Locals and visitors raised a stein to the original Blue Mountains party palace when the Hydro Majestic Hotel hosted its inaugural Oktoberfest on the weekend.
Revellers wolfed into chicken schnitzel, pork knuckle, sausage and the real McCoy sauerkraut and potato salad, followed by strudel, custard and pretzels and washed down with German craft beers, apple schnapps and apple cordial for the children. There were also outdoor games, German dancing and plenty of staff in Lederhosen.
Escarpment Group general manager Ralf Bruegger said the festival acknowledged original owner of the Hydro Majestic, Mark Foy, a well-travelled cosmopolitan man of the world who was impressed with German spa treatments which he discovered during his jaunts through Europe.
"Foy opened the hotel as a hydropathic resort, complete with Swiss Dr George Baur supervising a program of diets, weird and wonderful treatments and so-called restorative mineral waters imported from Baden Baden in Germany," he said.
"We prefer to pamper guests with decadent high teas and soothe them with beautiful views and entertainment these days."
