On Board With…Hotel Böglerhof’s Julia Duftner – A Pilot PR Interview
Pilot PR has the pleasure of speaking with Julia Duftner, owner of Hotel Böglerhof, as this luxury hotel in Austria celebrates its new status as the only 5-star hotel in the Alpbachtal region.
With summer holidays in the mountains an increasingly compelling alternative to traditional beach destinations, we caught up with Julia, part of the Duftner family team of third-generation owner-operators of this luxury spa resort in the Alps, to discover how to holiday in the mountains like a local.
Your family has been custodians of Hotel Böglerhof since 1933; what is the recipe for your success?
We pride ourselves on being a family business and all bring different skill sets to the table. My mother is the consummate host and therefore Head of House and my father is a true connoisseur and is in charge of wine tastings, while my adventurous brother leads our mountain bike tours. My partner Hannes is a sommelier and in charge of our wine cellar, and as for my role – I want to introduce even more people to our beautiful corner of the Alpbach to be able to experience what I think is the ultimate holiday – the combination of being active in the great outdoors, relaxing in luxury, indulging in self-care and enjoying the best of local produce.
Okay, great. I like your recipe for holiday success. Let's break that down and start with the best ways to experience the great outdoors?
For me, there is no better way to start the day than a hike in the mountains. Steinberglam Pasture is my favourite - it takes about 2.5 hours from the bus stop in Inneralpbach and can be a part of our guided hikes at times depending on the group size and weather. But the best part is you can sample delicious home-produced mountain cheese from one of our favourite suppliers! My brother Alexander leads weekly mountain bike tours for our more adventurous guests, as Alpbachtal is a paradise for all who like to get in the saddle. Thankfully, we also have ways of appreciating our beautiful mountain location without exerting ourselves too much! All of our guests receive an 'Alpbachtal Card' on arrival, and this gives you free access to the fantastic mountain lift and gondola systems and free travel on the Regio bus, so getting out and about is easy and free!
You also mentioned relaxing in luxury; after that active start to your day, you might want a little downtime!
Well, we are in luck there! The latest addition to Hotel Böglerhof is a brand-new outdoor swimming lake. With stunning views of the mountains and some very comfortable sun loungers, I suggest this is the perfect spot for some R&R. I am partial to a good night's sleep, too, and our newly added Penthouse Suites come with beds on the terrace, so you can choose to sleep under the stars in the privacy of your room.
And what about the critical ingredient of self-care?
That is what being on holiday is all about! Our new spa complex, which opened in January, has been designed to offer exceptional spa treatments – my favourite is the Alpine Salt Exfoliation with Sage Oil – delivered by our expert therapists for the ultimate in self-care. Of course, we also embrace our Austrian roots with our love for saunas. From the dramatic event sauna and extra hot Finnish sauna to the dry Infrared cabin – each delivers their own health benefits and we recommend you give them all a try! We offer yoga sessions five times a week in our dedicated studio, which is also great for anyone who wants to add a guided practice to their self-care routine.
So, the final element in your ultimate holiday list is great local food; what's your recommendation?
There is a deep understanding of and respect for the provenance of the food we serve at Hotel Böglerhof, and we are immensely proud of our local cuisine. From the breakfast buffet to our gourmet dinner service and everything in between, the most excellent care is given to the preparation and delivery of our food. For an extra unique experience, guests can dine at our famous Fuggerstube restaurant which, under the guidance of Chef Hansi Treichl, has been awarded three toques by the prestigious Gault & Millau guide and has welcomed diners since the medieval Duchy of Swabia. Even our wine cellar is over 500 years old. My partner Hannes is in charge of it and takes great pleasure in finding and selecting the best Austrian wines to share with our guests. His passion is contagious!
That just leaves us to ask – how soon can we book?
Anytime! We are waiting for you! Stays are from €165 per person per night based on two sharing a double room, all on a gourmet board basis (buffet breakfast, late light lunch & gourmet dinner). To find out more, visit www.boeglerhof.at or call +43 5336 5227.
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