POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados

Alpine Definitions

POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados

Alpine Definitions

POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados

Alpine Definitions

POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados
Old lovingly restored rafters overhead, the worn travertine stairs and wide entrance doors hint at the house's previous incarnations – throughout the centuries, PoSt has lived not only as a post office but as a grocery store, boarding house and quarters for Franciscan nuns, right next to the church

Intro

On the site of a former post office from 1573 and village heart of quintessential Alpine gem Maria Alm in the district of Pinzgau, Austria, PoSt Apartments are a stylish departure from the expected alpine remit presenting a smooth co-joining of historical legacy with contemporary comforts. 

The village-facing new facade keeps the historical narrative pretty much remained unchanged and defines alpinist charm; recreated so indeed time can stand still. Inside, however, these boutique holiday apartments have been configured with a modern overlay decked in an abundance of honeyed oak-timbers and hand-woven materials from the surrounding Salzburgerland, including all of the building workers, who were local trade people and family members. The project was a family restoration as the building has been in its hands since the 1960s.  

As much of the former building was salvaged as possible, particularly those gorgeous architectural features. The lovingly restored rafters overhead, the worn travertine stairs and wide entrance doors hint at the house's previous incarnations – throughout the centuries, PoSt has lived not only as a post office but as a grocery store, boarding house and quarters for Franciscan nuns, right next to the church.

Today, the PoSt has nine new elegant holiday apartments that create a sense of place with contemporary flair. Incredibly comfortable, the interior design adopts an Alpine visual language using tone-on-tone colour palettes, reams of indigenous oak sawn flooring, parquet walls and smooth stone underfoot in chic bathrooms. The clever architecture permits panoramic windows and balconies that drink up the mountain surroundings. Even better, the warm wellness area divulges a panoramic pool to luxuriate in with sidelong sauna and massage spots – perfect for post-ski chillaxing. 

Welcome from the Schwaiger-Eder family is warmly traditional. Their eye for heritage can be seen from the use of beautiful loden cloth and natural, local fabrics – even the neat window boxes that line the façade are deeply traditional, yet positioned against the newly restored building, the look is fresh, clean and ready for the next arrival of style-savvy travellers.

Clasped by the picture-perfect idyll of Maria Alm and its unmistakable church spire, skirted by the soaring Hochkönig mountain range, PoSt is a cool vacation hub wrapped in history. Enjoy a breath of history, local charm and a deep sense of calming mountain style.

Apartments

POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados

Scented with larch wood, the nine apartments all come with a sense of calm as standard. This is largely due to the use of a natural materials that cloak the spacious rooms. From parquet walls, smooth wooden floors, stone-flagged bathrooms to loden window seats, the rooms feel very much part of the scene with a comfortable aesthetic, where every chair comes with a wool blanket draped on the arm and box spring beds are loaded with cushions.

Set up for chic Alpine living, the apartments come with kitchenettes and coffee machines for that early morning brew and depending on the aspect you like, your room with a view might come with sunset, countryside, mountain slopes or church vistas. The largest apartment, 'Max', sleeps us to six, which would be ideal for a family group, plus the sunny furnished terrace is a gorgeous spot to sit awhile. We also like 'Paula' with its cosy panoramic bed built into the window seat. 

Foodie

Post Boutique Apartments | Maria Alm, Austria | The Aficionados

The downside of having a lovely apartment is that you'll find it hard to leave its sanctuary; however, at PoSt there's no need for upheaval first thing in the morning. Instead, simply pick a few regional delicacies from the menu, and the breakfast trolley will deliver right to your door.

We can't think of a better start to the day than a personal batch of Alpine goodies – freshly baked rolls, happy eggs, homemade jams, mountain ham and cheeses, plus fresh fruit. Top it off with great coffee or a cheeky glass of prosecco.

Spa

Pool Spa | POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados

When considering what was important for PoSt, wellness was certainly thought out thoroughly as an important part of the big picture. Not only is the house set up for skiers and snowboarders with a heated boot room with boot dryers, there is also the added treat of a wellness area, with heated indoor panoramic pool.

With sigh-inducing views over the mountains, the eight-metre pool is perfect for a few laps, and alongside sits the Finnish sauna to help stretch out aching muscles, overlooking the Hochkönig mountains. We recommend taking gulps of mountain air in between in the bracing 'fresh air chamber', which is incredibly restorative. Then, if you need further pampering, book in for a massage or take tea in the carefully constructed relaxation room, happily designed to help cares fade away.

Location

Sunset | POST Apartments Maria Alm | Holiday Homes | Austria | The Aficionados

The gorgeously quaint village of Maria Alm is found in the Hochkönig region, 69kms from Salzburg's Mozart airport and just 15 kilometres from Zell am See.

Many are drawn to the area for its opportunity for altitudinous pursuits – 340 km of well-signposted hiking trails in summer, dotted with tiny mountain huts that offer wholesome food for hungry hikers. Recently mountain biking and, in particular, e-biking has grown in popularity over the rugged tracks. In summer six lifts can take you onwards and upwards for your day in the mountains.

In winter, a blanket of snow covers the village of Maria Alm, giving it an even more fairy tale appearance. Horse-drawn sleighs complete the scene – or jump on a toboggan for a family ride. The Hochkönig ski area boasts 120 kilometres of stunning slopes and belongs to one of Austria's largest winter sports areas.

Owners

The Post Office has been family-owned since the 1960s, at the time, the grandmother Maria Schwaiger bought the "Ilgen" together with her siblings and ran the post office as a restaurant together with her sister Kathi on the village square. Fast forward to today.

"My father bought the shares from my grandmother's siblings, he and my mother decided to reconstruct the post office. My parents poured their heart into the project and I am extremely proud of them and the family. Fortunately, my father has a good grasp of restoration and construction and my mother has the interior eye.

My uncle and cousin also played a very big role in this - because they run a carpentry shop together and have looked after the post office like their own project (Lanzinger joinery). It was also very important to us to get all the craftsmen and companies who worked at the PoSt from the local area. So the company that drove the furthest to PoSt was about 40 km away.         

We run the PoSt as a family business, my parents Barbara and Matthias, me (Catharina) and my two sisters Theresa and Marie-Sophie. The two "little ones" (17 and 15) also help diligently and make the PoSt a real family business". 

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