Mists rising off a pristine lake wedged between rock-walled peaks. Low cloudbanks shouldering up the slopes of the Alps. Cowbells clinking softly in nearby green meadows.

Then suddenly, a cobalt-blue sky and warm October sun! Can you picture it? My wife and I had seven such magical mornings during our stay at Mondi-Holiday in Grundlsee,
Austria.

We had booked through our RCI points with little pre-knowledge of the place. Wishing to do lots of day hiking, we decided to take a chance on Mondi Grundlsee based only on the brief description and photo in the RCI Resorts catalog. What a marvelous choice we made!

One Finnish couple whom we met were experienced European RCI members, and they confided that the Mondi Grundlsee resort was one of the very best they had been to. Based on our own experience, my wife and I would certainly concur.

Mondi-Holiday Grundlsee was a delightful discovery. The seven chalets, situated on a grassy slope overlooking a picture-perfect lake, were tastefully designed like an Alpine mini-village.

The cozy suites in each chalet were well laid-out with small kitchens, spotlessly clean bathrooms, dining nooks, and bedroom/living rooms. And the large beds with duvets were fantastic!

In the separate reception building there was a lovely indoor pool with a sauna and a full window-wall offering views down the length of the lake.

Grundlsee, Austria

Extremely friendly and helpful English-speaking receptionists eased our nervousness about speaking German, and a small kiosk-type store offered up fresh-baked Kaiser rolls each morning. Not to be forgotten was the restaurant, which served delicious meals including the special dinner - a Schwabian smorgasbord (local cuisine), complete with entertainment.

Lake view

It was the setting and surroundings at Mondi-Holiday Grundlsee that made it truly special. From the resort itself several glorious day hikes were possible either to other even more remote lakes or along a circle route around the 7-km-long Grundlsee.

All routes were rustic paths through pine forests and alpine meadows. We even happened upon a traditional wedding reception in nearby village one day! All routes were well-marked with detailed maps available from the resort.

Every day, the resort offered organized hikes, sightseeing trips and special events; however, we chose to explore the area on our own.

MONDI-HOLIDAY Grundlsee (#2578)
Archkogl 31
Grundlsee, 8993, Austria
Phone: 3622-84770
www.mondiholiday.de

My wife and I had a rented car that enabled us to explore further afield. We visited nearby Bad Aussee, a delightful Austrian village where on Sundays the locals still dressed the part: Tyrolean hats and lederhosen for the men, dirndls and aprons for the women. We drove to Tauernsee for a six-lake hiking circuit in a well-known ski-resort area.

Another half-hour ride took us through a lush gorge to Dachstein, an imposing glacier-covered Alp, and then to Hallstatt, a medieval town clinging to the steep edges of yet another lake. Behind and above Hallstatt was Salzkammergut, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We reached it by a strenuous uphill hike, but a cable car also shuttled visitors up to the site. Another day we drove into nearby Salzburg and spent the day visiting the glorious medieval buildings of that city of music. It was crowded, but then it was the end of Mozartfest!

It was a holiday we will long remember. And if you are interested in a charming, well-run and well-appointed resort in a hiker's paradise, you could not do better than Mondi-Holiday Grundlsee. It is in fact a year-round resort with skiing in the winter and swimming in the summer, but a walker could not do better than autumn when the larch trees are turning gold. Gemütlich!

- David Greene