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Lake Millstatt is still shrouded in morning mist when the first children are already outside. Not by the pool. Not in the breakfast room. But over there, with the alpacas. This isn't a staged activity. It's simply how a day begins here.
The Burgstaller family estate in Döbriach, Carinthia, truly lives up to its name. What is today a 4-star hotel with 30,000 square meters of gardens was, over 550 years ago, a small farm on the lakeshore. The Burgstaller family has never abandoned this place. They have developed it layer by layer, generation by generation, without losing its original character. You can feel it. Not as a facade, but as a way of life.
Where farm meets four stars
What makes this house so special is the natural way in which these two aspects coexist. On the one hand, modern family rooms with balconies, a wellness area with a sauna complex and a "heavenly paradise" on the third floor, and a five-course dinner menu. On the other hand, a private vegetable and fruit garden, a herb patch, an alpine pasture in the Nock Mountains, and a whole village of animals. The kitchen team cooks with what grows in the garden. What is harvested in the morning ends up on the buffet in the evening. This isn't a marketing promise, but rather the daily routine of a farm that has been operating successfully for half a millennium.
The Village of the Animals
Children don't need a guide to find their way there. The path to the animals is part of the farm grounds—open, accessible, and natural. In the so-called "Village of Animals," alpacas live alongside donkeys, goats next to sheep, rabbits next to chickens and cattle. A separate horse farm with a riding stable is also part of the property. The youngest children take their first riding lessons here, while the older ones help with feeding. Anyone who watches children holding their hand out to an alpaca for the first time understands why families keep coming back. You can't book this. It just happens.
Playing, romping, discovering
The playground is nestled in the heart of a 30,000-square-meter garden, surrounded by mature trees and lush greenery. With a sandbox, swings, a climbing frame, and a carousel, the area is designed for children of all ages. Weather permitting, which is usually the case in Carinthia, the children are entertained here all morning. And if it does rain, the 240-square-meter indoor play area awaits, complemented by the family-run children's club with professional supervision. There, they paint, do crafts, climb, participate in treasure hunts, go on adventure hikes, and dance at the mini-disco in the evening.
Pickleball, mini golf and the lake
From Easter 2026, Burgstaller will offer a new attraction: its own outdoor pickleball court. This trendy sport from the USA, a mix of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is equally popular with families and couples. In addition, there are two tennis courts and a 12-hole mini-golf course, which has been a staple of holiday activities for years. For those seeking more, Lake Millstatt offers everything a summer could wish for: surfing, paddling, sailing, and swimming in waters that can reach up to 26 degrees Celsius. Cycling and hiking trails start right at the farm. E-bikes and hiking poles are available for rent.
Excursion destinations around Lake Millstatt
The region around Döbriach offers a different reason to set off every day. Those who don't stay by the lake will find a selection in the surrounding area that leaves almost nothing to be desired:
- Nockalmstraße: 35 kilometers and 52 hairpin bends through the Nockberge Biosphere Reserve, with inns, playgrounds and hiking trails along the route.
- Heidi-Alm Falkert: Over 100 characters from the cartoon series on the alpine pasture in the Nockberge mountains, ideal for family hikes with children.
- Granatium Radenthein: An adventure world all about garnets, where children and adults can dig for gemstones themselves.
- Alpenwildpark Feld am See: An eleven-hectare wildlife park with over 100 native wild animals, a petting zoo and a children's playground, offering a quiet alternative to the beach.
- Sagamundo in Döbriach: The House of Storytelling on three levels, an interactive playground for all the senses, just a few minutes from the farm.
- Porcia Castle in Spittal: A Renaissance castle with a folklore museum and, in summer, the famous comedy festival in the inner courtyard.
For parents: The hours when no one calls
While the children are occupied, a window opens that parents rarely experience in their daily lives: the sauna area with its steam room, infrared cabin, and Finnish sauna; the wellness area with massages and beauty treatments; the "heavenly realm" on the third floor, a spa area with a view that truly lives up to its name; the vitality garden for breathing deeply; and the garden where you can simply relax on a lounger without a shred of guilt. The children are taken care of. The lake sparkles. That's enough.
The rooms: space for everyone
132 beds in several categories, all with a private balcony of at least 8 square meters. The Deluxe Family Suite offers two separate bedrooms and a spacious living room, ideal for families with up to three children. The Superior Hotel Apartment has a separate children's room with its own flat-screen TV and enough space so that parents and children don't constantly bump into each other. The Superior Panorama Suite is located on the top floor with garden views and a children's room with bunk beds. For couples or families with one child, the Nockberge Double Room features a box-spring bed, wooden floors, and a spacious shower – the first category to offer this detail. All rooms face the garden, all have balconies, and all are non-smoking.
In the evening: The menu from our own garden
The ¾-board package is included in the price: a breakfast buffet in the morning, afternoon soup after a swim in the lake, and a 5-course dinner with a salad buffet. The kitchen prepares dishes using their own organically grown vegetables, fresh herbs from the estate garden, and regional products from the surrounding Carinthian countryside. Full board for children is also included. Dinner is the moment when the day comes together. The children actually sit still. They all chatter about their experiences. The alpacas. The pickleball. The jump from the jetty.
A house with a memory
What sets the Burgstaller family estate apart from many family hotels isn't just the amenities. It's the history etched into its walls. Over 550 years of family history at this location on Lake Millstatt. Generations who have welcomed guests, cultivated fields, and raised animals here. The Burgstaller family hasn't turned it into a museum; they've kept it alive. 470 guests have rated it 4.8 out of 5 stars, independently and consistently, on both Google and Facebook.
The Burgstaller family farm is our featured farm of the month for May on bauernhofurlaub.info. All information, photos, availability, and prices can be found on the farm's website:
A stay at the Burgstaller family estate includes ¾ board with a generous breakfast buffet, afternoon soup, and a 5-course dinner including a salad buffet. Full board is included for children. Numerous activities are also included in the price: the 240 m² indoor play area with professional childcare, the 12-hole mini-golf course, the children's indoor pool, the pickleball court, the sauna area and wellness garden, as well as the animal village with its horse adventure farm.
The Burgstaller family estate is located in Döbriach, just a short walk from the shores of Lake Millstatt. The lake is one of the warmest in Carinthia, reaching water temperatures of up to 26 degrees Celsius in summer. Activities such as surfing, paddling, and sailing are available directly on the lake. Those wishing to combine their stay with other activities will find well-maintained cycle paths along the lakeshore and marked hiking trails into the Nockberge mountains starting right from the estate.
The Burgstaller family estate offers professional childcare at its children's play area. The program includes age-appropriate activities such as painting, crafts, climbing, treasure hunts, adventure hikes, and tractor rides, as well as an evening mini-disco. The 240-square-meter indoor play area is open even in bad weather. For teenagers aged 16 and up, there is a dedicated youth center with a gaming room and chill-out area. Toddlers are also cared for according to their age, with cribs available in the rooms and baby and toddler equipment upon request.
The animal village at the Burgstaller family estate is home to a variety of animals that children can visit and feed daily. These include alpacas, donkeys, rabbits, chickens, ponies, cattle, sheep, and goats. The animal village also features its own horse farm with a riding stable. First riding lessons for children are also available. The area is part of the open farm grounds and is accessible at all times.
A stay at the Burgstaller family estate starts from €139 per person per night in summer 2026 (May 25 to June 27) and from €118 per person per night in winter 2026/27 (January 6 to February 20). The price includes ¾ board (gourmet), full board for children, and all inclusive services such as childcare, the play area, mini-golf, pickleball, and the animal village. There is a surcharge of €15 per stay for dogs. You can find all current prices and availability directly on the Burgstaller family estate website .
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