Genussdorf Gmachl And The Outskirts Of Salzburg
If you want to enjoy the Austrian countryside and also visit Mozart’s city of Salzburg, hotel Genussdorf Gmachl is the perfect choice of where to stay. Located just five kilometers north of Salzburg, in the urban village of Bergheim bei Salzburg, it is the perfect base for exploring the province of Salzburg and as well as nearby Germany. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to get into the historic heart of the city from the hotel either by car or by train, the local stop being just a short walk away. If you prefer, you can use one of the hotel’s electric bicycles and bike into town, about a fifteen minute ride along the Salzach river.
We have stayed at the Genussdorf Gmachl hotel several times and were in for a nice surprise when we returned this year. The hotel, which has been in the Gmachl family for seven generations, has been added on to as well as given a facelift and I love the new look.
The hotel’s bar, restaurant and breakfast room have been totally redone. They also added a second wellness center and thirty additional bedrooms. The new look is a combination of wood, glass, leathers and suede in earth tones with lots of plants and potted herbs to create a natural and contemporary environment that still retains a regional Salzburger style, I think all done very well.
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We didn’t stay in one the new hotel rooms on this trip but instead requested one of their double rooms (Panoramic) where we had stayed on a pervious visit as it has a nice sitting area with a gas fireplace to enjoy on a cool evening and a wonderful view of the gardens, Salzburg and the mountains in the background from the room’s large balcony.
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The hotel now has two wellness areas, one for families and another just for adults. The new rooftop infinity pool has a great view of Salzburg, the fortress of Hohensalzburg and the mountains in the distance. There is also a natural swimming pool and whirlpool in the garden area as well as an indoor pool with a swim through to an outdoor pool.
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I love the elements of nature found throughout the hotel including in the new spa and the garden spa. Treatment rooms are even dedicated to different herbs. The new wellness area includes an infusion sauna, a gentle herbal steam bath, an ice plunge, and a large relaxation area. The outdoor lounge area on the roof top terrace is a wonderful place to relax on a sunny day.
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Staying at the hotel on the outskirts of Salzburg makes it very convenient for traveling out to the many charming communities in the region, the beautiful lake district or even Berchtesgaden, Germany. After you’ve spent a day in town visiting Mozart’s birthplace, the cathedral, the Residenz, Mirabell Palace and gardens, try to visit the Hellbrunn Palace with its gardens and trick water fountains situated on the outskirts of the city. Other interesting places to visit are the pilgrimage basilica of Maria Plain, Hanger Seven at the Salzburg airport with the Red Bull collection of aircraft, formula one racing cars and art, picturesque Wolfgangsee and the other lakes in the outstanding Salzkammergut district, the salt mines in Hallein or in Berchtesgaden and St. Bartholomew’s church on Lake Königssee, all very enjoyable day trips.
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After a day out exploring this area of Austria or nearby southern Germany, it is nice to return to the hotel to make use of the spa and then head down to have dinner. The restaurant is excellent and has been awarded 13/20 points and a toque by Gault & Millau. Mr. Gmachl himself, stopped by our table each day to inquire if everything was to our liking. The entire staff couldn’t do enough to make sure your meals were just as you wanted.
Our meals were part of the price of our room which included a large breakfast buffet with a nice variety of sausages, cheese, breads and eggs cooked to order, an afternoon buffet with soups, salads, pastries and delicious cakes. Dinner featured specialties of traditional Austrian cuisine as well as international dishes.
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You can order a four course dinner off their regular menu or their light menu…both focasing on local, seasonal and organic products. On two different occasions we had carpaccio, not only of beef but also a seafood one as well. One evening my husband had liver and onions, probably the best either of us have ever tasted. The hotel also has another restaurant “Franz” next door that is a popular meeting place with everyone in the village. They have a nice menu and serve homemade meat and sausage specialties from their own in house butcher shop and deli.
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Some of the best and most convenient places to stay when visiting Salzburg are on the outskirts of town, especially if you have a car while on your holiday. Genussdorf Gmachl in Bergheim is a nice four star superior hotel that offers modern comfort and traditional charm and my husband and I always enjoy our stays there…now more that ever with the new additions they’ve added to the hotel.
This looks like such an amazing place to stay! I have been looking at visiting Austria and this just seems like the most perfect place!
Hi Emily, I love Austria and believe that you would as well. My husband and I think the Gmachl hotel makes a very nice base for visiting Salzburg and the surrounding region.
What an amazing looking place and the food looks delicious too!
Hi Mad Dog, We really enjoy staying at the Gmachl and it has gotten better over the years. The food was as good as it looks.
just hear me exhale……
😀 I did too.
I think with each new post and each new place you visit–I sigh louder each time 🙂
Beautiful shot of the Towers.
Thank you Jovina.
This looks so beautiful and Salzburg is on my to see list. What gorgeous food too. 🙂
Hi Amanda, You should definitely visit Salzburg some day. We always enjoy our stay at Genussdorf Gmachl, the food is great and the facilities wonderful.
Hi Karen—LOVED that alpine road scene. Stunning. The hotel sounds terrific. Now if I could only get my darling hubby on a plane……………
Thank you so much for taking us along on your travels. Your photos are breathtaking—almost as good as being there.
Happy Fall to you
Thank you for your kind words Susan about my posts and photos. I’m happy that you have enjoyed following along on this year’s adventure. Perhaps someday you will get your husband on that plane…I hope so. 🙂
A couple of years ago I stayed at the “Goldener Hirsch” in Salzburg. After that we stayed at the Königsee. Thank you Karen for bringing back all those memories with your beautiful photos. Have fun and enjoy your trip.
Hi Gerlinde, I’m happy to know that you have enjoyed the post and photos and that they have brought back nice memories of your visit. We stayed at the Goldener Hirsch on our first visit to Salzburg. The location on the main pedestrian street in old town is wonderful but we had a bad experience and would not stay there again.
I am sorry to hear that, I like your idea of going to a spa hotel and staying for a while.
Salzburg. I remember standing in the churchyard of St. Peter’s church on the eve of St. Peter, hearing what seemed like all the bells in Christendom, with the baroque towers and domes of the church and adjacent cathedral in view against the blue summer evening sky. Sigh.
Hi Mark, I know what you mean about the church bells, we’ve had that same experience several times over the years and it is wonderful.
Amazing!!!
Thank you Khadija, for your nice comment.
You are welcome Karen
Stunning…one day, one day!
Hi Tanya, I agree totally. Hopefully you and Big Man will get a chance to visit one day soon.
My favorite city. I know it’s touristy but I still go to the Mozart concert and dinner every time I visit. Worth the money. Thanks for the memories.
I’m happy to have brought back nice memories Maureen, thank you. Hope you are feeling much better.
That must have been the trip of a lifetime! How long was the trip in total?
Hi Kathryn, I think this may have been our best trip ever although the weather was not the best. Thank goodness we were staying at hotels that were so nice that we used all the wonderful facilities on rainy days. Our trip was just a few days short of a month and now I’m trying to overcome jet lag, answer comments and catch up with my blogging friends. 🙂
You really know how to make the most of an exciting holiday, Karen. The food alone is impressive and the hotel experience is luxury. It is really lovely that you and your husband have some amazing travels, creating wonderful memories, certainly!
I totally agree with you Debra, we do have the most wonderful travel adventures. The hotels and food on this trip have been absolutely great. Some things have happened this year that has made us realize that you should live every moment as if it were your last.
wow…your trip is getting cooler and cooler…this is an amazing place, Karen.
Hi Angie, This trip really has been one of the best we’ve experienced. Wished we had been able to have had more sunny days because we certainly have traveled through some amazingly beautiful parts of the world.
You guys always stay in the neatest places with super good looking food.
That we do Larry, not one disappointment on the trip and that doesn’t always happen when you travel.
You were lucky with such beautiful weather. Fabulous hotel and food. Are these all your photos? They’re all so perfect!
Hi Mimi, I wish I could say the weather was great but we had a lot of gray or drizzly days. Luckily we usually got at least one day at each new location and if the weather wasn’t nice we could spend time in the wonderful spas which made up for it. The photos are mine except the ones of in spa area…I asked the hotel if they could furnish those and they graciously emailed them to me.
Well your photos are gorgeous! Isn’t there a church right across from Mozart’s house where Maria got married in The Sound of Music?
Thank you for your lovely compliment. The town of Mondsee is known for St. Michael’s church. Its interior was used in “The Sound of Music” for the scene where Maria and Captain von Trapp exchanged their wedding vows. Lake Mondsee is about 15 miles east of Salzburg. If you click over to the featured/related post above from our trip in 2013 (Austria’s Lake District, Sound Of Music Country) you will see photos of the church and it’s beautiful interior.
Was there a concert in the castle that you were lucky enough to attend. Salzburg is such an enchanting place to visit and I’m liking going there again with you.
Hi Linda, I’m happy you enjoyed the post, thank you. No concert in the castle but that just provides a reason to return again. 🙂
I’ve always wanted to visits Salzburg! Wonderful post — you’ve flamed my desire to visit! And this sounds like a great place. Thanks!
Thank you for your nice compliment John, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post. I do believe that you would enjoy Salzburg, it is a charming city.
The food looks extra delicious!
Hi Liz, The food was delicious…we were very impressed with all the dishes we tried.
Beautiful photos- The hotel sure knew how to plate food very attractively.
Thank you for your nice compliment Sheryl, I’m glad that you enjoyed the photos. Yes, the food was plated very nicely and was delicious.
Karen, your photos look like a magazine spread! What camera (s) to you use? As I wrap up garden chores here in VA, your spa photos remind me how else I could spend my time…ahhhh!
Living vicariously through your posts..Diane
Thank you for your lovely compliment, Diane. When we travel, I use a Canon S100 point and shot camera as I try to be as discreet as possible when taking photos.
Wow! I am so impressed! Great eye and results…
I just know you feel completely revitalized after that lovely stay – it’s so beautiful!
Absolutely Kelli, we have stayed at the most wonderful hotels and the Gmachl is one of those we enjoy coming back to. Now it is better than ever!
What a wonderful place to stay Karen – that is so nice to find a hotel you can stay more than once. Those pictures are simply gorgeous!
Hi Meg, On this trip we concentrated on staying at only spa hotels and Gmachl is such a nice one to return to again and again. We were pleasantly surprised with the new look and added facilities of the hotel. This won’t be the last time we stay here, I’m sure. 🙂
Wow! I showed my husband the top photo (he’s dying to go to Germany and Austria) and then as I was scrolling down, he asked about your hotel. Fingers crossed we get to see Salzburg one day.
Hi Liz, I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed the post. I hope that you do get the opportunity to visit Austria and Germany, they are both wonderful countries. If you need any suggestions, you know you can always ask.
Love to read you travel stories. I myself love to travel, and I document them.
Thank you Krishna, for stopping by for a visit and your nice compliment.
What a lovely place! And I love love that green wall in the entrance to the spa.
Hi Ladyfi, The Gmachl really is a lovely hotel. Don’t you just love that wall, I thought it was very clever.
The food looks really good ♥
Hi Summer, The food was as good as it looks.
It looks like you’re having my kind of vacation , Karen. The food looks gorgeous and is probably even more delicious while gazing at the views. Looks like I need to plan another European vacation!
Hi Eva, This was probably the best trip we have ever had and we have traveled a lot. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to have had more sunny days
Your pictures make all of us wish we were there sharing in your adventures 🙂
Thank you for your lovely compliment Judi, it is much appreciated.
The location looks superb, Karen. Salzburg is a beautiful city. The weather was a bit miserable when we were there, long ago, but it couldn’t disguise the beauty. 🙂
Hi Jo, we love staying at Gmachl because of its location. I know what you mean about the weather, even on a gray day Salzburg is beautiful.
Oh wow .. This place is amazing! How do you find them? Thanks for sharing 😃
Hi Julie, We have been visiting the hotel Gmachl for quite some time. I do months of research before each trip…the internet makes it a lot easier than when we first started traveling. All of the spas we visited on this trip are listed in wellness guides and all are considered some of the best in Europe.
Another breathtaking post, Karen! You’re shared such beautiful places and restaurants that anyone would love to visit. Great pic of you and the chefs 🙂
Thank you for your lovely compliment Susan, I really do appreciate it. I’m happy to have the photo with the chefs Obauer, they are the best. 🙂
What a gorgeous hotel. I obviously need to consult your blog next time I travel to Austria.
I agree with you Jeff, the Gmachl really is a great hotel. If you decide to travel to Austria, please let me know and I’ll be happy to give you suggestions as my husband and I have traveled there a lot.
I just love Salzburg! What a wonderful looking hotel.
Hi Gretchen, I think Salzburg is one of those cities we all love…it is beautiful and a wonderfully walkable city. We really do like staying at the Gmachl.
Just went through your posts, catching up with your travels. Gorgeous pictures, good food, and fun times! Thanks so much for sharing!
This looks like such a wonderful place to stay! Just breathtaking!