Oberlech, Vorarlberg, Austria
A ski-in/ski-out family hotel in Oberlech, founded in 1963 and run by Olympic downhill champion Patrick Ortlieb, with two Gault Millau toques for its Alsatian-Vorarlberg kitchen.
Forty-seven rooms face the Arlberg slopes from Oberlech, 1,660 metres above Lech am Arlberg. Skis click on outside the door. Inside, natural wood and alpine light fill a hotel that has belonged to one family since 1963. Gertraud Ortlieb, the fairy godmother of the house, built it with her husband Guy, an Alsatian cook who arrived at the Arlberg with recipes for wine soup and escargots in garlic butter.
Their son Patrick won Olympic gold in Val d'Isere in 1992, the Hahnenkamm downhill in 1994, and the World Championship title in Sierra Nevada in 1996. He runs the hotel today. Three generations have shaped a place where Alsace meets Vorarlberg, on what the family calls the most beautiful front-row seat of the Arlberg. That sporting and culinary lineage is not decoration. It is the daily rhythm of the house.
Ski-in/ski-out access puts the Arlberg region's 300 kilometres of piste directly at the door. Lech, Zurs, and St. Anton connect across the wider terrain. Cross-country trails run through the valley below Oberlech. The Techno Gym fitness lounge stays open for guests who want to train off the snow. Winter holidays without skis are also possible, with walking paths across the high plateau. Life is better on the slopes, the Ortliebs say, and the hotel is built to prove it.
Explore additional experiences in the surrounding area.
Route length: 8.4km loopEstimated time: 2hLoop routeSchlappolt is a nature reserve protected area since 1986 with restrictions on noise, drones, motor vehicles, camping, and watercraft use. Dogs must be leashed and open fires are prohibited to reduce human impact.
Route length: 18.3km loopEstimated time: 4hLoop routeEuropaschutzgebiet Gadental is a nature reserve and European protected area under Natura 2000 since 1987. It serves as a habitat protection zone with significant nature conservation status.
Route length: 59.7km loopEstimated time: 13.5hLoop routeThe Europaschutzgebiet Bergwälder Klostertal is a protected nature reserve classified under Natura 2000. This European protection area conserves mountain forest habitats in the Klostertal region.
Route length: 1.1km loopEstimated time: 15minLoop routeObere Gipslöcher is a protected nature reserve created in 2011 with measures to preserve its natural environment. It retains the protection class 4 designation under the Naturschutzgebiet category.
Area sceneryRoute length: 4.7km loopEstimated time: 1hLoop routeNaturschutzgebiet Auer Ried has been a protected nature reserve since January 1, 1993, with a protect_class of 4. It is designated as a boundary protected area with a dedicated website and linked to wikidata Q61454068 and german wikipedia.
The Infinity Pool at AlpenParks Hotel & Apartment Arlberg is an outdoor, lit swimming pool accessible to customers 24/7. It is intended for leisure swimming.
Area sceneryRoute length: 2.7km loopEstimated time: 36minLoop routeEuropaschutzgebiet Unter-Überlut is a Natura 2000 designated nature reserve established since February 1, 2002. It is a protected area aiming to preserve its natural habitat and biodiversity.
Route length: 0km loopLoop routeLeidtobelbrücke is a covered bridge with a wooden surface, designated for foot and bicycle traffic. It is located on layer 1 and classified as a hiking piste.
Route length: 1.4km linearDifficulty: EasyLinear routeMohnenmähder is a one-way downhill piste groomed for classic skiing with an easy difficulty level. It is not lit and is part of a managed skiing trail system.
Route length: 0.1km loopEstimated time: 1minLoop routeMarmotta-Wand, also known as Murmeltierwand, is a natural cliff reaching an elevation of 1880 meters. This climbing spot features bolted routes with difficulty grades ranging from UIAA 2 to 4+ and a maximum height of 25 meters. It is well-documented with climbing information available online.
Guy Ortlieb brought Alsace to the Arlberg in the 1960s. His wine soup, escargots in garlic butter, truffled goose liver terrine, and Quiche Lorraine became the foundation of a kitchen that still defines the hotel. Today, the Montana restaurant holds two Gault Millau toques. The menu moves between French tradition and Vorarlberg alpine cooking. Fondue sits alongside coordinated set menus. Ingredients travel short distances from local producers, keeping the regional economy close. A wine cellar supports the French-leaning menu. The sun terrace and bar round out a dining culture built over six decades, where Alsace meets Vorarlberg on every plate.
The wellness area dates to 1980, when the hotel earned its fourth star. An indoor pool anchors the space. The sauna and salt steam bath sit nearby. The salt steam is described as sheer bliss for skin and bronchial system. An infrared booth loosens muscles after a day on the Arlberg slopes. A freshwater Kneipp basin kick-starts circulation with cold Alpine water. Massages by a professional spa therapist complete the offering. Time for wellness, time for me, the Montana says. The setting earns it. Precious wood, clear spring water, fresh mountain air surround every session.
The Montana's philosophy is direct. Think globally, act locally. The Ortliebs frame their alpine setting as a trust, not a backdrop. Precious wood, clear spring water, fresh mountain air are priceless treasures, and daily operations aim to preserve them for future generations.
Food comes from local producers with short transport routes, supporting the Vorarlberg regional economy. Rooms use natural materials. The hotel strives to use resources sparingly and raises awareness of sustainability among guests and staff. Resource-friendly, conscious, fit for the future is how the family describes their approach. For the Ortliebs, acting responsibly towards nature and humankind is not a programme. It is how the house has run since 1963.
Hotel Montana Oberlech offers 6 accommodation types.
Single Room Silver
A single room at the Montana Oberlech, individually and comfortably furnished with warm colours and natural wood details.
Single Room Gold
A single room accommodating up to 2 persons, individually furnished with premium bathroom fittings and first-class amenities.
Double Room Silver
A double room for up to 3 persons, individually furnished with warm colours, natural wood, and exquisite bathroom fittings.
Double Room Gold
A double room accommodating up to 4 persons, individually furnished with premium materials and first-class bathroom fittings.
Suite Silver
A suite accommodating up to 5 persons, individually and comfortably furnished with warm colours, natural wood, and loving details.
Suite Gold
The largest suite, accommodating up to 6 persons, individually furnished with premium fittings and a refined alpine character.
Step onto the Arlberg from your door. Sixty years of Ortlieb family hospitality, Alsatian-Vorarlberg cuisine, and alpine wellness await at Oberlech.
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