There's something very magical about Kirchberg in Tirol, Austria. If you are seeking an evening around the tiles, a boozy city break or a knees-up – you've certainly arrived at the wrong place. Kirchberg boasts rolling mountains so far as the attention can see, superb biking and trails, lush greenery and some of the greatest Austrian food you will ever consume. Kirchberg is an ideal break for solo travellers, adrenaline junkies, families with young kids and to be truthful – anybody who uses a break from the city rat race. For bikes, read a review here. If you're looking for a weekend escape, we can not recommend Hotel Rosengarten enough and here's why:
Expect: An calming oasis nestled into the hills of Kirchberg. Even though many holiday goers favour the metropolitan town of Vienna, Kirchberg is a top place to go for its own reasons. The mountain range provides activities for all such as swimming, e-biking and both indoor and outdoor archery. Come autumn, the countryside is really a sea of vibrant colours and when winter comes around, the grass covered mountains become snow capped slides of fun. Kirchberg is a all year round place that does not just attract the summer crowd – after you have yomped across some of the highest mountains above sea level (an informal 5,000 feet) you'll want a place to refuel and rest up and that is in which the Hotel Rosengarten comes in.
The Hotel: From the outside, Hotel Rosengarten plays homage to traditional Austrian building features – exposed wood, white washed walls with no brash decor. It's an unassuming, totally un-pretentious hotel that could be easily overlooked. However, inside the furnishing are slick and contemporary, modern rooms, classic service blended with native hospitality, and integrated spa offerings. In the summer months the outdoor pool is open, while those wanting to stay warm the spa comprises of a sauna, steam room, private treatment rooms and a relaxation area with built-in water beds. The spa is a necessary sanctuary after a busy day on foot.
Accommodation: There are 26 rooms in total with rooms ranging from Deluxe Double Rooms to Deluxe Suites. In the Deluxe Double Rooms, expect your own private balcony overlooking the famous Tirol mountain range (ask for the rooms at the rear of your accommodation to find the best picture perfect landscape), an en suite bathroom and a radio, phone and SAT-TV – if you are really into watching Coronation Street, don't worry they have your back. The Deluxe Suites are something very special, expect a sizable walk-in wardrobe with floor to ceiling shelves, a bathroom with a power shower and a bathtub how big a residential area swimming pool, a lounge area along with all of the advanced technology, bluetooth speakers, TV in the bathroom and multichannel audio. For luxury, the Deluxe Suites would be the approach to take. What's better the Deluxe Suites don't seem like expensive hotels, instead its resounding feature is the fact it truly does seem like a house away from home and that's the best bit.
Food: The Rosengarten may have the extravagant accommodation, but it is the dining that's the real winner. The Simon Taxacher Restaurant takes you on a culinary journey inspired by modern-European dishes which are innovative and forever increasing expectations. The Head Chef, Simon Taxacher can also be owner of the Rosengarten, he was awarded 2 Michelin stars in '09 at 33 and it is the foremost and only restaurant in Tirol to become awarded this distinction. However it doesn't hold on there, he was named Chef of the Year 2022 in the Der Grosse Restaurant and Hotel Guide and on top of that he's part of the reputable Les Grandes Tables Du Monde.
Restaurant Simon Taxacher expresses the celebrity chef's personality – dim lights, stylish decor along with a ban on dress codes. The menu is heavily influenced by regional and native Austrian cuisine using ingredients sourced from alpine growers and producers. Recption menus changes daily, but expect a seven course meal filled with different textures and flavours. To start; duck liver with truffles, artichokes with caviar vegetables and olives. Main course is equally as good as the starters, if not better – braised lamb shoulder with smoked cabbage or the liver of catfish served with bell pepper and sour cous cous. If you're feeling really peckish you are able to upgrade your mere seven courses to nine courses or even the hefty eleven courses. No meal is finished without wine and also at Restaurant Simon Taxacher, your wine is deinfitely not an secondary after thought. Their expert sommelier are you going to on the world tour of wine and match your food choices right bottles.
Why Stay Here: Kirchberg has a huge amount to provide. If the stunning backdrop of the Kitzbühel alps wasn't enough, the surrounding areas have over 1,000km of well maintained trails. Stumble across traditional Tirolean food served in cosy mountain huts (makes ours a jammy pancake along with a chicken schnitzel). Kirchberg takes pride in the fact that's peaceful, fresh and clean. People return every year for the exclusive golf courses, and Simon Taxachers gourmet festival in which the hotels and restaurants in the area combined efforts to showcase what the region provides. Hotel Rosengarten is really a place where one can feel at home whilst dining on michelin-starred food, drinking the best wine acquire the best out over the mountains. Don't take our word for this, go.
