ESCAPE VIENNA: VILLA ANTOINETTE AT SEMMERING

For me personally, this is just about the worst time of the year. It’s neither proper winter nor spring yet. All there is, is this grey dense blanket of fog. No sparkling white snow, no sunshine. Just a depressing grey landscape, no month of the year is as bad as february.

So it was about time when I discovered the perfect retreat, just an hour or so drive outside of the city of Vienna: Villa Antoinette at Semmering. This small luxury boutique hotel has been designed with so much love and detail it will make you feel at home right away.

A place on your own

It sounds like the perfect weekend getaway for couples, but even more so with a group of friends, with family or even colleagues. Villa Antoinette offers 6 individually styled rooms that are all decorated with a art-nouveau twist, hinting to the early 20ies in Austria. A time when going on a summer retreat in the health resort town of Semmering was very much en vogue.

After all this time nothing about the picturesque views and clean crisp air has changed. We’re happy to see the area revived since this hot spot opened in late 2015. The owners kept an eye on every detail, from original tiles and heaters to the brass beds and the washbasin inside the rooms. Everything is new and up to high modern standard but at the same time everything reminds you of the old days.

Semmering was once known for its strengthening cold water therapies. The Spa at Villa Antoinette kept this practice with a plunge pool in the wellness area. Apart from a Sauna here’s also a steam bath, a whirlpool and other wellness treatments or activities like yoga to book. The big panoramic windows of the wellness area offer beautiful views over the surroundings and in the evenings the Bath House can be transformed into a private cinema. Anyone planning to watch the next Oscars?

Relax or go about

If a lazy day at the Spa is nothing for you, then the area offers enough to keep you busy. Step out of the hotel and start your hiking excursion through the beautiful landscape and enjoy the view over the mountains and the enchanting 150 year old railway Semmeringbahn, a UNESCO world heritage. There’s good skiing in winter and in summer there’s also a golf course close by. I’d probably pass on golfing but there are other excursions worthwhile for example a delicious lunch at famous Wirtshaus Steirereck am Pogusch. That said, you can also inquire your own private chef at Villa Antoinette while the oh so charming host Mr. Edi takes lovingly care of breakfast, so you’re all set to start the day.

The owners of this enchanting house are already busy planning their next project: a concept best described as interior shop meets boutique luxury hotel. We can’t wait to see more!