Dear readers! Today we are sending you lovely holiday greetings from the POST Family Resort in the tranquil village of Unken in Salzburger Land. From boccia, swimming pond and ball pool to pool, horses and Playstation – nobody can get bored here. The Culinary Friendship evening was our personal highlight: exceptionally good food at the Strandhaus with lovely people and a great atmosphere. We spoke to visionary host Florian Unseld about food, family as inspiration and the town of Unken. But read for yourself. All the best, THE Stylemate team
I want to leave a company with substance to the generation after me.
You are all about time for the good things – what are the good things?
It’s quite simple with us – it’s about spending time with the family and time together. The mixture of good food and drink, time in nature and a wide range of activities attracts families with children, babies and teenagers to us in Salzburger Land in Unken.
A family business for families – what does family mean to you?
Family is not only our top priority in terms as business, but also at home. We get a lot of inspiration from our little daughter Louisa. Since we have her, we’ve been able to look at the resort even more from a child’s perspective. This reveals some new things and helps us to recognise needs directly and transform them into an appropriate offer. Of course, running the business as a family and standing together in front of our guests every day also means sticking together and pursuing a shared vision.
Once a children’s hotel, now a family resort – what else has changed apart from the term?
The POST Family Resort is a special place for families, where no family member is neglected. Over the generations, the hotel has always been run with passion and constantly expanded. For example, we have upgraded the wellness area with a separate floor for Adults Only Spa and built an indoor gym for bad weather days. Another extensive remodelling is planned for the winter.
The question that really arises is: what isn’t there here?
A hotel never stands still. We are constantly striving to develop the hotel further, use resources even more efficiently and realise new ideas on how we can further reduce our impact on the environment. I want to leave a business with substance to the generation after me.
POC can be seen in the press photos. It’s actually surprising that this is even an issue, but it’s particularly unusual for a hotel in the countryside. How did this come about?
We believe that this should really no longer be an issue. The POST Family Resort is an open house where people of all backgrounds and families in all possible constellations should feel at home. Singles with children, two mums, two dads, father, mother and child – no matter what colour of skin. When we photographed the campaign back then, we were one of the first hotels to advertise as a family hotel with POC. Openness and diversity are particularly important to us. That’s what we live for and we also want to be a role model for our daughter.
You are originally a chef – what ingredients do you use to make your guests happy?
Regionality and quality are a matter of course for me when selecting ingredients. We work very closely with local farmers and traders. The game meat for our daily menus comes from our own hunt and fish, vegetables and dairy products are sourced exclusively from local farmers. We are in a really fortunate position because we have everything on our doorstep. The same goes for the wines. We source them from winegrowers that I know personally and with whom I have often been friends for years. High-quality products, the courage to season and a balanced acidity – in my opinion, these are the most important foundations for good cuisine.
With Culinary Friendships, you cultivate friendships with other chefs and kitchens. How did the idea come about?
With the Culinary Friendships events, we want to appeal to the foodies among parents and add a culinary highlight to their holiday. In 2023, we came up with the idea of launching a series of food events in the hotel’s own beach house and bringing together the Austrian chefs and winegrowing elite at the POST Family Resort. Each event has a different theme and is extremely well received by our guests.
What is the best thing about these evenings?
Apart from the food and the special dishes, I would say that it is the special atmosphere that is created when like-minded people meet. Every Culinary Friendship Event is different and has a different focus. It really is something special when the chef elite from Austria and Germany take the time to visit us in Unken for a weekend and cook for our guests.
How do you make your cookery friends and who would you definitely like to bring to Unken to cook at an upcoming event?
I am a passionate cook with a love for the craft. The acquaintances I make are precisely for this reason and because of my love of high-quality food, exciting flavours and the joy of hospitality. There are many exciting colleagues in my industry who I would like to invite to the POST Family Resort for a guest appearance. However, the interpersonal component is always important to me – it just has to be right.
The resort is located in Salzburger Land near the German border – what is there to say about Unken?
The POST Family Resort offers a wide range of outdoor activities that give families the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking nature of the region. In the picturesque Saalachtal valley, demanding hikers get their money’s worth just as much as families with children. No matter which of the numerous routes you choose, the hiking routes in the hiking village of Unken are particularly well maintained and well signposted. Bike tours, rafting and canyoning are also popular. Canyoning involves exploring the surrounding gorges: You can experience the impressive Salzburg surroundings in a special way by abseiling, climbing or diving.
Why don’t you write us a POSTcard from the resort? What does it say?
Time for the good things! Time for a holiday! Time for a holiday with the family!
We send you our best wishes from the POST Family Resort in picturesque Unken near Salzburg. The Unseld family is looking forward to your visit.
photocredits: POST Family Resort; CWN