Home » Food & Drink » Gourmet Travel » Enjoy Old World Charm at Austria’s Hotel Schlair

Enjoy Old World Charm at Austria’s Hotel Schlair

© Eve Carr

For seven days a week, from sunrise to sunset-and then some, Erik and Maria Kux work to carry on an ancient worldwide tradition. They are innkeepers in Kremsmünster, a quaint little village tucked away in the scenic Upper Austria region of Austria.

"Located just off Austria's Romantic Road, it's the perfect place to experience the Old-World charm found in Austria's back roads," says Dr. Michal Barszap, President of ITS Tours in College Station, Texas. "I know Erik and Maria personally, and I am always impressed at what a terrific job they do of pleasing guests."

Maria's family has been at this location for six generations. But how did Erik, an American, wind up as an Austrian innkeeper? The answer is partly because of his heritage-and mostly because of love.

"I have deep roots in Europe," he says. My mother was born in Bulgaria, and my father fled his homeland of Czechoslovakia in 1945."

While the Kux family traveled all over the world, it was Austria that always carried a special place in Erik's heart because his grandmother lived here.

"This was always considered our home away from home," he says as he recalls fond memories of visiting her. Growing up in a German-speaking household, it was only natural that Erik learned to speak the language fluently, and, with his language skills, it was equally logical that this avid bicycler would come to lead bike tours in Austria. It was on one of these tours that Erik happened to stay at Maria's parents' hotel, and, the rest is romantic history. Before long, they decided to not only marry, but to dedicate themselves to operating the Hotel Schlair.

Don't be misled by the word "hotel." When you stay here, you will see that it feels more like a country inn, where you can relax in warm, friendly surroundings as you sip mulled wine before the fireplace in the front room or enjoy a light snack at the cozy bar. Since it is family owned and operated, you can count on attention to detail.

One of the best things about staying at the Hotel Schlair is that its location is so central. It's just one hour from Salzburg; two hours from Vienna and three from Munich and Innsbruck. Train stations are nearby, and the staff is always ready to pick up individuals from the stations-as well as from the airport in Linz, about 22 miles away.

The copyright of the article Enjoy Old World Charm at Austria’s Hotel Schlair in Gourmet Travel is owned by . Permission to republish Enjoy Old World Charm at Austria’s Hotel Schlair in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.