Rustic Luxury

ALPINE APPEAL

BERGLAND DESIGN- AND WELLNESSHOTEL SÖLDEN

Surrounded by mountains towering over 3,000 metres high sits the Bergland in Sölden. If you’ve ever dreamt of climbing one of these mountains, this five-star hotel is the perfect base camp – and for countless other outdoor activities besides.

“We are totally in love with our mountains, and that’s exactly what we want to pass on to our guests,” explain hotel owner Sigi and family Grüner of their philosophy at the Bergland in the centre of Sölden, a town that lies in the heart of the Otztal Alps. It’s a philosophy that can be explored in a number of ways so that the scenery becomes part of your own adventure in nature. An extensive network of hiking trails is just waiting to be discovered. You’ll encounter lush meadows where you can be on the lookout for alpine flowers, idyllic mountain pastures and craggy cliffs. You might even spot some animals, as sheep also love the lush meadows, and those who are interested can take a short walk to pay a visit to the herds of resident mountain sheep. In addition

VENTURINGOUT INTO NATURE

to being the owner of the hotel, Sigi Grüner is also a farmer and a sheep breeder, and this is reflected on the menu at the hotel’s gourmet restaurant black sheep in the form of lamb dishes and exceptional regional quality. So the sheep carry on grazing surrounded by the most mighty of mountains, totally unimpressed by the stunning panoramic view – quite the opposite to us, that’s for sure. Getting a bird’s eye view is guaranteed to give you the best overview of a region. Why not give paragliding a go and soar above the mountains in a tandem flight, discovering not only the spectacular vista but also hikers, mountain bikers and, of course, the Otztal mountain sheep. If you’re more inclined to take to the water than hang around in mid-air, a canyoning tour could be right up your street. The roaring waterfalls and emerald-green water in the Auerklamm, Nederbach or the Rosengarten Gorge are truly a sight to behold, as well as being refreshing for body and soul. The ravine in the Rosengarten Gorge can also be reached by foot via the paths and bridges and makes for an invigorating excursion.

Going for a dip

The new highlight for summer at the Bergland Design and Wellness Hotel Sölden is the huge outdoor pool, the size of which will delight even the keenest of swimmers. It even has its own lift so you can get from the hotel’s Sky SPA directly to the garden, where you can dive into the refreshing water and enjoy the tranquillity and the view. Getting out of the pool after an early morning dip is a feeling like no other – you can sense every muscle in your body and everything feels wonderfully fresh and revitalised. After that you can treat yourself to a couple of minutes in the hot tub followed by a hearty breakfast at the plentiful buffet. The outdoor pool faces south east, meaning you can soak up the sun on the surrounding decking from early morning until late in the afternoon. Alternatively, there’s more than enough room to spread out across the further 300 square metres of outdoor space. It doesn’t matter if you’re a little tired after an active day – after all, you’re on holiday in a hotel with plenty of space for relaxing, especially in the Sky SPA, which has now been extended to span over 2,200 square metres.

TYROL ON A PLATE

BERGLAND DESIGN- AND WELLNESSHOTEL SÖLDEN

Fresh, healthy and conscious – it’s in line with these principles that the Bergland Design and Wellness Hotel in Sölden started its Regional 200 initiative, which requires all goods to be locally sourced.

200. This number represents the maximum distance items such as food and cosmetics products are allowed to travel – 200 kilometres (as the crow flies). That’s something like the distance from Vienna to Budapest – or even from Sölden to Venice. “We wanted to further strengthen our collaboration with regional suppliers from the surrounding area to help create a greener future: basically, green makes greener,” explains hotel owner Sigi Grüner, who not only runs the Bergland with his family but also breeds sheep on the site. In the pastures around the hotel, summer will see an average of 25 ewes and 40 to 50 lambs grazing. It also explains the name of the hotel’s own gourmet restaurant: the aptly named black sheep has long placed great emphasis on local produce, and what could be more local than lamb you’ve bred yourself? Here, regional is synonymous with flavour and authenticity – which you won’t only find in the gourmet restaurant but also from the moment the day begins with breakfast.

FROM RESTAURANT TO BAR, TO SPA

In keeping with the Regional 200 initiative and produce from the hotel’s own sheep farming exploits, breakfast serves up vegetables from Kematen, near Innsbruck (37 km away), fish, milk products and honey from Längenfeld (12 km away), and meat from Imst (37 km away). And there is still plenty of scope for new products considering the hotel’s position in the heart of the Tyrolean Alps, meaning 200 km will take you into Germany, Italy and Switzerland. It’s not just food we enjoy with a clean conscience at the Bergland – the wine list also boasts numerous sustainable bottles from Austria and South Tyrol. Even those who insist on organic wine will find themselves richly rewarded – the hotel’s sommelier Johannes Hochschwarzer might recommend, for example, the pinot blanc or the chardonnay from Saint Valentin in South Tyrol, which meets the Regional 200 criteria. An organically produced South Tyrolean red called Storlond is also sure to get the pulse of any wine connoisseur racing. Beyond gastronomy, sustainability and regionality are also evident in the Sky SPA, where we are indulged with natural cosmetics products by Alpienne, a brand based in the Pitztal region of Tyrol: arolla pine and arnica lotion, natural salt peels, Alpine herb mud packs and much more. So regionality certainly isn’t lacking in the spa. Proof that the tireless commitment of the Grüner family is paying off can be seen in certifications like Bewusst Tirol (Conscious Tyrol), which is awarded to tourism operations that use a large proportion of local products and therefore act as role models for tourism that is conscious of its surroundings. In turn, the award serves as a sign for guests that they are promised “100 % Tyrol on a plate” – and not just promised, but guaranteed.