What’s the vibe?
Family-friendly, gastronomic playground, and ataraxy-inspiring Alpine abode might seem like bisecting descriptors, but Naturhotel Forsthofgut oscillates between them all. Its sheer size helps with that. There are 112 rooms and suites, with five larger suites (some with their own private loggia, sauna, and hot tub). And with grounds spanning some 30 square miles—dotted with infinity pools, relaxation bolt holes, and a waterslide, as well as the multistory WaldSpa—I often found myself having whole, hushed areas to myself. Curated experiences—horse riding, winter hiking—can fill your days. In the evenings, you’ll be dining with Swiss families and ski-bunny couples from all over. (I spotted an international DJ, in between tour dates, also enjoying an evening swim.)
Alongside architect Andreas Hallinger and designer Katharina Naglich, the Schmuck family hoteliers have kept the aesthetic rhythm in harmony with its lush surroundings. It’s all warm timber and plush, spherical-backed chairs, with handpicked bouquets around. Stepping into my sun-dappled, multilevel suite, I audibly gasped. Not one but two terraces (and my own private sauna) looked out on one of the steaming infinity pools and a slaloming ski run.
Each morning, you’ll eat breakfast at the same table, with a daily newsletter in a chatty tone outlining the day’s activities, ski conditions, and general life at the hotel. It makes Forsthofgut feel like its own little townlet.
Photo: Patrick Langwallner/Courtesy of Naturhotel Forsthofgut
The history?
Forsthofgut can trace its history back 400 years, with the Schmuck family calling it home for five generations. The name of its rustic, Michelin Guide–recommended restaurant, 1617, is also the year it was founded as a forestry holding (the literal meaning of forsthofgut).
While the first holiday guests arrived in 1960 (you’ll find very fun retro photos of that summer’s retreat in the guidebooks), Forsthofgut was officially set up as a hotel in 1990, with 11 rooms and one sauna, and has steadily expanded over the decades. The first WaldSpa in Europe opened here in 2011, and subsequent expansions included its wellness areas, suites, restaurants, and outdoor spaces. Its lineage, so deeply linked to the surrounding landscape, has been the golden thread as Forsthofgut has grown. The family is also heavily involved in day-to-day operations (Christoph) and its ongoing design and architecture (Christina).
Photo: Patrick Langwallner/Courtesy of Naturhotel Forsthofgut
