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Stays with flavour: Best Lakes & Mountains hotels for food

From discovering local delicacies to tucking into must-try national dishes, holidays are a treat for the taste buds. Many hotels really hit the mark when it comes to serving up top-notch food – often they’re up there with the best in the resort. Add in recipes handed down the generations, picture-perfect views when you glance up from your plate and delish glasses of local wine, and that’s you in foodie heaven. Even better, you can lock in those quality meals when you book, with Half Board stays available at lots of Lakes & Mountains hotels.

So what does Half Board mean?

Put simply, Half Board means that breakfast and evening meals are included in the price of your holiday. It’s worth knowing that drinks (other than at breakfast) are usually extra, so you’ll pay for those during your stay. In some hotels, you can add lunch into the mix by going Full Board and a few Lakes & Mountains spots offer All Inclusive where drinks are part of the deal too. Breakfast is usually a buffet affair, with pastries, breads, meats and cheeses or there may be some hot or made-to-order dishes like omelettes and pancakes too.

When it comes to the evening meal, some hotels serve an evening buffet allowing you to choose your faves, while others have set or à la carte menus for you to pick from. Either way, you’ll be spoilt for choice, with regional cuisine and local ingredients taking centre stage, plus themed evenings, gala nights and barbecue grills to add extra flair to evenings ‘in’. And for the cherry on the cake, lots of hotel restaurants come with a pretty wow setting, from elegant interiors and home-from-home dining rooms to by-the-lake spots and magnificent mountain peak views.

Cost-wise, you’re often on to a winner as Half Board can work out cheaper than going out to restaurants every evening. Plus, if somewhere really catches your eye, you can opt to eat there one night anyway and still be quids in. Check out our pick of the best foodie hotels that really know how to spice things up when it comes to Half Board stays. And don’t just take our word for it – these hotels have been top rated for food by you, with standout features that earned them big brownie points. You’ll also find our overall TUI rating for the hotel, which classifies accommodation based on facilities, location and customer feedback.

Best for variety

Half Board stays can pack a punch when it comes to the range of food on offer. Fuel up for the day with tasty treats from the breakfast buffet. Then, when evening rolls around, you can get your fill of local specialities and international fare with 3, 4, 5 or even 6-course menus, delicious buffets and themed nights.

Grand Hotel, Zell am See, Austria

Our TUI rating: TTTT Plus

• With gala meals two or three times a week and themed evenings, every evening’s different.
• Munch on cake from the hotel’s patisserie for afternoon tea – it’s on the house.
• Nab yourself a lakeside table – scenic dining spots don’t get better than this.

Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees, Stresa, Italy

Our TUI rating: TTTTT

• If you’re gluten-free, veggie or vegan, there’s a menu here for you.
• Fill up on delicious seafood risotto or pasta on the terrace, enjoying views of the lake.
• Fresh local ingredients feature in every dish, so you’ll get a real taste of the region.

Grand Hotel Belvedere, Wengen, Switzerland

Our TUI rating: TTTTT

• Two restaurants keep things fresh here. One serves up Swiss dishes, the other more international fare, and your Half Board evenings alternate between them.
• For a vegan treat, try their take on a cheesy fave – plant-based fondue.
• Wherever you’re eating, the pinch-me views are the icing on the cake.

Best for top-tier dishes

From your first morning pastry to your final spoonful of dessert, many hotels pull out all the stops when it comes to quality food. We’re talking chefs at the top of their game, menus full of regional specialities and dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. If you’re keen to up the food ante even further, some spots have a renowned à la carte restaurant too, so you can treat yourself to a fine dining evening.

Hotel Regina Adelaide, Garda, Italy

Our TUI rating: TTTT Plus

• Start your day with delicious pastries from the hotel’s own patisserie.
• Enjoy 4-course evening meals filled with local flavours, from lake fish to seasonal veg.
• Treat yourself to a meal in the hotel’s à la carte restaurant – don’t miss the ‘Garda 100%’ tasting menu.

Hotel Alpenblick, Interlaken, Switzerland

Our TUI rating: TTT

• Sample dishes prepared by one of the best chefs in the Jungfrau region.
• Tuck into a 5-course evening meal with home-grown ingredients.
• Splash out on dinner in the award-winning gourmet restaurant. With 1 Michelin star and 16 Gault and Millau points, it’s well worth it.

Best for family-run and friendly

Some of the best hotels for food are welcoming, unassuming and cosy. Meals tend to be served in a more informal, laidback setting which just adds to the charming and homely feel. You’ll often have one or two nights where the owners give themselves a break from the cooking, giving you the chance to try out other restaurants. Now that’s the best of both worlds.

Ingram Hotel, Selva, Italy

Our TUI rating: TTT Plus

• Tuck into homemade Italian and South Tyrolean dishes, prepared following old family recipes.
• There’s a different vibe once a week with a candlelit gala dinner.
• You’ve evening meals on 6 nights, so that leaves one for you to pick somewhere to eat in town.

Hotel Bären, Wilderswil near Interlaken, Switzerland

Our TUI rating: TT Plus

• Ingredients are as local as it gets with milk from their own cows used to make cheese.
• Fondue here is next level – don’t miss trying house signatures ‘alpine’ (with bacon and mushrooms) and ‘beer’.
• Fill your plate with specialities like rösti and bratwurst.

© Philippe Hahn Photography / Hotel Bären Wilderswil

Pension Enzian, Niederau, Austria

Our TUI rating: TT Plus

• One of our highest scorers in Austria for food, you’re in for a treat.
• Meals here show off authentic Austrian cuisine at its best.
• Make yourself at home in the cosy wood-panelled dining room.

Best for drinks to go with your meal

Book a Half Board stay and breakfast includes hot and cold drinks, so you’re sorted. But when it comes to the evening, you’ll usually need to buy drinks to pair with your meal. That said, there’s plenty to tempt. From watching the barman mix your pre-dinner cocktail to picking a label from the hotel’s own wine cellar, choosing what to sip’s yet another highlight.

Hotel Salzburgerhof, Zell am See

Our TUI rating: TTTTT

• Add the perfect wine to your evening meal from a cellar with over 400 vintages.
• Meals end well with next level dessert buffets – don’t miss the handmade chocolates.
• Stay full board and add afternoon cake and strudel buffet, just the ticket after a day’s exploring.

Hotel Park, Bled, Slovenia

Our TUI rating: TTTT

• Slovenian wines are the star of the drinks show, and you get to pour your own from the wine fountain.
• The iconic Bled cream cake, the kremšnita was created here in 1953. That’s your cue to check out the café-patisserie – delish.
• Add Slovenian cuisine to your foodie repertoire, carefully prepared by a Michelin-credentialled chef.

If that’s got you reaching for your holiday knife and fork, find your perfect Lakes & Mountains stay with food you’ll be super keen to write home about.

Author: Robinia Wareham

Last updated: 16/12/2025