Review: Das Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort

When I arrived at Das Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort around dinner time, I entered an expansive lobby with multiple inviting sitting areas and a long bar. Lustrous wood floors in a chevron pattern set opposite rough-hewn planks in the ceiling presented a pleasing contrast of textures under soft but ample lighting from fixtures handmade in Italy. The business element that is the hotel lobby’s raison d’etre — the check-in desk — was so unobtrusive I almost walked right past.

Clearly, I thought, the Hettegger family (who have owned the Austrian resort since it opened in 1978) had taken the high route in expanding the resort last year. Any design connoisseur would have been impressed. When I sat down at one of the bar’s peninsulas (crafted for comfortable seating of small groups), tasted the filet of pike in one of Das Edelweiss’ four restaurants and later saw the wine list from its 30,000-bottle cellar, I knew foodies had also been top of mind. 

Amenities for Families at Das Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort

Often, kid-friendly resorts are like kid-friendly movies: The hosts throw in a few touches for the grownups (say, a margarita bar) but compromise on comfort, style and design. Above the din of screaming children at such places, you can almost hear the groans of their disappointed parents. 

Not at Das Edelweiss. Redesigned and expanded in 2023 by Tyrolean architects Kock + Bachler, this year-round gem located an hour south of Salzburg (or 2.5 hours from Munich) combines a wealth of activities for children without skimping on luxury.

Notably, the resort added 17 new junior and family suites last year for a total of 145 guestrooms. And on my first morning at the hotel, I was happily surprised by another addition: a three-story indoor waterslide, which is part of the waterpark in the new Family Mountain spa.

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This enormous cavern within the hotel was designed for kids from newborns to teens, and their parents. Just behind the waterslide area is 10,000 square feet of play space divided into Baby Mountain Area, Prince & Princess Land for ages 3 to 6, Young Mountain Area for kids ages 6 to 12 and Cool Mountain Area, a haven for teens with everything from arcade games and air hockey to a trampoline. There’s also a family sauna with treatments designed just for young ones. I raised two daughters and would consider this expanded space absolute tops for the quality of facilities and variety of amusements. 

Every element a guest lays eyes on is thoughtfully designed to effect relaxation and ease, from the hand-carved door at the in-house Sirloin steakhouse and the teardrop-shaped chandeliers above the indoor pool to the honeycomb-pattern wooden screen in the spa.

And oh, the spa! Set across five floors, the 75,000-square-foot space features lounging areas, treatment rooms, steam baths, multiple pools (including a baby pool), an enormous gym and infrared and traditional saunas spacious enough to guarantee a comfortable distance from fellow guests (some even have mountain views). A multistory indoor pool space offers secluded cubbies with couches for snuggling with spouse or child; a separate area is adults-only, with an additional section out of view for nude sunbathing in summer months (which can extend through September in this part of Austria, allowing for high-season experience at shoulder-season prices). After the sun dropped behind the mountain in the afternoon, I left the sundeck and cooled off in the indoor pool, then swam through the glass gate to the connecting infinity pool and took in the view across the valley.

Outdoor Adventures From Das Edelweiss

Coming from flat, urban Amsterdam, I wanted to enjoy the alpine landscape around Das Edelweiss.

A nearby gondola makes Das Edelweiss a ski-in/ski-out resort. At its well-appointed ski depot, experts will fit guests of any age or ability with suitable equipment from high-end brands such as Atomic and Stockli. I rode the gondola up the mountain one morning and took in epic views for a few hours before hiking back down. The following day, I opted to rent an electric-assist mountain bike to climb the mountain on the other side of the valley. After reaching the hut at Bichlalm, set at nearly 5,700 feet of elevation, a young man dressed in lederhosen served me meats and cheeses that came from local livestock.

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The joy of arrival at Das Edelweiss can be doubled if you come at night and awake to see the surroundings that had been shrouded in darkness. This feeling was enhanced my first morning when I heard the plinking of bells outside my window and emerged onto my deck to discover what must be the world’s lowest-emission lawnmower at work: a flock of sheep was gleefully employed cutting the hotel’s grass. 

My indulgently comfortable Suite Deluxe came with a view across the valley, but the jewel of Das Edelweiss is the Top Suite Deluxe — at nearly 1,100 square feet, it features a fireplace, a dining area, a sauna and a whirlpool spa on the enormous deck. 

I would come back to Das Edelweiss for many reasons, not least the breakfast. I have traveled to 40 countries on five continents and never have I seen such a spread. There’s an entire room devoted only to breads, and another to juices. Local cheeses and an omelet bar cater to European and American tastes alike. The hotel’s kitchen is headed by family member Alexander Hettegger, who sources local and seasonal ingredients.

My only regret? I didn’t have time to take advantage of the free road tests of the newest Mercedes-Benz models. I suppose there will have to be a next time.