Haven Mountain Retreat

Bold architectural design, direct ski access and a family ethos headline the DNA of the Haven Mountain Retreat – a next-generation apartment hotel & spa located in the small Austrian village of St. Johann im Pongau. With doorstep access to the slopes of Snow Space Salzburg (220km of ski runs, 70 lifts) and linked to the second largest ski resort in Europe, the Ski Amadé, aptly named after Mozart, Haven has been creative to capture the adrenaline of the peaks both in winter and summer, through clever design and even includes direct ski slope access from their rooftop.

Julia Höllwart and her partner, architect Lenhart Baaten created the rebirth of the hotel, Julia and the Höllwart family, third-generation of hoteliers, found the elixir for modern holiday apartment travel with their soft, sleek-touch interior design, on-point location and a simple, freeing concept in creating hotel-style apartments ideal for a couple to the whole family clan. Haven is a luxe pitstop of easy style with more than a hint of purist Scandi design, creating cocoons of comfort through thoughtful and crafted spaces.  Cereal tones, linens, tactile wood and over-sized contemporary furnishings in ivory bouclé wools add to the agreeable modern-alpine aesthetic.

The Dutch-born architect Lenhart Baaten, who has lived and worked in Austria since 2020, knew how to harness the views to give wellness a nudge, making the spa the other ace in the Haven’s allure. A panoramic sundeck with lazy loungers and its wow-factor outdoor infinity pool – open all year round and nicely heated, headline the good-life vibes. Inside, a lineup of sauna awaits – opt from organic herbal, Finnish or infra-red, and alternate with the steam bath and relaxing lounge. 

QMS and Alpine natural skincare brand Team Dr Joseph are at hand for treatments and après-ski massages. Continuing the narrative of bird' s-eye living, head to the rooftop restaurant, coined ‘Deck7,’ for a Bond-inclined dinner above the clouds.

A flexible restaurant space and terrace that overlooks the slopes and provides the works from full Viennese breakfasts, coffee and cake, après ski cocktails or boozy hot chocolate to a full dinner in the evening. The concept is easy faire serving up classic Schnitzel, pizza, steaks and a variety of vegetable-led menu staples

Shou Sugi Ban

Architect Lenhart Baaten creatively opted to wrap the Haven in a skeletal framework of Corten steel and charred timbers, the noir accents frame the views wonderfully, that clever play of bringing the outside inwards by framing in dark tones as well as making a bold architectural statement against the alpine colours of rock, forests and snow. Known as Shou Sugi Ban, the technique is used to protect wooden buildings from weathering, pests and fire. The process involves burning the wood, cooling it, cleaning off the soot, and finishing it with natural oils. The result is a strikingly beautiful, carbon-rich surface that is durable and resistant to decay.

Park your Skis Curbside

St. Johann im Pongau is a small thriving village within the Salzburg Alps with ample of attractions, bars, bakeries (it is Austria) and boutiques stocked with gear from ski, boarding, hiking and apes ski attire. Whisking up in the mountains, year-round gondolas at Snow Space Salzburg take hikers and skiers to trails that cross the Salzburg Alps, dotted with wooden huts to fuel up in. A little further afield is the Liechtenstein Gorge, is one of the longest, deepest and most impressive gorges in the Alps – to descend you climb down a swirly ‘helix’ staircase made out of steel – quite the fusion of nature and architecture. Salzburg Airport is around 30 miles from Haven Mountain. In snow-dusted winter, guests can benefit from the much sought-after holy grail of ski holidays – the covetable luxury of ski-in and ski-out.

Über-sized

Geared to suit all sizes and moods, the 34 hotel apartments range from 51 to 87 square metres with more than half sporting two bedrooms and the rest as spaciously equipped three bedrooms, including the signature panoramic apartments on level 6, which come with free-standing bathtubs. Whether as a couple, a bunch of amigos, or as a whole family with granny in tow, the Haven brings self-catering up to date with useful kitchens, Nespresso coffee machines, fluffy bathrobes, terraces and smart TVs. In case you get too relaxed there are floor-to-ceiling views of the mountains to tempt you out.

However, it is a holiday after all, so you may prefer to take the easier option – enter breakfast boxes, morning pastries on the doormat, fresh coffee or wine via room service.  Or you may like to head to Deck 7, a flexible restaurant space and terrace that overlooks the slopes and provides the works from full Viennese breakfasts, coffee and cake, après ski cocktails or boozy hot chocolate to a full dinner in the evening.

Owners

Hoteliers since 1985 since the inception of a Bed and Breakfast called Sonnhof, followed by luxe hotel Oberforsthof, family Höllwart clearly have the hospitality gene flowing through their DNA. The hattrick, Haven Mountain Retreat, feels like the culmination of their hotel learnings, presenting a highly evolved yet simple concept – to make a soothing, everything’s-easy atmosphere thereby creating happy guests. Thanks family Höllwart!

Perfectly placed for authentic mountain pursuits, Haven Mountain Retreat is located in the small Austrian village of St. Johann im Pongau where the ski resort of Snow Space Salzburg resides, also linked to the Ski Amadé, named after Mozart, and making up the second largest ski area in Europe.

Nearby, visitors will find an alpine-lovely selection of artisan shops and bakeries, restaurants and bars, and up in the mountains, year-round gondolas at Snow Space Salzburg take hikers and skiers to trails that cross the Salzburg Alps, dotted with wooden huts to fuel up in. A little further afield is the Liechtenstein Gorge, is one of the longest, deepest and most impressive gorges in the Alps – to descend you climb down a swirly ‘helix’ staircase made out of steel – quite the fusion of nature and architecture. Salzburg Airport is around 30 miles from Haven Mountain Retreat.