With the traditional “The Post Lech” hotel as our base for four days, we were slap bang in the middle of all the action. The five-star hotel has been owned and run by the Moosbrugger family since 1937, and has been a member of the select circle of renowned Relais & Châteaux hotels for more than 40 years.
It oozes an authentic country inn charm and my traditional and rustic room, like the rest of the 45 rooms and suites, was tastefully decorated with its cosy wooden panelling, exquisite antiques and artistically painted furniture. If it wasn’t for the impending dinner at the Postblick Restaurant on the terrace, just after we checked in, I could have easily spent the whole evening holed up in it.
The highly acclaimed cuisine here has won several awards, including Wine Spectator’s 2018 Best of Award of Excellence for the restaurant “Poststuben”. The cosy Jägerstube hosts the gourmet restaurant, which has been distinguished with two Gault & Millau toques and 95 Falstaff points (Falstaff being the equivalent of the Michelin star system in Europe and Austria and 95 is exceptional standard). We were to be well-fueled here for the activities we had signed up for.
The first was e-biking, which I used to think was for the lazy. But this is far from the truth. After all, the e-motors only produce energy when you pedal. And they make for a better option when in the mountains, because they take you deeper and further up them. The routes in Lech are well signposted so you can go solo, but there is nothing like having a guide to let you experience Mother Nature in her summer robes without the hassle of self- navigating. I was in good hands with our bike guide Heini who has been sharing the beauty of this place with guests for over three decades.
You can bike around Lech, the surrounding villages and on the top of the mountains. But one of the most scenic trails is the Spullersee Lake which we were fortunate enough to experience. Admittedly, the trail is a long one (25km) with an altitude of 800 metres, but the e-bike (hired from Intersport Arlberg) helped on the ascents. Life on the Alps is very simple without the distraction of a TV or internet, and within minutes, we left behind the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. The whole process didn’t even feel like a workout as we were so immersed in our surroundings. Still, we were able to recharge our batteries, stopping to take Instagrammable pictures along the route and taking in the crystal clear lake.
I could have cycled here all day had it not been the lure of a hearty protein-packed lunch at Boden Alpe restaurant which opens its doors to hungry customers in the summer months only.
If hiking is more of your cup of tea, you will be thrilled by the wealth of opportunities available. All the hiking trails in Lech are marked, and if you have the official map, you can easily do it by yourself. But you can always hire a guide or go on a group tour through the information office in Lech.
Feeling adventurous, I decided to explore the Zug waterfall solo – just three kilometers from the centre of Lech. The forest is greener than you can imagine, and after passing by a golf course, grazing cattle, and crossing the Lech River, I finally found the waterfall. I can honestly say pictures do no justice to being able to see it with your own eyes. Hiking really is the best medicine for the soul.