Walch's Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel

Tucked away high in the mountain state of Vorarlberg, Austria’s westernmost state, is the resort village of Lech am Arlberg, which is that most unusual variety of ski town: it’s actually a proper town, founded not during the 20th-century ski boom but by Swiss migrants during the 14th century. And here you’ll find a most unusual resort inn, the Walch's Rote Wand — a classic centuries-old Alpine inn, which beneath its absolutely traditional surface has been cleverly modernized, renovated in a light, contemporary style.

Instead of heavy timbers the rooms are minimalist, in white Austrian maple, simply furnished and well-lit by the sun. The 1,500-square-meter spa is a new addition, offering a Finnish-style outdoor sauna, a steam grotto, and an indoor-outdoor pool — even in winter the water is warm enough for an outdoor swim. There’s a fitness center, to suit the Rote Wand’s active clientele, and massage, just the thing to recover from a day on the slopes.

The restaurant, open during the winter, serves a fresh and modern Austrian cuisine. Along with its sister resort of Zürs, Lech offers some of the finest skiing in Europe — and in the summer this bucolic landscape, dotted with grazing cows, is about as picturesque as it gets.

Please note: Walch's Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel is a seasonal property open annually from June thru October and November thru April.