Salzburgerhof, das 5-Sterne Hotel von Zell am See
Five-star spa hotel in Zell am See town, with a ski shuttle to the lifts
About this hotel
The Salzburgerhof stands at Auerspergstraße 11 in the town of Zell am See: the CityXpress gondola is about 400 m away in a straight line, five to ten minutes on foot, and the hotel shuttle runs to the Schmittenhöhe valley station; skis and boots can stay overnight in a depot at both lifts. The reason to book is the Wellness Schlössl: about 3,500 m² over three floors. Outside there is a 150 m² sports pool heated to 31 °C with several countercurrent systems, a whirlpool at 33.5 °C, a bathing pond in the garden and a Finnish alpine sauna at 90 °C; inside, two pools at 31 and 31.5 °C, a panorama sauna and a herb grotto. Dinner is the other draw: the Salzburgerstube holds three Gault Millau toques, and the hotel offers a gourmet full board. An indoor golf area for driving, chipping and putting works all year.
- 3,500 m² Wellness Schlössl over three floors
- Heated 150 m² outdoor sports pool at 31 °C
- Free shuttle to the CityXpress and Schmittenhöhe lifts
- Salzburgerstube restaurant with three Gault Millau toques
- Finnish alpine sauna at 90 °C and a bathing pond in the garden
Our take
The Salzburgerhof's Wellness Schlössl covers 3,500 m² over three floors, and that, more than the slopes, is the reason to book it. This is a town hotel on Auerspergstraße, not a slopeside address: the CityXpress gondola is about 400 m away in a straight line, five to ten minutes on foot, and the hotel shuttle covers the Schmittenhöhe valley station; at both lifts skis and boots can stay overnight in a depot. I would choose it for skiers who want long afternoons in warm water and a serious dinner, since the Salzburgerstube holds three Gault Millau toques. Anyone who wants to click into bindings at the door should look at the lift-side hotels instead.
- Leave skis and boots in the free depots at the CityXpress and Schmittenhöhe valley stations, so the morning shuttle ride is made in normal shoes.
- The outdoor sports pool is heated to 31 °C and has countercurrent jets: swim your lengths there at dusk, when the cold air makes it the best part of the spa.
- Pack evening clothes: the gourmet dinner comes with a dress code, so ski layers stay in the room.
- Since December 2019 the zellamseeXpress links the Schmitten to Viehhofen, where a ski bus reaches the Schönleitenbahn in Saalbach in a few minutes; the 2025/26 timetable ran every 10 minutes, but only every 20 around midday, so allow for a longer wait if you cross at lunchtime.
Why we love it
- Wellness Schlössl of about 3,500 m² over three floors, with six saunas and steam rooms
- 150 m² outdoor sports pool heated to 31 °C, with countercurrent systems
- Hotel shuttle to the CityXpress and Schmittenhöhe valley stations, with ski depots there
- Two indoor pools at 31 and 31.5 °C, a panorama sauna and a herb grotto
Why guests love itTwo indoor pools at 31 and 31.5 °C, a whirlpool and a 150 m² heated outdoor pool are what children remember from the Salzburgerhof, so it works best when they swim confidently and are old enough to sit through a long dinner. Family rooms exist, and the suites of about 50 m² sleep four. What I could not find is a kids' club or childcare, and the location means a shuttle ride before ski school rather than a walk to a nursery slope. The long gourmet dinner and its dress code suit older children far better than toddlers. With young beginners I would rather sleep at a lift base; with teenagers who ski well and parents who want the spa, this is the Zell am See address I would book.