Pack Your Bags: We’re Heading to Kristiania Lech Hotel in Austria

Lech, Austria
Courtesy of Leonardo Images

I am not a skier, but every year, I think it would be divine to go on a ski holiday, and get our little bunnies out on the bunny slopes and then the adults sip a cocktail by a cozy fireplace. I have to admit that I, too, would have to be on the bunny slopes. I grew up in the mountains so many people are surprised when I say that I don’t ski.  I went skiing with a few elementary school classmates one time to a small ski resort near my home.  Unfortunately, my experience was less than ideal.  I kept sitting on the T-bar lift and would fall off the ride so I never even made it up the small, bunny hill. 



Susan Lucci


I was never invited to go again with those friends, and my parents were not skiers either so I was not exposed to the sport except when the Olympics came on TV or a fan club photo of actress Susan Lucci would arrive in my mail.   As a tween,  I was a member of the soap star legend’s fan club and she would send her fans personal, family photographs.  She traveled to the Austrian Alps every spring for a ski vacation.  

Despite not knowing how to ski, it still doesn’t stop me from dreaming about traveling to a beautiful ski destination. I would like to go one winter season and expose my children to the sport and soak up fabulous wintertime ambiance.    In order to write this post, I turned to my friends at Oxford Ski Company to help me find the most perfect, quintessential, ski hotel for our virtual vacation. For the past 12 years, this small, exclusive travel company has specialized in arranging the very finest skiing holidays across Europe and North America.   For someone who likes luxury properties like I do, their website is like finding a treasure chest.  Some of their best gems are beautiful chalets and hotel properties in the Alps.

Kristiania Lech Hotel
Courtesy of Oxford Ski Company

I had the pleasure of traveling throughout the Swiss and Austrian Alps one spring and fell in love with the area.  I have always wanted to go back, and visit a ski resort there especially after viewing Susan Lucci’s photos through the years.   I told Oxford Ski Company about how I loved Austria, and they told me that was a great pick for Americans because of the easy access to alpine resorts from either Zurick or Innsbruck, both of which have great connections to US airports.

Lech, Austria defines the term “quintessential Austrian ski resort.”  It’s a traditional Austrian village with buckets full of charm, beautiful chalets and hotels, stunning scenery and the famous ‘Austrian’ hospitality.   Mark Gibbons, Director of Sales for Oxford Ski tells me,  “People are just so friendly and polite, the food is to die for both local specialities and some exceptional international haute cuisine. The skiing in Lech is phenomenal for all levels of skiers from beginner children to nervous intermediates to advanced skiers. For those coming from the US that are restricted to where they can ski ‘powder’, Lech is an open playing field for back country skiing and we recommend all of our clients to take a guide for at least one day to get the very best experience.”

Kristiania Lech Hotel is a favorite of many Oxford ski clients, and this hotel which is also a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World membership is family-owned, informal, and very child-friendly.

This looks like just the perfect spot to me.

Kristiania Lech is a luxury, boutique style hotel, located within easy reach of the Lech’s city center, and a five-minute walk to the ski slopes.  The hotel has 29 rooms, each uniquely decorated.

The hotel is also equipped with a ski butler, boot butler, ski concierge, ski nanny, and even though I’m the most inexperienced skier in the world, I know those services are much desired.   The ski nanny sounds fabulous especially to a stay-at-home mom like me.  It would be like having a real day off from work!  The Ski Nanny takes your children to ski school, helps them with their gear, takes them back to the hotel and gives them hot chocolate and munchies.  My favorite amenity is the private babysitter who will take them sledding, snowman building, or play games with them while you want to have a romantic lunch, dinner...

or just sit and stare at this view.

On this vacation, you can also catch up on your reading, and guess what?  The hotel even has a reading butler.  I’m very serious!   The hotel says the butler will even read to you if you are too tired after skiing all day.  I'm not sure if I would use that perk, but it's there if you want to partake. The hotel also provides a bath butler, and in-room spa services. 

Hotel Kristiania Lech’s ski season runs until the end of April.  As the Austrian ski season winds down, you may be able to find some super deals.  So Pack your Bags and head to Kristiana Lech Hotel, or a larger chalet, and let Oxford Ski Company handle everything for you.  Contact Oxford Ski Company  for the latest rates and specials.  If you go, I certainly hope you enjoy all those butlers and concierge services!

Until next time, I’m off to grab a cup of tea and look for those photographs of Susan Lucci on the slopes in Austria.  Mom, where are they?