Find idyllic mountain chalets, chic spas with knockout views and total bliss in the Austrian Alps
GLIDING through the water towards the majestic mountain range ahead of me, I feel more serene than I have in yonks.
I'm swimming above clusters of fluffy clouds in a jaw-dropping infinity pool, with the Austrian Alps as my backdrop, and I never want to leave.
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Just over an hour's drive from Salzburg, Priesteregg Premium Eco Resort is a much-needed escape in the ever-stressful rollercoaster of life.
With just 18 chalets perched at 3,600ft high, owners Huwi and Renate are keen to keep this place exclusive.
Those with megabucks book the super-high-end pads with private pools or swimming lakes, so often we're the only guests at the chic spa, where the saunas and treatment rooms come with yet more knockout views.
And bathe…
Our rustic Berg chalet sleeps five and is home to a hot tub, sauna, monsoon shower and freestanding bath.
There's a huge TV above the reclining day bed for us to snuggle on come evening.
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And each morning, much to the delight of Poppy, six, and Raffy, three, 'breakfast fairies' sneak in downstairs to lay out a wondrous, candle-lit spread of local, organic goodies. They return later to tidy up, too!
One day, we follow a forest trail even higher up the mountain past the yoga platforms nestled among the towering pines, before hopping on the resort's electric mountain bikes (with a trailer for the kids), to explore the undulating countryside.
Arriving home to a basket of home-made cake each afternoon is yet another treat.
Stays at Priesteregg include Saalfelden-Leogang lift passes too, so we drive 10 minutes to the Asitzbahn gondola where, once up the mountain, my husband Andy faces one of the world's longest and fastest ziplines, flying Superman-style at 130kph across the valley.
Rides cost from £48 per person (Shop.fly-xxl.at).
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The kids, meanwhile, join a free bread-making class, tackle obstacle courses and decorate wooden balls, £2 each, for brilliant ball runs down the mountainside.
When Andy returns, we all have a giggle on a musical toboggan, which sets off chimes as we fly through checkpoints, £3.50 per ride (Saalfelden-leogang.com), before we head back for a refreshing dip in Priesteregg's second pool – a natural one surrounded by lush grass.
Hat stuff
The mouth-watering Hat Dinner in the picture-perfect garden of Priesteregg's eatery, Huwi's Alm, proves a must.
We sizzle strips of beef and pork on a metal hat, which has a brim filled with beef broth and veg, plus there are sides of potatoes, sauces and salad, £27 per person.
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I satisfy my pudding stomach with sweet dumplings and boozy plums, £10, and sip a Hugo cocktail, £6.50, as the sun sets.
One evening, we order succulent pork and cheese escalopes in a tomato and basil sauce with taglioni, £21 per person, to our chalet.
Another night, Huwi and Renate host a complimentary family-style supper for guests by a pond.
Freshly caught trout is barbecued over hot coals and served up with an array of sides and crisp white wine.
The air is soon full of chatter and, as the night draws to a close, we wander back beneath the star-studded sky to our chalet – ice-cream cones in hand, giant smiles plastered across our faces.
If I could bottle the feeling of contentment Priesteregg gave me, I would. I'd really love to have a breakfast fairy every morning, too…
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