Hotel Blü

A lush green vertical garden and tropical plants in the lobby. Flowery graphic prints in the rooms. Herbs on the roof terrace. Nasturtium and daisy blossoms on the plates. Anyone entering this relaxed hostel in Bad Hofgastein will find it hard to miss the preference for florals. Where does it come from? From the “flower” Emperor Franz, who loved botanical gardens and laid the foundations for the flourishing tourism industry in the Gastein Valley. His monument stands directly in front of the entrance. In fact, the name of the alpine hotel with its 74 rooms—divided between the newly renovated rooms of the former “Salzburger Hof” and the newly built part called the “tree house” due to its wooden conversion—is a reference to him. Host Eva Eder also likes it when life presents new buds of opportunity. She gave up her job as a lawyer in Vienna to return to her home in the Salzburg mountains—along with her private library (which she likes to share with guests, right next to the writing room!) and her dog Poldi. Since opening in 2021, the hotel has brought urban flair to the mountain village. Vibrant colors, modern art and extravagant details such as chandeliers made from Sanbittèr bottles or a glass carafe in the shape of a fish characterize this place. Always a good sign: Locals also pop into the bar for a cappuccino, a drink or a local beer. The hotel is a casual home base for nature lovers who enjoy spending the day between imposing mountains and roaring water. Back at the residence, guests are faced with the challenge of choosing between all the culinary options. Mezze is served here as well as dishes from South East Asia and traditional Austrian fare. Shakshuka, pho or Kaiserschmarrn? As people prefer to take things easy on vacation, the only thing to do is simply to stay until everything has been savored in its entirety.

• The house is located in downtown Bad Hofgastein, right in the middle of Kaiser-Franz-Platz in the pedestrian zone. And behind the house, you can head straight out into magnificent nature.
• Alpentherme Gastein with its healing thermal water is just a five-minute walk from the BLÜ.
• Fans of a plant-based diet are also catered for here. The breakfast buffet offers delicious things like tofu and turmeric masala (also known as “scrambled veggies”), millet and plum porridge, plant-based milk, chia pudding with berries and vegan spreads.
• If you like to spend time in mountain pose, cobra or downward-facing dog, this is the place for you. The yoga sessions are free of charge: Morning Flow and Evening Flow, where the exercises are performed in trapeze cloths hanging from the ceiling.
• The atmospheric yoga room with walls made of pressed hay with flowers. Not only does it look pretty, it also smells good.
• During the day, the bar in the lobby lights up in magenta, in the evening in blue. Either way, it’s sure to be your favorite place to drink coffee, read the newspaper, have a snack or simply look out over the hustle and bustle of the village.
• The first roof spa in Bad Hofgastein: Sweat it out in the Finnish sauna or the bio sauna.
• The south-facing sun deck: From up here, you have a 360-degree view of the Graukogel, the “sugar-coated” Stubnerkogel and the parish church. PS: Between 1 and 3 pm, nudism is the order of the day!
• At the very top of the tree house roof garden, flowers and herbs are personally tended and cared for by the hostess. Depending on the season, there are plenty of flowers, making it smell just like a real Gastein farm garden.
• The events such as jazz concerts, DJ sets, yoga retreats and art exhibitions that are organized regularly

GOOD TO KNOW:

• Between 7.30 am and 10.30 am, guests can help themselves to the sumptuous buffet, which is included in the price: Homemade jams, honey from the honeycomb, milk from Salzburg cows, bread fresh from the bakery. Late risers can also enjoy breakfast à la carte all day long.
• If you book half board, you can dine on up to three courses à la carte during the day at a time that suits you.
• Guests can use the hotel’s own electric car for trips and excursions. This means you can arrive without your own car and still be flexible on site.
• If you choose to forgo linen changes and room cleaning for a stay of two to four nights, you can reduce your ecological footprint and save money with the Green Rate. And if you come by train in a climate-friendly way, you’ll benefit from the Rail Rate.
• There’s a ski and bike room with tools and charging sockets for e-bikes—these can also be rented here at fair prices.
• Need a quick workout? There’s also a small gym in the hotel.
• Where to take your four-legged friend? They can come along! The hotel is absolutely dog-friendly. As a dog guest, you can look forward to a dog bed and dog bowl in your room. There are even signposts to the best dog-walking spots, dog towels and an outdoor dog shower.
• A free city bus runs right in front of the hotel. In winter, the ski bus (stop directly in front of the hotel) takes guests to the Schlossalmbahn in Gastein.