Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
We have always found Headwater very helpful and provide excellent self guided holidays. The places we have visited have been very interesting and beautiful.
I was really pleased with the level of communication and the depth of information provided throughout the whole process of booking this trip - I certainly wouldn't hesitate in booking with Headwater again. Haven't looked into the other options you offer for Switzerland yet - ideally would like to go the the Grindlewald / Jungfrau area next time ( not using e'bikes!) just hiking.
I love the flexibility of the tour and the suggested activities. As a traveler who is not very good with maps, I loved the app. Would appreciate a bit more detailed description of the routes to follow as well alternative activities outside the targeted area.
We have always enjoyed our holidays with Headwater. The hotels have been good, interesting, good food. The bikes have been fit for purpose, the activity ratings realistic and the itineraries and suggestions worth doing.
Excellent holiday. Great choice of hotels Roads quite busy in places so would need to be a confident cyclist.
Lovely holiday, well organised, mostly very good choice of hotels and activities very enjoyable
A very enjoyable holiday
Everything as described, had a fabulous holiday.
Spa in hotel Bergrose was great. Scenery is spectacular and Lake Wolfgang was crystal clear and so refreshing to swim in on a hot day.
A lovely holiday, stunning scenery, great hotel (especially the food) and Headwater team very helpful when planning holiday.
The hotel has saunas, steam room, pool and a relaxation room with a view, which are great after a day out walking or cycling. I also thought the diy lunch picnic worked well, make just what you want.
The walks are great, and route instructions very clear, I found the app to be less useful for the walks. For the rides, the app is great, as the voice instructions means no need to stop to check route. The eBikes are great, no worries about power or range.
The Gasterntal ride is fabulous, I can't recommend it enough and it is suitable for anyone.
The Gemmi Pass ride however has some very steep, challenging (rocky and/or lots of loose stones) sections, so take care. The view at the end is great though.
If you need a break from the heat in summer, there are some nice walks through local woods you can do or plenty of places to visit by bus/train.
This was our 5th holiday with Headwater. We enjoyed being in a single centre activity holiday and the extra recreational facilities at Bergrose. I have personally developed some fear of heights and narrow paths affecting my enjoyment of some routes, notes didnt always indicate nature of path. Route can be a level 1 but flat though high and narrow! Not sure if I can do activity holiday again for that reason though am perfectly able to enjoy most of what is on offer. The R2 bike route varied considerably between wide paths and other for example.
Hotel Alfa Soleil was an excellent base for the week's activities. The views from our room were magnificent. All the staff were welcoming and helpful. We enjoyed having breakfast on the sunny terrace. Kandersteg has good local bus and train services, so it's easy to explore the region. We liked the flexibility offered on this holiday in that you could vary the order of the cycling/hiking days, depending on the weather or just how you felt on the day. One thing to note is the Gemmi Pass cycling day involves lifting your bike up beneath the cable car and these e bikes are heavy and cumbersome. Each of the 3 cable cars differed in style. We took the cable car down from the Allmenalp ride, but it wasn't easy fitting the bikes in as they had to go inside with you on this one. Overall, this was a great holiday with spectacular scenery and a chance to spend every day enjoying the fresh mountain air and alpine flowers, whilst building an appetite for the 4 course meal every evening.
Hugely enjoyable holiday with perfect mix of hiking and e-biking in stunning scenery. Alfa Soleil was comfortable and the welcome from the staff was at all times exceptionally good. On one bike ride the route required going up an extremely steep gravel path which we felt should have been a higher grade than a 2.5. We think it would be helpful to show an alternative route where such a challenging path is indicated.
Unfortunately the weather was not kind which had an adverse effect on the cycling. We had 5 days of rain, one of cloud and only one with sunshine!! The hair dryer in our bathroom proved very efficient at drying our clothes! However. the hotel Bergrose certainly came up to expectations and we so enjoyed the food. At least we didn't fall off the Ebikes and the cycle paths were great as was the beautiful scenery. Most efficient buses which we used to visit Salzburg and Bad Ischl. A comprehensive list of rides offered by Headwater too.
Great travel providers. Amazing trips very well organised and efficient
A good location for walking and cycling with beautiful scenery. The hotel scores highly for service and food. The Gemmi pass trail is not for those who have little or no experience of mountain biking; it is very steep and rocky in places, which required us to dismount and push our bikes (which are heavy). The Swiss rail experience is a delight.
As for feedback, we have three comments to make about the hotel. We had paid extra for a balcony but it was tiny, barely allowing two people to sit and enjoy the view. It was also at the end of the hotel facing a house and garden which often had at least 6 very vocal dogs present. We love dogs but there frequent barking was a noisy intrusion to our enjoyment of the balcony. Despite the advice that wifi is present throughout the hotel it was not available in our room, on the top floor. I recommend that the coverage be improved if possible.
Kandersteg is an amazing place, beautiful mountains, many routes for both ride and hike. The Headwater routes were as described and its simple to adapt and add more challenging routes if you want, as we did. The navigation app worked well and simple to use, we didn't get lost! I cannot fault the hotel in any way from the moment of arrival until departure. All staff were very welcoming and their care for ensuring we had everything we needed was genuine, they truly wanted to ensure we enjoyed our stay with them. The food is outstanding, fresh cooked, local ingredients, beautifully cooked. No matter how good a place is its been my rule never to return to somewhere I've already visited, the world is a big place. Kandersteg and Nico's team at the Alfa Soleil could be the exception to that rule.
A wonderful hotel in a beautiful area, with excellent provision for cycling - mostly on cycle paths or very quiet roads, through stunning scenery.
After 15 plus years of hotel to hotel cycling holidays this was our first single centre cycling holiday. Although the cycling distances were short we were able to combine rides with walks to ensure a good day of activity and I would recommend that good walking shoes are worn for cycling as some paths are quite rough.
The Bergrose hotel was exceptional with an excellent spa, superb meals and friendly and efficient staff.
The Headwater cycling app was fantastic and removes the need for the group debate at every junction as to which way to turn.
Great holiday lovely hotel great guides to walking and cycling
The Dordogne activities holiday was well thought out and put together. The staff on the ground wee helpful and available. The accommodation was uniformly excellent and baggage transport efficient and problem free. Equipment was good quality and well maintained. Be aware that e-bikes need to be pre-specified, which is a detail that had passed me by and if walking any stages, the instructions are sketchy. Other than that, a lovely experience and a good holiday.
Thank you for a wonderful holiday. The Dordogne region is a beautiful part of France, and lent itself well to this type of activity holiday. We were very impressed with the hotels, all with swimming pools, which were very welcome after hot days walking, cycling or kayaking. Staying in the luxurious Chateau Monrecour was a particular highlight.
Christine explained everything perfectly, and was even able to swap two of our individual kayaks for a double after the first day, which made the second day on the river easier.
This is quite an active holiday - perfect for my 15 year old, but some of the up-hill cycling (mostly just the last day - we are from a flat part of the world!) and kayaking on his own was sometimes a bit of a stretch for the 13 year old, although we got there in the end. The Headwater App made navigating on the bikes very easy.
Lots of happy memories of a fantastic week.
We travelled by ferry and car with our two children aged 14 & 12 for the Dordogne Activities holiday, a total of 8 nights in the Dordogne. Two days canoeing and 5 days cycling. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We are used to cycling at home and have also done a fair amount of canoeing previously. The quality of the bikes was very good, the cycling was about the right level for us, a few hills, mainly quiet lanes and roads but there were a few fast and busy ones. The canoeing was enjoyable too, the water level was very low in places in the Dordogne due to the prolonged drought making the canoeing harder due to less current and needing to navigate to deeper water. The accommodation was on the whole very good and also the food, although menu options were a bit limited at times. We would definitely use Headwater again for a cycling holiday.
Wonderful wonderful and well organised
The holiday was very enjoyable. The transport arrangements worked well but were quite challenging with taxi, 2 trains and transfer, perhaps flying into Gerona would have been a better option but we would still have had to return via Barcelona. The outgoing flight from Manchester was a nightmare, having to queue for an hour to enter the check-in area at 3.00 am in the morning is totally unacceptable, but that's Manchester Airport.
The Garbi Hotel was generally very good, perhaps a little tired, but the staff were extremely helpful and friendly.
Kandersteg is a beautiful setting and the hotel Alpha Soleil is comfortable and the staff friendly and helpful. The itinerary is a good mix of walks and e-bike rides, with several options to choose from. We hadn't ridden e-bikes before and found out the hard way just how heavy they are when we had to get off and push them up a couple of steep sections on the route to the Gemmi Pass - in places the path is narrow and rocky and the surface is loose chippings - but the view from the top is worth it.
Troubles free except unclear to transfer pick up during arrival
Beautiful location. Lovely, welcoming, family run hotel with excellent food and very friendly staff. Spa great way to end the day. Spoilt by beautiful weather so spent late afternoon in garden with glass of wine. Excellent cycling routes and lovely walks of varying level of difficulty. Trip to Salzburg by bus is well worth while.Overall, fantastic holiday.
Visited in mid October resort very quiet hotel rather lacking atmosphere (it was due to close end of October) a very attractive region of Spain. Quite a steep climb up to hotel from village excellent helpful efficient local rep (Greg)
This was a one week activity holiday and it was well planned and varied. Freedom to choose when to do each activity or to vary it was ideal. The hotel would have been fine for a couple of nights, but not quite comfortable enough for longer due to quality of meals and constant background music. The actual town was lovely and we were pleased to extend our stay beyond a week. Visitors do need to be aware that the hotel has great views because it is up a hill. Lots of steps! Greg and Seonna were excellent reps with great advice and support.
Another very enjoyable Headwater holiday. Different from our previous cycling holidays in that we were based in one place and had walking as well as cycling options. We enjoyed the flexibility of choosing our daily programme. Calella de Palafrugell was an excellent base with good restaurants.
Excellent stay in beautiful place. Hotel food delightful and a very high standard. E bikes wonderful. Our reps were very good and caring
Experienced a pocket handkerchief of Austria
Well organised, lovely reps, lovely accommodation/food, great holiday
This was an excellent holiday. All our family enjoyed too - from the children, to the parents to granny ! Lovely activities and super bikes. We would like to do this holiday again.
An excellent week mixing Canoeing and biking around the Dordogne with our 11 year old son. There are loads of places on route to stop off for a swim in the river, which is beautifully clean. There are also plenty of places to stop for drinks and a bite to eat.
Superb holiday! Andrew and Janet were extremely helpful and made for an extremely relaxing holiday. Accomodation and food was generally excellent, with some really exceptional meals (wine lists were extensive but quite expensive, generally minimum about €20 a bottle). Activities were well planned and clearly explained. Holiday does require a good level of fitness for the activities and the hotels, twice we were on the third floor but no lift (lots of stairs to carry suitcases up). Would highly recommend this holiday.
Fabulous family holiday, we were a mixed group of cycling abilities and found something for everyone combining walking, cycling and beach days. Hotel was quirky and comfortable and Saturday barbecue night is not to be missed! Headwater rep was really helpful and always available for advice.
Hotel and Reps excellent. Food superb. Area - delightful. GPS on Ebike hit and miss. E-bike great once it had been swapped for one the right size. Trails and routes and advice excellent. I was dismayed that late booking meant I had to pay a lot more than the listed price. I found it hard to adjust to eating so early in the evening. Did n;t like that I had to cut my day's adventures short in order to make the evening meal. Bettina and her familly / Staff were wonderful hosts and very patient with my attempts to speak German - they spoke very good English. The swimming pool and spa were delightful and an enjoyable luxury after a long day cycling/ hiking/ pottering around the area. Lots to do and see. Colin and Jill were wonderful - very helpful. Flights were good - but unable to check in online at either end because of the late booking which meant they were via Tui and I couldn't choose seat. Would heartily recommend Headwater, the Bergrose, the Austrian Lakes, ebike and best of all Jill and Colin - great atvice, helpful but not intrusive.
We had a fantastic holiday. We stayed in some great places, had some wonderful food and cycled / canoed through some fantastic scenary. The local reps Janet and Andrew were superb and always available to help if needed. The bags, bikes and canoes were always in the right place at the right time. All we had to do was enjoy ourselves.
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday. Château Monrecour was the highlight for accommodation and food but we also found Relais Saint Anne to be very special. Our tour reps Janet and Andrew were fantastic. They went above and beyond to help us out and make sure everything went well. Everything went very smoothly with luggage transfers, bikes and canoes.
This is the best active holiday we’ve been on - we loved every minute due to the fantastic information provided by Colin & Jill. The bikes were of a great standard & the bike lanes in Austria made it feel safer to get around than in the UK. Colin & Jill were so helpful & on hand if we had additional questions about routes or the local area. Wolfgangsee is such a beautiful area with lots of hiking & biking routes, a great way to get back to nature. The hotel food was excellent, both at breakfast & our delicious 5 course dinner every night. Only improvement would be air con or a ceiling fan in the bedroom as it was very warm at night. We plan to book with Headwater again!
hotel very lacking in basic favilities - kettle in room air con bigger choice of food st night room service . staff st hotel were lovely . rating hotel 4 star was misleading . room gloomy . guides were exemplary . walks and bikes great . scenery fab
Fabulous scenery and amazing food. Like living in a picture postcard. Too hot and no air-conditioning but that is no-ones fault. Holiday better if it had been cooler.,
electric bikes were great and easy to ride.
Fantastic holiday at the Bergrose Hotel, Strobl. Very glad we opted for a 2nd week as there was so much to do and see in this beautiful area of the Austrian Lakes. The cycling routes provided were, on the whole (we had non-electric bikes!), easy and on dedicated cycle paths. The walking routes were all on good, well way marked, paths or tracks, but they were steep in places so glad we had good boots with us. Unfortunately it was very hot so we did not do them all. The hotel was lovely, the food excellent and the staff very friendly (and all spoke good English). They even provided a great range of veggie meals that were not just the meat eaters fare, less the meat! The local reps were brilliant and looked after us very well. Overall an excellent holiday if you are looking for a variety of activities (kayaking, paddle boarding, water skiing etc all available locally) together with some genuine Austrian food, culture and scenery.
This was a very relaxed and enjoyable holiday. The location of this simple hotel is just perfect. The setting and proximity to beaches and small interesting restaurants was wonderful. .Bike was super and well equipped. Hotel staff were kind and welcoming. I had a lovely holiday. Was on my own and felt safe and happy at all times.
A wonderful week in a lovely part of Austria in very comfortable surroundings.
We had a fabulous holiday. We enjoyed the cycling, the food and friends we made. Even the weather was perfect.
A good all-round activity holiday with plenty of scope to explore and make up your own schedule from day to day.
All staff spoke good English as do most Austrians in this holiday destination.
Austria has a lot to offer and my surprise many people. Clean,beautiful with plenty of healthy recreational activities.
We found it an excellent holiday in every respect but one. We had to leave the hotel at 7.30 am but the hotel refused to give us anything by way of food or drink despite a 70 minute journey to the airport. Considering we had paid for breakfast and that 7.30 in the morning is not an unreasonable hour to get something - anything - we were not happy and it took the edge off the holiday, leaving an unpleasant 'taste' to finish on.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday feedback, whilst we are pleased to learn that overall you had a wonderful holiday with us, we are truly sorry to learn of the hotel not being able to provide breakfast for an early departure. Please be assured we are in contact with the hotelier and our local reps to discuss breakfast arrangements for customers who are having an early departure in the future,apologies for the disappointment caused and thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Calella de Palefrugell is beautifully situated on a lovely stretch of rocky coat with small, sandy bays. The walking and cycling can be as strenuous or gentle as you wish with interesting viewpoints and places to stop. A must is the beautiful Cap Roig Botanic Gardens, which is a short walk or cycle ride from the hotel. The hotel itself is well situated in a quiet area a short walk from the busy and interesting seafront. Greg's recommendation of a visit to the local Tapas restaurant was much appreciated. Also, it was good to be able to fly to and from out local airport. Many thanks.
Lovely location and hotel. A beautiful area that I would visit again possibly with a car. Eating out is cheap and convenient. Walks and rides quite challenging due to the hills and flights of steps. The routes do overlap somewhat.
We had great service booking the holiday and that was more than matched by the service from Greg at Calella de Palafrugell. A good selection of walks and cycle routes were available and good local knowledge to tailor trips. We had a great time exploring an area we knew very little about.
The base location of the holiday in Calella de Palafrugell was excellent and the town itself had many restaurants and cafes. Hotel Garbi is a lovely hotel with very helpful staff and is located a few minutes walk from the town and beach. The walks are very straightforward with easy to follow route notes - the additional availability of GPS files compatible with a smartphone provided added reassurance to avoid taking wrong turns. None of the described walks are too strenuous, although care is required when following some of the coastal paths. From all of the walks available those along the coast were most interesting with tremendous views over the sea and rocky coastline. We found the reps very helpful during the holiday in advising us on the walks outlined in the route notes as well as suggesting additional routes that we might want to try out. Overall we were very happy with the holiday and would recommend it to other travellers.
The Hotel Bergrose was a superb choice with a very spacious suite and superb meals every day. The quality of service was excellent in the hotel. The Headwater reps Colin and Jill couldn't have been more helpful. The bicycles provided were of a very high qualty. The holiday far exceeded our expectations.
A great holiday. Beautiful area with plenty of opportunities for various activities including superb walks. One of the best Headwater hotels we have visited. Helped by excellent company of other Headwater clients. Always have enjoyed Headwater holidays and this is one of the best.
We recently returned home from the Austrian Lakes activities holiday based in Strobl. Pre holiday information given by Headwater was informative and helped us to get the most out of our trip. All communication with Headwater head office was clear and promptly given. The reps in Strobl, Colin and Jill, were friendly, enthusiastic and determined to make sure we got the most out of our holiday. Despite the weather, we had an amazing time in the Wolfgangsee region. The area is stunning and there are several great day trips within walking, cycling or public transport distance from base. The family run Hotel Bergroße was like a home away from home, with relaxing gardens and a beautiful, varied breakfast and dinner menu. We would thoroughly recommend this holiday for anyone who loves outdoor activities in a relaxing, unspoilt region. We decided to extend our stay by 2 further nights to explore Salzburg in more depth, which was well worth it.
A great location for a variety of outdoor activities, also with attractive local towns. We enjoyed all the recommended cycle rides and walks we did. On the more rainy days local bus and boat services were very helpful, and they also extended the range of possible cycling and walking trips. The Bergrose hotel was a beautiful and relaxing base; the view from our room was stunning, the food was outstanding, and the family running the hotel were eager to please. Reps Colin and Jill could not have been more helpful.
A great family holiday based at an ideal location for cycling in the valley and close to public transport for days out on the bus. Lovely quiet hotel just outside Strobl - the restaurant was excellent. There was so much to do, that we could choose each day to suit the weather.
A brilliant week at Hotel Bergrose. We were lucky with the weather so followed most of the self/guided cycle routes provided. Route instructions clear on all but one ride (feedback given to rep). Brilliant rides in nice scenery. Loved the ebikes - we had a puncture at one point and the hire company were out to us within15 mins with a replacement.
Colin and Jill, our reps, were excellent. Helpful and informative and put themselves out to tinker with the bikes as needed.
Fabulous experience which we recommend to anyone wondering whether to try a cycling holiday.
An excellent holiday set in wonderful scenery with plenty of relaxing walking and cycling to choose from throughout the week. The hotel food, service and comfort were all fantastic. The reps Colin & Jill couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. This was our second visit to the area with Headwater and we will, no doubt, be back again.
This was an excellent holiday - everyone enjoyed it, including both teenage daughters (16 & 13). The hotel was superb - delicious food, helpful staff, spacious accommodation which was really beneficial as we travelled as a family and stayed in a family suite. The location and scenery of this holiday were breathtaking. I also cannot fault Colin & Gill from Headwater - they were so friendly, helpful and really did go over and above to help us (especially with the loan of a travel adapter). They were also very knowledgeable about the area and the local attractions which really made planning our stay very easy.
A super family break with relaxed canoeing and more challenging cycling. The pool at every hotel was very welcome, the bag transfer service slick and efficient and nothing was too much trouble for the reps. Chateau de Monrecour was a particular highlight, as was trying the via ferrata above the Dordogne!
Fantastic family holiday. A beautiful area with so much to do. Bicycles provided were excellent quality.
Fantastic .. beautiful area
Excellent holiday - in every respect - beautiful Alpine scenery, first class bicycles and first class accommodation and food. Jill and Colin were responsive to any slight problem and gave us loads of ideas for trips etc in case the weather changed. Enjoyed the visit at Bad Ischl to the Kaiservilla but particularly the Photo Museum that Jill had suggested. They really went the extra mile!
The area was fantastic for walking and cycling with the added bonus of being able to swim in the lake. All the activity off set the 5 course evening meals which were beautifully presented, the perfect size and always delicious.
An excellent base for a single-centre holiday. The meals at the picture perfect hotel were a highlight (vegetarian? - not a problem), but it’s location set amongst meadows just a short stroll from Strobl and the lake shore was excellent. Our hosts, Jill & Colin, couldn’t do enough for us, including additional suggestions of routes and day trips to consider. There’s so much to do in this area that the bikes are almost superfluous - walking, swimming, canoeing, wake boarding, parasailing, paddle steamers, cable cars, funiculars, buses and trains. The only thing in short supply is the time to do it all!
The holiday overall was very good, with some excellent and some distinctly average hotels. The holiday overall is about the activities and the surroundings that you are in and in this respect the holiday was excellent. The reps were excellent and no complaints there at all. The quality of the equipment was excellent and the introduction to the use of was also excellent. Two things to note, the walk from the river to the hotel in Souillac does take the a while and although flat, carrying all the equipment and if you have young ones is a task in hot temperatures. Secondly the position of the hotel in Sarlat is stunning for the views but is overall poor and is situated as stated out of town. After a hard day walking or cycling, to walk into town and and back (back is uphill and 2.8 k ) is not easy in heat, and the hotel said that it was almost impossible to get taxis to do the short distance (for them) to and from the hotel. These two things aside the holiday is a good one and we would reccomend to others and Headwater are a good company, we have had two holidays with them now and would use again. To clarify the earlier statement about some of the hotels being average, we have had several of this type of holiday with other companies as well as Headwater and they all seem to throw in one hotel that is a bit of a let down, we are now used to this and it becomes a bit of a game to guess which it will be. As with this type of holiday you are only in one place for a couple of nights before moving on you can put up with a poorish hotel as you are not spending that much time there, but if you like top notch all the time then research the hotels closely.
Excellent holiday. Colin and Jill were great, very knowledgeable and helpful.
A fabulous week. Loads to do but very chilled and unspoilt region of the World
This is a brilliant holiday to suit everyone with lots to do and the flexibility to do it as and when - walking, cycling, ferry boat trips, cable cars, lazing in the garden by the river etc, all surrounded by beautiful scenery. The infrastructure for getting around makes cycling a real pleasure. And at the end of the day there's the welcome spa and delicious food waiting. Colin and Jill are excellent reps and help to make the most of the area by their knowledge and love of this part of Austria.
Excellent holiday
The holiday exceeded expectations. The walking and cycle instructions were generally spot on. The GPS for the bike was wonderful and easy to use and follow. The bikes were new or nearly new and in exceptional condition. The proposed day activities which we followed were excellent. The scenery was gorgeous. Four of the six days were quite exerting so a reasonable fitness was required. It was a level one holiday but that didn’t mean flat and level! The hotel Garbí was excellent although having such great views did mean it was a very steep walk to the hotel. The rep, Greg was extremely helpful too and we felt we could rely on him should an emergency or accident arise (it didn’t!) All in all well worth the money and as a result we’re looking at booking another holiday with Headwater. Well done.
Lovely hotel in great location for cycling. Tracks were quiet and we rarely had to use roads. Hotel staff were very friendly and breakfasts were a good varied selection of stuff. Greg was very helpful, punctual and good humored. The bikes were set up well and the panniers complete with tools were brilliant. The saddles were suited to soft cyclists too rather than racing style saddles that cripple you after a few hours. We managed 2 days cycling 30km rides and were surprised to find we could still walk normally afterwards. The GPS ride app worked pretty well, but we noticed 3 or 4 directions were slightly out of date or took us down one way streets the wrong way. Overall we had a great cycling holiday and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys cycling along country lanes in the sunshine.
professionally organised, good hotels in the main with excellent food. Local tour staff were first class, Jude and Tim were thoughtful, considerate and extremely helpful in every way. They provided excellent service and delivered a slick, personal service. The cycle routes were well mapped and very sensible quiet roads providing superb countryside views and charming tiny villages. The river canoe trips down the Dordogne were a highlight, so peaceful and the most relaxed activity we have ever done.
Thoroughly enjoyed our Austrian Lakes holiday. Would not hesitate to book through Headwater again
Thoroughly enjoyable week of mixed canoeing and cycling. We had intended walking days too, but found there was so much we wanted to see cycling was the only way to encompass as much as we could. Canoeing down the Dordogne was truly serene and magical. Most accomodation and food really excellent.
It was a great opportunity to take part in activities I might not otherwise have tried. You can only get the magnificent views of the Dordogne river that we had from a canoe.
A relaxing holiday with positive together time as a family - nothing gets everyone working together as well as arguing more - than getting lost in the Dordogne countryside an hour before lunch !
This was our second visit ( the first 8 years ago) to Austrian Lakes Activities. We were lucky to have fantastic weather which helped. The area has outstanding scenery and views. Gentle cycle routes are not too long so you have time to explore the area and actually get to see/ do things things and not feel you are spending all day on a bike. We love the area which is why we went back a second time and were not disappointed. The Hotel is in a great location with a bus stop at the end of the road - very handy if you want a break from the bike. Hotel staff very welcoming and friendly and rooms very comfy and quiet with lovely views of the mountains. We have done several Headwater holidays now and continue to be impressed. Reps are great. Very helpful.
Lovely area with a good variety of walking, cycling and sightseeing activities. Hotel Bergrosse is excellent with fabulous food, large, clean and comfortable rooms and a lovely pool and spa area along with the gardens.
Austria is the perfect place for cycling as there are dedicated cycle paths everywhere. The scenery is spectacular. Plenty of opportunity to swim in the lake. Sightseeing opportunities were good and I highly recommend a visit to lovely Hallstadt. The electric bike provided by Headwater was a real boon and enhanced all the cycle rides. The weather was fantastic which added to our enjoyment of a perfect holiday.
Absolutely fantastic! Hotel and food excellent. Family run and very very good. Colin and Jill the Reps could not have done more to make our holiday more enjoyable. Always on hand to help and so kind and caring. My daughter fell off her bike and we had to get a lift back to hotel and leave her bike . They went and collected it immediately and serviced it and even texted every day to see if she was ok. A truly lovely couple and an absolute credit to Headwater
We last took on a headwater holiday15 years. Now we have an 8 year old daughter and 11 year old son. The dordogne was lush, warm and beautiful. The reps were helpful and knowledgable. The hotels were very french with great food. The activities were well balanced with relaxation at the pool. Super holiday i hope we dont wait another 15 years.
The whole holiday exceeded our expectations. Hotel wonderful and the scenery absolutely magical. Food at the hotel was world class and the staff went over the top as a daily norm. Your reps were excellent and very helpful and we would certainly recommend this holiday to anyone who likes travel and cycling. The weather was fantastic and at times a little too warm for us pensioners to cycle too much, thank goodness for the ferry and a lift back home on one occasion.
Dordogne is utterly beautiful, medieval chateaux rising from open woodland dotted with ancient villages. We hit a heatwave, so cycled rather than walked. Excellent maps (but read their key!) allowed us to discover our own way sometimes. The two days canoeing — we chose an open two-person canoe — were a revelation: clean river, beds of long green weeds flowering at the surface, home to dragonflies; real bliss, with occasional bursts of not-really-threatening adrenalin as we avoided shallows and bridge pillars. (Hard-working) Tim and Jude created a lovely laid-back, friendly, helpful feel for the 8 days. Hotels and food were superb.
A perfect mix of activities based in the most welcoming family hotel within an exquisite setting of water, woodland, pastures and mountains. The evening meals are a gastronomic tour de force without being at all heavy; the chef and his son are true artists who can conjure colours and tastes in perfect harmony - quite exceptional. We had memorable walks, cycle rides, visits to historical sites and swims and were reluctant to leave.
Excellent base, fantastic views
Headwater provide gently active (this interpretation depends on one's level of fitness and expectation!) holidays in comfortable, interesting hotels and places. The restaurants vary, some are better than others, but in general they reach a very satisfactory standard. I think they are a great way to spend time exploring an area but with always the fall back of a pleasant hotel.
We had a wonderful mixed activity holiday cycling and canoeing down the Dordogne knowing we had excellent food and drink to look forward to after a hard days work. Pure bliss !!
Great fun, lots of fresh air and lovely food.
Our party consisted of Grandma and Granddad (late 60's), Son (48) and Grandson (10). We were all more than catered for and thoroughly enjoyed our activity holiday. We had an informative break down of the area from our reps, Colin and Jill and the map we were given + bus timetables were very useful throughout the week. Our bicycles were easy to ride and comfortable.
Our first outing was on the afternoon of arrival when we decided to visit the nearby village. There were very few days when we didn't use the bikes to visit nearby towns and villages and the routes were usually flat and safe for our 10 year old. Our grandson particularly enjoyed the toboggan run but warns other would be enthusiasts that it is possible to fall off!! He was, however, proud of his scraped leg! Got straight back on and finished the course.
The grandparents tackled the cycle ride to lake Schwazen which included a steep climb. We walked some of the way as it was very hot - but we made it and were very proud of ourselves especially as there were many people overtaking us on electric bikes! (a good idea if you are not used to cycling). We particularly enjoyed our day at the Salt Mines, using the local bus and train + a ferry to get to Hallstatt (a stunning place). The salt mines were great fun and a unique experience. We also visited the Ice Caves (by local buses) - also fascinating.
The boys hired an eco boat and also sampled tubing on the lake. Crazy golf and the train up the mountain was fab + the cable car up Katrin. The walk down the mountain was pretty tough, though out 10 year old completed the whole day without a murmur. Catching the bus back outside the Spar on the main road was a good idea as sustenance was required!!
Last, but not least, the hotel was superb - so friendly and the food was spectacular! Thank you Headwater for a great holiday, though we did need a rest on our return.
I had a fantastic week on the Austrian Lakes Adventure. Colin and Jill were very welcoming and happy to help at any stage of the holiday. The family run Hotel was also brilliant! Rather than a standard room which I was expecting, I had my very own suite including window seating and table, sofa, en-suite, balcony and ample storage. Their buffet breakfast and 5 course evening menus were always first class too. I really could not complain! As for the hiking and cycling, there were numerous notes provided which gave flexibility and choice dependent on the level of ability I was looking for. This was a great way to visit the local area and integrate with local culture. I also incorporated a day trip to Salzburg by bus. Unlike the UK, this was very easy to organise, and stress free! This was a beautiful area to visit and will highly recommend to my friends and family. Thank you all.
As a family of six, headwater is a great holiday choice for us. We enjoy spending the time together and the activities give us a shared focus and shared sense of achievement. The children age between 16 and eight, and they all enjoyed the holiday. It challenged their palates as well as their legs, as most of the hotels don't offer kids menus, but this worked out fine and they all discovered things they didn't know they might like. Canoeing was harder work than expected, but such a beautiful way to see the river. I really love headwater holidays, this is our third time and it definitely won't be our last. Now that all the children are confidently able to cycle we will try some more ambitious ones next time.
We really enjoyed our holiday. The arrangements were efficient, the hotel was comfortable if somewhat dated (it's years since I've seen one of those beige hairdriers attached to the bathroom wall in a hotel). The food was good on the whole, though with limited choice as is usual for this type of hotel in Austria not everything is going to suit everyone.
The area is great for all levels of activity and the option of returning on the boat after a walk or cycle was great for us with our 7 year old. We have been to the area before so knew it would be suitable for us even if we didn't want to opt for some of the suggested things on the itinerary.
The family activity holiday was ideal for a family of mixed ability. The cycling to Bad Ischi , Saint Wolfgang and Saint Gilgen was suitable for everyone. All the places we visited had a wide selection of coffee shops, bars and restaurants. We also did a number of walks from the hotel. The most rewarding was the 20 minute ascent of the Thersienstein which gave excellent views of Wolfgangsee. A more adventurous walk was the Brustwand Aussichtsweg, although the highlight was probably a beer at the Kleefeld on the way back to the hotel with views up the Postalm valley. We used the hotels swimming pool everyday and on the hotter days you could walk out into the garden to a selection of sun beds. The hotels facilities were excellent. We had a bedroom with a mezzanine which gave 3 sleeping areas. The public areas were very spacious and clean. The food was a modern interpretation of Austrian cuisine that was very well cooked and presentated. However if you thought it a little adventurous they would give alternatives like Wiener schnitzel and chips . Overall the holiday is highly recommended.
Very good experience despite the travel arrangement errors.
We have just returned from an excellent 10 days in France, having never been to this area before, we now are keen to return! The walking and cycling was definitely 2 boot, but worth the climbs. And we really enjoyed the relaxed canoeing down The Dordogne. All hotels were excellent with fabulous food. Sarlet is very pretty and well worth the extra night, although it is a long climb up back to the hotel from the town.
Excellent holiday.
well organised and helpful
The weather was dreadful for the entire week we spent in Austria. It was cold and rained every day. Several of the recommended restaurants and cafes remained closed because of the bad weather although it was the start of the summer season. We put on wet weather gear and did the walks anyway. It was great - we had the whole area to ourselves! The wild flowers were fantastic. It was a pleasure to come back to the Hotel Bergrose each day because we knew we could swim and sauna before dinner. The food in the hotel was excellent and we were very comfortable there. What could have been a dreary week turned out to be entirely pleasurable.
Excellent, good location, helpful reps, fantastic hotels, good food, well maintained equipment with all necessary ancillaries. It all makes to an active but stress free holiday.
We have had a superb holiday, Colin and Jill were very knowledgeable about the area and made useful suggestions with the accompanying literature about places to visit.
The hotel was five star and the food deserves Michelin stars.
The family treated us really well and we have promised ourselves that if circumstances allow we will return in 2 years, we will book through Headwater again
Fantastic. The whole experience was wonderful. Travel was smooth - the 'local reps (Keith and Claire) were lovely, informed, committed and really, really nice couple. The itinerary was easy to follow and worked very well. Food superb and hotels great. thank you
A great week in an outstandingly beautiful area - as the notes say (and I paraphrase) any slog uphill is richly rewarded with ever more stunning views, and prices at the mountain-top cafes are the same as at the bottom, which is unusual. The weather was hot so we chose to do more cycling than walking to make our own breeze! Plenty of choice of walking and cycling routes and the teenagers were exercised adequately each day! The bicycles were good quality and very well maintained. We took the cog-railway up to Schafberg, walked up (and down) Katrin from Nussensee (which was a hard day's walk) and cycled to Bad Ischl, St Wolfgang, St Gilgen and Schwarzensee - that last one was hard too and we wished we'd taken our swimming stuff to cool off in the glorious lake! We added our own 4-night stay in Munich (including organising our own travel from Strobl and afterwards to Munich airport) and Headwater were happy to arrange our flight around this. We felt that everything had been carefully thought out and researched which meant we could just relax and enjoy ourselves.
A brilliant and well thought out holiday, with super routes and excellent hotels - well worth adding extra days to.
The holiday offered varied activities which were not too strenuous, although you needed some degree of fitness to enjoy them. The support offered by the local reps was excellent as was the food at the various hotels.
An excellent family activity holiday with a lovely range of hotels and universally excellent food. Chateau de Monrecour was a particular highlight. Look at the cycling routes carefully and plan the day especially with regard to food stops and water refills.
Excellent Holiday with easy walking and kayaking
A wonderfully relaxing holiday featuring the opportunity to mix a range of outdoor activities in a beautiful part of France with the chance to explore its towns, villages, sights and cuisine.
7 of us shared this holiday. We ranged in age from 10 to 73 and we all had a great time. The wonderful weather helped in this very good location. We were very impressed with the efficient Austrian people,in the delightful Bergrose hotel and all the little farms, ,houses and neat, tidy floral gardens. It was a joy to cycle around. the scenery was spectacular. We particularly enjoyed the lake at Stroble as well as the bike rides to StWolfgang, St Gilgen and Bad Ischl and the ferry to Hallstatt.. The children were always busy and after dinner had a very competitive table tennis match. A very good family holiday!
Having done this holiday 5 years ago it was lovely to return & find everything was as good as last time. The family run Hotel Bergrose is a credit to the Zopf family & Francesca & the rest of the staff are a credit to the business. They also speak excellent English (as well as countless other languages)
The area is lovely & the bike rides & walking a real joy. With spas in Bad Ischal, Salt mines to explore, & cable cars plus the schafgerg railway you are never stuck for things to do.
Be careful which time of the year you choose to go to the Austrian lakes - it rained most of the time we were there!
Welcoming hotel in pretty area of austria with choice of things to do from walking cycling or sightseeing
A very good weeks holiday cycling around a beautiful lake which was also wonderful to swim in. The hotel was comfortable and quiet with delicious food and a lovely garden. It was also in an excellent location for exploring the area by bike.
Suitable for the lethargic or energetic, this holiday has it all
Another superb Headwater holiday - everything perfect as always. We added three nights at the Weisses Kreuz Hotel in Bregenz which was also excellent.
A very good holiday, despite rather variable weather. Fortunately the excellent bus connections from near the hotel made getting to Salzburg and Bad Ischl very easy on the really wet days. The general cool temperatures were probably not a bad thing when it came to cycling and walking. The hotel proved a splendidly welcoming environment each evening.
