Ammererhof | Small is beautiful
In the last 2 months since we've relocated to Austria, the one thing that struck me about living here is how sustainability is not just a buzzword but very much a way of life here. Most people here are very connected to the land (only natural when you’re surrounded by so much beauty), and live in harmony with nature, with an acute awareness of their environmental impact.
A month ago, we spent a few days at Ammererhof, an alpine inn located 1,600m high on the southern end of the Rauris Valley in the Hohe Tauern National Park. The location itself is magical and staying here was a breath of fresh air - surrounded by high alpine peaks and in the middle of wilderness (no WIFI, no data). On a clear night, it provides one of the best spots for stargazing in Austria given the absence of light pollution. It was perhaps one of the most magical places I’ve been to and stayed at, and definitely the most remote.
Ammererhof is a 3rd generation family business, with the main house over 100 years old, and a new private mountain hut (which we stayed at) that's built entirely with wood, providing great insulation and designed to last for generations to come. We very much marvelled at the excellent craftsmanship and choice of materials and modern furnishing at the cabin that comes with its own fireplace, sauna, skylights in the room, and outdoor hot tub - “hot pot” as they call it, I got a little excited initially thinking there was hot pot, Asian-style :) For a few nights, this was very much home away from home.
In contrast to the big commercial properties or places overrun with commercial tourism activities, staying at a place like Ammererhof, experiencing their hospitality, understanding their ethos and why they choose to stay small and sustainable, soaking in the stunning surroundings, is a great reminder that perhaps this is why we travel and why we should continue supporting small locally run businesses that value sustainability, provenance and the environment.
