Hotel Theresia combines eco-orientation with wellness

Ten years ago, Marianne (57) and Harald Brettermeier (56) were among the pioneers who were ecologising the hotel business in Austria. With 73 rooms, suites and holiday apartments, Hotel Theresia in Saalbach-Hinterglemm is one of the biggest tourist establishments in the Salzburger Land. Quite apart from using a high level of organic foods, the hotel’s outstanding features are indoor and outdoor pools heated by waste heat and an extensive wellness offer. The term eco-luxury is brought to life here. Whereas in the winter up to 238 guests visit the hotel in the peak season for skiing, in the summer around 180 are in residence at any one time. Hotel Theresia is a member of the tourism network BioParadies Salzburger Land. (Picture: Harald and Marianne Brettermeier run Hotel Theresia in Glemmtal)
With their menus and signs in German, English and French, the Brettermeiers are well prepared for international visitors. At the spa hotel, where guests book on average a stay of 5.5 days in winter and 6.5 days in summer, several of the employees speak both English and French. In July and August up to half the guests come from France!

In the winter season (from the beginning of December to the beginning of April) 37 % of the guests come from Germany,15 % from Austria, 12 % from Britain and 6 % from the Netherlands. In the summer (middle/end of May to the end of September/ beginning of October) 32 % come from Germany, 31 % from France (with the French visitors mainly concentrated in July und August and representing the biggest contingent in this period), 17 % from Britain and 12 % from Austria.

To welcome new arrivals a 70 g chocolate bar labelled Summer Dream or Winter Dream is waiting is each room. The chocolate manufacturer BioArt packages several thousand nut chocolate bars for the Saalbach hotel with their own label.

“Many of our guests are enthusiastic about honey in the honeycomb (picture) and have seen it here for the first time,” says Marianne Brettermeier. Regional products have pride of place on the lavish breakfast buffet. The honey comes from Sepp Grünwald (that’s his real name!) about five kilometres from the hotel. Every two weeks Marianne Brettermeier walks with interested guests to visit the first certified organic beekeeper in the region. Between five and twenty five people regularly sign up for this walk. Grünwald keeps around a hundred colonies of bees at four locations in Glemmtal. At breakfast, guests can cut a piece off the original honey comb with a knife and then enjoy the experience of eating the honey and wax. Mr Brettermeier recounts how two guests, after meeting Mr Grünwald, even became hobby beekeepers themselves. (Picture on right: Honeycomb and breakfast dishes in the shape of a honeycomb)

Many of the breakfast ingredients also come from organic agriculture in the region: six varieties of organic cheese (picture) are made at a farm cheese dairy in the town. The so-called Pinzgauer cows, that graze on the hillside pastures above the hotel, supply the milk. The hotel uses water from its own spring that has been revitalized by means of the Grander technique. The six different sorts of organic bread and 80 % of the organic sausage are also sourced from only 15-20 km away. Of the 200 ingredients that are used in the hotel’s kitchen, 130 are sourced from organic agriculture. Certain foods, like the white and yellow range, plus flour, eggs, coffee, tea, vinegar and oils are 100 % organic in compliance with the directive of the association Bio Austria. In other categories, such as juices, beer, fruit and vegetables, the proportion of organics is lower. (Picture on left: Organic cheese from the region)

Of the four evening meals – each with its own menu – one is totally organic-vegetarian. In the case of the others, they are more organic than the menu suggests. As soon as non-organic ingredients in a dish exceed 5 % the whole meal can no longer be called organic. Allergies and special requests from the guests are not a problem. “Provided that guests tell us before they arrive, we can cater for their needs,” explains Mrs Brettermeier, who is very flexible in her response to the wishes of visitors to the hotel. However, special requirements apply to only 2-3% of people coming to stay. (Picture: The guests love the excellent buffet)

“Once a year, a compliance check is carried out for our organic certification – so far without any complaints,” explains Harald Kühn, the head chef at Hotel Theresia. As well as this inspection, there are usually two unannounced checks carried out by an authorized organic monitoring organization or by the association Grüne Haube (see below). From 6.30 in the morning a member of staff is in the kitchen to take charge of breakfast. From 8 o’clock the staff start preparations for lunch. In the summer, five cooks and four trainees and in the winter twelve staff ensure that their guests don’t go hungry. When preparing food in this four-star hotel, that has received many awards, they set great store by decorative presentation on the plate (picture) and on the buffet.

Both graduates in business studies, in 1981 Harald and Marianne Brettermeier joined the enterprise created by Mrs Brettermeier’s parents. What was in those days a new building had 48 rooms, and this number later became 53 by extending into the roof space. In1992 the spa area was further developed and in 2002 came the first organic certification. In 1998 they took over the hotel next door and a linking passageway was created. In the adjacent building, alterations and renovation resulted in ten holiday apartments, four family rooms and six double rooms (picture). The hotel now employs 35 people in the summer and 50 in the winter to look after the guests or work at the reception and in the kitchen.

Not without good reason, Hotel Theresia glories in the name “Garden Hotel”. An attractive natural garden, that is home to lizards, Aesculapian snakes, wild bees and bats, runs via a rockery up to the outside swimming pools (picture) that are heated by a heat recovery installation. Further leisure activities are a trampoline, table tennis, playground equipment for children and a volleyball and hockey pitch.

In the spacious panorama-fitness studio (picture) you find ten pieces of sports equipment where guests can work out practically round the clock in any weather. Whilst hikers can make use of over 450 km of routes in the summer (some with views of the Großglockner massif and the Leogang mountains) and can take advantage of several cable cars operating in the town, to cater for relaxation afterwards there are, in addition to the swimming facilities in the garden, an indoor pool, two aroma grottos, a salt steam bath and a Finnish sauna with extra pools. In winter, within walking distance in the village are two ski lifts that take you up to more than 200 km of ski routes. Hotel Theresia has its own ski school and you can hire ski in the hotel itself. 160 km of cycling and down hill biking, riding, tennis, water sports and golf complete the wide ranging offer for tourists in the summer. With the Joker Card, all Theresia guests can use free of charge the four cable cars in the valley, the hiking bus, the valley train and many other attractions in the region.

The wellness offer at Hotel Theresia operates under the name “Mountain Green Spa”. “A year and a half ago, my son, who is studying information design, devised an attractive logo,” explains Marianne Brettermeier proudly. In the spa area you find a variety of massage, body treatments (picture), physiotherapies, relaxation and energy-medical advice. The spa-shop (about 10 m²) sells a certified organic range of Annemarie Börlind, Marías and Dado Sens products.

Garden Hotel Theresia is one of the founders of the regional tourism association “BioParadies Salzburger Land“, that now has a membership of 27 Hotels and restaurants ranging from farmhouse to four star establishments. In 2011, they were joined by two new businesses in Salzburg, and since then another five in the Salzburg region have also become members. For many years, in some cases for decades, BioParadies members individually tailored their offer to the requirements of bio-savvy guests. Then, in 2009, they formed an association. The members are located in the most attractive holiday regions in the Salzburger Land: from Salzkammergut and the lake district, the Salzburger Seenland, the Lammertal and the Salzburg world of sport to the Lungau and the Pinzgau regions. All BioParadies establishments are members of the association Bio Austria that offers three categories: the “Salzburger Bio-Frühstück” (organic breakfast) - identified by a blue butterfly – must consist of at least 90 % organic products from local farmers. The green butterfly indicates organic food that is available throughout the day, and the orange butterfly signifies a 100 % organic offer. (Picture: The bar in Hotel Theresia)

The restaurant association “Grüne Haube” has a membership of 34. This association, that is committed to ensuring an organic offer in restaurants in Austria, was founded in 1990. Since 2006, organic certification is obligatory. Among the 34 members are two educational establishments, a barracks, a centre for young people and a family guest house. Adherence to the guidelines is monitored by the non-profit organization Styria Vitalis. Grüne Haube businesses don’t have to convert totally to organic. For example, they have to offer dishes with organic meat and wholegrain, have available a wide range of salads of the season, and be able to prepare organic wholegrain side dishes and offer regional organic cheese, plus having fish and freshly pressed organic juices on the menu. They are also obliged to use “natural foods” sourced in the region. (Picture: Chef de rang Daniel presents a platter with sausage, tofu, rissoles and pasties)

An ambition of Marianne Brettermeier is to train cooks to become organic cooks in order to promote the theme of organic cuisine. At Hotel Theresia, she’s also an excellent example of integrating handicapped young people.

Visiting Hotel Theresia can be recommended all the year round for ski enthusiasts, hikers, mountain bikers, cyclists and anyone seeking relaxation. During the first weekend in June a large number of Harley-Davidson fans descend on Saalbach-Hinterglemm, which can spoil your enjoyment of your holiday, but apart from that for adults and children alike there is always loads to do and never a dull moment.

(Picture: View of the hotel in winter)

Tips:

www.hotel-theresia.com

http://bioparadies.salzburgerland.com

http://www.styriavitalis.at