15 July 2026

Julian Mayer, Managing Partner, Familux Resorts

Read The Article
Julian Mayer, Managing Partner, Familux Resorts
“It’s a strong signal that the Familux concept is ready to resonate well beyond its Alpine heartland.”

What have been the key factors behind Familux Resorts’ success and growth in the family hospitality sector?

My family and I can now look back on 30 years of experience in family hospitality, and I believe you can feel it in every corner of our resorts – in the thoughtful attention to detail throughout. The story of Familux Resorts is a family story in every sense. In the 1980s, my parents took over a small guesthouse – today’s Alpenrose – Familux Resort – and gradually transformed it into a dedicated children’s hotel. The pivotal moment came in 1996, when they made a bold and defining decision: to specialize exclusively in family hospitality, with no bookings without children. That commitment has shaped everything since.

Growth followed with conviction. The Oberjoch – Familux Resort joined the portfolio in 2012, followed by the Dachsteinkönig – Familux Resort in 2016 and The Grand Green – Familux Resort in 2021 – each addition deepening the group’s expertise and reach in premium family hospitality.

That accumulated knowledge is perhaps the group’s greatest competitive asset: three decades of understanding what families truly need, translated into every design decision, every service touchpoint, and every hire.

Could you tell us about Familux Resorts’ core business today and the experiences and services you offer to families?

Familux Resorts operates a portfolio of 4-star-superior and 5-star family resorts in the German-speaking Alpine region, each with its own character but sharing the same commitment to excellence in family hospitality. Guests can expect professionally staffed children’s clubs, extensive indoor and outdoor facilities, spa and wellness areas for adults, and thoughtfully designed dining.

What makes Familux truly distinctive is the depth of care we provide from the very beginning of a child’s life. We offer professional childcare from as early as the seventh day of life – a standard virtually unheard of in our industry, made possible by a team that receives dedicated, specialist training for exactly this purpose.

At each of our resorts, guests have access to up to 25 Kids Coaches, five age-specific clubs, and more than 7,000 m² of indoor and outdoor facilities – including a children’s water world, a range of pools, and a Feel Good Spa, all included in the stay.

The hospitality industry is highly competitive. What sets Familux Resorts apart from other family-focused hotels and resorts?

What distinguishes Familux is the depth of the offering rather than simply its breadth. It isn’t enough to have a kids’ club – ours are staffed by qualified coaches and structured by age group, so that a toddler and a sixteen-year-old each have something genuinely designed for them. And our care begins earlier than almost anywhere else in the industry, delivered by specially trained teams.

At the same time, we take adult wellbeing just as seriously: dedicated spa facilities, adults-only areas, and fine dining mean parents aren’t merely enduring their holiday – they’re truly enjoying it. The guiding idea is captured in our brand claim: “Bring your kids – find yourself.”

The proof that the concept works is in the demand: families return year after year, and the group continues to grow as a direct result.

How has Familux Resorts expanded its presence in the market, and what opportunities do you see for future growth?

The portfolio currently spans four properties – the Alpenrose and Dachsteinkönig in Austria, and Oberjoch and The Grand Green in Germany – covering a range of premium destinations. The group’s growth has been deliberate and values-driven: each new property has been added only once the Familux standard of family hospitality could be fully delivered.

We also continue to invest meaningfully in our existing resorts. Oberjoch, for instance, is undergoing a major renovation that will add redesigned water landscapes, expanded dining including a new signature restaurant, 14 exclusive chalets with private wellness areas, an underground parking garage, and a significantly enhanced spa.

Congratulations on the Baltic Sea and Dolomites acquisitions. What does this expansion mean for Familux Resorts?

Thank you – this is a real milestone for us. These are our first properties outside our Alpine home base of Austria and Germany since we started out in the 1980s. Each one will be developed into a full Familux resort, combining children’s clubs, wellness facilities, and family-only bookings under one roof, with everything included in the price of the stay – the same standard our guests already know from Alpenrose, Dachsteinkönig, Oberjoch, and The Grand Green.

We only add a location once we’re confident we can deliver the Familux standard there in full, and that discipline hasn’t changed just because we’ve stepped outside the Alps. It’s a strong signal that the Familux concept is ready to resonate well beyond its Alpine heartland. Families returning to us year after year are what has funded every resort we’ve added so far – and we’re not finished yet. We’re still scouting additional locations across Europe for future resorts, beyond these two.

How does Familux Resorts attract and retain guests while building strong relationships with travel partners and industry stakeholders?

Familux Resorts takes a deliberately direct approach to guest acquisition: we market exclusively through our own channels, with no reliance on travel-trade partners or third-party booking platforms. This is a conscious strategic choice – it ensures price stability for our guests and lets us reinvest what would otherwise be commission costs directly into our marketing and our guest experience.

Guest retention is just as central to how we think about the business. We’re currently enhancing “Familux One,” a loyalty program that rewards returning guests with points, exclusive benefits, birthday vouchers, and partner privileges – a reflection of the fact that many of our families come back year after year and deserve to be recognized for that loyalty.

Beyond our guests, we’ve built strong and lasting relationships within the family and children’s industry. Partners such as BIG, Stabilo, and Smoby have supported Familux Resorts for many years – a testament to our shared values and to the quality of audience our resorts attract.