Austria
Establishment
neighborhood
Sagemeister
6764 Lech am Arlberg, Lech
While a few of the Arlberg’s towns have shopping and boutiques, we recommend Lech for both street clothes and ski suits. This outpost of the German boutique stocks a nice balance of established designer brands (Chloe, Céline, Valentino) alongside a healthy buy of smaller German and Austrian designers. You’ll find plenty of things to wear to dinner—including a great selection of bags—along with some high-end Moncler and other luxe outerwear for the slopes.
Strolz
Dorf 116, Lech
The European ski scene is notoriously high-fashion, and Strolz has everything you’ll need to blend in, from hand-made skis to cashmere long johns to bright, glossy puffers. The store itself is enormous, with several floors (there’s a small bar downstairs if you need to break for a glass of champagne) and plenty of racks of sweaters, dresses, and heels, plus a few gorgeous shelves of classic Austrian toys for the littles. They’re most famous for their custom ski boots, which are molded specifically to the feet for maximum comfort.
Lanserhof Lans
Kochholzweg 153 6072, Lans
Leaning heavily on founder F.X. Mayr’s theories that diseases stem from imbalances in the digestive system, the custom tailored wellness programs at this SciFi-looking forest compound in Austria, all marry modern medicine with time-honored holistic methods, and center around intense detoxification (colon cleansing, lymphatic draining, even light psychotherapy). If it all sounds like serious business, that’s because it is—but so are the results: the programs are said to have life-changing regenerative effects. Thankfully, it’s all balanced by ample spa time for salt scrubs and massages, and custom meal plans that while skimpy, border on gourmet. In addition to the original, there’s a brand new, 70-room resort, Lanserhof Tagernsee, on Lake Tegern in Germany and a city outpost in Hamburg called Lans Medicum.
MAYRLIFE
Seepromenade 11 A-9082, Maria Wörth
There's nothing pretty about the approach, but it might be worth it. With its highly clinical approach to health and reputation for glowing results, this no-nonsense center on Lake Wörth in Austria focuses on resetting the digestive system. Guests go through applied kinesiology evaluations to help determine which vitamins, minerals, and supplements are best for them and are put on strict diet plans. The first three days are the worst but renewed energy levels supposedly make the rest of the week more of a breeze.