We simply love Goldener Berg and will recommend it to each and all!