Sonnschein Hotel

Stayed here for 2 weeks in June 2006. LOCATION: Approx. 400m from the 'centre' of Neiderau, but a gradual uphill slope that is wearying in the heat. The centre of Neiderau in summer consists of a bank, two small shops, a couple of small supermarkets and about 3 places to have a drink. 5 minutes and you will have explored all possibilities. HOTEL AND ACCOMODATION: The English owner, Gill, manages the hotel with a rod of iron. Although her manner seemed brusque at check in she is extremely friendly and efficient - if you ask for anything to be done it will be done very quickly. She is happy to look things up on internet, give guidance etc. Hotel very large - Gill said it would accomodate 400 people. Arranged in 3 blocks - the original, a 2003 extension and a hideously coloured pink extension done in 2005. We paid for an upgraded room in the 2003 block which was superb - enormous, 2 chairs, sofa, two wardrobes, 2 desks, fridge, balcony, bathroom with twin basins and powershower, separate toilet. Having a kettle was great when one couldn't get coffee in the bar (see below). NOTE - our room was at the front of the hotel and noisy from 6am with coaches pulling in and out, and noisy until 11pm if a rowdy group was in. Rest of hotel good but not very traditionally Tirolean. Outside was a disappointment - the tennis court was unusuable - filled with weeds. The grass was not tended - everything looked raggy round the edges. Did not tempt you to sit out at all. Good to have internet access - 3 euros for half an hour. FOOD: Good/very good. Breakfast buffet very good - usual cereals, fruit, yogurts, cheese, cold meat, boiled eggs, various breads including sliced white in a plastic bag for toast. Tea and coffee from a machine - you fill a pot - and coffee was good. Packed lunches (free with our package) were offered every day - usual roll, apple, chocolate bar or crisps. Dinner, served from 6-8, was good or very good, with the odd exception. Starter small but usually tasty, soup - occasionally very salty but generally OK, salad buffet which was good but the same every day so becamea little tedious, choice of 3 mains which one chose at breakfast time. Portions are not large, but don't need to be in view of previous 3 courses. The vegetarian options were good and varied. Various desserts, and one could always have ice cream instead. THE BIG RESERVATION: the hotel is large and accomodates coach parties - during our stay there were at least 3 coaches there most days. The parties eat in a separate dining areas, but the staff is not increased to serve the large numbers - they just run faster. Service in the restaurant was not really affected, but in the bar it was - there simply were not enough staff to cope, and we made coffee in the room every night rather than wait downstairs. Some of the groups were large and a little noisy at night, and the whole atmosphere of the hotel was changed by them. The noise and smell of their coaches coming and going was very intrusive if your room was at the front. CONCLUSION: a very good hotel, but wouldn't stay again because of the coach parties which spoiled the atmosphere. Also Neiderau itself is VERY small, has no atmosphere, no pavement cafes such as one usually finds in Austrian resorts, and is quite remote - to access areas outside the valley you have to get a bus to Worgl (25 mins away) to the nearest station. Buses are fairly frequent but there are 2 hour gaps in the timetable here and there. Walking however is good, and views tremendous.

We have just returned from a 10 night stay at the Hotel Sonnschein. The hotel had a very friendly and informal atmosphere, and all the staff were pleasant. The owners Gill and Herbert were very welcoming. The food was superb and plentiful, with your own reserved table in a very pleasant dining-room. The room was quite spacious, with plenty of wardrobe space and a settee and armchair, also a writing desk and very comfortable bed. We had a balcony with a good view. It is located in a quiet part of the village. We would definitely choose to return here.

I stayed at this hotel recently (Feb 06). Upon arrival we were most impressed, the reception area is welcoming, and they sorted us out quite quickly. We were staying in the new wing and had booked 3 identical rooms (or so we thought). One of the rooms was very large with large bathroom, changing area and separate toilet, one was large with a good sized bathroom and separate toilet and the other was quite small with no bath only a shower. So we did find it strange that the rooms could be so different in one section. They were very clean although the pillows are the strangest i've ever seen! I did ask for extra pillows the next day and they were brought to us within 30 minutes. After our first day skiing we all came back wanting to relax and get ready for the evening. I went to run a bath but there was no hot water. I called down to reception 3 times (unbeknown to me at the time so had my dad), to be told it was broken and would be fixed within 10 minutes. It wasn't. In the end we all had to have luke warm (at best) showers - not exactly what you need after a hard days skiing. We then went down for our dinner arriving at 7:50pm. Dinner here is very early between 6:00pm - 8:00pm and you make your order with your breakfast in the morning. However, we sat there for approximately 20 minutes before any waiter acknowledged us. By this time it was 8:10 when we finally had someone come over to us, only to be told that they had stopped serving. We were all pretty disgusted to be told that we wouldn't be getting any dinner - particularly when we'd had no hot water either. We said that it was unacceptable since we had also been sitting there before 8:00pm and in the end they agreed to serve our dinner. Breakfast at the hotel is between 8:00 and 10:00, however, it is VERY busy. They don't put cutlery on your table you have to collect it yourself - this meant that often you were waiting for them to bring more out. There were long queues for hot water (as you had to make your own tea) and often queues for bread (in a plastic loaf bag - white)/cereal/milk. We generally ate breakfast around 8:30 although one morning went at 9:00 and practically everything had gone. We felt it was the service in this area that mostly lets the hotel down. The waiters hardly spoke any English and it was very difficult to converse with them. At dinner it says '6 courses' although the courses are small to say the least. You get a salad buffet to start and then have the option of having a soup which at first we declined, but then realised you do actually need the soup to fill you up or you may need visits to the kids buffet (which we did several times). You then get your choice of main meal usually with the chosen meat, a couple of potatoes and a small scoop of one vegetable (ie, one day you'd get 2/3 carrots, the next day you would get 2/3 pieces of broccoli etc,). Desert was usually a choice of little cakes or a sludgy mousse thing. You could also have cheese and biscuits, however, by the time we had finished our dinner most of the tables were laid out for breakfast and everything had been cleared away so we didn't get a chance to enjoy the cheese course. All in all its fine once you get a hang of the ‘system’ ie, I would suggest arriving no later than 7pm for dinner and no later than 8:30am for breakfast. The pool area is great to relax in after a day’s skiing – the pools not very big and can get a little crowded (particularly with children) at around 5pm. There’s a great sauna and also a separate steam room –although BEWARE – there are naked men hanging around. There was a sign on the door saying ‘no costumes’, but we all kept ours on and had no problems at all (being British and all…..!) (no children under 12 are allowed in this area). Basically we realised that if you shower/bath before 6pm then you should have hot water, but if you shower after this time we found it to be luke warm or cold – suffice to say it wasn’t until about the 4th night that we got a hot shower. The area was in an ok situation. It was about a 5-10 minute walk to the nursery slopes and main chair lift which is uphill, although you can hire lockers nearer to the slopes (which is what we did – I think it was around £20 for a locker for 2 and £38 for a locker for 4) (definitely worth doing). So it wasn’t too bad. Ski school would usually meet at the nursery slopes. Lessons are from 10:00 – 12:00 and again from 2:00 – 4:00 and would definitely suggest ski school for all levels of skiers. We all had a great holiday and once we got to grips with the hotels ‘unique ways’ it was much easier to enjoy ourselves and relax. I would possibly go back to this hotel because of the pool and sauna area, although if it wasn’t for that would probably go for a hotel nearer the centre (I think there’s a 4* called The Austria).

This Hotel has everything for a good holday evidenced by the ready returned smile you get at reception.If you were not satisfied you would be extremely picky or should have booked a 5 star. Our room was decorated in austrian style, large and had facilities which would have been adequate as a self catering studio for four; bathroom with bath and shower over, dining area and four chairs,double bed in screened area, ample wardrobes and cupboard space, kitchen alcove having high and low cupboards,sink unit, fridge and 2 solid electric rings. The fridge was noisy for light sleepers, so at night when it is cold pop your milk etc onto the balcony and switch it off. If you are more than 5ft 6ins tall beware of the overhang of the cooker hood. There was an electric kettle (non automatic) as part of the tea/coffee making facilities. A weeks supply of ingredients can be purchased for £7.10. Although not mentioned in the brochure a hair dryer was supplied. The light above the table could have been brighter. The bathroom extractor was very noisy so dont switch on the bathroom light while people are sleeping. In addition to all this we had comfortable sized balconies to two walls. From one we had a view of several tyrolean houses, snow covered hills and mountains. One of the big plusses to this hotel was the care and support they gave to disabled (some severely so)clients. This was done in such a way as to not embarass either fit or disabled visitors. When you book a holiday to anywhere there is a risk that it is popular with pushing shoving bullying bad mannered types. Neither the hotel nor the resort suffered in this way. There was a generally relaxed and contented atmosphere. This will not be so in two weeks time when it is german half term. You are given a guest card allowing free trips on the ski busses to Oberau,Muhtal and Auffach. One driver still insists on charging so to avoid him enter the bus by middle door. We saw nor heard any noisy or rowdy apres ski. We were only here to walk and view the mountain scenery. Of that there were many square miles. The views from the top of the two gondola lifts was so beautiful as to deeply affect your emotions. We were told that the weather was the best for 30 years, completely cloudless skies and not a breath of wind-like an english warm spring day. One of the main items that can make or break your holiday is the restaurant and food. The restaurant is made up of seven different areas attractively linked. There is no attempt to block views of kitchen. The staff had obviously been well trained were quietly efficient, unobtrusive, politely smiling. What a difference that makes. Breakfast is all buffet style and provides continetal ham and cheese,cereals,hot scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, baked beans (no mushrooms)and toast. One incongruous thing for a four star hotel was that the toast bread seemed to be of mass supermarket sliced white variety plonked on the buffet area still in its plastic wrapper. On the other hand no marmalade and jam in annoying little plastic pots; instead a wide variety of preserves displayed in large attractive ceramic containers. An unsual pleasing gesture was a packed breakfast for those leaving to return home before the restaurant opened. For dinner there is a format a little different than in UK. The first course is a buffet starter, followed by a waitress served soup. The next course was a buffet of shredded ingredients to give a multiplicity of colour (carrot,sauerkraut,white cabbage, mild onion, red cabbage,beetroot, green leaves and quartered tomatoes.The fourth course (served) was the one that was contentious for those who expect a large meat course; here the quantity was approxiamately half. If however you followed this with two more buffet courses of dessert and cheese there was no excuse for rising from your table hungry. Each night you were recommended a relatively expensive wine but we found the house wines perfectly adequate (£10.72 for 1/2 litre). Coffee was extra and served in the bar/lounge (£1.56). All the food is wholesome, tasty and served without the pretentious over elaboration of a lot of current fashion. As stated at the beginning this hotel has everything you need for a good holiday.

Stayed here in January for our first ever ski trip. Room was really nice, much better than expected for the amount we paid. Very spacious, balconly, great view, comfortable beds and a nice modern bathroom with ski essential, a bath!! Food was good, I think if you leave the restaurant still hungry it's your own fault, plenty of food to go at!! The bar and restaurant really well decorated and welcoming. Very friendly staff and a fantastic position only short walk to slopes and ski school. Would most definately return to the Sonnschein again.

The Hotel Sonnschein is a truly beautiful hotel in a wonderous setting, the attention to detail spent in the decor of the rooms and all of the public areas really is a pleasure to see. But perhaps far too much of the owner's budget has been spent on creating an illusion that looks luxurious, but in quality of service delivers little to back up its claims. The hotel offers a vast array of facilities to its guests, such as a sauna, a sunshower, a pool etc.....that is, to those guests who have a letter from god, countersigned by the Angel Gabriel, because to the rest of us mere mortals, those facilities are by and large out of bounds, at times when you really want to use them, or at the very least cost extra to use, which is not advertised on the website. The bar area is again a lovely, cosy spot with comfy seating, and a roaring log fire to warm you up after a hard day on the piste.....which is a very good thing, because if you want a drink to warm you up you may have to wait a long, long time before the overworked bar staff (who really do try their hardest), have finished making the beds, serving the meals and manning reception. Meals are delivered in a sumptuous looking dining room and by the look and taste of what arrives on your plate, are prepared by a highly skilled and very dedicated chef. However, if like me, you DON'T go on holiday to lose weight, then you might want to take some extra supplies up to your room with you, because the owner clearly doesn't believe in allowing you to eat till your heart is content.....a word of advice here....a simple bread roll with the soup course can make all the difference to how full up your customers will feel and steel their hardy souls for the meagre main and after courses to come. Finally a note about the owner Herr Thaler and his bar buddies. He seems to do nothing to look after his paying guests whatsoever, but instead seems to be content to sit at the bar all evening with his freeloading chums. Chums who when he has gone to bed, start trying to freeload drinks from his customers.....what a hell of a way to make people feel welcome ? Overall, if you are looking for a good holiday in a wonderful setting then I suggest you get yourself on up to Niederau because it is a great place to be at this time of year. But if you think that value for money is important when parting with your hard-earned cash then perhaps you could do well to look elsewhere for accomodation than either this or Herr Thaler's other hotels in the area.

Having recently joined tripadvisor I thought I'd throw in my thoughts for Sonnschein. We have stayed here several times during the last 15 ski seasons, although our 05 visit was the first since 2002. Since then the hotel has had new bocks attached to it, creating many extra guest rooms. The new modern rooms are decorated and maintained to a good standard. However..... extra guests now means the restaurant gets very busy, especially at breakfast when everyone is rushing to get to their ski classes. The indoor swimming pool/sauna/steam room also gets busy (perhaps needs to be renovated too judging by the number of loose & missing tiles)The new bar area is very bright & a little impersonal. The pool table & cues need replacing (same ones since our first visit in 1990!) Don't let my negatives deter you too much, Gill (the English owner) is very helpful & friendly. The Sonnschein is good value for money, but I prefered it when it was smaller, it does seem to have lost its old character & charm.

For the 3rd year running we went back to the Sonnschein hotel - all 40 of us as my daughter decided to get married there. What better place to get married. The Thaler family made the occasion a truly memorable one. The rooms are large, beautifully decorated and the cleanliness is second to none. Nothing is too much trouble for any of the staff and they offer a truly home from home experience. The facilities are superb, our 2 boys aged 7 and 10 had plenty to keep them amused, besides the ski-ing!! The food was more than plentiful and the variety of the daily menu was something to be admired. As I said absolutely fabulous all round. Have been to many ski resorts over the years and have yet to find a better,more comfortable hotel with the best food by far. Hence we will be returning again next winter, the hotel being the main reason why we will be going to Niedera once again.

We have visited Niederau in Austria for three years now and love the place. It was our first time at the Sonnschein and booked it primarily for the outside pool. When we arrived we found that the pool was empty with many tiles missing and weeds surrouding it. In addition to this there is building work being carried out and parts of the hotel are a building site. We were awoken by heavy plant on two occasions at 7am with no warning that work would start then. On the plus side the rooms are great and the food is OK. Had we known about the pool and the work then we would have booked the Hotel Vicky which is better located and has a much warmer atmosphere.

We booked a late package and I had no expectations of the Sonnschein for the low price we paid. We were both really pleased with it and would make a point of returning there. From the outside it's well presented and inside they have made a real effort with the public spaces - typical Austrian style, but very clean and welcoming. We were give a room in the new wing, which most hotels would class as a suite. It was absolutely massive - hallway, separate WC, huge bathroom, sofa area, with table and chairs and a big balcony with beautiful view over the mountain 1 side and country the other side. We were on a half board package and the food although not always great on variety was edible, abundant and healthy. The hotel also has a small leisure area - pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, which although got a bit cramped apres ski time - was always clean and definitely worth a visit. Niederau is a tiny resort and everywhere is close by, including the Sonnschein, which is a short walk from ski hire shop and slopes. If you can book as part of a package then I would recommend the Sonnschein - great space and very good value for money.