A hut straight out of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” video! At the far end of the Kitzbühel ski area, on the Bärenbadkogel, lies the beautiful Bärenbadalm, run by Oswald Hochfilzer. In winter, he serves top-quality steaks from Angus cattle that he raises in summer on his mountain meadows. And because his family also owns an original mountain hut up here, it has been renovated and can now be rented by the rest of us in winter.
The cool factor: Although the hut stands completely alone in the wild, it is also smack in the middle of the ski area. During our visit, it snowed a little overnight. So we crawled out of our cozy bed, made coffee, grabbed a freshly delivered croissant with homemade jam, clicked into our skis right outside the door and were the first to carve through the fresh powder, two or three times, before warming our feet over a hearty breakfast in our very own mountain hut.
It doesn’t get any better.
Wirts’ Hochalm, at 1,685 meters (5,528 feet), has three bedrooms for up to six people, a sauna with a view of the wilderness, a fully equipped kitchen, a large living room with a fireplace and lounge corners, free Wi-Fi and a TV for watching soccer (and other things). And yes, there is electricity for your hair dryer, your shaver and charging all your phones and tablets.
Food
When you arrive, the fridge is stocked with everything you could wish for: fresh tomatoes, fruit, ham and cheese platters, yogurt and, of course, farm butter. Fresh bread and rolls are delivered every morning by snowmobile (and hung on the front door). At lunch, a table by the fireplace is reserved for you at the Bärenbadalm, where you discuss with the chef which treats he should deliver to the hut in the evening: steak from local Angus beef, say, or spinach dumplings with sauce, perhaps preceded by a carrot-ginger soup. The dishes come precooked and only need reheating, and they taste excellent.
Getting There
Because the hut can’t be reached by car in winter (and cars have no business up here anyway!), you arrive by gondola, lift and skis. The Bärenbadalm team collects your luggage in the valley and takes it up to the hut for you.
Prices
From around 790 euros per night for two; each additional person costs about 250 euros extra.
Booking & Contact
Wirts’ Hochalm
Katharina & Oswald Hochfilzer
Bärenbadkogel
Jochberg / Kitzbühel
Austria
Tel: +43 664 8554311
