Das Central Sölden is the most magnificent spa hotel I’ve ever visited

Before February this year, I had only skied once in my life. I was fifteen years old and well out of my comfort zone – and an inability to follow a snake-like convoy of fellow beginner teens down the slope resulted in a beeline of increasing speed towards a (thankfully flexible) orange fence. And a crash. And a fear of skiing which lasted for the thirteen years that followed.

Of course, not being able to ski – among certain groups of friends – can be a tad antisocial. My boyfriend skis, my sister skis and many of my other friends ski. Well. So, at the dawn of the new year, I vowed that I’d take a lesson.

TBH, I had only bargained for a few sessions on a nearby dry ski slope, but when the opportunity to take private beginner ski lessons in one of Austria’s most sought-after ski resorts, Sölden, came up, it felt like a total no-brainer. Particularly since we’d be staying at the only five-star hotel in its midst.

To me, Das Central Sölden felt like the perfect base from which to enjoy a ski holiday. Largely because the pressure to ski all the time was off. You see, the majestic property – which is surrounded by three-thousand metre peaks and houses 121 spectacular bedrooms – has just opened a new, multi million pound spa. Slick, set proudly on the rooftop and 2,000 square metres in size, it’s the most soothing compliment to the experiences a day in Sölden serves the uninitiated. Actually, reason enough to forgo any extreme sports altogether.

The Spa

After a very easy flight from London to Innsbruck – and a drive of under an hour – it was to the spa I headed immediately on my first day in Austria. Totally unaware of the fact that an initial three hour stint wouldn’t allow me to experience even half of the wide breadth of treatments on offer.

The first space you come to is the Summit Relax Area, an Alpine wood-clad; toasty warm relaxation room with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains – as well as hanging egg chairs and private double beds which invite you to laze with a new book or a green juice from the next door bar. I did exactly that: lazed, for far too long, with a few green juices and a few cups of tea (painfully English) – before spotting a tiny, shallow pool in the corner of the room.

A plunge pool? A spot for the kids? Nope, an entrance to the pièce de résistance of the Summit Spa: an outdoor, 17-meter-long infinity pool which sits 17 meters above ground and can only be reached by swimming through automatic doors from said tiny, shallow pool. Serving you the chance to float above the rooftops of the town below, it's heated and spacious, with built-in seats and so many spots from which to perch and admire the view. You'd be forgiven for staying in there ‘til you become prune-like, as I did. It’s so, so idyllic.

After a dip, a trip to the heated whirlpool and a nap on some daybeds in another (!) relaxation room – truly replenished following our red eye flight – I was ready to head downstairs to the adults-only sauna area. A conundrum for the indecisive, it’s home to a whopping nine saunas and steam baths – as well as a cold plunge pool. The latter part absolutely not my jam, I decided, after two failed attempts at going in deeper than my knees.

The main, most “traditional” sauna sits in the middle of the space: circular in shape with (more) floor-to-ceiling windows and views down Sölden's high street. Down the hallways – it's all a bit of a maze – I found a Finnish event sauna which hosted live infusions every couple of hours (think: men whipping fragrant bath towels around the space to circulate hot air), a bio-panorama sauna, a new brine steam bath, and a selection of beautiful treatment rooms.

Said brine steam bathing, since the towel whipping debacle had induced a nervous and slightly uncomfortable giggle, fast became my favourite experience. One which I could take seriously. In a brine steam bath, I learned, pure water vapour is generated and a brine solution is inoculated into the fine steam to cleanse the respiratory tract, lungs and bronchi. Goodbye, flight-induced colds and flu.

I returned to the Summit Spa every further day of my trip, using it as either the activity of the day, or as downtime post-ski. The only part of the spa I didn't use didn't use was the gym, much to no-one's surprise. Unless you count taking selfies in the gym mirror as “using” it. For those inclined to workout on holiday? It is, admittedly, a total spectacle. Treadmills, rowing machines and spinning bikes are set against a backdrop of the mountains – each pre-programmed with live workouts and classes to help fuel motivation and get the job done. The most picturesque place you'll ever take a spin class from, surely.

The Food

Of course, for those who are spinning – or skiing – a whole lot more than the dreamy saunas encouraged me to, fuel is of utmost importance. And Das Central’s culinary scene is a force to be reckoned with. As I found out, once I finally managed to put some actual clothes on.

Restaurant Feinspitz is the hotel's main and most popular restaurant, operated under the instruction of renowned head chef Michael Kofler. Spacious yet cosy and relaxing in ambience, it serves breakfast every morning (more on that later), and in the evening, the choice of a five-course gourmet set menu or a dish from Das Central Sölden's list of Classic Dishes. Of which the schnitzel is arguably the best in town.

Whatever your choice, things in Feinspitz kickstart with a visit to the all-you-can-eat salad bar. “All-you-can-eat,” I'm aware, makes it sound far-less sophisticated than it actually is – but those similarly appeased by the prospect of building your own antipasti and salad starter before your first course is even served will be as on-board with the sentiment as I was. From the green salad to the pasta and juicy sun-dried tomatoes, everything was fresh, healthy and hand-selected from the regions surrounding Sölden.

For a special occasion dinner, you can visit the Ötztaler Stube, which is set just back from the main hotel lobby. Eating here was a wonderful experience. A “Stube” is a traditional living area in a German-speaking Alpine area; this one is entirely clad in Pine Wood which is thought to lower your heart rate while you eat. Ötztaler is the winner of four awards – two in the Gault & Millau awards 2023 and 2024, as well as 91 points in the A La Carte Guide and 92 (!) points in the Falstaff Guide – and it shows through the playful creations that the team work tirelessly to serve.

Under the direction of the same head chef who operates Restaurant Feinspitz, chefs pick their own mushrooms, work with local breweries and study Tyrolean cuisine to serve seven-course dinners – alongside sommelier-selected wines – night after night. Pumpkin served with fallow deer from Sölden and black truffle, Tyrolean beef and wagyu, and Jerusalem artichoke with cauliflower and peanut are just some of the delights you can indulge in. It's not to be missed.

The Rooms

My favourite part of visiting a new hotel is always that first moment you step into your room. Sure, you can sometimes be left feeling disappointed – but stepping into Das Central Sölden's new Wellness Suite reminded me exactly why I love it.

Rooms at Das Central Sölden are perfect in their simplicity, bursting with Tyrolean charm yet minimalist enough to have you feeling relaxed and calm. While there are countless room types on offer – from Family Suites to Single Rooms – the new Wellness suite Söldenkogl is something incredibly special.

My room was housed within the main property, on the second floor – and although I was there alone, it was spacious enough for three people. I stepped into a wardrobe and hallway initially – with floor-length mirror and enough space to stow away all of your ski clothes – before opening a second Crittall door to reveal the bedroom.

The bed frame was huge, the duvet and pillows as luxurious as you'd expect from a property that places wellness (and good kip) at its forefront – and the coffee table was piled high with everything from fruit to chocolate brownies.

My attention was quickly drawn to the three (!) doors that seemed to lead me outside. The first lead to a balcony, the second, to a summer room with day bed and views over the mountains (I spent hours here writing), and the final, to my own private sauna. Yes, you read that correctly. Söldenkogl has its own sauna. In. The. Room.

The sauna led to the spacious bathroom which boasted a huge walk-in shower, corner bath tub, double basin and Valentina & Philippa toiletries. All of which, for fellow bodycare sleuths, are handcrafted in Austria using innovative active ingredient complexes from indigenous medicinal plants, herbs and the Litsea Cubeba plant.

The Experiences

Following a long, uninterrupted sleep – and a breakfast consisting of more courses than I care to admit – my first day skiing had arrived. I’m not actually going to spend too much time recounting my experience on the slopes, not only because I’m here to wax lyrical about Das Central Sölden, but also because it would be insulting. If you’re reading this piece, you’re likely in the same camp as my ski-obsessed friends: really rather good.

I spent my entire time on green slopes, but for those in-the-know, Sölden is so much more. A private transfer takes you from Das Central's boot room to one of Sölden's two main lifts – and the same transfer will pick you up, from the very same place, at the end of your day. This special touch took all of the stress out of my (basically) beginner ski experience – and the team were beyond kind and reassuring.

There are 31 state-of-the-art ski lifts in the Sölden resort, with 144 kilometers worth of slopes to explore across three mountains (that are each higher than 3,000 meters). You can ski glaciers, and the service-obsessed ski rental stations and dedicated ski schools pave the way for relaxed and carefree ski holidays. Plus, the Après is pretty fun.

Here, it's worth shouting out to Das Central’s iconic ice Q restaurant, which serves up a somewhat more sophisticated alternative to the traditional Après you likely know and love. A crime to miss if you're staying at Das Central down below (or a James Bond fan – it was a filming location in the beloved Spectre), Ice Q is Austria’s highest two-toque restaurant. Sitting at a whopping 3,048 metres above sea level.

It serves coffee, hot chocolate, wine and cocktails all morning, before transitioning into a fine dining restaurant for skiers to take a fancy lunchtime pitstop. The food is an absolute treat, as are the panoramic views over the spectacular Tyrolean scenery and its close proximity to 007 ELEMENTS (the resort's new James Bond cinematic installation).

The Verdict

Das Central Sölden is a ski resort, first and foremost – and certainly busiest during the snowiest months of the year. But for the wellness crowd – and those purely after a laidback holiday – Das Central's rejuvenation offering is unparalleled and season-less. After all, the friendly team pride themselves on encouraging you to do “absolutely nothing and linger." And you won't need snow outside to persuade me to do that.

At Das Central, no-one will ever bat an eyelid if you prefer to visit and not ski – nor will they do so if you visit in the summer months to enjoy Austria for its culinary delights, rolling hills, mountain biking routes and spa scene. Naturally. Das Central is perfectly ran for those looking rebalance their mind and body: a perfect little slice of Austrian luxury that will fast become everything you never knew you needed. Add it to your bucket-list. Pronto.

Ski Solutions offers a seven-night stay at Das Central Sölden, from £2,295 per person, based on two adults sharing on a half-board basis, including flights and private transfers. For more from GLAMOUR's Senior European Commerce Editor Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.