The cōmodo luxury hotel and spa opens in Bad Gastein, Austria

The cōmodo, a new luxury hotel and spa, has opened in the town of Bad Gastein in Austria.

Famed for its healing waters, the Alpine town, 80 minutes from Salzburg airport in Austria and three hours from Munich in Germany, has a long history of wellness and the launch of the new property marks a significant shift for luxury tourism in the region.

Built on the site of the former Habsburgerhof clinic, the hotel features 70 rooms and suites, a spa and a restaurant, all decorated in a contemporary style drawing on a mid-century aesthetic spearheaded by Berlin-based designer Piotr Wisniewski and owner Barbara Elwardt from the Berlin agency weStudio.

The spa at The cōmodo

Recognised for its healing powers since the 19th century, the town has drawn emperors and empresses to experience its mineral-rich baths, restorative hikes and abundant nature. The cōmodo spa has drawn on this rich heritage to create its own wellness traditions.

Treatments are tailored to the individual and performed using luxury products from Saint Charles and the healing properties of the minera-rich Gastein thermal water, which is said to have a regenerating, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect on joints, muscles and cell renewal.

The 640sqm spa features four treatment rooms, two saunas, a 7m x 12m indoor pool and an outdoor pool due to open in 2024.

The treatment menu includes a range of traditional massage therapies and facials as well as concentrated plant power shots and soothing magnesium treatments. The gym features the latest equipment from Technogym and also offers yoga classes.

Modern design

The hotel is the debut property for the cōmodo brand – said to be the first of a series of global design hotels planned.  The restaurant, under the direction of Berlin-based chef Max Jensen, offers a farm-to-table approach where sustainability is key. Ingredients are sourced fresh from local farmers and producers.

The modern Alpine resort is executed in a contemporary style that draws inspiration from nature.

“The story of the site itself inspired me the most. The hotel is a former health resort from the Sixties,” says Wisniewski. “Instead of trying to erase its past, we chose to continue telling its story. We saw great opportunity in its bones: a spacious lobby connected with the restaurant, good size rooms, a big outdoor area.”

The colour palette features a series of calming greys, greens and neutral tones to reflect the mountain setting. In communal areas, shades of rich wine and bottle-green offset the original terrazzo floor, while local materials like oak and pine wood are employed tastefully throughout.

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