Intro
Looking for some time to unwind and relax surrounded by a spectacular mountain setting? Then the Bichlhof in the famous village of Kitzbühel might be something for you. Kitzbühel mainly gained its fame through the neck-braking downhill race "Streif" that takes place every January. It yearly attracts big crowds and is also the place to be for the Rich & Famous.
The Bichlhof
Away from the crowds and a bit out of the main town centre, Kitzbühel however also offers unspoilt nature and a relaxing tranquillity. One place where you can tuck into your inner-self and pamper your soul is the family-owned Bichlhof Hotel.
The rooms
Rooms are designed in a modern rustic style, incorporating natural materials, are bright and with a stunning view.
The Garden
The hotel is surrounded by a vast garden area, where guests can enjoy their privacy. On a small walk around visit the hotel-owned vegetable and herb garden – the slogan here: "Everything that nature offers lands fresh from the garden onto your plate".
The Food
That brings us to the next topic - FOOD. I highly recommend to opt for a half-board meal plan as the cuisine is fantastic. Already breakfast is great with so many healthy options. Food in general is fresh, creative, full of taste and uses lots of organic and regional ingredients. Wellbeing means also to enjoy delicious food during a holiday and to leave the calory count at home.
Don´t miss to try fresh trout out of their own fish ponds plus mountain cheese from their own alp farm.
The Spa
For your further relaxation and a release after an exciting day full of sportive activities, the hotel has a very nice Spa area. Choose between a panoramic indoor and outdoor pool (which is heated year round) as well as a sauna, steam room and relax area. I can also highly recommend to book yourself into a massage or some kind of other treatment. The Spa team is fantastic and my Hot Stone massage was purely amazing.
What to do during the day
If that´s too much relaxation for you and you want to get active then the Kitzbühel area offers you endless options for all kind of sportive action. Of course with all the mountains around hiking is one of the top things to do and you have a countless choice of treks for all tastes and levels.
For hiking options and all further information on sports and entertainment, check the official website of the Kitzbühel Tourism office www.kitzbuehel.com
You can also rent mountain bikes and E-bikes directly with the hotel.
Hiking recommendation
As I said hiking options are numerous, nevertheless I want to introduce a hike, which we did and I really liked it as it is an easy to medium level and offers you real spectacular views.
From the hotel take either the public bus (which stops close to the hotel) or a taxi to the station of the Horn Bahn. From here you take the cable car Hornbahn I + II (www.kitzski.at). From the top you already have fantastic views over the Loferer Berge and Wilder Kaiser. Start your hike towards the Hornköpfl.
Note: if you like you can also make a detour through the beautiful Alpengarten – an amazing alpine garden collection (kind of mountain botanical garden). If you plan to do so, start your tour early to allow enough time. The hike without the detour is around 2-3 hours.
At the Hornköpfl you can have a rest at the artificial reservoir lake and just breath in the fresh air and indulge in the view….yes, those views are what makes that tour really special!!!
The onward hike is mainly a ridgeway path without any significant ascends and goes through lush alpine grassland. Depending on the month you might cross a sea full of colourful mountain flowers. After you reach the Lämmerbuehelalm you will face a quite steep, however relatively short ascend to the Hochetzkogel before you descend again towards the Bichlalm.
From there once again the panorama is purely stunning. Refresh your feet in the ice-cold water of the nearby Kneipp pool, before you enjoy a traditional and hearty Brotzeit on the terrace of the Bichlalm (www.bichlalm.at).
For the descend take your seat in the Bichlalm chairlift, which stops right in the front of the Bichlalm Hotel.
For the Foodies
As I mentioned before the food at the hotel is fantastic, so usually you do not need to leave the hotel for any culinary delights. However Kitzbühel in general is also famous for its restaurants and hospitality, so at least you should try once some outside option as well.
It is the same thing like with the activities, also restaurant options are just too many so you will need to explore that for yourself.
I just can say that my all-time favourite is still Rosi´s Sonnberg Stubn (www.sonnbergstuben.at), which is also famous among the Kitzbühel Jetset – but food is really good, the ambience super cosy and views are amazing. The service team is friendly and most of the time you will see Rosi herself walking around and checking on her guests. As I said the view is nice, that means the restaurant is quite high up, so be aware that the road is steep and narrow to reach.
Another recommendation would be the Rehkitz (www.rehkitz.at) and for warm summer nights the beautiful lake-side terrace (Schwarzsee) of Pipino´s (www.pipinos-restaurant.com).
My last tip for a lunch with a view would be the Labalm (www.labalm.at) – you come to Labalm rather for the location than for some outstanding culinary experience. Also here the road to reach is super narrow, but once on top you can enjoy the view into the valley.
On your way back it is worth to stop at the Kasplatzl (www.kasplatzl.at), where you can see how the local cheese is produced and of course….go on a cheese tasting!
Another not to be missed stop on the drive back is the hanging footbridge beside the main road over a splashing waterfall.
Come to the legendary mountain city of Kitzbühel to explore more!