In the middle of the mountains, in the historic town of Vipiteno, she proves what modern hotel concepts look like: sustainable, stylish and full of surprises!
With the Haus am Turm you have created a boutique hotel between the mountain peaks of South Tyrol that combines modern design with tradition and history. How does sustainability fit into your hotel concept and where do you start?
Every modern business today should be planned, implemented and operated with sustainability in mind. It’s not just that you do this out of your own sense of responsibility or conviction or for your descendants and future generations, but also for your guests. Almost every educated European nowadays demands that measures are also taken in hotels to keep the ecological footprint as low as possible. Our guests welcome our choice of food for breakfast and for our restaurant: regional, organic, from local producers that are fairly remunerated and products for which old cultivation and breeding traditions are and preserved. Our body care products come from local producers, from organic herbs. The paper for all of our types of printing is produced in Tegernsee. Our hotel amenities are biodegradable and hardly cause any residual waste. Numerous plants are scattered throughout the house. Our high quality designer bed linen is woven in Italy, made from European cotton. We try to convince our guests to drink well water, it comes from the mountains in front of our doors. It does not need transportation with huge trucks through half of Europe, bottles do not have to be washed with toxic cleaning agents, which in turn end up in the sewage. We heat to a low temperature, also leave the heating 2 degrees cooler, the guest can regulate it themselves at any time. 2 degrees, which in total make up a lot of energy, as many hotels are overheated. Little things that make you think, but together make a difference.
With the Haus am Turm you combine a holiday experience of the highest comfort AND sustainable commitment for your guests. How do your guests accept your environmentally friendly approach?
We are often praised for our sustainable way of working and for the eco-friendly products we offer.
What advantages do you see in sustainable concepts in the hotel industry? How do you think the market will develop?
Today people in Central Europe are still measured by their car or cylinder size. We bet that in a decade it will no longer be the size of the car that counts, but what who’s contributing to reduce emissions. The ecological footprint will become the measure of all things. Everyone will have to show what they are doing to maintain social status. The urge to higher status has existed for thousands of years, it will always be there, the focus will be different.
In your opinion, can a luxurious stay in the upscale hotel industry really be environmentally friendly and fair without any loss for the guests?
Luxury is not always wasteful. Luxury will increasingly be associated with time, quiet and understatement. Those who have a certain degree of education internalize these values today, but unfortunately this has not yet reached the masses. But luxury will also get a new focus, the really big 5-star hotels have already discovered this … but there are also many small ones, from agriturismos in Tuscany to wonderful beach hotels at the end of the world … they offer real quality and therefore have a certain price. It should be like that!
What is your personal favorite place in the Haus am Turm?
In winter by the fireplace in the vinotheque in the late afternoon, in summer on the roof terrace, with the dream view of the mountains and the tranquility in the midst of the lively city life.
Link to the hotel-
Picture credits: Hotel Haus am Turm
