Why Design Lovers Should Visit Lech, Austria

Slim Aarons’s 1960s photos of Lech—a snow-globe hamlet about two hours east of Zurich—make the village look like a dreamscape, something either conjured on a backlot at Disney or presumably long since overrun by tourists and chain hotels. But that’s exactly where this village, tucked away in the sublime Arlberg region of Austria, surprises and delights. Little has changed, it seems, since Aarons snapped après-ski revelers taking in the afternoon sun. And that’s exactly the way its residents and countless generations of devotees like it. (The town is famous for having standing reservations at hotels for families who have returned for decades.)

On closer inspection, much effort has gone into preserving this alpine enclave. “Lech is the only leading ski destination that has imposed substantial restrictions on the building capacity,” says longtime local hotelier Gerold Schneider. He and many others attribute much of Lech's appeal to its guarded growth (Lech has also passed a law that forbids second residences) and appreciation for its own history. Indeed, there is something undeniably refreshing about the place’s hold on the past and the aesthetics that come with it. Far from stale and dusty, though, it’s also home to recent installations by artists Antony Gormley and James Turrell, whose Skyspace justly takes advantage of the area’s breathtaking light.

Unlike its slicker siblings such as Gstaad, Klosters, and St. Moritz, Lech offers a laid-back luxury that feels like a well-kept secret. Though some short-term rentals can be found—and are a solid option, especially for families traveling with young children—hotels are de rigeur. “I think it's the lack of overly designed international properties in favor of individual, family-run hotels with a sense of place that make the difference here,” comments Patrick Krummenacher, who along with his husband, Benjamin Schneider, and their family, operate the centrally located, relentlessly fabulous Hotel Arlberg. A hive of activity for guests and locals from breakfast through nightcap, the storybook hostelry was, not surprisingly, a favorite of Princess Diana.

The art-and-antiques-filled Kristiania, a short stroll (or complimentary two-minute drive) from the main street, seems more like a luxurious private home than a big five-star bolthole. The recipe for success? Proprietor Gertrud Schneider’s warmth and incredible attention to detail are reflected throughout the Virtuoso hotel and shared by her staff. Nestled a bit closer to the mountain, offering ski-in/ski-out access, Almhof Schneider (perhaps the town’s most well established surname), is a design-forward oasis owned by Gerold Schneider and his architect spouse, Katia Polletin. Its Allmeinde cultural foundation is, as The World of Interiors put it, “an arts venue dedicated to the aesthetic past, present, and future of the Austrian Alps” and well worth a visit. “Lech has lived sustainability long before the term became fashionable,” Gerold Schneider tells AD. “It’s the overall experience of a village that still feels quite homogenous, not an artifact of the real-estate business.”

Another multigenerational mainstay for European royals is the nearby Gasthof Post, a Relais & Châteaux property whose dark wood and pink-stucco facade is an iconic fixture on Lech’s low-slung skyline. There, the Moosbrugger family has been raising the bar on white-linen hospitality for more than 80 years. Its 46 rooms and suites serve up all the blond-pine charm one might expect in this fairy tale of a village, complete with recessed-lit oil paintings over cozy beds. And while some long-term Lech regulars might turn up their noses at its recently revamped, glass-enclosed Panorama restaurant, the boîte buzzes with celebratory ambience and offers some of the destination’s best fare.

Following a day on the slopes—lest one forget there’s some of the world’s best skiing to be enjoyed here too—hungry diners are spoiled for choice. Helmed by Jakob Zeller and Ethel Hoon, Restaurant Klösterle inhabits a romantic wooden farmhouse in Zug, a few minutes’ drive or horse-drawn carriage ride from Lech. Its contemporary take on Alpine cuisine, using only the finest local ingredients, provides a reprieve from the area’s famously fortifying fare. For the latter, make haste to Hus Nr. 8, where diners, ruddy from a day of bluebird skiing and reasonably priced Austrian wine, dig into generous pots of fondue. Those in the mood for a festive après-ski head directly to the Krone Hotel.

Oberlech, perched above Lech and accessible only via the 80-person Bergbahn cable car (or skis), is another picture-perfect throwback to a simpler time. Up there, Crêperie Schüna is an intimate 25-top jewel-box restaurant with a dangerously limitless raclette course. Not far away, in neighboring St. Christoph, is the venerable Hospiz Alm, which has a soaring central barnlike dining room, a mammoth open-sided fireplace, and a slide for ski-booted guests to zip down to the loo.

For shopping, nothing beats Strolz Sport & Mode. Since 1921 it has been outfitting the town with stylish leisurewear and ski equipment out of its stunning outposts, which likely provided much of the inspiration for Vail and Aspen’s Gorsuch stores. In one fell swoop, you can pick up an authentic dirndl, an Arc'teryx shell, the latest freeride skis, and a glass of Champagne. Pfefferkorn likewise offers all manner of top-notch attire and gear. Near the famous St. Nicholas church sits a sweet, sustainable-fashion boutique, Lenai & Linai, featuring the coziest woolen Giesswein slippers on the planet.

In any season, especially for aesthetes with a penchant for outdoor adventure, nothing quite compares. “In Lech we strive to create something that feels right for the moment and place,” notes Gertrud Schneider of the Kristiania. “At the same time we wish this to be long-lasting—timeless if possible.” Mission accomplished.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest