Achenkirch, Austria
Tucked into the Tyrolean Alps, next to Lake Achensee, the Posthotel Achenkirch is a child-free wellness and spa oasis offering luxury rooms, gourmet dining, swimming pools, and horse riding
Our review
Towards the end of yet another luxury hotel trail, this one managed to surprise and delight me in equal measures. For a start, the slightly uninspiring name caught me unawares. In English, the hotel would be translated as a coaching inn. It is where the post delivery workers rested their horses and slept, in the days before trains and cars. The oldest part of the building dates back 300 years.
It’s quite hard to describe. It’s not a typical alpine resort hotel, although there are little touches, such as the female staff wearing dirndl and the afternoon coffee and cake habit but it is certainly is not an off the shelf identikit, in fact it’s one of the most unusually gorgeous hotels I have seen. It is an adult only hotel, with guests needing to be over 14 years old, so perfect for romantic breaks.
From the large lobby area, passages lead off that resemble streets, rather than hotel corridors. One comes across fountains, old-fashioned lampposts, stone lifesize greyhounds wearing bows and fake windows with lace curtains.
We had a junior suite on the first floor with spacious balcony. The room is decorated ‘Roman style’ with frescoes above the bed and around the ceiling. In the bathroom are cherubs looking down at you with a cheeky one showing his bottom. There is a wonderful full-length mirror that makes you look thinner than you are. I want one installed at home, immediately.
Fake marble pillars hold up part of the room and the walls are roughly painted to resemble masonry. Pretty lamps with lace shades and buttoned cream cushions work well with the stripped pine floor and check cover on the sofa. There are sockets either side of the bed and Wi-Fi is quick, free and easy to connect. There is a kettle with tea and coffee on tap. A Bose speaker has an input for your iPhone.
The huge bathroom has a separate toilet stall, his and hers sinks on opposite sides of the room with a shower one end and the large, quick-filling bath in the middle. Hand soap is unwrapped (hurrah!) and there is ample space for toilet bags. Soft velour robes make a nice change from heavy towelling ones. There is a little toweling seat for those who wish to linger. A spa bag with towel and locker key is ready to go.
Our evening meal was in the large dining room, divided into sections with a central serving/buffet area, white cloths and matching chairs, pink tulips, crystal chandeliers, and a tall candle on each table. There is a set five course menu each evening with a theme – Italian, gala, Asian – and a choice of main course. In addition, there is a salad bar, cheese and bread section. You won’t starve. My vegetarian choices were excellent. Service was biddable and everyone was so friendly. There is none of the stuffiness here often found in five stars.
Breakfast is another fest with twenty varieties of homemade bread, various cheeses, honeys, jams and cereals. Then there is a cold meat section, fifteen varieties of fresh fruit, a salad bar, juices, tea to order, a hot breakfast section and egg station – you name it, this place has it.
The large spa – a big draw for many guests – has 25 treatment rooms and three indoor and three outdoor pools plus a combined indoor/outdoor pool.
The hotel owners are keen horse fanciers and have a stable of superb Lipizzaner horses (white ones such as those from the Spanish Riding School) for guests to ride or they can arrange a carriage and horses for non-riders. We visited the stables and the horses are magnificent beasts and beautifully looked after.
Less than an hour’s drive from Innsbruck, this is a wonderful hotel that we have no hesitation in recommending.
Rooms
Posthotel Achenkirch offers over 140 rooms and suites, ranging from softly contemporary spaces to traditionally styled alpine suites. Many accommodations feature balconies with views of the Karwendel and Rofan mountains. Interiors emphasise natural materials such as regional wood and stone, with generous bathrooms and calm, light‑filled layouts designed for rest and recovery.
Food and Drink
The hotel’s culinary offering centres on contemporary Austrian gourmet cuisine with a focus on seasonal, regional ingredients. Guests can choose between classic fine‑dining menus and lighter health‑focused concepts, including a dedicated TCM restaurant based on traditional Chinese medicine principles.
Additional dining spaces include relaxed lounges and bars serving afternoon snacks, teas and evening drinks in a refined yet informal setting.
Wellness
The Atrium Spa is the heart of Posthotel Achenkirch, offering extensive wellness facilities including indoor and outdoor pools, salt‑water pools, multiple sauna concepts, steam baths and relaxation rooms. The hotel is particularly known for its longevity and holistic health programmes, combining spa treatments, fitness, meditation and diagnostic services.
Facilities
- Extensive spa and wellness complex
- Indoor and outdoor swimming pools
- Multiple saunas and steam baths
- Gourmet restaurant and TCM restaurant
- Fitness centre, yoga and guided exercise programmes
- Tennis courts and outdoor activity programmes
- Hiking, cycling and winter sports access
- Free Wi‑Fi and on‑site parking
Location
Posthotel Achenkirch is located in the village of Achenkirch in Tyrol, near the northern shore of Lake Achensee. Surrounded by the Karwendel Nature Park, the hotel offers direct access to alpine hiking, cycling and winter sports, with panoramic mountain scenery throughout the year.
Getting there
Address: Achenkirch 382, 6215 Achenkirch, Austria
Arriving by air: Innsbruck Airport – 36 miles (58km) – 50 minutes by carMunich Airport – 77 miles (125km) – 90 minutes by car
More information
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* Note: The hotel review was last updated in early 2026. Please let us know if you spot any factual errors.