Days here are whatever you make them. A typical active day starts with a session in the fitness room: a run on the treadmill or ergometer intervals, some work on the strength stations, or a quiet stretch on the mats. After the breakfast buffet you head out into the Bregenzerwald on foot, by bike or on skis, depending on the season.

The gym is open to all hotel guests and is described as bright and quiet. It covers the basics well. There is cardio equipment for endurance, strength stations for targeted muscle work, and free weights and mats for functional training, plus a clear area for mobility or yoga. Nobody runs your session for you here. You train at your own pace.

The main difference from an ordinary hotel gym is the in-house exercise programme alongside it. Core & Balance and interval training sessions add some structure. The Vitaparcours takes the workout outdoors along a fitness trail. The hotel also has a dedicated running section with mapped running routes and lists staff qualifications, so running is taken more seriously than at a typical mountain hotel.

The Meusburger family runs the hotel, and it is set up for families as much as for active couples. There are family rooms, a playroom, child care and a children's buffet. Parents can take turns in the gym or join a class while the kids are looked after.

Bezau sits in the Bregenzerwald in Vorarlberg, Austria's westernmost state. It is a valley of dairy farms and wooden villages with mountains on every side. The hotel's site mentions the Bregenzerwald Card for summer activities, along with lift passes, ski hire and a ski school for winter. Getting active outdoors needs very little planning.

Be clear about what you are buying. This is a hotel holiday with good fitness facilities and optional classes, not a coached retreat with a fixed schedule, a group or a head trainer. It suits people who want to keep their training going on holiday rather than build a whole week around it.

What's included

- Accommodation in a room or apartment at Hotel Sonne Bezau - Breakfast buffet - Half-board dinner - Access to the hotel fitness room - Use of treadmill, ergometer, strength stations, free weights and mats - Space for stretching, mobility and yoga

What's not included

- Travel to and from Bezau - Lift passes - Ski hire and ski school - Bike hire - Personal training or one-to-one coaching (not listed) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses