As Nik and I continued adding to our original trip to Milan for the Winter Olympics in February, we decided to tack on a few nights in Salzburg, Austria, following our stay in Vienna. Since we were traveling in winter, we wanted a hotel with some sort of spa or heated outdoor pool. Luckily, Nik found Genussdorf Gmachl Hotel and Spa, about 20 minutes outside Salzburg’s Old Town. Gmachl is also the last name of the family who owns and runs the hotel, now in its eighth generation.
Hotel & First Impressions
After taking an intercity train from Vienna, Nik and I took the local train from Salzburg city center to the hotel. We quickly learned that you have to press the button for the train to stop, so we went right past our stop and had to backtrack before finally arriving at Genussdorf Gmachl Hotel. The gray skies and brown buildings gave the area a very rustic feel.
We were greeted at the check-in desk by staff, all women dressed in typical Austrian attire called dirndls, a traditional dress made up of a fitted bodice, blouse, full skirt and apron. The lobby had a similar vibe to the exterior, with natural, earth-tone colors and furniture.
Nik and I got a brief overview of the hotel, including the locations of the various spa areas and the meal times. From there, a staff member showed us to our room that’d be home for two nights.
Related: Our first trip to Salzburg in 2022
Our Room at Gmachl
Nik booked us a Mozart room, which measures approximately 36 square meters and includes a balcony, desk and spacious couch. The bed was comfortable and the balcony views were great, though we didn’t sit outside much because it was the middle of February and chilly. The bathroom was fine, but hotels really need to stop with the frosted glass and make things fully private again.
Enjoy a full video tour of our room:
The Gmachl Spa, Pool & Wellness Areas
Each hotel room comes with a bag containing a robe and slippers, which we found waiting for us when we arrived. Nik and I took an initial walk around the complex in our normal attire to scope things out and we were the only ones fully clothed. We felt like we were doing something wrong. Since this was our first stay at a hotel of this type, we soon learned that guests wear the robes and slippers when heading from their rooms to any of the spa, wellness or pool areas.
We eventually figured that out and spent most of our time in the heated infinity rooftop pool, which was also located next to the hot tub. Nik and I enjoyed both, and surprisingly, neither was very busy during the times we were in them.
On clear days, like the one we had, you can catch a view of Hohensalzburg Fortress (in the distance) overlooking the city of Salzburg.
We also checked out the heated garden pool, which offered nice views of the hotel and a glimpse of how the property has probably expanded over the years.
Additional swim options include an indoor pool and, though it wasn’t in season for us, a swimming pond.
The hallways leading to the various spa areas – which the hotel has categorized by “Hang,” “Roof” and “Garden” – all share a similar color scheme with the browns and earth tones like the lobby space.
The spa portion of the hotel offered several sauna options and various body treatment packages. Nik used one of the saunas for a bit – one side was all glass with a view of the surrounding area and, also, nude! You could wrap yourself in a towel if you wanted, but it was optional.
Dining at Hotel Gmachl
Our room rate included all of the meals during our stay. On our first day, we arrived in the early afternoon during their afternoon snack – a room just outside of the main bar and dining space with a buffet of cherry cake, fresh fruit salad and panna-cotta. The next day was similar but a vanilla cake instead. All of it was very good. Most people passed through there in their robes!
The afternoon snack is offered in place of lunch since the breakfast is a very generous buffet that goes from 7:30-11:00am. We discovered the delicious breakfast the next morning. But first, drinks and our dinner on night one of our stay!
Dinner ranged from 6:30-8:30pm and since it was only hotel guests, you could go whenever you were ready. Nik and I were greeted by one of the owners, who we’d later learn is one of the 7th generation of the Gmachl family, Silvia. We were led to a very rustic room and given a corner table.
The menu changes daily and offers five courses, with a choice of traditional Austrian, international and vegetarian dishes. On our first night, the bread course came with slices of speck and whipped butter, pictured top left. Top right shows one of our two starters: a red pepper stuffed with quiche, red onion, tomato, pumpkin and arugula dip. Middle left shows our other starter: braised cauliflower with hummus, pomegranate and a bread chip. Middle right was chicken soup with noodles and vegetables, and both Nik and I had our own bowls.
We also chose the same entrée and dessert: chicken breast served over black risotto, followed by the sorbet of the day, which was raspberry. The final course featured a selection of cheeses spread across a table where you could help yourself.
On the morning of our first breakfast, one of the other owners, Franz, greeted us and showed us to a table. Franz represents the eighth generation of the Gmachl family to run the hotel. Each table had a daily flyer with the weather forecast and other relevant news about the area and hotel.
In the interest of discretion throughout much of the hotel, pictures during breakfast were discouraged, so I don’t have any photos of the layout. Just know that they offered a little of everything you could possibly want: hot and cold dishes, eggs made to order and a fresh juice bar. They even had a gluten-free section.
Dinner on our second night was just as good as the first. The menu featured a completely different set of choices, including a different bread course. This time, we got ciabatta-style rolls, a whipped smoked salmon spread and veggie chips.
For the main meal, I started with the pea and couscous salad with sheep’s milk cheese reduction, pictured top left. That was followed by tomato cream soup, with Nik and I each getting our own bowl. We both chose the braised pork cheek with creamy polenta and root vegetable tagliatelle. Since Nik skipped the starter, we asked for a second entrée to share: roasted sea bream fillet with mango foam and basmati rice.
For dessert, I had the iced Raffaello with mango curd, cheese mousse, peanut brownie and coconut ice cream, while Nik enjoyed the sorbet of the day, which was lemon.
Our dinners at Gmachl ranked among some of the best meals we’ve ever had. The hotel posted the dinner menu online each day, and I still find myself checking it from home. That’s how good everything was!
Is Genussdorf Gmachl Worth Staying At?
Both Nik and I agree that we would go back to Gmachl Hotel. The meals alone were a highlight, but the entire stay felt comfortable, welcoming and worth returning to. Does a spa resort like this interest you? Let us know in the comments!
