Kinderhotel Familienhotel Ramsi was our introduction to Austria and to a style of holiday we didn’t know we’d been missing. Until this summer, Austria was a blank space on our family travel map. We imagined the obvious: soaring mountains, crisp alpine air, and the faint sound of cowbells in the distance. What we didn’t know was that Austria hides an entire category of holiday purpose-built for families – the Kinderhotel.
We stayed at Familienhotel Ramsi, a charming, all-inclusive, family-run property in the heart of Carinthia’s mountains, where rolling green meadows meet the dramatic peaks of the Alps. From meals and snacks to drinks, kids’ activities, and daily adventures, everything is included.
The hotel isn’t huge, but it’s brilliantly equipped for both parents and children to have a truly relaxing holiday. Being family-run, Familienhotel Ramsi has an authentic, welcoming atmosphere, with warm, attentive service from everyone on the team.
Ramsi is best suited to younger families, especially those with children up to around 10 years old. The facilities are a dream for toddlers and early school-age kids, with soft play areas, sand and mud playgrounds, and gentle adventure activities designed for little legs. Parents of babies and toddlers will particularly appreciate the Mini Club and the wealth of baby-friendly equipment available on request.
From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with genuine warmth. every staff member, from reception to the restaurant, seemed to take real joy in making guests feel at home. For families, the hotel is a small paradise: there’s always something to explore indoors and out. The children’s club, indoor pool, and well-thought-out play areas have been designed with care. The on-site animals – rabbits, donkeys, ponies – were a daily highlight for our kids.
What is a Kinderhotel?
If you’ve never heard the term, Kinderhotel literally means “children’s hotel” but that doesn’t come close to describing the experience. These aren’t simply hotels that welcome kids. They’re designed entirely around family needs from the ground up. A Kinderhotel offers qualified childcare, age-appropriate activities, and facilities for children of all ages. And all this without sacrificing grown-up comforts like spa treatments and peaceful spaces.
The concept began in Austria in 1988, when a group of hoteliers came together with a vision for truly family-centered hospitality. They unveiled their idea at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB), the world’s largest travel trade fair held annually in Berlin. The idea quickly gained traction, leading to the creation of the Original Kinderhotels Europa network — a collection of properties across Austria, Italy, and Croatia that must meet strict safety, quality, and childcare standards to be part of the brand. Familienhotel Ramsi is part of the Original Kinderhotels Europa group and certified as a Kinderhotel.
Getting to Familienhotel Ramsi
For our trip, we flew from Paris, which offers direct flights to Ljubljana. After our stay at Familienhotel Ramsi, we added another week exploring Slovenia, making Ljubljana an ideal gateway. Read Our 8-day Family Itinerary in Slovenia with Kids for more about that trip.
The hotel is located near Hermagor in Carinthia, Austria, about 120 km (around 1 hour 40 minutes) from Ljubljana airport. Other nearby airports include Klagenfurt (KLU), about 90 km, and Trieste (TRS), roughly 145 km away.
When planning transfers, we checked private transfer prices with NGG Shuttle from Ljubljana to the hotel. The quoted rate was €350 for a one-way trip. Instead, we opted to rent a car at Ljubljana airport through this booking platform for two weeks at a total cost of €520. This was not only cheaper than the private transfer by car but also gave us flexibility to explore the region around the hotel.
Rooms types and features
Upon check-in, the kids were delighted to choose a welcome soft toy before we headed to our family suite. Cozy and bright, the suite had a separate bedroom for the children, a spotless bathroom with a walk-in shower, and thoughtful touches like kid-height towel hooks. Our large balcony overlooked the mountains and meadows, and a small fridge plus plenty of outlets made family life easy. It wasn’t luxury in the glossy-magazine sense, but it was exactly what you want on a family holiday – comfortable, practical, and uncluttered.
This family-friendly hotel in Austria has space for around 44 families. It has 22 family suites, 8 junior suites, 6 family rooms, 4 double rooms, and 4 “Tiny Houses” (mini wooden lodges). The location is straight out of a postcard: rolling green hills surrounded by peaks, and the kind of fresh mountain air that makes you want to spend every minute outdoors.
Hotel rates vary significantly throughout the year depending on the season, room type, and length of stay. Therefore, it’s best to check the latest prices for your preferred dates.
Dining
One of Ramsi’s touches is giving each family their own table for the entire stay. Ours was in a sunny corner of the dining room, making every meal calm and predictable. The daily rhythm was easy to fall into:
- Breakfast (7–9:30am): buffet with breads and pastries, cereals, freshly cooked egg dishes, cold meats and cheeses, fruits and vegetables, HiPP baby breakfast section.
- Lunch (12pm–1pm): salads, soup and main courses from the buffet.
- Afternoon treats: homemade cakes and ice cream, or savoury snacks.
- Dinner (6–8pm): regional cuisine dishes, with salad bar and cheese board.
Meals were fresh, with a wide variety of choice, and far more sophisticated than we expected from an all-inclusive. Parents chose from daily menus featuring meat, fish, or vegetarian dishes, while children could pick from their own buffet or have smaller portions of the main menu. Much of the produce is locally sourced, and the crystal-clear mountain spring water comes straight from the tap. The portion-controlled Nutella jar was very popular at breakfast time.
Kids’ clubs and outdoor activities
Ramsi Kids Club
By day two, our two had fully embraced the Ramsi Kids Club, which runs six days a week (9am–8pm, closed Saturdays). Divided into the Mini Club (6 months–3 years) and Kids Club (3+ years), it offers a daily program of crafts, games, animal encounters, and outdoor adventures. The schedule, delivered to our room each morning, made it easy to plan. Signing up was simple: tell reception the night before, and the rest is handled.
During our stay, I was actually surprised to see so few children in the Kids Club. I suspect that’s because there’s such a huge variety of activities on offer around the hotel grounds that most kids prefer to spend their time outdoors with their families — especially in summer. The playgrounds, pools, and open spaces are a big draw, and it was lovely to see families enjoying them together. When we visited in the warmer months, most children could be found splashing in the indoor or outdoor pools. I imagine in winter or other seasons, the Kids Club might be busier.
The only real “downside” for English-speaking families is that the vast majority of guests are German speakers. While children will always find ways to play together, language can make it harder for them to interact and form friendships. My kids still found one or two friends during our stay, but those connections came with kids who spoke English as a second language. They had a great time regardless, but I know they would have loved to chat more freely with other children in English.
Indoor games
The hotel has a big indoor soft play area with slides, a climbing tower, and suspension bridges for kids of all ages. For babies, there’s a separate soft play room with safe blocks and small toys. Older kids can enjoy the cinema room, a teen room with pinball and table football, and a leisure room with plenty of board games.
Outdoor fun
Every morning after breakfast, the children headed straight to the rabbit enclosure to pet the bunnies. It was definitely the highlight of their day. It’s wonderful to have the farm animals so close on the grounds. Kids can stop by and observe the animals at any time – donkeys, ponies, bunnies, goats, sheep, ducks.
Horse and pony rides were offered every few days and kids loved to ride them. Go-karts whizzed along miniature tracks and trampolines bounced in the sunshine. There’s a zip line, a bouncy castle, sand pits, soccer and baseball pitch, and even a “Bob the Builder” playground for little construction enthusiasts.
The “Fairytale” forest trail around the hotel was a very nice family activity. The gentle loop through the woods was dotted with quirky stops. A fishing hut here, a pile of picture books there – the forest walk was a nice respite from the heat of the day.
It feels very safe and secure. Kids run around playing while parents relax on the terrace overlooking the outdoor play area.
Pools, wellness and relaxation
The hotel has three pools: two indoor for year-round splashing and a heated outdoor pool with a shallow baby area and a slide for braver swimmers.
The larger indoor pool is open from 7:30–21:30 (with a short closure for swimming lessons on weekday mornings). My daughter took a beginner’s group swimming lesson (€20/hour) and loved it. The group was small, the instructor friendly, and the pace just right. The heated outdoor pool, open from 9am–6pm, has a shallow toddler area with gentle slopes and a separate larger pool with a slide. Sun loungers ring the pool, and the mountain views make it easy for parents to linger while the kids play.
For parents needing a break, the wellness area is a quiet haven: several saunas, a steam room, relaxation spaces, and a menu of treatments from massages to facials, manicures, and pedicures. Children under 16 aren’t allowed in, so it stays peaceful. In summer, we didn’t make much use of the saunas, but I can imagine them being a real highlight in winter.
Things to do outside the hotel
With everything under one roof you could easily spend your entire holiday at Ramsi without ever leaving the grounds. That said, the hotel also encourages guests to explore the surrounding area, with recommendations for hiking and biking trails that are easy to tackle as a family.
On arrival, we received a complementary +CARD Holiday card for the whole family that gives discounts on local activities. There are swimming lakes nearby, such as Lake Pressegger and Lake Weissensee. There are also hiking trails, the Pendolino summer toboggan run, cycling and biking tours. In short, there’s plenty to discover and do with kids if you decide to leave the hotel.
We ventured out just once during our week-long stay to try the Aqua Trail, and it was well worth it. This short, family-friendly hike (around 1–1.5 hours round trip) is brilliantly designed to keep kids engaged. Every 100–200 metres, there’s a new play station: slides, rope climbs, water jets, trampolines, swings, picnic tables. There’s even a small stall by the lake selling ice cream, coffee, and pretzels. It turned a simple walk into a mini adventure, and our kids loved every minute.
While we visited in summer, the hotel is also a very popular destination in winter as a ski resort so there are plenty of winter sports to do here.
Thoughtful extras for families
Ramsi makes travel with young kids easier:
- Baby and toddler equipment availlable such as cot, back carrier, buggy, changing mat, bathtub, toilet seats, ketle, bottle warmer, and bibs
- Mosquito nets on windows so you can keep windows open all day
- Children’s bathrobes and backpacks from reception
- Strollers for guest use
- A laundry room with washer and dryer
- Lots of panoramic seats and terraces with loungers, relaxation areas for parents
Familienhotel Ramsi strikes a rare balance: it’s not just a place for parents to “park” kids and escape. It’s a space where families enjoy time together and apart.
If you’ve been to Austria or a Kinderhotel, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below.
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