Hotel Zhero Ischgl/Kappl
The warm amber glow of Hotel Zhero’s contemporary lighting against the snowy mountains of Kappl makes a stunning first impression. Inside, rich golden sepia and coffee-coloured interiors showcase Liebhauser Home’s opulent new furniture line, while reclaimed timber, fur rugs and roaring open fires complete the mood.
Jens Liebhauser, the hotel’s founder and designer and architect Jäger Architektur are the brains behind this dynamic collaboration, which has brought design-savvy guests flocking from all over the world for its sophisticated and affordable après-ski.
Styled against a backdrop of hand-laid stonework, mulberry walls and dark woods, the lantern-lit spa can take credit for some of the hotel’s magnetism. With a 17m heated indoor pool, two saunas, steam room, fire lounge, relaxation room and three treatment rooms, it’s by far the most impressive in the area. Guests can choose from nine different types of massage or more exotic spoils like the Algae-Cream or Thalgo Sea Salt Oil scrubs. The fitness room is decked out with free-weights and eight high-tech Technogym cardio and resistance machines.
Creative cuisine is high on the agenda. Michelin-starred Executive Chef Klaus Brunmayr has introduced the first open grill in Tyrol, a concept that lures locals as well as guests to watch prime cuts flame-grilling in the open kitchen. Austrian favourites including Frittatensuppe (beef consommé with sliced pancakes) and Kaiserschmarrn (pancake dessert served with apple or plum sauce) are popular local specialities of the house. The Zhero Open Grill Restaurant menu can also be enjoyed in the lounge, bar and via room service.
The 62 double rooms fall into three categories: classic, superior and deluxe. Four single rooms cater for solo travellers, and six junior suites and four penthouse apartments for those looking for the ultimate in space and luxury.
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Mountain-view roof terraces, deep sunken bathtubs and open fireplaces put the penthouse apartments in a league of their own, but each and every room in the hotel has been designed to impress. Reclaimed stable doors panel the ceilings, fur swaddles the floors and authentic local crafts tie the scheme together with bronze and copper accents.
Kappl itself has the sunniest slopes, but the hotel provides a free shuttle at guests’ request to the well-known neighbouring resort of Ischgl. Here skiers can access popular Tyrolean ski slopes via three mountain lifts: the Pardatschgratbahn, Fimbabahn and Silvrettabahn.
In summer, Ischgl offers glacier tours, canoeing, rafting and 1,200km of hiking and mountain-bike trails.
The hotel’s concierge can also arrange shuttle transfers to the international airport, which is about an hour’s drive away in Innsbruck.