ERIRO, ERWALD, AUSTRIA

Posted in Projects on 9 March, 2025

Offering the most tempting invitation to disconnect, this intimate alpine retreat is a masterclass in crafting localised luxury and a sense of place.

Words by JESS MILES.

Like a mirage in the snow, Eriro appears through a picture-perfect gap – framed by a vignette of spruce forest in the foreground, the Zugspitze Mountain range serving as its backdrop. At an altitude of 1,550m, the only way to reach this nine suite Alpine hideaway during the height of winter is in two parts: first by cable car from the village of Erwald, and second, by a short but rugged off-piste snowmobile traverse. Though getting here sounds like no easy feat, nothing worth having in life comes easy, and that is certainly true in the case of Eriro, where its pristine location is precisely its draw – the adventurous journey an added bonus to its seclusion.

For the hotel’s owners, the project was as much a business proposition as it was personal. The calling for a return to nature and alpine traditions of a simpler time, formed the basis of the concept when they came together to bring the retreat to life. Two parts hospitality, one part construction, the group of old friends made up of three local families, each brought a different perspective to Eriro’s table, backed by a shared regard for the location’s heritage and sense of duty toward its future.

Eriro, Erwald, Austria. Photographs by Alex Moling.

Rugged wooden batons, each hand-carved with a knife to create rough edges, were used extensively throughout the interiors. Over 4,500 of which, form the hessian-backed lattice screens that have become such a distinctive element of Eriro’s design.

Dominik and Amelie Posch, who independently own LaPosch, a collection of chalets in nearby Biberwier, led the creative direction of the concept, whilst Martin and Christina Spielmann, of the eponymous four generational Hotel Spielmann in Erwald, provided the strategic expertise to realise the project. Timber merchant and carpentry specialist, Andreas Mader, makes the final piece of the puzzle – responsible for the former inn’s new Tyrolean dress, crafted from 90% wood, 95% of which was salvaged from old barns and harvested from surrounding forests. To bring their vision to new heights, the owners looked to architect Martin Gruber who is recognised for his poetic designs that shy away from the mainstream.

Prompted by the fast-paced demands of the modern world and busyness of their own lives, their vision was clear. “We wanted to create a place to pause,” says Amelie Posch, whose penchant for the project is evident in her voice and woven into every intricacy of the design narrative. “The idea was to make it feel like a shelter beneath the mountain, where guests can recoup and relax in the kind of luxury that feels easy – where they can feel at home,” she explains. Helping the cause, the ‘all-in’ service included in the room rate – which covers everything from all food and drink to snowshoes, cable car passes, and Swarovski Optik binoculars for wildlife watching – removes any stress barriers. Thick woollen socks gifted upon arrival go the extra mile, making meandering around the hotel for the duration of your stay all the more comfortable.

As the only hotel located at this height, when dusk hits and the gondola stops, just as intended Eriro delivers nature’s most compelling invitation to disconnect and immerse oneself in the moment. External lighting is minimal, so not to disrupt the star-filled sky as it illuminates the snow-capped mountain peaks on a clear night. Floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap the building invite the subtle art of reverie, luring the mind out toward the ever-changing panorama. Here in the alpine, indoor-outdoor design is at its acme, in all senses of the word.

Hard unfinished wood floorboards, meet soft chairs upholstered in shaggy swathes of sheepskin.

Reflective of the natural beauty that surrounds the property, the term ‘archaic’ was a guiding reference throughout the design process. Dominating the interiors, native age-old materials were sourced wherever possible within a 100km radius of the site, before being handcrafted for a deliberately artisanal aesthetic. Heavy wooden doors feature hand-carved grooves that criss-cross in crooked grids across their surfaces, adding texture and character. The abundance of wool comes courtesy of a nearby family-run mill whose hand-weaving looms have been passed down through generations of craftsmen. The river flowing through the valley provided more than 250 rocks used to craft the hotel’s floating light features, as well as the twisted driftwood for the restaurant’s table lights, collected over time by the owners and their children.

Throughout, there’s a push-pull of raw textures that speaks of the unrelenting exterior environment, whilst simultaneously conveying a delicate tactility rich with warmth. Earthy tones and an au naturale palette are a given, harmoniously melting into the scene. Thick fireplaces built from rough stone, sit against pebbled wool carpets that climb their way onto walls; hard unfinished wood floorboards, meet soft chairs upholstered in shaggy swathes of sheepskin. Rugged wooden batons, each hand-carved with a knife to create rough edges, were used extensively throughout the interiors. Over 4,500 of which, form the hessian-backed lattice screens that have become such a distinctive element of Eriro’s design, coming to life during one of the early visits to Gruber’s studio. “There was a lot of wood lying around from Martin’s sculptural woodworking, and at some point, we just started shaping the wood together,” Amelie recalls, “Stacking the splints across each other until it felt right. Then we pulled an old potato sack behind it, which we discovered diffuses light in the most beautiful warm tones.”

Etched into the hillside, Eriro’s basement-level spa emerges from the ground, as the earth slopes away on one side.

On the site of a dilapidated inn dating back to 1936, stringent planning regulations and extensive negotiations meant it was four years before Eriro could break ground. Thanks to Mader’s efficiently managed operation, along with the delay-free use of local materials and labour, the construction was completed in just under a year. Impressive by any standard, it becomes even more so given Eriro’s mountainside location and the early onset of an extreme winter. “We hadn’t completed the structure in time, so we had to keep pushing through,” Amelie says. “We had two men dedicated solely to shovelling snow day in, day out. The weather was so severe that they had to wear ski gear during the snowstorms.” To add insult to injury, heavy snowfall across the mountain roads complicated logistics significantly. “Everything took much longer because deliveries had to be made to the valley first, then hauled up here by tractor – a painstakingly slow process,” Amelie recalls.

Historic consent for the hotel that wouldn’t have been granted today was both a blessing and a boundary; new plans could not exceed the footprint of the original inn, nor the amount of guestrooms, despite the property needing complete restructuring. This is where the architectural expertise of Gruber came in, reimagining the framework to form expansive spaces that flow with ease. Perhaps the best example of Gruber’s touch is on the top floor, where the two-bedroom penthouse suite, Himil, makes the most of its 230m2 gabled roof setting – weaving around angled rafters and exposed beams, finding intimate nooks in the low-height areas, before scaling spruce-clad ceiling slopes that open to lofty spaces befit for both socialising and solitude.

While a private sauna, dual balconies, and a towering fireplace elevate Himil to a higher level of luxury, the same ambience still permeates the eight other suites. Albeit in more compact forms, starting at 40m2. Pebbled wool makes a reappearance inside rooms – here, wrapping the cocooning headboards of low-lying solid wood platform beds, and as a collage of wall tapestries in differing weave weights, layered like a patchwork quilt behind the cosy seating nook. It would be amiss to not include bathtubs in this wintry setting and Eriro doesn’t fall short, boasting sculptural bedside baths carved into the mass of smooth, stripped-back pine trunks, sealed in resin. Disconnecting to be present for ‘real’ moments, floor-to-ceiling windows deliver cinematic scenescapes in lieu of televisions, whilst vintage record players serve the soundtracks to analogue experiences.

The restaurant follows suit, turning to the surrounding pastures and ancient customs for its concept. Produce is farmed and sourced locally, with abundant summer ingredients foraged and fermented for winter use, when the landscape is blanketed in snow and the flora is hunkered down in hibernation. Embracing a zero-waste philosophy, Eriro’s chefs lean into the limitations, bringing creative dishes to the table set to nourish and replenish. With no menus and a range of dining experiences – from 6-course tasting to open fire grilling feast – guests will dabble in a range of innovative flavours and new tastes – from ‘vanilla’ ice cream replicated from pumpkin and tea, to a garnish of cured and dried deer heart crumbled over celeriac made three ways.

Even though immersing oneself in nature is the embodiment of the Eriro experience, so too is taking the time to pause, and its spa is perhaps the best place to do so. Etched into the hillside, Eriro’s basement-level spa emerges from the ground, as the earth slopes away on one side. Facing Tajakopf mountain, the solid stone façade is interspersed with snow-ledged glass panels that flood the space with natural light – a rarity for hotel spas. The only decision you’ll face is where to settle in, a challenge given the abundance of options. Whether it’s the meditation pool, a selection of spruce and Finnish saunas, the hay room, or the sleigh-like lounge beds, doing nothing has never felt richer. As with the restaurant, there’s no spa menu. Instead, treatments are tailored to each guest by the Head of Spa, rooted in regional herbal wisdom and incorporating alpine herbs like arnica and Johannis for natural healing.

Yoga and meditation sessions are readily available in the rooftop studio, where guests are also welcome to engage in unguided practice at their leisure. Just across the corridor, the hotel’s creative space invites guests to pick up a paintbrush or woodworking tool and craft something unique, inspired by the endless gable framed view. Should you ever feel the need to step out from the refuge of Eriro, the wilderness awaits with curated experiences steeped in Tyrolean tradition and wisdom. In no doubt, a stay at Eriro offers a profound counterbalance to the pressures of modern life, providing a truly holistic wellness experience that harmonises with the ancient rhythms of its pristine environment.

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