Like the perfect martini, Miramonte is sharp and chilled, with a dash of 60s glam. Viennese architect Ike Ikrath has shaken up a traditional chalet hotel and stirred in modernist details with flair: designer chairs with sheepskin rugs in the restaurant; futuristic steel tables in the bar; avant-garde art on the walls. The 36 rooms are scrubbed and simple, film-set chic, and the overall style is nostalgic, its relaxed vibe aimed at boho, sporty grown-ups.
During the day, there's superb Alpine skiing or hiking and biking, depending on the season. Late afternoon might mean a snooze on the sunny terrace overlooking the mountains or a soak in the Aveda spa’s thermal baths. Evening meals are friendly, with delicious dishes and wine consumed at communal tables if you book half board. Later, couples mingle by the fire pit while amiable hip staff serve up gin cocktails and mellow music. Our visit was fun but fleeting, and we can't wait to re-join Austria’s artists, actors and creative set who have claimed Miramonte as their own.
Highs
- Revitalising valley views; book a Panorama Room with a balcony for extra wow
- We loved the cool vibe and grown-up atmosphere: adventurous couples will be in their element
- Bad Gastein’s famous hot spring bubbles right into the hotel – spa baths in radon-enhanced waters are both soothing and rejuvenating
- The hotel can help with ski and bike hire, and has its own ski storage and heated boot-drying racks
- Lots of extras are included in the rates: shuttles to the station & slopes, afternoon tea, open-air movie nights, coffee and pastries, DJs and live music nights
Lows
- The drive here can be tricky and there's limited on-street parallel parking (fun in the snow!). You're best off getting a transfer
- No twin rooms
- Meals at communal tables may not suit romance-seeking couples, but this is entirely optional
- Traditional saunas are shared with both genders and taken in the nude. Not necessarily a low but something to be aware of!
Best time to go
For skiers and winter sports buffs, December to March is best for snow. Hiking is best from June to October, although July and August can be hot with thunderstorms. The hotel closes twice annually: approx late April-end May and early Nov-early Dec.
Our top tips
Head to stunning Sportgastein for all your outdoor pursuits. This is the town's premier resort area, where every imaginable mountain sport is on offer. Come in the summer and you may even stumble upon a folk festival in the Nassfeld hills
- Boutique Hotel
- 36 rooms
- Restaurant & bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Bicycles Available
- Laundry Service
Rooms
The retro bedrooms are spread over 4 floors. All have super-comfy beds with Swiss-pine headboards, 50s-style chairs and brightly tiled bathrooms. Miramonte's trademark style is evident throughout: the authentic cowhide rugs and TVs on tripods are effortlessly cool, and we loved the addition of design books perched on hanging shelves. Spacious wardrobes are perfect for puffy ski wear.
If a knock-out vista is paramount, choose a Panorama Room. These have long balconies overlooking the green Gastein valley and the snow-dusted peaks above. Small Panorama balconies have tables and benches; Large and Medium Panoramas also have hammocks. Double and Large Double Rooms face the back hillside so don’t have mountain views, though they're equally gorgeous inside. For single travellers or anyone saving the pennies, there are a few bijou Budget rooms; the square footage is small but we felt the big windows saved them from feeling cramped.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Central heating
- Coffee / tea making
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Radio
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
A continental breakfast is available until a leisurely 11.30am – ideal for those sleeping off their après-ski! There's cheese and cold cuts, sheep yogurt and homemade jam, fresh fruit and herbal smoothies. On sunny days, take your food out on the terrace.
In the afternoon, hearty soup, fresh bread and a variety of cakes are laid out in the hotel lounge – all complimentary and just the ticket after a strenuous morning on the slopes or the trails.
Later, for those on a half-board stay, sociable dinners are served at the restaurant’s scrubbed-pine communal tables – 4 courses, with vegan options, and Austrian and German wines. Tasty starters include smoked trout with horseradish; mains are wholesome and slow-cooked, like classic favourite goulash and dumplings.
The vibey bar, with its large terrace, fire pits and loungers, is the perfect spot for après and gets lively in ski season. There's often DJs and live music during the winter, and the lush forest views in summer go hand-in-hand with a chilled glass of Austrian wine.
If you want to head out for food, stroll into Bad Gastein for a small but pleasing selection of restaurants. Try Good Gastein for Neapolitan pizzas and fresh pasta, or Orania-Stüberl for tasty Austrian classics like schnitzel and Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancakes). A little further out, in Sportgastein, we had a delicious meal of dumpling soup & apple strudel at Valeriehaus. There are plenty of mountain huts to keep you going while you're out on the slopes.
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
Activities
- Skiing and boarding: there are 200km of slopes in the Gastein valley, some start at 2,700 km above sea level. The hotel offers free shuttles to the local lifts, and there are buses if going further afield
- Other snowsports - there are cross-country ski tracks, snowshoe tours in the Hohe Tauern Alps, and day and night sledding at Bellevue Alm
- In summer, enjoy fabulous hiking and biking along 100km of trails on the hotel's doorstep; the walk along the Kaiser Wilhelm Promenade has particularly gorgeous views
- The hotel's Aveda spa has therapeutic thermal baths (good for sore muscles), plus a sauna, steam room and wealth of gorgeous holistic treatments - shiatsu, hot-stone fusion and Ayurvedic foot massages, body wraps and facials using plant extracts. There are hanging beds with treetop views for post-treatment relaxation. Miramonte runs twice-daily yoga classes, too (outdoors in summer)
- Spend some time in the 'design library' – the selection of art and architecture books is brilliant and staff will bring coffee while you browse.
- Explore Bad Gastein: it’s a 10-minute walk to the 19th-century spa town with its iconic waterfall, the source of the healing radon-infused spring waters
- Just chill: the sun-trap terrace, the groovy bar lounge, the balcony hammock... there are plenty of places to just kick back
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
- Skiing
- Snowsports
- Well being
Kids
Children are welcome, but the hotel isn't really aimed at families. If you're travelling with kids you may prefer Miramonte’s sister hotel Haus Hirt in Bad Gastein, which is super family friendly.
Best for:
All ages
Family friendly accommodation:
All rooms can fit a baby cot. Double Rooms Large/Panorama Large can fit 1-2 extra guests on a sofabed; Double Room Panorama Medium can fit 1 extra guest on a rollaway bed.
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Miramonte is located in the Gastein valley, outside the spa town of Bad Gastein, in the Hohe Tauern Alps region.
By Air:
Fly into Salzburg (100km / 1.5 hrs), Innsbruck (200km / 3 hrs) or Munich (265 km / 3 hrs). Click on the links below for a list of airlines.
From the Airport:
There are regular shuttles from the airports, which can be booked via Rudigier. Alternatively see our car rental recommendations.
.
By Train:
Euro, Intercity and Express trains stop at Bad Gastein railway station (eg direct connection Munich to Gastein), and there's a free shuttle service to the hotel.
Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Salzburg 100.0 km SZG
- Innsbruck 200.0 km INN
Other:
- Beach 310.0 km
- Shops 1.0 km
- Restaurant 1.0 km