Mühltalhof

Pastiche in nature, the riverside Mühltalhof Hotel & Restaurant in Neufelden is a humble foodie legend that adopts Austrian heritage married to subtle modern design.  Spanning three family generations, who in turn, have each imparted their gastronomic skills to the table of this famous haunt attracting taste pilgrims from far and near. Under the direction of family member, Philip Rachinger, the restaurant is famed for its propriety style of cuisine which people flock to from across the culinary world.

More restaurant with rooms than your atypical hotel, Mühltalhof touches the senses and is a place that encourages you to slumber, chill and relax without trying too hard: a natural venue of slow-paced wellness in the Granite Highlands of Upper Austria. Restorative refurbishments by Linz architect Klaus Leitner enabled the owners to hold on to their roots and heritage whilst letting modern design sweep through the hotel and restaurant: Mühltalhof is anchored into its long history dating back in parts to 1698 and yet, it is a thoroughly modern, sustainable encounter that borrows the canvas from its forested, idyllic riverside location.

Three combined riverside houses, each with a distinctive DNA from the old thickly plastered gabled façade to the sleek cubic elegance the later builds, one in white and one wrapped in rusted steel: the effect is cleverly dramatic bringing the colours of the forest and river into the dialogue as well as referencing traditional building materials. 

On entering, you’ll be greeted by a homage to natural materials – wood dominates the scene. Forming slats from ceiling to floor, itcreates a soothing, ordered pattern whilst providing functional design intentions – such as the wooden pegs that protrude, holding the room keys. The reception desk is a swathe of blond wood, held in place by a boulder of granite – in honour of the epic stone that graces the lower mountains of Upper Mühlviertel. 

The dining room is encased by blackened wood, adding drama to the ambience in honour of this hotel’s famed gastronomic legacy. By contrast, the spa is all lightness and buoyancy, with smooth blond slatted wood playing with pattern as daylight falls in shadows on the floor. Rooms and suites use oak from the Bohemian Forest, quarried granite, linens, locally made beds from scented woods, family heirloom antiques, sleek designer pieces and those lovely Mühltalhof gestures of nostalgia convey its artsy, nonchalant soul.

A fabulous foodie haunt and artistic venue, this chillax riverside hotel in Upper Austria is a traditional modernist that plays with heritage, the arts and nature between the Bohemian Forest and the Danube.

River and forest views from the light-filled boutique rooms and suites, some with panoramic windows, private lawns, porches and free-standing bathtubs, are exceedingly tranquil decked in the flax-seed tones of the Mühlviertel. 

Oak from the Bohemian Forest, quarried granite, linens, locally made beds from scented woods, family heirloom antiques, sleek designer pieces and those lovely Mühltalhof gestures of nostalgia convey its soul.

Dip your toes directly into the river Mühl, laze on the porch or dive in for a refreshing swim. There is something holistic about listening and watching the flow of a river – a trail you can follow for a 12km walk from the hotel. The natural surrounds of the hotel, the textile craftworks and beer brewing using traditional centuries-old techniques permit for a restful escape for the mind, body and soul out in nature.