Carried on hands: a guest at the Miramonte
Our author Cécile was allowed to travel to the spa town of Bad Gastein in Austria. There she visited that Design hotel Miramonte. The stay was so pleasant that she felt like she was being carried on hands. Behind this was the permanent, non-intrusive service from Evelyn and Ike Ikrath's teams and the hosts: inside themselves.
The golden autumn was shining in its splendor of colors as soon as I was driving through Austria on the train. On arrival in Bad Gastein, the mountain peaks of the Ankogel group were covered with snow and the forests shone in different shades of green, yellow and red. Just lovely!
A shuttle service was waiting for me and made the arrival at the hotel miramonte enjoyable. It went on in the same way, because the team was not only very friendly, but also made me very familiar with the hotel, restaurant and spa times and the regional COVID-19 regulations.
Vintage meets design classics
In the spacious and stylish retro room on the 2nd floor with a panoramic view, I could hardly believe my luck, the view was so beautiful. While I was unpacking the sun went down and the illuminated alpine huts in the mountains came to light. The rooms are decorated with original vintage bathrooms, which are made with sustainable care products from Stop the water while using me equipped.
After a brief exploration of the hotel, there was dinner, served in the restaurant with well-chosen designer furniture: inside, simple decoration and surrounded by a sea of books. The seemingly endless number of books from genres such as fashion, architecture, design, travel & food represent a real treasure for all those who can only get lost in coffee table books and non-fiction books. I am one of them in any case.
Seasonal culinary delight
It was time for the evening four-course menu à la head chef Peter, who could be watched through the open kitchen as he creatively prepared the dishes. I chose the vegan / vegetarian menu and feasted my way through the following two hours: beetroot salad with horseradish, foam soup with lentils, sweet potato curry with chickpea cauliflower (known to us as cauliflower) and a mocha terrine in Baumkuchen.
The menu was accompanied by a selection of wines and other aperitifs or non-alcoholic drinks. During the culinary fireworks, Ike Ikrath, host, owner and architect of the Miramonte, welcomed his guests and wished them good appetite from table to table - this was definitely there due to the smooth arrival day and so I fell well satiated and satisfied in the soft kingsize Bed.
The next morning, my first course was the long, drawn curtains in my room to be able to enjoy the view of the mountain scenery and the fog-covered roofs. On the 360-degree balcony I saw the houses and huts built directly into the mountain and across the valley. The dew could still be seen over the town of Bad Gastein and the air was cold and clear. I quickly went back into the warm and got ready for breakfast.
Surprise at the breakfast table
Here, too, I was surprised by the diverse selection: various plant-based spreads, fruit and vegetables, sweet and salty, warm things like semolina and oatmeal and cold things like chia pudding and yoghurt, as well as a large selection of bread and pastries. Meadow juice, which comes in a lush green color and contains many healthy ingredients, has long since ceased to be an insider tip – it literally brings mountain meadows to the breakfast table.
In daylight I wanted to take a closer look at the hotel and capture my impressions in the form of pictures. Then I made myself comfortable in the James Bond bar, where people chill, read and work during the day. I chose a mix of everything. Working in such a beautiful ambience with well-chosen music, such as Kings of Convenience and The Bees, is more than easy. Time goes by far too quickly and a delicious, light snack consisting of a vegetarian soup of the day, farmhouse bread from the village bakery and fine cake was served in the restaurant.
In order to digest the food a little, I set out to explore the surrounding area: the landmark of the place, the Bad Gastein waterfall, which is one of the most famous in Austria. The pleasant autumn air at over 1.000 meters above sea level, surrounded by a sea of leaves, was a relief.
Pure relaxation: yoga & thermal bath
In the afternoon there was a relaxation program: a 1,5 hour yoga class with Natalia Hann from Vienna, the extra for Yoga autumn came to Bad Gastein. It was about Yin Yoga, in which most of the work happens passively, the focus was on regeneration and harmonization. In between she read a story from the book "Visuelle Meditationen" by Gabriele Rossbach. The large, bright yoga room offered a view of the surrounding forests. The yoga mats are from hejhej-matsthat are made from 100% recycled materials and can also be recycled again. Yoga is an integral part of Miramonte life - two yoga sessions are offered daily; Depending on the weather, in the yoga room with a great view or on the panorama deck.
Then I went to the spa area, where various deck chairs and air beds invited you to linger and two saunas to relax. I decided to take a traditional bath in a tub embedded in the floor, filled with 38 degrees warm, healing thermal water. To relax afterwards, wrapped up in a soft bathrobe and read a book.
On a visit to the Hirt's house
Really well rested and freshly showered, we went a little later to the sister hotel, the House shepherd. It is run by the loving Evelyn Ikrath, Ike's wife. It is only a few minutes' walk away and stands for a family atmosphere as an Alpine spa design hotel. There I also enjoyed a menu consisting of four courses and a delicious aperitif beforehand at the stylish hotel bar. The vegetarian menu consisted of seasonal ingredients and tasted heavenly throughout.
Cecile Meier
Cécile is a freelance author and sustainability strategist. She enjoys traveling to the fullest: getting to know different cultures, listening to other languages and discovering new things either by the sea or in a (big) city always fascinates her. The stories and intentions of the Good Travel hosts are particularly important to her.
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