ALPIN FAMILY RESORT SEETAL: A place where mums can take a breath and unwind
You know that a holiday with children isn’t really a holiday, don’t you? Usually, it’s a job in its own right. You have to find a hotel with a room big enough for the whole family without breaking the bank. Check whether there’s space for the pushchair, whether the cots are suitable and whether the children will eat the local food. Find the nearest playgrounds on the map in advance so the little ones don’t get bored. In short, a holiday with children is an ordeal with a lovely view. But there are places where a mum worn out by everyday responsibilities — and a dad, too — can take a breath: a hotel designed specifically for families with young children! One such place is ALPIN FAMILY RESORT SEETAL in Austria’s Tyrol region.
It’s all in the details
The hotel’s concept goes beyond a family holiday with a children’s club where you can drop off your child. Here, everything is designed around families. It really is all in the details: a laundry room with washing machines, so you don’t have to bring a mountain of clothes for a week; equipment such as baby monitors and child carrier backpacks for walks in the mountains.
And there are so many thoughtful little touches: children’s towels, adorable miniature dressing gowns, a children’s play tower right in the spa area, highchairs of every description and designated spaces to park pushchairs.
The hotel itself, meanwhile, is small. This is no vast Turkish all-inclusive operation where breakfast feels like the Tube at rush hour. ALPIN FAMILY RESORT SEETAL is an intimate local gem. It is owned by one family, and the atmosphere is thoroughly familial. Think of a welcoming, quintessentially Alpine hotel, with the comforting scent of wood throughout its cosy interiors and the feel of a ski resort.
What is there to do?
ALPIN FAMILY RESORT SEETAL has extensive grounds with playgrounds, a mini farm, its own climbing wall, go-karting, a creative activities centre and a pony-riding arena. There is even — heaven help us — a children’s spa, along with all sorts of other ways to be active or do absolutely nothing. Every day brings a packed programme of entertainment for different ages, from alpaca encounters to children’s mocktail-making workshops.
The hotel has two children’s clubs: one for the very youngest guests and another for children aged four and over. Childcare is already included in the room rate. So you can leave your child with the childcare team and head off to the spa, yoga, aqua aerobics, a massage, a mountain hike or an excursion: adults certainly won’t run out of things to do. And all of this comes against a backdrop of magnificent Alpine scenery.
Speaking of scenery… One of the hotel’s main attractions is its mesmerising mountain views. They are everywhere, even in the bathroom, with its panoramic windows. This may well be the most Instagrammable bathroom imaginable. And, of course, it has a child’s step stool, dressing gowns and separate, cheerful towels for the smallest guests. The outdoor pool is equally picture-perfect — and comes with a view, too.
But the most extraordinary experience at ALPIN FAMILY RESORT SEETAL is yoga or meditation in its yoga studio. Set at the top of a slope, with panoramic windows, the studio places you right in the heart of the Alpine landscape. Around you are nothing but timeless, silent mountains, forest and an immense sky. You can join a group or meditate on your own.
Then there is swimming, a high ropes adventure course for teenagers and mountain biking. In winter, there are all the facilities skiers need, plus direct access from the hotel to a ski lift.
The food: your inner mum will approve!
Food is available from practically morning until night and, incidentally, is included in the room rate. There are plenty of traditional Austrian dishes. During the day, a complimentary buffet was served; in the evening, there was a sumptuous five-course dinner.
Alongside the restaurant fare, the daily menu includes home-style cooking: always soup, porridge, pancakes at breakfast and gently braised little meat patties for toddlers. My inner Russian mum nodded approvingly.
For those who don’t eat meat, there are vegetarian options and fish. Every evening, children also get a wonderfully inviting ice-cream counter of their own.
Getting there
The flight from London takes around two hours, followed by a 45-minute taxi journey to the hotel. The airport is small, so the journey really doesn’t take long. The hotel can also help arrange your airport transfer.
Rates and rooms
Rates start at €176 per night. Be sure to check the ‘Offers’ section, where you can find excellent deals for four- or five-night stays. The youngest child, if under six, stays free!
There are also special offers for the Christmas holidays and throughout the ski season. The hotel has a wide range of family room configurations, so you can choose one that suits the ages and number of your children, and your family’s particular needs.
Photographs by the author.
