I highly recommend this Hütte, nestled about 1300m up into Austrian Heaven…read more
It gets its name from the Alpenverein that founded and used to operate it (and perhaps still is involved somehow?). That chapter was, as you probably have guessed, based in Lindau.
The feeling during my three day stay here was more like at an exclusive though rustic resort than at a Hütte. The whole experience was so clean, so professionally operated, and so friendly.
There is a "no shoes" rule, meaning you have to rinse your boots off outside, store them away in the cloakroom, and wear slippers/indoor shoes throughout the rest of the building. I wish I'd known that in advance. I had many dirty, wet socks as a result. But hey, the restaurant was always warm, so it wasn't too bad.
The food prices are comparable to "Munich prices", meaning expensive if you're used to small town prices, but quite reasonable if you come from a decent-sized city. There is always a great deal for lunch, and I recommend taking advantage of it if whatever they have on offer appeals to you. You won't be disappointed! I even went with a salad one time and was very pleasantly surprised by how large and filling it was.
The kitchen stays open only to about 22:00, but if you intend to get up early the next morning for some hiking, you already know that is late enough. Breakfast starts, if I recall correctly, and about 06:00. There are three options: small, medium, and large! I'm a fat-ass, so I always went with large: meat, cheese, bread, jam, butter, and tea (or coffee, if you prefer).
A shower token costs €2, and gets you 5 minutes of hot water. I tested my manliness by taking a full shower with only cold water. That was fine in the middle of summer, but for the colder months, I wouldn't wish that experience on a hardened inmate. Short story: get the token if it's not sunny and 30C outside.
Each floor has a men's toilet and a women's toilet, as well as a men's washroom and a women's washroom. Hot water is obviously free there, so if you don't feel you need a shower, you can get a lot done there. Or if 5 minutes is too little for you, bird shower upstairs and then shower shower downstairs in the shower room.
If you're an overnight guest (not just passing through for lunch), you get a pamphlet with all the options of what you can purchase during your stay, from shower tokens to wine to lunch plates. DON'T LOSE THAT! You need that when you order so the waitress can mark it all down. And don't forget that for breakfast. And on your last morning, just pay right then and there. They do take cards, but the machine only works in one corner of the building, so be prepared to wait a few minutes while it tries to connect.
Enjoy your stay!
