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The hills are alive with the sound of children having fun at this gorgeous nature resort in the stunning Salzburg mountains. At Moar Gut, everything is designed with families in mind – this truly isn’t a place for child-free romantic breaks – and it’s a dream for the oh-so-lucky kinder who roam the five-star resort’s myriad attractions, fuelled by the offerings at the daily dessert buffet (fans of strudel will not be disappointed).
Owing to its location in the Austrian Alps, Moar Gut offers different experiences depending on the time of year. When the mountains of the Grossarl valley are covered in snow, the hotel enters winter wonderland mode and becomes a Christmassy base for skiing, snowboarding, sledding, tobogganing and horse-drawn sleigh rides, all with a firm emphasis on younger guests. In the summer, meanwhile, it’s the perfect base for activities such as hiking, horse-riding and paragliding, or just lazing round the pool.
Regardless of when you visit, you could happily spend your holiday not leaving the resort. There’s tons to keep kids of all ages entertained, not to mention morning-to-night childcare, and surrounded by mountains it’s a chance to breathe in the revigorating alpine air and relax.
Why stay at Moar Gut?
Part of the appeal is that it’s a family business, run by the Kendlbachers for four generations. It’s charming and idiosyncratic, a million miles away from the predictability of a chain hotel. Originally a small inn on a dairy farm (as seen in the many black and white family photos on the walls of the restaurant), Moar Gut has undergone a significant expansion over the past couple of decades, yet due to some ingenious engineering – much of the resort is hidden underground, including the car park – it’s retained its low-key charm and blends into the natural landscape. The farm is still an integral part of their offering, providing petting zoo animals (goats, rabbits, chickens) for kids, and fresh eggs from the henhouse, more on which when we discuss breakfasts later.
Even after the expansion it’s only got 46 family suites – on our visit it was at full capacity yet never felt busy. It’s intimate and personal enough for the staff to get to know you and your family, and for the guests to get to know each other too. Since everything here has been designed with children in mind, and there are plenty of well-trained staff on hand, many kids here do their own thing (often with new pals made at the kinderhof).
A section of the supervised kids club is child-only – and the rule is strictly enforced. As I discovered on one occasion, adults attempting to reach their child inside the area will be told in no uncertain terms to retreat. Indeed, it can take a day or two to get used to Moar Gut’s little quirks, such as the assigned table each family must sit at for breakfast and dinner (you can choose your own table at lunch) and the fact that a giant dancing chicken, Gusti, appears at the same time every night to entertain the kids while the adults finish their six-course dinner. But after a few days of kinderhotel life, you really wouldn’t want it any other way.
The majority of guests have their own transport, but it’s easy for the carless to reach the hotel – a scenic hour-long train journey from central Salzburg and half an hour on a local bus will take you a few minutes’ walk from the entrance.
What are the rooms like at Moar Gut?
The rooms and suites here are spacious, sophisticated and spotlessly clean. Constructed with local spruce wood, there’s an outdoor cabin feel to the accommodation, and although they’re certainly luxurious – with natural stone bathrooms, free-standing bathtubs, high-quality sound systems and lots of nice touches such as branded totes and hiking backpacks – the design is subtle enough to allow the mountain scenery on the other side of the panoramic windows to be the star of the show. Every room and suite has at least one balcony, and those glorious views don’t ever get boring.
Even the smallest double rooms are spacious and come with a sofa bed, because nobody comes here without at least one child in tow. There are also two- and three-room suites, hosting up to seven guests. All the suites have plush sofas and widescreen TVs but with real-life experiences in no short supply, it’s the perfect opportunity to give your kids a holiday-length screen break.
What’s the food like at Moar Gut?
All holidays here are full-board, which here means three meals a day and some (but not all) non-alcoholic drinks. The aforementioned eggs from the onsite farm are a breakfast highlight – look to the daily printed newsletter for the chef’s ‘eggs of the day’ suggestion (which are “Moar Egg-citing than normal eggs” according to the pun-happy newsletter), along with details of the activities taking place at Moar Gut that day. A wide range of freshly baked breads (including dark rye and pretzels, as you’d expect in this part of central Europe) can also be found at the breakfast buffet, as well as cereals and mueslis, cheeses and sliced meats, pastries and waffles, and barista coffees. Lunch is a more informal affair with a choice of two main courses for adults, plus a salad buffet, ice cream and desserts; there’s also a kids’ buffet.
Dinner is when Moar Gut’s chef de cuisine Martin Börst gets to show off his culinary chops, with a five- or six-course menu each evening showcasing the flavours of the region (there are always vegetarian and vegan options, and the kitchen team can cater for intolerances). The focus is on sustainability, with in-season ingredients from local suppliers, although going local doesn’t mean Austrian cuisine every day (although we heartily recommend the schnitzel). You might get Italian, Mexican or Japanese dishes – we really enjoyed Chef Börst’s sushi. When everything goes to plan the multi-course meal is a treat for parents, but if you’ve got an exhausted child, or one who doesn’t fancy dancing with Gusti the chicken, it might mean one partner doing the parenting while the other dines alone (or sticking your kids in front of a screen).
For the youngest of guests mealtimes are made very easy – there’s formula, porridge and a range of jars of organic sugar-free baby food.
What’s the service like at Moar Gut?
It’s excellent, attentive without being overbearing, and with only 46 suites, highly personal. While it may feel a bit strange having an assigned table for breakfast and dinner, it means that you get to know your server, and they’ll get to know your culinary preferences.
There’s a quick tour at the start of your Moar Gut holiday, and the reception staff are always on hand to help with any questions. You don’t need to speak German. All the staff members we met spoke English, and most of the guests did too.
What are the kids’ facilities like at Moar Gut?
In a word, incredible. The indoor section of the Kinderhof, all sustainably built from local wood and plastic-free, features swings, slides, caves, reading areas, a huge ballpit (with 40,000 golden balls) and a cinema/theatre. There’s a well-equipped workshop where kids use hammers and tools to make objects (carefully supervised, of course) and an art studio at which several taught sessions take place each week. There are toys, books, toy vehicles to drive round a track, and a nursery where staff attend to napping babies in little pine wood cribs with organic bedding. Right outside the Kinderhof there’s a petting farm, a playground and pedal bikes, while elsewhere in the resort there’s a sports hall for basketball or 5-a-side football, a tennis court, a climbing hall, a trampolining hall and an area aimed at teenagers with video games, pool, table football and table tennis.
There are several indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a giant waterslide, while little ones can splash around safely in the baby and toddler area (swimming lessons for kids are also available). Horse-riding is another popular kids’ activity at Moar Gut, and children from the age of three can learn to ride one of the 14 Icelandic ponies (for an additional fee). In winter a family ski school opens at Moar Gut, and kids of all ages can learn the basics at the onsite slope.
There are two daily schedules of activities – for kids aged 2-6 and those aged 7+. Activities for younger children may include baking pizza, feeding the farm animals and storytime; older kids can enjoy quizzes, workshops and sporting competitions. One thing’s for certain – children will not get bored here.
What’s the area like around Moar Gut?
This part of the Austrian alps is magnificent, and one of the most impressive aspects of Moar Gut is how well it complements the landscape. There are daily excursions around the Grossarl Valley, which visitors can join with their own cars, or travel in the hotel vehicles (for a small additional fee) – most of these hikes are easy and suitable for kids. There are also lots of options for cycling, and bikes for hire. Nearby Hohe Tauern is the largest national park in central Europe and is home to 15,000 animal species.
Why should you book a stay at Moar Gut?
Through their facilities and activities Moar Gut make a real effort to encourage creativity and an appreciation of nature – and help generate meaningful moments that the whole family can enjoy together. It’s also ideal for people who appreciate comfort without the ostentatiousness that sometimes comes with five-star resorts – the hotel talks about its philosophy of “humble luxury”, and that phrase sums up Moar Gut really well.
It’s also perfect for families looking for more healthy, active holidays. Although the food is a highlight, guests probably won’t pile on the pounds during their stay. That’s partly because the food is healthy and fruit-and-veg-heavy, but also because guests are given every opportunity to get active, whether that’s through hiking or horse riding, hatha yoga or reformer pilates.
But the main reason to come is that you’ll struggle to find another hotel where so much thought has gone into making life easier for people with children. From 9am to 9pm daily there’s childcare for anyone over a month old (there’s baby beds and Bugaboo strollers and even a baby spa) and your kids will always be in good hands.
Prices start at €600 for double rooms, €1,000 for suites and €1,550 for luxury suites. All prices include full board (alcoholic drinks not included) and childcare from 9am-9pm daily
DETAILS
Address: Moargasse 22, 5611 Großarl, Austria
Price: €344.86 per night
Closest transport: St. Johann im Pongau station is a 30-minute car journey or bus ride from the hotel.