Escape to Austria in Vail: Luxurious Haus Hotel Awaits
Escape to Austria… in Vail? A Luxurious Haus Hotel Experience – Or Just a Really Fancy Chalet? (SEO Bait and Reality Check)
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Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I just got back from a whirlwind stay at Escape to Austria in Vail, and let's just say it was… an experience. They call it a "Haus Hotel," which I'm pretty sure means "fancy chalet" in, like, rich-people German. Either way, I'm here to spill the schnitzel on whether it lives up to the hype, because let’s be honest, Vail demands hype. And, spoiler alert: it’s a mixed bag.
First Impressions & Getting My Bearings (Accessibility & Services that Matter)
The first thing you notice (besides the price tag, ouch!) is the location. Nestled in what feels like the absolute heart of Vail Village, it's a ski-in/ski-out dream (or, in my case, a slightly aspirational daydream - I'm more of a "après-ski by the fire" type). I'm not gonna lie, navigating Vail in general is a bloody nightmare when you're hauling luggage. So, the valet parking? Absolutely worth it. The car park itself had car power charging station, which is a plus, specially in this area since there's a lot of electric vehicles.
Accessibility: Now, this is where things get interesting. The website claims accessibility. And technically, it is. There's an elevator, which is a must in a multi-story hotel built on a mountainside. The rooms are, on paper, wheelchair accessible. However, and this is a big "however," getting around the hotel with a wheelchair seemed… challenging. The hallways felt narrow, and while the elevator felt spacious, the hotel's layout itself is a bit of a maze. I imagine if you're using a wheelchair you need a really strong sense of direction or you take 2 hours just to get from your room to the lobby. I only gave it a look and a try but I imagine is a pain in the ass. Someone really needs to think about the ramps.
Quick shout-outs before I dive into the deep end:
- Internet Access: Yes, it's everywhere. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! And even, gasp, LAN internet if you're a dinosaur like me and enjoy that sweet, sweet wired connection.
- Services: They offer everything. Concierge, daily housekeeping (thank god!), dry cleaning (because I'm classy like that, obviously), currency exchange (thank you dollar to euro exchange rates!), on the-spot facilities for disabled guests, etc. A true one-stop-shop for all your luxury needs. This also includes a free luggage storage service!
- Safety: A full list, with CCTV, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, security everywhere. If you can still get robbed, do not choose Escape To Austria.
- Check-in/out: the reception is 24 hours.
The Room: My Mountain Fortress (or Tiny Chalet Shack?)
My room? Okay, let's talk about the room. I booked a "deluxe" (more like "expensive") room. It was… nice. Very aesthetically pleasing, think "rustic-chic meets minimalist luxury." The bed was comfortable (extra long!), the linens felt like a cloud, and I had a window that opens (a MUST for me).
What I really loved:
- Blackout curtains: Crucial for napping after a long day of… well, whatever I did.
- Coffee/tea maker: Essential for my morning ritual of grumbling and drinking caffeine.
- Free bottled water: Because hydration is key when you're at altitude and also because I'm too lazy to buy my own.
What was less than perfect:
- The view: While the website promised "mountain views," my specific room looked out onto… another part of the hotel. Not exactly the Instagram moment I was hoping for.
- The "seating area": It was more of a "tiny chair in the corner" situation. Not exactly ideal for lounging.
- I could hear everything from the hallway. You could hear the people chatting outside your door. This isn't a good thing in a hotel.
Dining & Drinking (So Much More Than Schnitzel, Thankfully)
Okay, the food. This is where Escape to Austria really shines, or at least, where your wallet takes the hardest hit.
- Restaurants: Several restaurants! The one I tried offered a la carte, buffet, or alternative meal arrangement. They had Asian Cuisine in a restaurant. I think that's the best of all.
- Room service: 24-hour is a godsend when you need a midnight snack.
- Snack bar: Great for a quick bite.
- What's lacking: Vegetarian options. I had some trouble trying to keep to my diet.
Now, the pool/spa area. This is where I went FULL stream-of-consciousness.
(Deep Breath)
Okay. So, the pool. The pool with a view! This was a selling point, baby. They had a pool built into somewhere up the mountain, or on the roof. It's an indoor/outdoor thing. The view? Spectacular. Like, "jaw-droppingly beautiful" spectacular. You're swimming in warm water, looking out over the snow-capped mountains, and feeling like a total boss. I could have stayed there all day, and I almost did.
But then… the Spa. Oh, the Spa.
They had a spa! With everything. A sauna, a steam room. Massages! Body wraps! Foot baths! The whole shebang. I booked a "deep tissue" massage because, let's be honest, my shoulders were screaming after a flight.
The massage itself was… let's say, intense. The masseuse was clearly well-trained, but she was also… enthusiastic. Think less "gentle kneading" and more "power-washing your muscles with a high-pressure hose." I left feeling both relaxed and slightly bruised.
Quirkiness and Imperfections, and Why They Matter:
They had a shrine! Yes, a literal shrine. I have no idea what it was dedicated to. I have no idea why it was there. But it was quirky, and that's what made it memorable. Escape to Austria isn't flawless. It's got its quirks, its little imperfections. The front desk are super kind. It felt almost like I was being treated with too much attention. It’s expensive, yes. But it's also unique.
COVID-19 Safety: Seriously, Did Anyone Breathe?
Alright, let's talk about the elephant in the room: COVID-19. They took it seriously. (And the website says it as well).
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Check.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Check.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Check. They looked like they were more scared than me.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Check. (Which, honestly, is a nice touch.)
It felt safe, which is a huge relief. I saw people wearing masks everywhere indoors, and for most parts I took off my mask and no one seemed to mind or get annoyed.
Is it worth it? That depends.
Look, Escape to Austria in Vail is luxurious. It's expensive. It's not perfect. But the pool is amazing, the food is generally very good, and the staff is trying to be nice. If you're looking for a special occasion or just want to treat yourself, it's definitely worth considering. Just be prepared for the price tag and the occasional quirky moment.
The final verdict:
It's a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I took off a star for the accessibility hiccups and the slightly underwhelming view from my room. But the pool, the spa, and the overall "luxury chalet" vibe were enough to make it a memorable experience. Would I go back? Maybe. If I hit the lottery, absolutely. And I can highly recommend it.
Unbelievable Fort Worth Getaway: Comfort Inn & Suites Fossil Creek!
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's perfectly-organized travel itinerary. This is a vibe. We're talking Austria Haus Hotel in Vail, Colorado, and my attempts at a "relaxing" ski trip. Emphasis on attempts.
Day 1: Arrival and the Illusion of Serenity (aka, Getting Lost in the Parking Garage)
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at Denver International Airport (DIA). "Arrive." More like, emerge after a flight that felt like it was fueled by stale pretzels and recycled air. The first hurdle? The rental car. The second? The avalanche of luggage I always overpack. Three oversized bags, a backpack stuffed with emergency chocolate (priorities, people), and my ski boots… which, naturally, I forgot to pack in a separate, accessible bag. Cue the grumbling.
- 3:00 PM: Finally on the road! The drive to Vail is supposed to be scenic. I tell myself this as I wrestle with GPS and try to avoid merging into oncoming traffic. The mountains are majestic, yes, but mostly I'm focused on not causing a major vehicular incident.
- 5:00 PM: Arrive at Austria Haus. Whoa. This place is seriously charming. That cozy, alpine-chic vibe is in full effect. Little did I know, this charm would immediately be tested by the parking situation. Finding a space felt like winning the lottery. I spent a good twenty minutes circling the parking garage, muttering under my breath like a particularly grumpy badger. Eventually, victory! (Until I had to carry all my luggage… uphill… in ski boots.)
- 6:00 PM: Check-in. The lobby smells amazing – like cinnamon and pine needles. Breathe. Relax. Remember the reason I'm here is for me-time. The front desk is super friendly, and my room? Gorgeous. Balcony overlooking the Gore Creek. Fireplace. Okay, maybe this might actually work.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner at the hotel restaurant. I'm ravenous. The menu is all fancy-pants Austrian fare. I order the Wiener Schnitzel. It's… good. Maybe too good. Suddenly I don't feel like myself anymore, I feel like I just ate a plate filled with an old Austrian dude's feelings. Also, the wine list is extensive and expensive. My wallet weeps a little.
- 8:30 PM: Back in the room. I should be unwinding by the fireplace. Instead, I'm fighting with the TV remote and struggling with the Wi-Fi. "Relaxation" level: zero.
Day 2: The Mountain and the Myth of Grace (aka, Learning I'm Not as Young as I Used to Be)
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel and the beginning of the day's fun! The coffee is strong, and the breakfast buffet is tempting, but I'm determined to be a "healthy, active human" this trip. So I get oatmeal with some fruit.
- 9:00 AM: Ski rental and lift tickets. Vail. The mountain itself is beautiful! I head up the gondola, feeling cautiously optimistic. The air is crisp, the sun is shining…
- 9:30 AM: First run. Oh, dear god. I have forgotten everything. I'm a clumsy, awkward penguin on skis, flailing all over the place. I'm pretty sure I almost took out a small child.
- 10:00 AM: Second run. Slightly better. I manage to stay upright for… maybe thirty seconds at a time? I find myself wishing I'd taken more walks in the summer. At this point, I decide to stick to the bunny slope.
- 11:00 AM: Bunny slope is very crowded. I was so hopeful! I actually fall. I'm not sure if I'm more humiliated or sore, but I'm both.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch at a mountain restaurant. Sun shining, delicious food, and everyone else looks like they know what they're doing. I'm just silently envious.
- 1:00 PM: Determined to improve, I head back to the bunny slope. Suddenly I'm much more willing to fall. In fact, I spend most of my time on the ground.
- 4:00 PM: Back at the hotel, I stumble into the spa, promising myself a massage to soothe my aching muscles. They are fully booked. So I buy a giant tub of ice cream and eat it in my room.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at a casual Italian place in town. Comfort food is my friend. I actually have a great time chatting with the server.
- 8:00 PM: Take a nice hot bath and watch a movie. Realize I should probably be doing more stretching. Eh, I'll start tomorrow.
(A Messy, Humorous Interlude - Day 3, the Day of the Great Bookstore Hunt)
- 9:00 AM: I wake up, and realize I'm in pain. My legs are screaming. But I refuse to give up on my quest for relaxation! Today I will take a day off of the slopes.
- 10:00 AM: I discover the book store is closed on Mondays. I walk over to the next one and then the next one and… none of them seems to be open. I'm pretty sure I am not cut for day trips in mountains.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch at a cute little cafe I found while searching for my holy grail. The cafe is amazing. They have the best crepes I have ever tasted.
- 1:00 PM: Strolling through the shops, I decide to get a souvenir. I settle for a mug that says "I survived Vail" and a t-shirt that says, "I'm not sure what is worse: the snow or the other skiers."
- 2:00 PM: I settle for some relaxation back at the hotel and hit the indoor-sized pool.
- 4:00 PM: I order a massage. The hot stones are heaven.
- 7:00 PM: After the massage, I decide to take a stroll. I wander around the hotel and find a nice quiet place to sit and think about things. I can hear the stream of the creek flowing outside. I breathe in the cool mountain air, and realize I've completely forgotten about how much my legs hurt.
- 8:00 PM: Finish the night by ordering room service.
Day 4: Attempting Adventure and the Price of Altitude (aka, Feeling like I'm Literally Floating)
- 9:00 AM: Back to the slopes! I want to conquer a green run.
- 10:00 AM: I'm doing it! I'm making progress! I am… out of breath.
- 10:30 AM: I decide my lungs have decided to quit. I return to the hotel.
- 11:00 AM: I visit the hotel gym to ease the pain of not skiing.
- 12:00 PM: My altitude sickness is setting in. My head is pounding, I'm feeling nauseous. I spend the rest of the day in my room, drinking water and watching bad daytime television.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at the hotel restaurant again. Somehow, the food feels better than yesterday. I'm a sucker for the vibe.
- 8:00 PM: I get into bed early. I fall asleep immediately.
Day 5: Farewell and the Unfinished Business of Relaxation
- 8:00 AM: Wake up! The altitude sickness has (mostly) passed and my muscles are on the mend! Time for a final breakfast.
- 9:00 AM: I pack my bags. It seems I've left behind nothing but receipts and a half-eaten box of chocolates. Good. I can relax.
- 10:00 AM: Check-out. The front desk staff is cheerful. I'm secretly jealous of their ability to look so put-together so early in the morning.
- 11:00 AM: The drive back to DIA is a blur. The mountains seem less majestic, more like a looming reminder of my athletic ineptitude.
- 1:00 PM: At the airport I grab a book and sit down with a coffee. I feel relaxed, but also strangely sad. I wonder if I'm getting out of vacation what I wanted from it.
- 5:00 PM: I board the flight back home. The woman next to me is eating a bag of chips and has no shame. I'm feeling inspired by her lack of shame.
- 6:00 PM: I finally arrive home. I am exhausted, exhilarated, and already plotting my return to Austria Haus… even if it's just for the cinnamon-scented lobby.
So, there you have it. A whirlwind tour of Vail, Colorado, from the perspective of a human being who is definitely not built for the Olympics. But hey, at least it was memorable, right? And that's the important thing. Now
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Escape to Austria in Vail: Your Luxurious Haus Hotel - FAQs... and My Hang-Ups
Okay, so "Escape to Austria" in Vail... what *is* it, exactly? Is it just a ridiculously fancy hotel?
Well, yeah, it *is* a ridiculously fancy hotel. But calling it "just a fancy hotel" is like saying a Ferrari is "just a car." It's more… an *experience*. You know? Think: Bavarian chalet meets a mountain of money. It's got that classic Alpine charm, all the dark wood and cozy fireplaces, but with the polish and service level of a place that costs, well, enough to make my bank account weep silently. I stayed there, and honestly? I still feel a little guilty about it.
What kind of rooms are we talking about? Like, are we crammed in a tiny room or living the high life?
Ah, the rooms. The *rooms*. Let me tell you, I am not used to rooms this… generous. You're not going to be tripping over your suitcase, trust me. My room? I'm pretty sure I could have hosted a small dance party in the living area. (I considered it, but then I got the feeling I'd be judged by the impeccable staff). Think: plush everything, views that made me forget I pay rent, balconies big enough to sunbathe on… which, admittedly, I did, even though I felt a little weird about it in the middle of winter. It's definitely high life material, with a capital "H."
About amenities... Spill the tea! What's the spa situation like? And the food? PLEASE tell me about the food.
Okay, the spa. The spa. Seriously, the spa felt like walking into a different dimension. Forget your local gym's sad-looking sauna. This was a whole other level. Multiple saunas, steam rooms that smell like heaven, plunge pools… I think I spent a solid three hours just *existing* in that place. I got a massage, which I’m pretty sure was performed by a person who knows the secrets of the universe, and I nearly fell asleep mid-treatment, and I'm not even that into massages! And the food! *Sigh*. The food. Okay, so here's the thing. I'm a bit of a food snob. I apologize in advance. But the food was… ridiculous. Like, Michelin-star ridiculous. Every single meal was a masterpiece. Each plate looked like a work of art, and tasted even better. I almost cried at the breakfast buffet (in a good way). I didn’t even *want* to eat, I just wanted to stare at it! The chef even came out and chatted to us at dinner, and well, I'm pretty sure I made a fool of myself. I'm still mortified by what I said about his "deconstructed strudel". Apparently, people do *not* appreciate an expert opinion when they are the expert.
What's the vibe like? Is it stuffy and pretentious, or can a mere mortal like me feel comfortable?
Okay, this is the *big* question, right? Honestly? A tiny bit of both. It certainly *leans* pretentious. Let's be honest. People are there to *be seen* as much as to enjoy themselves. But! The staff... the staff genuinely made me feel welcome, even when I showed up looking like I'd been dragged through a snowdrift (which, let's be real, I probably had been). They were super professional, but also friendly and helpful. I'm not sure they've ever met anyone who looks as out of place as I did, but they never let on. So, yeah, you might feel a little intimidated at first, but the genuine service and warmth is remarkable.
Is it family-friendly? Or more of a couples retreat/solo experience?
I saw some kids, but I definitely got the feeling it was more geared towards couples or solo travelers who are ready to spend some serious cash. I certainly wouldn’t want to bring a toddler there, they’d break something from the shear joy of doing so. It's the kind of place where you can lose yourself in luxury, or maybe find yourself, if you're into that sort of thing. So, while families *can* go, it's probably not the ideal spot. More romance, less chaos, generally speaking. Unless *your* family is chaos aligned with luxury. Then, go for it! Just... don't blame me.
Okay, let's get realistic. Is it worth the price tag?
Alright, the million-dollar question (pun intended). Honestly? It depends. If you’re looking for a budget vacation, *absolutely not*. It's like, buy a house-worth of money. But if you're looking for an experience, a total escape from reality, something truly special? And you've got the disposable income? Then, maybe. Just be prepared to spend some serious cash. I'm still trying to justify it to myself, months later. But the memories... the food... the spa... Those things, those experiences, are pretty hard to put a price on. If you’re going, though, please, send me photos?
What's the one thing you would change (if anything)?
Okay, here's the thing. The whole experience was *almost* perfect. If I had to nitpick? The sheer amount of… stuff. Like, too much marble. Too many chandeliers. It made me feel a little bit like I was in a very expensive museum, or a particularly glitzy film set. I felt like I had to tiptoe around. Maybe a little more cozy, a little bit less "look at my wealth," would have been perfect. That said, if I could magically change anything? I'd make it last *longer*. I'd love to go back, right now. Maybe win the lottery first.
Any tips for an, ahem, *normal* person visiting?
Absolutely! Firstly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely want you to have a great time. Secondly, wear comfortable shoes! You'll be doing a lot of walking. Third, embrace the experience. Don't be intimidated. It's okay to feel a little out of your depth. Finally? Indulge. Splurge on a treatment, order the expensive wine, eat the dessert. Why did you go if you're not going to treat yourself? And, most important: Try not to judge the people who *seem* utterly at home. They're probably just as baffled as you are, deep down.
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