Family vacation in Saalbach with excursion tips

In the summer, we didn't want to travel too far for a few days, but still wanted to visit a beautiful area. We chose Saalbach, as some of the hiking trails here looked very good, especially for children. After some research on the internet, we decided on the 3-star Hotel Eggerhof in Saalbach. We liked the hotel because it offered several attractions for our children, such as animals, programs for kids, and a pool. We were able to book very spontaneously and easily, and off we went to Salzburg for 4 days. Here are our experiences:

Hotel Eggerhof in Saalbach

The 3-star Hotel Eggerhof in Saalbach is a paradise for children. The hotel is divided into two buildings. The main building houses the reception, the dining room, and the wellness facilities. Furthermore, there is also a playroom here for rainy days. Right in front of the hotel is a beer garden where snacks are served outdoors in good weather. In the evening, it is also a lovely place to wind down the day. Right next to the hotel is the playground for the children, and a few steps further down is the heated outdoor pool. The beautiful rooms can be found in the second building. You can easily enter your room with a card. Just above the hotel is the alpine hut with the animals, the riding paddock, and an original indoor playground. The owners and the staff were very friendly and helpful; we were also given very good advice on excursion destinations. We felt very comfortable here.

The rooms

The rooms for vacationers are located next to the main building. We first had the 'Heuboden' room, which is divided into two levels. In the lower area was the bathroom and the beds for the children, as well as the beautiful balcony. Up the stairs was our cozy bedroom. Afterwards, we were supposed to move to the family room, but unfortunately, that didn't happen because vacationers (which we completely understood) spontaneously extended their stay. So we were very lucky and were allowed to stay in the tower suite. A dream of a room. The tower suite is approx. 60 m2 and is also divided into 2 areas by steps. In the lower area were the beds for the children, a toilet, and a balcony. Above the steps was our bedroom, a huge bathroom with a bathtub, separate shower and toilet, as well as another balcony.

The animals

The Hotel Eggerhof has plenty of different animals that look forward to a visit. For us, the miniature pigs Miss "Piggi" – Fred and Wilma with their offspring were the main attraction. The little baby pigs were really fun to watch. Our daughter liked feeding the goats with grass, as they were very tame. The animals at the Eggerhof:

• rabbit
• goats
• Horses Naomi – Sissi – Winetou and Maxi
• Miniature pigs Miss "Piggi" – Fred and Wilma
• Cows

The program for children

There was plenty of activity for our children at the Hotel Eggerhof. Right by the hotel is a playground for the children with a sandbox, swings, trampoline, and a slide. Of course, the wonderful pool right next to it was also tested. A little above the hotel is the alpine hut where the animals are housed. Right next to it in a barn, a small indoor playground is set up with a real tractor, a long slide, and a climbing ladder. Our son was very enthusiastic about the beautiful tractor; that was clearly his favorite place in the whole hotel. In the afternoon from 2 PM, there was always a program for the children; for us, it included horseback riding, archery, building dams, and fishing. During this program, the children were clearly most impressed by the fishing, especially since our caught fish was actually served for dinner that evening. Really a very original idea. In the evening after dinner, there was entertainment for the children again. Our children especially liked the big campfire with sausage grilling the best. On the other evenings, there was a kids' disco or games with Claudia.

The culinary experience

The food is truly excellent at the Hotel Eggerhof. In the morning, there was a very rich buffet with many loving details. At 3 PM, there was a snack with coffee and many different pastries, as well as a savory snack like Leberkäse or goulash soup. In the evening, there was a very good dinner buffet with a wide variety of dishes, including a salad buffet. The appetizer and dessert were served; for children, there was always ice cream to choose from as a dessert. At the Hotel Eggerhof, much is homemade, so all the beef comes from their own farm. House sausages, bacon, ham, wieners, and meatloaf are produced just for the guests. Some herbs come from their own vegetable garden. The specialty at the Hotel Eggerhof is lactose and gluten-free food for allergy sufferers. We really enjoyed the food at the Hotel Eggerhof. There was plenty of choice, always a dish for children that they like, and if something was empty at the buffet, it was refilled immediately. I also found it very attentive that there was always ice cream for children as a dessert, which our children naturally enjoyed very much.

Wellness

At the Hotel Eggerhof, you can relax wonderfully in the wellness area in both summer and winter. From 4 PM, the Finnish sauna, the organic herbal sauna, the infrared cabin, the steam bath, the Kneipp pool, or the solarium can be used. In the relaxation room, loungers invite you to rest. The highlight is the heated outdoor pool, which can also be used in winter. We liked the pool very much. In the pool, bubbles can be turned on at the push of a button, which is, of course, a huge fun for the children. If you wish, you can also take advantage of a massage; classics such as partial body massage, full body massage, or foot reflexology massage are offered here, but also special massages such as honey massage or Ayurveda.

The Joker Card

At the hotel, we received the Joker Card. This card cannot be bought, but is issued by the accommodations that are Joker Card partners. This card turned out to be very practical, as it includes or offers discounts on several costs for beautiful excursions. So we didn't pay extra for the mountain lifts. There would have been discounts for the high ropes park, Schnitza’s wood park, or the treetop path. We also didn't have to pay anything extra for the valley head train. Further information on the Joker Card can be found here: Joker Card in Saalbach

Our excursions in Saalbach with the children

Montelino’s Adventure Path – Kohlmaisbahn

• Route length: 2.2 km
• Duration: 1:30
• Difficulty: easy
• Age: 4-10 years
• Admission: no admission
• Stroller-friendly: no
• Starting point: Kohlmaisbahn mountain station

First, the mountain is climbed with the Kohlmaisbahn; for our children, it was already a big adventure to go up in a gondola. Be sure to request the game pass with the stickers at the ticket office so the children can help Montelino. Montelino has lost all his toys on the mountain, and the children should help him find them. The adventure trail leads from the mountain station down to the middle station and is approx. 2.2 km long. The paths are easy, mostly gravel, and it is mainly downhill. A duration of approx. 1:30 is stated, but we naturally took longer. The play stations are really very beautiful and child-friendly. Here you can find the large squirrel nest with the golden nut, the giant snake Paula, or a giant slide. On the way, there are also huts where you can refresh yourself and take a break. Our children and we also liked the stations very much. However, I must say that the path was almost too long for our children at 4.5 years old. In the end, they were already very tired and didn't really want to go on, so we had to skip a few stations. From the middle station, you go back to the valley with the Kohlmaisbahn. We liked this hike very much because the stations are really beautifully made and the children were very excited that they were allowed to help Montelino.

Ride with the valley head train

• Route length: n/a
• Duration: approx. 10 min.
• Age: all ages
• Admission: included with Joker Card, otherwise children up to 7 years free, single trip from 7 years: € 3, single trip for adults € 4, round trip children: € 4, round trip adults: € 6
• Stroller transport: yes
• Starting point: "Train station" valley head Hinterglemm

In the valley head, there is a stop where the valley head train goes to the Devil's Water and the Lindlingalm. On foot, the path takes approx. 35 minutes, but for the children, this ride was naturally more fun. A tractor pulls 2 trailers here, where you can sit comfortably. At the last trailer, there is a shelf where strollers or large backpacks can be stored.

For our children, it was a fun ride; they enjoyed it very much and our son was very enthusiastic about the tractor that pulled us.

Talschluss Devil's Water

• Route length: n/a
• Duration: as long as you like
• Difficulty: easy
• Age: all ages
• Admission: no admission
• Stroller-friendly: no
• Starting point: Talschluss Hinterglemm

Our children were thrilled and wandered from one pool to the next and tried everything. They were only in the water for a very short time, as the water there is really very cold.

Berg Kodok

• Route length: 3.5 km
• Duration: 2:30 h
• Difficulty: medium
• Age: 8-14 years
• Admission: no admission
• Stroller-friendly: partially – only up to the Rosswaldhütte
• Starting point: Reiterkogel mountain station

Again, the children are allowed to help, because a mean goblin named Kodok has stolen the poor clown's hat. The hat was hidden in a secret place, but the goblin was careless and left traces that the children can follow. You get the game pass at the ticket office of the Reiterkogel valley station; unfortunately, we didn't get it. The lift takes you up to the mountain station, where a hut with drinks and refreshments can be found right at the beginning. Right next to it, the Kodok expedition trail starts. The children are allowed to solve puzzles at various stations here, such as the "secret message," and must also be brave, for example at the "Dark Gorge." Unfortunately, it was much too long for our children; we wandered around a bit and only managed a few play stations, but these were very original and we liked them very much.

Hiking on the Schattberg

Another excursion led us to the Schattberg. The ascent is very comfortable with the fast Schattberg X-press. On the mountain, there was a beautiful playground and some hiking trails for our children. Right at the mountain station, there was a restaurant where you can refresh yourself or sunbathe on the terrace.

Unfortunately, the hiking trails here are all very long and not feasible with our toddlers. Our children were not in the mood for hiking that day, so we were at the playground and in the restaurant. From up here, you have a breathtaking view.

Fishing and Archery at the Bärenbach

Through the Hotel Eggerhof, we went fishing at the Bärenbach one afternoon with our children and some children from the hotel. Here is a large lake with lots of fish. We were allowed to borrow the fishing equipment, of course, and off we went. I must admit, for the smaller children, these fishing rods were not so easy to operate, as the fishing line could easily get tangled. But with the help of adults, all children could try again and again to catch a fish. Wonderful to see how the children are happy when the first fish bites on their own rod. By the way: We were actually allowed to eat our fish, prepared very well, at the hotel in the evening. For our children, it was a really great afternoon.

Conclusion

We are very enthusiastic about this vacation in Saalbach. Everything was just right for us here: The hotel was exactly right for us, finally a very child-friendly hotel with many additional services for children. The Saalbach area has a lot to offer: numerous cable cars, hiking and mountain bike trails, as well as theme parks for children – boredom can definitely not arise here. On the contrary, with the great abundance of excursion destinations, we often ran out of time to really visit all the attractions. We definitely want to come back, because the high ropes park and the treetop path would still be very tempting for us, but the children have to be a little older for that. We can unreservedly recommend a family vacation in summer in Saalbach at the Hotel Eggerhof.

Photos by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at

Prices as of 2013

Also read: Car Trips with Toddlers Made (Easier)