Dreamy Stay at Naturhotel Forsthofgut: Luxury Family Hotel in Austria

A few places will ever compare to my time at this hotel, and I honestly do not even know where to start telling you about it. Of course, the number of photos I took borders on unhealthy, but I’ll share it all anyway.

Naturhotel Forsthofgut is nestled in Leogang in the Salzburg region of Austria. It is a small Alpine resort town known for winter sports, summer mountain hiking, and dirt bike riding. We visited at the beginning of October, right around the time when leaves start to change color, and a crisp chill starts to seep in as soon as the sun is out of sight. It was heavenly.

Naturhotel Forsthofgut is one of many fabulous kinderhotels – regional take on family hotels – in Austria and excels at ensuring that a family vacation is equally enjoyable and relaxing to parents and kids (a concept many of us, parents, find so hard to believe is even possible).

What is a kinderhotel? Unlike your typical family hotel with overstimulating entertainment programs, kinderhotels provide a wellness-first space. They focus on activities that connect you with nature, and help you slow down and unwind. The kid’s clubs (available for ages 2+ at Naturnhotel Forshofgut), create fun and engaging activities that aim to entertain and educate. There is plenty of outdoor time, trips to the forest to forage mushrooms and herbs, and visits to farms where kids learn about taking care of animals and sourcing different ingredients like eggs and milk. There are also cooking, arts and crafts, and so much more. Each kinderhotel has its own program (some are better than others), but the core of them all is based on the same concept – wellness, sustainability, and mindfulness.

I have asked my well-traveled friends what they thought of Naturnhotel Forshofgut compared to other kinderhotels they have visited, and the universal answer was that here there is a lot more emphasis on adults. For example, there are no toys/play areas in the public spaces, there are many adult-only spaces, etc. In fact, there were a lot of couples without kids vacationing there as well, so I think they do a good job catering to both demographics.

The hotel is luxurious without being overly pretentious, tastefully marrying the local heritage of a small Alpine town with modern design touches. Imagine a perfect spa getaway with the added benefits of child entertainment and care! And while there are many hotels of equal or even higher caliber in Germany and Austria, very few can boast mountain views as dramatic and breathtaking as this one! It looked like a painting.

It matches and exceeds the reputation of a 5-star hotel in every way: the comfort and inviting ambiance of the property, the striking beauty of its manicured grounds, modern and luxurious yet unpretentious and cozy facilities, sumptuous locally-sourced food, idyllic atmosphere (despite it being a family hotel), and a heartwarming hospitality that gave us a true feeling of hygge.

We booked a double room with a mountain view. It was beautifully designed, the king-size bed was very comfortable, and they also kindly provided a crib and cutest accessories for our little traveler. We originally planned to travel with our dog, and they set up a dog bed, water bowl and a blanket for him too!

However, we did think that this particular room category – “Nature Suite Lebensquell” – was not the best fit for us. It had an open-plan concept with the bathtub located next to our bed, perfect for a romantic couple’s getaway, but it meant when our baby was sleeping we couldn’t take a shower for fear of waking him up. So please – pay attention to room category when booking!

A few things that made Naturhotel Forsthofgut stand out for me:

For kids:

The Kids Club for kids 2+ y/o (open 9 a.m.- 9 p.m.) with a 2-story soft play area, imagination stations, daily activities agenda, a huge Parkour studio with a foam pit, climbing nets & swinging monkey bars, an art studio, wood workshop, forest adventure playground, mini farm, riding stables & Waterworld.

For younger babies, a nanny service can be arranged for extra charge.
24/7 indoor and outdoor playgrounds.
Beautiful indoor and outdoor pools with water slides and splash pads for kids of all ages. Swimming classes are also available for an extra fee.
Activity room for teenagers and a daily activity schedule for them and their families. For example, pizza making, cinnamon bun baking, painting, art classes, pony rides, alpaca trekking, and woodworking – just to name a few!
Animal farm with the cutest inhabitants kids can pet and feed.
Horse stables and paid riding classes.
A freshly cooked kids’ menu that changes every day.

For adults:

Numerous adult-only saunas & quiet rooms.
Indoor and outdoor adult-only pools and outdoor hot tubs.
Tranquil workspace.
On-site restaurants, bars, a WineWorld cellar, and a retail shop.
Exceptional spa. I can vouch for an excellent massage.
Tennis court and gym, daily wellness activities, and fitness classes.
Daily newsletter delivered to your table at breakfast, listing daily offerings, activities, etc.

We booked a room with a 3/4 meal plan. This included a fantastic breakfast, a generous midday snack bar (salads, dips, charcuterie, cheeses, breads, fruit, etc), and a delicious nightly 5-course dinner.

I was a tad shy to take images during mealtimes but trust my word, the food at the hotel was excellent. The breakfast buffet in particular was outstanding. There was an endless supply of delicious, locally sourced & organic options. Butter buffet, yogurt buffet, cheese buffet, over a dozen types of breads, juice buffet, the list goes on!

Most importantly, everything was made with love and truly delicious. In the morning, they even encourage you to take a picnic bag away to keep energized till dinner!

One of the details that I love is that you are assigned a dining table during your stay, and everything stays set up according to your needs (placemats, high chairs and other items for kids). They provide subtle entertainment each night. For example, a live harp music.

For those who like to get out and explore, the hotel is located next to a cable car that takes you up the mountain. There, you’ll find natural pools to paddle in, sensory parks, summer toboggan runs, roaming cows, and more incredible views. I’ll be honest, we didn’t venture out at all. With only two nights here, I wanted to make the most of it and enjoy the hotel as much as possible.

I was particularly impressed by the attention to detail when it comes to customer service. For example, every morning, they update a large blackboard with the names of families who are checking in that day, welcoming them to the hotel. After you are checked in, the reception staff escorts you to the bar where the entire family can enjoy complimentary welcome drinks. Kids receive a little soft toy – the hotel’s mascot moose – as a welcome gift. We also had a complimentary freshly baked Gugelhupf – a traditional Austrian cake – waiting for us in the room. It was packaged in a box and kept up wonderfully, so we enjoyed the heck out of it on the ride back home. Oh, and they also gave us a parting gift – a bag of locally grown potatoes and a recipe.

Let me know if you have any questions about our stay here and I’d be happy to give more details!