Staying at Steirereck am Pogusch: greenhouse, treehouse or barn?
At the Pogusch you sleep in a greenhouse among citrus trees, in a treehouse or in the old barn. How the rooms differ, how the inn and the Schankkuchl work and what to ask before you book.
Steirereck am Pogusch lies near Turnau in Upper Styria. It is an inn with its own farm first and a place to sleep second, and that is exactly what makes a night here special. Birgit and Heinz Reitbauer, who run Steirereck in Vienna, keep sheep, goats, pigs and chickens at the Pogusch; according to the house, more than 500 edible plant, citrus and orchard varieties grow in its greenhouses and gardens. What grows there ends up on the table at the inn and at the Schankkuchl.
If you want to stay overnight at the Pogusch, the options are very different from each other. Here is what sets them apart.
The greenhouse: your own cabin, much of it shared
Ten cabins stand among the plants in the large unheated greenhouse, each with one bed for up to two people. The washing area, sauna, tea bar and fireplace room are shared by all guests. That is the key point before booking: you sleep on your own, but share the bathroom and the lounges.
The redesign of the site is by PPAG architects. If you go for it, you wake up under glass among citrus trees.
Treehouse, birdhouse, barn or hut
If you would rather stay somewhere else on the site, there are more options. There are four treehouses at the edge of the forest and four birdhouses which, according to the house, stand at 1,100 metres looking towards the Hochschwab massif. Opposite the inn there are rooms in the former barn. On top of that come the Rehlein and Jagd huts near the house and the Gams hut, offered separately, up on the alpine pasture.
Location and facilities differ a lot. Read carefully what comes with each option before you book.
The inn and the Schankkuchl
At the Pogusch, staying the night goes hand in hand with eating. The inn has a theme for every day it is open: Wednesdays garden, field and forest, Thursdays cured and preserved meat from its own animals, Fridays fish from the lakes of the Hochschwab, Saturdays Styrian milk fed veal. At the Schankkuchl the cooking happens over open fire and steam, and everyone eats together at one big table, Thursday to Saturday evenings according to the website.
If you have a favourite, pick your night by the inn's theme.
What to ask before you book
A table with your room: the website describes table reservations for overnight guests in different ways. Ask explicitly for a table at the inn or the Schankkuchl when you book.
Closing days: the inn and the Schankkuchl are not open every day. According to the house, from May to October overnight guests get a set menu on closing days; still, check what is on offer on the day you arrive.
The bathroom: in the greenhouse the washing area is shared. If that is not for you, ask about the facilities of the treehouses, birdhouses, barn rooms and huts.
Getting there
According to the house it is about 60 minutes from Graz and about 90 minutes from Vienna. The Bründl trail starts right outside the inn and is a good way to spend the morning after a night in the greenhouse.
The Pogusch is in a completely different part of Styria from the wine road in the south. It is a trip of its own rather than a detour. If you want both, plan two stays.
