Small hotels in the snow

The Austrian Tirol is clothed in a veil of snow, with many ski resorts now open and up to a metre of snow in some places. While the Tirol is renowned for its excellent quality 4* and 5* hotels, many of which are privately run, most of which offer excellent health and spa facilities, the province also has a great choice of smaller, more intimate properties.

Small hotels and guest houses that promote rural charm and a simpler way of life are found all over the Tirol. Here’s a selection of some of the cosiest and most charming.

A romantic rustic getaway, away from modern life
Set in a typical high Alpine valley in the far south of the Tirol, Innervillgraten is one of Austria’s most beautiful mountain villages and Villgratental is one of the last Alpine valleys that has remained largely untouched. Amid this idyllic rural setting, is the traditional Gannerhof hotel, pannelled throughout with old pine, with tables and benches dating back a hundred years. Guest roomsare lovingly furnished from the hands of local craftsmen and the beds are exquisitely comfortable, made from Villgraten wool for a particularly restful sleep. Farm produce from the Gannerhof’s own small farm ensures that the food is fresh and delicious.

A night’s stay costs from € 75,00 per person. gannerhof.at.

Magnificent farmhouse in a Tirolean market town
In the heart of the market town in St. Johann is the magnificent Landhaus Schwarzinger, a sky blue, traditionally painted country farmhouse dating back to the baroque 17th century, furnished with rustic or Bidermeier style pieces. Heart shaped chair backs, ornately painted and framed windows and beamed ceilings add hugely to its rusticity, while heavy dark wood doors, old chests and cupboards give it the feeling of a rural country house.

A nights’s stay costs from € 41,00 and € 47,00 per person in a double room. Further information see landhaus-schwarzinger.at.

Small is beautiful
Set in a marvellous garden in the middle of the medieval, cobbled town of Kitzbühel is the small Hotel Villa Licht, a romantic, friendly and relaxed small hotel, furnished in traditional Tirolean style, with light wooden floors and tasteful country furnishings. Accommodation is in double rooms, or a family apartment, and with a large garden, fireside bar and sauna in a little wooden house in the garden, the Villa Licht is a charming and cosy place to stay.

A nights’s stay costs from € 90,00 per person in a double room. villa-licht.at

Romantic hotel in Austria’s prettiest village
The 4* Böglerhof has created a name for itself as a cosy, romantic hotel in Alpbach, known as the loveliest village in Austria, for its traditional wooden, authentic Tirolean houses. As well as offering baths, massages and treatments for couples, it has a choice of four `stube’ restaurants an indoor pool and even an outdoor massage area in the beautiful gardens. The original building is an ancient farmhouse and the modern day hotel retains the period styling, with cosy farmhouse parlours and wood panelling.

A night’s stay costs from € 83,00 to € 149,00. boeglerhof.at.

Traditional Tyrol in the heart of cosmopolitan St. Anton
The jet-set resort of St. Anton has long been renowned for its contemporary hotels and exclusivity, but amid the glass and concrete is the charming Himmlhof, a former farmhouse, now a boutique hotel in traditional Tirolean style. The façade of the Himmlhof is made almost entirely of wood, its thick, ancient walls and wood lined interiors retain the feel of age, creating warm interiors and a homely feel, while traditional tiled stoves are found in most of the rooms.

A night’s stay costs from € 71,00 to € 142 per person. For more information see himmlhof.com.