Hotel Post Bezau by Susanne Kaufmann

Hotel Post Bezau is a long-running wellness hotel in the village of Bezau in Austria's Bregenzerwald, and the home base of the Susanne Kaufmann Spa and skincare line. It's best for people who want a structured detox or beauty retreat in the mountains, with good food and plenty of fresh air.

What it's like

Hotel Post Bezau sits in Bezau, a village in the Bregenzerwald, a green, hilly corner of western Austria close to Lake Constance and the German and Swiss borders. The house has been taking in guests for more than 170 years, and it opened its own spa back in the 1970s, which was unusual for the time. Today it's best known as the home of Susanne Kaufmann, whose natural skincare line grew out of the hotel spa.

The feel is calm and grown-up rather than flashy. The region is famous for its carpenters and timber architecture, and that shows in the clean, modern lines of the newer parts of the house. Rooms range from compact doubles to larger rooms and a penthouse-style option, some with mountain views.

The bathhouse is the social heart of the place. It's spread over three levels, with a 16-metre indoor pool, an outdoor brine pool on the sun deck kept at 36 °C, a whirlpool, three saunas, a steam bath and a panoramic sauna. There's a lawn for sunbathing, quiet rooms and a buffet of fruit, juices and teas. A daily program of sauna infusions and peeling rituals keeps things moving.

The programs

• Detox retreats. This is the hotel's signature. Stays run for 3, 4, 6 or 10 nights and combine a special detox menu, spa treatments, movement and sleep. Each one starts with a one-to-one consultation with the in-house Health Concierge, who adjusts the plan as you go.
• Holistic beauty. Treatments draw on Susanne Kaufmann products, a medical team and ideas from Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a TCM doctor on the expert team.
• Bodyforming and nutrition. A program built around a calorie-reduced menu and exercise, with themed weekends on the retreat calendar.
• Yoga and dance retreats. Short hosted retreats with guest teachers, usually around three nights.

Guests can join a free activity program that includes yoga, Qi Gong and guided nature walks. There's a fitness room and a Reformer Pilates studio run with JOSEF P. If you're only passing through, the spa can also be booked as a day spa.

Food

Chef Dennis Kellner's kitchen leans on regional, seasonal produce from the Bregenzerwald. You choose between two styles. The regular menu has a small breakfast buffet plus cooked dishes, a light lunch and a four-course dinner, with vegetarian and vegan options. The Detox Cuisine follows principles from Traditional Chinese Medicine, with vegetable broths, seed puddings, vegetarian main courses and fresh juices through the day. There's also a weight management menu, and on Mondays the chef and Health Concierge host a Chef's Table.

Who it suits (and who it doesn't)

It's a strong pick if you want a proper reset with real guidance, whether that's a detox, a beauty-focused break or simply long sauna afternoons after a mountain walk. Solo travelers and couples both fit in well.

It's less suited to anyone looking for nightlife or a big resort scene. Bezau is a quiet village, and the hotel's whole approach is about slowing down.

Getting there

Bezau is in the Bregenzerwald, inland from Bregenz and Lake Constance in Austria's westernmost state, Vorarlberg. The hotel's website lists its address and contact details but doesn't publish detailed travel directions, so it's worth contacting the team about the best route and any transfers before you book. In summer the area is great for hiking and cycling, and in winter the trails turn into ski and cross-country routes.