An Ideal Winter Retreat

If you are longing for a peaceful winter retreat where you can regroup, breathe, and simply relax in nature, this Austrian guesthouse-restaurant and nearby lake are the perfect solution.

In the hectic, often stressful December holiday season, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed with work, family obligations, cooking duties, parties to host or attend, and overindulgences in food and alcohol.

In your quieter moments, this might lead to a longing to retreat to a simple, beautiful location in the mountains with time just for yourself (and maybe a partner). Perhaps you visualize yourself playing in the snow, walking along a beautiful mountain lake, journaling in a warm and cozy corner, or eating delicious food (made by someone else, of course). In the best of all worlds, you might even visualize sitting in your own private sauna while allowing your body to release its old—and newly acquired—toxins.

If all of this makes your heart beat faster, I have a suggestion: Lurgbauer. Located in the Austrian state of Styria, this farm/restaurant/guest house is only four miles from Mariazell, one of my favorite villages in Austria, and five miles from Erlaufsee, a pristine mountain lake that straddles the states of Styria and Lower Austria.

This region is beautiful in all seasons, but it is especially appealing from December to February, when snow covers the ground and ice-covered trees sparkle like diamonds in the winter sun.

Clear water, lush meadows, deep forests and people - if Styria has a green heart, then it is here in Mariazellerland. Pure nature - so to speak, not constructed, not imposed, but lived for centuries, revitalized in many different ways and made tangible for our guests.

—Lurgbauer website

In German, Bauer means farmer. And Lurg is the name of a peaceful little valley near Mariazell. Translated, this means that the family who owns Lurgbauer are working farmers in the beautiful Lurg valley. In addition, they have built a restaurant and added a few guest rooms for people who would like to experience the wonders of the valley, too.

Gerhard and I have visited Lurgbauer three times in the last eight years, and we look forward to it every time. That is why we planned a two-night stay there this month when we were visiting Vienna.

The farmhouse and outbuildings sit on a hilltop that is surrounded by meadows, forests and mountains. No other houses or buildings are visible, and the clean, pure air almost feels alive. From the moment we arrive, we can feel the stress of our day-to-day lives simply melting away.

Lurgbauer Guest Rooms

Wohlfühlzimmer (the Goodfeeling Room”)

Lurgbauer has six unique guest rooms. Two of these have their own private sauna, so these are where Gerhard and I have always stayed. The first one—the Goodfeeling Room—is on the second floor of the main house. (You can see its wooden balcony in the picture above.) The restaurant is located around the corner of this building to the left.

We have now stayed in this room two times. Its most amazing feature is its huge, bright and cheerful bathroom. As you can see, there is a large two-person bathtub (replete with an ice bucket for wine or champagne), a walk-in shower, and a wooden sauna.

A word about saunas

I have learned from Gerhard that Austrians take saunas and their health-inducing properties seriously. I have also learned that there is a certain protocol to follow. For example, people in Austria are not allowed to enter saunas with any clothes on. Even in public saunas that are co-ed. This is because clothes can affect how the body heats up and sweats.

Second, it is important to bathe before entering a sauna. Which means that when Gerhard and I arrived at Lurgbauer in the late afternoon, the first thing we did was jump into that lovely huge bathtub together! (He had already called ahead and asked that they begin to heat the sauna so it would be ready on our arrival.)

After soaking in the tub for a while, we climbed out and dried off. Then Gerhard filled a wooden bucket with water and added a few drops of pine-scented oil. He walked into the sauna with the bucket and spread out towels for us to sit on because, he explained, you should never sit or sweat on the wooden bench itself.

After we had closed the door, I noticed a little hourglass filled with sand on the wall next to me. So I turned it around and watched as the sand began marking how many minutes were passing by. Gerhard ladled some of the water onto the exposed “coals,” sending a wave of pine scented steam throughout the sauna cabin. (This step isn’t actually necessary, but it definitely adds to the sensuality of the entire experience.)

Unfortunately, I do not sweat easily, am quickly overcome by too much heat, and hate the thought of the freezing cold water that is required at the end of a sauna, so after about 15 minutes, I left. But Gerhard, dripping with sweat, happily stayed for quite a while longer.

When he had had enough, he left the sauna and immediately walked outside to our balcony, taking long, deep breaths of fresh air and beginning the process of cooling down his body.

Then he went to the shower and picked up the hand-held shower head. First he sprayed his right foot and leg with cold water, then his left foot and leg, then his right arm and then his left arm. Next, he sprayed his head with cold water, then his chest, and finally his back. Whereupon he screeched out loud. (Apparently cold water on his back is the worst!) The idea is to work from the extremities toward the heart.

Finally, he sprayed his feet again, this time with warm water. After drying off, he crawled under the duvet on the bed and rested for about 15 minutes. This completed one sauna cycle.

Gerhard says that he feels totally refreshed after a sauna. Any muscles that were tense or sore—such as after a day of skiing or mountain biking—are completely soft and relaxed, and he feels calm and in balance. For the greatest health benefits, he recommends a minimum of two sauna cycles and actually prefers to do three if there is time. (Which is what he did on day two of our retreat!)

Feldkasten (the Shed)

This is Gerhard’s favorite bedroom, and I agree with him that it is lovely. As you can see, the sauna has a gorgeous picture window overlooking the mountains and forests. It also has a side door you can go through after the sauna to cool down in a luscious snow bank rather than a cold shower.

Unfortunately, however, the bedroom is upstairs and the bathroom is downstairs. For a post-menopausal woman, walking up and down those stairs several times a night is a challenge. So is the fact that all of the heat from the sauna goes straight upstairs, making it hard to cool the room down enough to sleep.

If you don’t have such issues, however, this is definitely the room to stay in!

Lurgbauer Restaurant

As I said above, the family that owns Lurgbauer are farmers—specifically, they raise Aberdeen Angus cattle. As a result, the restaurant’s menu has a strong focus on beef. (So if you are a committed vegetarian or vegan, it would probably be best to choose a restaurant in nearby Mariazell for dinner instead.)

Breakfast is included in the price of the room. As starters, there is a lovely selection of juices, jams, yoghurt and sweet breads displayed on the countertop. Each table comes adorned with a basket of delicious, freshly-baked bread and a plate of cheese, ham, yellow peppers and tomatoes. You can also order coffee in your preferred style and eggs made to order.

Scrambled eggs with bacon, chives, and a drizzle of Styrian pumpkin seed oil

Perhaps most importantly, you can help yourself to a pitcher of the most delicious water I have ever tasted! It comes from Lurgbauer’s own well and is absolutely amazing.

The dinner menu is small, but delicious. You begin by deciding if you want 4 courses or 6, and for each course, you have two options. (I chose 4 courses, and Gerhard chose 6.) Mine included a soup, a fish dish, a main, and a dessert. His also included a second starter (carpaccio) and a cheese plate. Following are a few pictures of what we ate.

First course: foamy cauliflower soup with chives and an almond-cauliflower cracker

Gerhard’s carpaccio

Second course: cold smoked Mariazeller Saibling (Arctic char), pickled pumpkin, red beets, and horseradish mousse.

The fish in this dish was so tender that my knife cut through it like butter. I also loved the crunchy slices of pickled pumpkin.

Third course: Angus steak grilled over charcoal with port wine shallots and roasted potatoes

The sauce in this dish was amazing. I asked Chef Leodolter how he made it, and he said that he starts with a base derived from a large pot of beef bones, meat, and water that he simmers for 14 hours!

The dessert

Erlaufsee (Lake Erlauf)

On the second day of our retreat, we were ready for a bit of exercise! Nothing too stressful and strenuous, however—just a delightful stroll around a beautiful lake.

Lake Erlauf is a short drive from either Mariazell or Lurgbauer. Covering an area of 58 hectares (143 acres), it is a summer mecca for families who enjoy swimming, boating and fishing. In the winter, however, it is completely different. The air is clear, only a few people are walking on the path, and the peace, quiet and beauty soothe jangled nerves and provide a perfect backdrop for a quiet, meditative walk.

Getting There

The drive to Lurgbauer takes a little over 2 hours from Vienna. Check Google or Lurgbauer’s website for specific directions.

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