Bergland Design- and Wellness Hotel Sölden, Austria: Alpine appeal

Surrounded by mountains towering over 3,000 metres high sits the Bergland Hotel 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,"

explains hotel owner Sigi Grüner of their philosophy at the Bergland in the centre of Sölden, a town that lies in the heart of the Ötztal 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 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.

Venturing out into nature

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 Ötztal 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 Hotel in 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.

Bergland Design- und Wellnesshotel Sölden is a Member of Lifestylehotels

Text: Nina Prehofer