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Luxury in the Austrian Alps

Lech and Zürs

Two quiet villages high on the Arlberg, deep in snow from December to April: Lech beside its river, Zürs on its pass, and Oberlech above, where cars give way to skis.

The high Alps above the clouds at sunsetPhotograph: Pexels

Grüß Gott

Snow, quiet and old money

Lech and Zürs lie in Vorarlberg, the westernmost province of Austria, high on the Arlberg. Lech began as a farming village of the Walser, settlers from the Valais who came over the mountains in the fourteenth century; its white church with its onion tower still stands at the centre.

Zürs, on the Flexen Pass, is one of the cradles of Austrian skiing, and Lech grew into a winter village for European royalty and old families who come back year after year. The villages have kept their scale: hotels are family-run, and the number of skiers on the mountain is limited each day.

The ski area joins St. Anton, St. Christoph, Stuben and Warth-Schröcken as Ski Arlberg, the largest in Austria, and the Weisser Ring circuit links Lech, Zürs, Zug and Oberlech. This guide brings together only the first class: the hotels, the tables, the chalets and the guides that meet our standard.

A few words of German
EnglishGermanSay it
Hello (polite)Grüß Gottgroose GOT
Hello (informal)ServusZAIR-voos
PleaseBitteBIT-teh
Thank youDankeDAHN-keh
Good eveningGuten AbendGOO-ten AH-bent
The bill, pleaseZahlen, bitteTSAH-len, BIT-teh
Enjoy your mealGuten AppetitGOO-ten ah-peh-TEET
GoodbyeAuf Wiedersehenowf VEE-der-zay-en
Snow-covered limestone peaks in spring sun, ranges of white summits beyond under a blue sky
High peaks in spring snow

Where to go

Lech and Zürs at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel and restaurant, and how to arrive by private jet and helicopter.

Lech and Zürs am Arlberg

Two small, snow-sure villages in Vorarlberg at the heart of Ski Arlberg, the largest linked ski area in Austria, known for discretion and a limit on daily lift tickets. Lech has two two-star kitchens, Griggeler Stuba and Rote Wand Chef's Table.

When to goWinter, early December to April; summer, late June to September. Signature events: Der Weiße Ring ski race in January, and the Philosophicum Lech in September.

  • Stay
    Hotel Almhof Schneider

    Lech, two MICHELIN Keys.

  • Dine
    Griggeler Stuba

    Two MICHELIN stars, at Burg Vital Resort, Oberlech.

Arrive privately
By private jet or helicopter
Innsbruck (INN/LOWI), about 1 hr 30 by road; St. Gallen-Altenrhein (ACH/LSZR) on Lake Constance and Friedrichshafen (FDH/EDNY) are about 1 hr 30 to 2 hr by road.
The chalets and hotels of Lech deep in snow below the forest and the peaks
Lech am Arlberg in winter

Stay

Luxury hotels and chalets in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg

The grand hotels at our standard, and the officially five-star hotels.

The grand hotels

Each holds two or three MICHELIN Keys or a Forbes Five-Star rating, or is a palace of the great resorts.

The five-star hotels

The 10 confirmed, officially five-star hotels in Lech and Zürs.

See all 10 hotels

Lech and Oberlech (Vorarlberg)

Zürs

A red pot of cheese fondue steaming on its burner, with bread, red wine and pickles on a marble table
Cheese fondue and red wine

Dine

The best restaurants in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg

The finest tables and the chefs who cook in your chalet.

Two MICHELIN stars

  • Rote Wand Chef's Table✦✦Lech am Arlberg

    Two MICHELIN stars in the 2026 Austria guide; a small chef's table at the Rote Wand hotel in Zug above Lech.

  • Griggeler Stuba✦✦Oberlech

    Two MICHELIN stars in the 2026 Austria guide; the gourmet restaurant of the Burg Vital Resort in car-free Oberlech above Lech.

A wheel of mountain cheese cut on a wooden board, walnuts, dark chocolate and a glass of red wine
Cheese, walnuts and a glass of red

Private chefs and catering

For a chalet, a wedding or a party.

A yellow helicopter flying low over snowy fir forest below a great white mountain face
A helicopter over the powder slopes

Ski

Skiing in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg

Ski Arlberg, the Weisser Ring and heli-skiing from Lech and Zürs.

Ski schools and private instructors

  • Skischule LechLech am Arlberg

    Founded in 1925 by Ludwig Schneider and Engelbert Jochum with two instructors, it is now one of the largest ski schools in the world, offering group courses and private instruction.

Heli-skiing

  • Heli-skiing at Lech Zürs

    The only heli-skiing in Austria: Wucher Helicopter flies from the Flexen Pass or Kriegerhorn to Mehlsack (2,652 m) and Schneetäli (2,450 m), on weekdays only from December to May, booked through the local ski schools with a certified guide. Visit website ↗

Travel

Private jets, helicopters and first-class travel in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg

Innsbruck for jets, about an hour and a half by road, Zurich about two and a half; the airlines to Innsbruck and Munich.

Airlines to Munich, the gateway to the Austrian Alps

First and business class.

See all 17
Lunch at a mountain hut: bacon dumplings on sauerkraut in an iron pan, and a sweet bun with cream
Lunch at a mountain hut

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg: your questions answered

Where are Lech and Zürs?

In Vorarlberg in western Austria, high on the Arlberg: Lech at 1,444 metres and Zürs at 1,717 metres on the Flexen Pass, a few minutes apart. Private jets land at Innsbruck, about an hour and a half by road; Zurich is about two and a half hours.

What is the Weisser Ring?

A circuit of about twenty-two kilometres of linked pistes and lifts joining Lech, Zürs, Zug and Oberlech, skied in a few hours by a good skier. Each January it is also a race for amateurs, with places limited and much sought after.

When is the best time to visit Lech and Zürs am Arlberg?

Lech and Zürs am Arlberg: Winter, early December to April; summer, late June to September. Signature events: Der Weiße Ring ski race in January, and the Philosophicum Lech in September.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg?

Lech and Zürs am Arlberg: Hotel Almhof Schneider, Lech, two MICHELIN Keys.

How do you arrive in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg by private jet?

Lech and Zürs am Arlberg: Innsbruck (INN/LOWI), about 1 hr 30 by road; St. Gallen-Altenrhein (ACH/LSZR) on Lake Constance and Friedrichshafen (FDH/EDNY) are about 1 hr 30 to 2 hr by road.

Do you tip in Austria?

Round up to about 10 per cent and hand the tip to the server as you pay, rather than leaving it on the table.

What should you wear in Lech and Zürs am Arlberg?

On the mountain, ski clothing is the norm at mountain restaurants and après-ski. The dirndl is the expected dress for women at many cultural events and at weddings, and in rural areas many women also wear it in daily life.

Beyond Lech and Zürs

More in the Austrian Alps

The other great resorts of Austria, and The Alps beyond.

The Austrian AlpsKitzbühel, Lech and Zürs, St. Anton and SalzburgExplore the Austrian AlpsThe AlpsFive countries, seventeen resorts, first class onlyExplore The Alps
A Swiss diver’s watch held in the hand against a dark down jacket
A Swiss watch for the mountains

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Austria

How Austria does things.

Language
German is the language of the Austrian Alps, from Kitzbühel and Lech to St. Anton and Ischgl. Local dialects are strong, but Standard German is used with visitors, and English is spoken in the leading hotels.
Greetings
"Grüß Gott" is the standard polite greeting, often heard as "griaß di" or "griaß eich". "Servus" is the informal hello and goodbye among friends.
Dress
On the mountain, ski clothing is the norm at mountain restaurants and après-ski. The dirndl is the expected dress for women at many cultural events and at weddings, and in rural areas many women also wear it in daily life.
Dining and shopping
Most shops close on Sundays under a federal law of 2003; weekday shop hours run from 6 am to 9 pm and Saturday hours to 6 pm. Bakeries, petrol stations, shops at railway stations and airports, and businesses in designated tourist zones may open on Sundays, and restaurants and bars open as usual.
Tipping
Round up to about 10 per cent and hand the tip to the server as you pay, rather than leaving it on the table.
Mountain etiquette
On the pistes the international FIS Rules for Conduct apply. In mountain huts, book beds and meals ahead, carry cash, keep quiet from about 10 pm and take all rubbish back down to the valley.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

Flames rising from glowing logs in a stone hearth
Flames in the stone hearth

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.