Hotel Grüner Baum - Zell am See

We stayed here recently for a ski trip & had the half board option. The hotel was a close walk to the train station, town & bus up to the ski fields. The room was lovely, it was also very clean (fantastic housekeeping staff) & comfortable. Staff were friendly, but a special shout out to the staff in the restaurant (especially the lady in charge - she was wonderful). Breakfast had a fantastic selection & fueled us for the day, dinner was delicious every night. We very much enjoyed our stay & would love to be back in the future!

The location was excellent and they had a garage to park, which is €15 a night but basically unlimited throughout the day even after checkout. Unfortunately, there was a strand of hair between the sheets which did not belong to me. The balcony windows were not soundproof so I could hear everything outside, which was a bit annoying. Pricey as it generally is up there but worth your money&food was delicious!

Overall, the hotel itself was fine and most of the staff were friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, one receptionist completely ruined the experience. When we approached the front desk with a simple question about how the ski lifts and mountain access work — something you’d reasonably expect a receptionist to help with — we were brushed off with a dismissive “you’ll see when you get there” and a vague gesture toward a pile of maps and flyers. No explanation, no guidance, no effort. For guests who are not experienced with skiing or the area, this was extremely unhelpful and came across as condescending. Things got worse when we discovered a towel in our room with visible black burn marks. We brought it to reception immediately so there would be no confusion or assumption that we caused the damage. Instead of simply handling the issue professionally, the same receptionist told us to take the towel back to the room and leave it on the floor. We were made to go back upstairs before being allowed to leave the hotel, which was both unnecessary and frustrating — especially for a hotel at this price level. To make matters even more uncomfortable, he then followed us and began explaining how the “Do Not Disturb / Clean My Room” sign works, despite us clearly understanding it already. It felt patronising and as though he was deliberately not listening to what we were actually saying: that the issue was a damaged towel, not housekeeping instructions. When I finally told him directly that his behaviour was rude, he pretended not to understand and instead launched into a personal medical story. While I sympathise with anyone dealing with health issues, guests should not be subjected to excuses or attitude. We were on holiday, had paid a significant amount to stay here, and expected basic courtesy and professionalism. It’s a shame, because every other staff member we interacted with was pleasant. Management should seriously address this one employee’s behaviour, as it reflects very poorly on an otherwise decent hotel. Based on this experience, I would hesitate to return or recommend the property.