our date with silke seemann, hallstatt hideaway hotelière & holidayregion dachstein salzkammergut PART 1

We are Elisabeth B?ck and Cornelia Pichler, two open-minded, inquisitive women who couldn’t be more different. But, as the saying goes, opposites attract and develop their true beauty through that contrast. Together, we are womanly, and we write about lifestyle, fashion, design, travel, architecture, cuisine, beauty and – as our name suggests – interesting women.

Together with LIFESTYLEHOTELS, we discover exciting places and meet special people who give us entertaining details about their lives. And we would like to share these with you.

The road is supposedly the reward – and this proves to be true during our excursion to Hallstatt.

We explore the region of Dachstein Salzkammergut, where even James Bond saved his loved one on a noble mission. We calmly drive through snow-capped villages – searching for nature and authentic conviviality, far from the urban hustle and bustle and the grey high-rise buildings. The region of Dachstein Salzkammergut, with its mountains, lakes and caves, is a popular summer destination, but it is in the winter that it really comes into its own, evealing a successful combination of impressive nature, host charm, open fireplaces and local delicacies. Places such as Bad Aussee, Altaussee and Bad Goisern exude a pleasant own-to-earth quality without appearing old-fashioned. This is where tradition lives, while being interpreted in a modern way and charmingly introduced to foreign cultures. As we stop along the way to take a few pictures, fresh snow crunches under our feet, the glowing sun blinds us and the dark blue sky creates the perfect backdrop for the white rooftops, the rustic wooden huts and the wide pastures stretching before us like a white sea. We then roceed to the natural monument of lake Gosausee, the “Eye of God”, in which the majestic Dachstein reflects itself. Although it’s freezing cold, we linger on the shore for a few minutes and admire the unique panorama. Little by little we find inner peace, and the wish to capture these forces of nature on our cameras gradually fades away, as nothing can beat the real experience. The Dachstein towers over the lake. It is awe-inspiring and alluring at the same time – a mystical witness of bygone eras, watching over everything. The desire to conquer it rises – except maybe in another season and with appropriate footwear.

When we arrive in Hallstatt, not only do we leave our car behind, but also our sense of time. People don’t rush here, they only recharge their batteries. The village on Lake Hallstatt appears to us in perfect sunlight with magnificent architecture from another time. Hundreds of years ago, the “White Gold”, or salt, seemed to enable things which still hold true today. Because, due to the time of year, we can’t visit the Salzwelten, the oldest salt mine in Europe, or the ice caves in Obertraun, we must settle for the lowlands, which are however just as charming and hold small surprises. The walk along the Seestra?e turns out to be relaxing for body and mind, and puts some colour on our cheeks. A white ship approaches. The old man near us explains to us proudly that Lake Hallstatt is the only lake in Europe to offer shipping all year round, operated by the same family for 50 years. You can see how durability is a virtue here, and change either happens at walking pace or never. That’s a comfortable feeling, coming from a world shaped by acceleration and by a multi-tasking culture. Time is taken for granted here, and things that are not here are not missed. Like lifts. Since Hallstatt, together with the Dachstein and the Salzkammergut, was named a UNESCO world heritage site, houses must be renovated in a way that must ensure the protection of historical buildings and monuments, which automatically excludes many forms of modernisation.

When we arrive at our accommodation, the Hallstatt Hideaway, the charm of the guesthouse in boutiquehotel style casts a spell over us. Heavy wooden doors, thick stone floors and cosy fabrics give you the impression you have arrived in a place where things are just right for you. We get the feeling of “a home away from home” when we are given our spacious suites, taking us to the forest and to the sky. What more could you want? The rooms radiate warmth – paired with noble design and high-quality materials, but what is truly breath-taking is the view over the snow-covered rooftops and the deep blue lake, surrounded by majestic mountain ranges. We already know that we will feel very much at home here.

Read the full article in the last issue of the STYLMEMATE