Haus Greates

The place where hay was once stored and cows were still milked by hand has now become somewhere to simply relax, put your feet up, and enjoy yourselves. This 250-year-old farmhouse with the old farm name Greates was reinvented in 2022. A great deal of craftsmanship and love for purist design has transformed it into an alpine chalet with two vacation apartments, successfully marrying traditional Tyrolean construction with contemporary architecture. However, it was a complex process to achieve the feeling of comfort and warmth this accommodation exudes today, involving the removal of surface layers and the exposure of the original load-bearing components. Instead of completely renovating everything, old wood was refurbished and combined with new paneling—an approach that not only looks great, but also highlights the eventful history of the house. The former barn on the first floor has been converted into an apartment for eight people. Large windows let in plenty of daylight and are also ideal for admiring the Austrian Alps. Above it is a vacation apartment for four guests, featuring solid beams and exposed stone walls. Just as beautiful as the accommodation’s interior is its location in the small Alpine village of Forchach, surrounded by the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park, one of the last wild river landscapes in the Northern Alps. Spring-fed lakes and imposing mountain ranges are just waiting to be discovered. For little nature adventures, however, you only need to step into the old farm garden, run barefoot through the grass, pick apples, rustle through the autumn leaves, or build snowmen. A vacation on this historic farm will bring back warm childhood memories.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The vacation apartments feel like cozy mountain huts.
• In both apartments, you can easily imagine how it was in the past, as the room layout is still the same as it was back then. The large vacation apartment extends over the old barn. And today, you can once again sleep in the simple bedrooms of yesteryear.
• The special details that give this place its soul, such as the sled converted into a table, the rocking horse, the antique sewing machine, or the white-tiled stove with a bench around it
• The apartments have spots that are real favorites: In the first-story apartment, it’s the former barn entrance with its huge floor-to-ceiling window that floods the high room with warm light; in the upper apartment, it’s the cozy loggia with a view of the Alps.
• The tasteful, understated, modern furnishings combined with the very old fabric of the house, evident throughout
• To allow the rooms to make a real impact, the interiors are pared back to the essentials, with anthracite-colored kitchens and fixtures in simple wood.
• How well you’ll sleep in this rural, tranquil setting on the wonderfully firm mattresses
• Sitting in the garden under the mighty trees in warm weather or letting the sun shine on your face
• The generously used solid wood creates a lovely indoor environment and a warm atmosphere.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• The Tennen apartment can accommodate up to eight people in two double rooms and one four-bed room with two bunk beds. It also has a modern, well-equipped kitchen with a dishwasher, oven, Nespresso coffee machine, and refrigerator, plus a living room with a tiled stove and direct access to the garden.
• The smaller loggia apartment on the upper floor is suitable for four people. The centerpiece is the built-in kitchen in the hallway, which includes a serving hatch to the living room with dining area. There’s also a sweeping view of the Alps to top it off!
• The two apartments can be combined via a clever connection through the arbor. The house can then be rented as a whole—ideal for families and friends.
• A bike and ski room as well as a heated shoe and drying room can be found in the old stables. 
• There’s no supermarket in Forchach. However, fresh milk, eggs, and pasta can be purchased from the farmer next door.
• In the area, you can explore traditional alpine pastures and rustic restaurants serving local products and typical regional dishes.
• There are no televisions in the apartments (and no reason to miss them!), but there’s good Wi-Fi available.
• Cars can be parked under a carport or in an open-air parking lot. There’s a bus stop almost on the doorstep.
• Outdoor enthusiasts will find everything their hearts desire here: Hiking trails lead to high peaks and along the shores of crystal-clear mountain lakes. You can go on bike tours, go climbing and do gorge hikes, kayaking and canoeing, or whitewater rafting. The Ski Arlberg ski area offers slopes for every level, as well as winter hiking trails and toboggan runs.
• We highly recommend a trip to the suspension bridge over the Höhenbach Gorge near Holzgau—also great in the late evening with a view of the starry sky! 
• Because there are so many different outdoor adventures to experience, the Greates is worth a visit all year round.
• The nearest airport is Innsbruck, about an hour and a half away, and the Reutte train station is about 13 kilometers away.