Slow travel and conscious indulgence at the Geniesserhotel Die Forelle Weissensee

The Geniesserhotel Die Forelle is located right on its shores. Admittedly, even Hannes Müller and his family, who run the hotel together, cannot stop time. But they do their best to instil in their guests an appreciation of a slower pace.

On the shores of Lake Weissensee in harmony with nature

The Weissensee Nature Park and with it the gourmet hotel the Forelle are located in the Austrian province of Carinthia surrounded by the Gailtal Alps. Sustainability is a given in view of the almost untouched and strictly preserved nature of the region. This also includes the fact that the nature park has a well-developed public transport network from which both guests and locals benefit. For example, a train station shuttle takes travelers to the gourmet hotel the Forelle directly at Lake Weissensee free of charge.

The gourmet hotel is located on one of the few built-up sections of the shore. Almost two thirds of the shore is natural. The lake and nature set the rhythm, be it in the activities or in the cuisine. Time hardly matters, especially not when you swim a lap in the lake in the first light of the sun before being lured back to the hotel by the smell of freshly baked bread.

Slow and deliberate: Hannes Müller’s kitchen philosophy

Hannes Müller is not only the hotel manager, but also the head chef at the Restaurant der Forelle. He is always creating new dishes for his guests. The special part about this is that the kitchen only uses ingredients from the region, at most from Austria, as well as selected, fairly produced products from the Alps-Adriatic region. In addition, the dishes are exclusively seasonal and micro-seasonal. If something does find its way onto the plate that is not in season at the moment, guests can be sure that this product has been preserved by the kitchen team themselves, i.e. pickled, preserved, frozen or fermented.

The hotelier family is also committed to supporting local agriculture. They place more emphasis on regionality than on an organic label, but without losing sight of environmental compatibility and animal welfare. As a matter of principle, prices are not negotiated to the detriment of the farmer, and wherever possible, the Müller family refrains from buying in wholesale or intermediate trade. International luxury products? There are none here, and they are not missed.

In addition to being “import-independent” as Hannes Müller calls his approach, the kitchen of the gourmet hotel can also boast that it is powered entirely by solar energy. When the wood oven isn’t being used, that is.

Unplugged evenings with Hannes Müller

The popular unplugged evenings take place several times a year. As the name suggests, the cooking is done without electricity. The „heart of the kitchen”, as the old wood-burning oven is affectionately called, is used to create a 6-course surprise menu. The next event is on the 6 September 2023.

By the way: you will hardly find any waste at the gourmet hotel the Forelle. For one thing, the kitchen team is always finding new, creative ways to put supposed leftovers and organic waste on the plates in a delicious way. What really cannot be used is either turned into animal feed for the hotel’s own pigs or becomes energy in a biogas plant.

Green Initiatives for future generations

In addition to the biogas plant and the generation of solar power, the Müller family relies on its own woodchip plant for heat supply. The wood for this comes from their own sustainably managed forest.

The furnishings were also designed to have as little impact on the environment as possible. Wood dominates, also from the region, of course. During the renovation, the old structures and the local architecture were preserved.

Arriving and finding yourself

The comfortably furnished rooms and suites already offer plenty of space for relaxation. In addition, the gourmet hotel offers the small but charming wellness area „Schonzeit”, where time really does seem to stand still. Four saunas and four relaxation rooms invite you to relax and forget about time.

For those who want to be more active during their holiday, there’s also plenty to do. Both in summer and in winter. You don’t need to worry about equipment and gear (and can therefore travel comfortably by train!); the gourmet hotel the Forelle offers just about everything for hire.

Especially in autumn and winter, cooking enthusiasts will feel particularly at home: This is when various workshops and courses take place in Hannes Müller’s kitchen. Topics of the upcoming workshops include: Autumn Vegetables & Beef or you can take part in the Koch.Workshop.Tagen (Cook.Workshop.Days) right away and get to know something different every day.

Slow Travel Adventures with Culinary Delights

In the valleys around Lake Weissensee there are still many old (food) crafts to discover and try out. Guests who want to complement their holiday with special Slow Food experiences such as these can try their hand at making butter, baking bread or grinding flour. More information can be found here.

Rediscover slowness at the Geniesserhotel Die Forelle

From the arrival to the activities to the cuisine – at the gourmet hotel the Forelle, guests are invited to indulge in slowness. Nothing is a must, everything is allowed, as the Müller family describes it on the website of their hotel. Relaxation and enjoyment paired with new knowledge and special experiences characterise a stay at the Forelle. And all this with respect for nature and a mindful approach to the available resources.