The Hohenwart – A family-run hotel near Meran since 1957

A dream takes shape

 

Back from the military service, he shared his idea with his mother. She was immediately convinced and gave the instruction to his siblings: “If Franz wants to build, you must help him!” He received 800m² of land and the timber for the roof truss as his inheritance, along with the right to keep six hens – “which you can make good use of for a bed and breakfast.” With shovel, pickaxe and plenty of muscle power, construction began. Earth was moved, shovel by shovel, and the timber was cut by hand. “Only fools are proud; success is something to be happy about,” Franz would later say – but at the time it was just hard work and unwavering determination.

 

The financing? A challenge. The local bank refused the loan – too risky, in their eyes, to entrust a 27-year-old bachelor with a guesthouse. Franz found another way, and on August 20, 1957, the time had come: the first guests, the Walter family from Heinsberg, arrived. They were participants at the Medical Congress in Meran, where tourism was already thriving. “It’s beautiful here!” exclaimed Mrs. Walter, who would return over 50 more times in the following decades.

From a bed and breakfast to a family business

 

In the beginning, there were 18 beds, a shared floor shower and rooms with running water – a small luxury at the time. An overnight stay with breakfast cost 800 Lire, about 40 Cents today. Franz was “a jack of all trades” – he served, made coffee and looked after everything, always dressed in the traditional costume. He was supported by his cousin, who worked full time, and a woman from the village who helped out part-time wherever needed. Soon came the first extension, then the next.

 

The name Hohenwart was a matter close to Franz Mair Senior’s heart – and a tribute to his mother. As a young woman, she had worked as a chef at the Hohenwart guesthouse in Obermais, a place where she had felt instantly at home. During the Fascist period, the German name had to be dropped and was replaced with Carolina, but in her memory, Hohenwart always remained a place of warmth and traditional South Tyrolean hospitality. When Franz built his own house, it was clear to her: this feeling should live on here in Schenna – and so she wished the same name for the new house.

 

 

Love, cake and the rise of a house

 

In 1960 happened the most important change: Franz Mair Senior married Anna Hölzl, the daughter of the Schennerhof in the village, who had known the hospitality trade from childhood – in her parents’ house she had learned to deal with guests, lend a hand and always listen with an open ear. “Once she was here, things quickly went uphill – she cooked, I served, and then we opened the café,” recalls Mr. Mair Senior. This had been a long-held dream.

 

With Anna came sweet aromas into the house: “Bienenstich”, Black Forest gateau, apple strudel – accompanied by “German-style coffee” served by Franz. The young innkeeper’s daughter had honed her skills in some of the best houses and perfected her patisserie craft in Munich. Looking back, Mr. Mair Senior says: “With cake and German-style coffee, we built ourselves a good name – and good income.” Guests came up in droves from Meran and often returned as overnight visitors.

Family happiness at Hohenwart

 

In the years after the wedding, not only did the success of the hotel grow, but also the Mair family in Schenna. In 1961, little Christine was born. As soon as she could crawl, she often lay in a large wooden box under the apple tree in the garden, where her mother could keep an eye on her from the kitchen window. In 1964, son Sepp followed – affectionately referred to in traditional Schenna as the “heir” – and in 1967, daughter Hanni completed the family’s happiness.

 

Their childhood was shaped by life in and around the hotel. When Franz Mair Senior had time, he took them hiking or skiing in the mountains; Summers were spent at the Moar Mösl Alm (the Mair pasture). At home, the children had to help in the hotel from an early age: at 14, Sepp took over the drinks service on the terrace, recommending St. Valentiner or Veltliner to every guest – the only two wines he knew. Christine stood behind the hotel bar – and “stood” is the right word: “I simply waited behind the bar until a guest came up to me and ordered something; I didn’t dare go to the table and ask for their drink order.” Hanni preferred the hustle and bustle of the kitchen over direct guest contact and happily took charge of the pass.

The House Traube – a Quantum Leap

 

By the mid-1960s, things had become cramped at Hohenwart: the family themselves occupied two rooms in the hotel, bed capacity was limited and demand was growing. Franz Mair Senior knew a major step was necessary and eventually acquired the long-desired plot of land from a neighbouring farmer. In 1967, the time had come: the first guests moved into the new House Traube. “It took us almost two years to get used to the new situation,” recalls Franz Mair Senior. The number of beds jumped from 20 to over 80 – with deliberately few employees, as saving was essential. This meant work from morning to night, but comfort grew: spacious rooms, more privacy for guests and family alike. With the House Traube, a new era began: the Hohenwart was no longer a small guesthouse but a true hotel business.

 

In the 1960s, Schenna got its first outdoor swimming pool (1964 – naturally at Hohenwart, together with his brother Hans from the Hotel Starkenberg) and soon afterwards an indoor pool (1971). “If people want to swim, we have to give them the opportunity,” Franz had recognised – and in doing so he attracted families even in Summer who would otherwise have travelled further south to the sea.

 

The 1970s brought leaps in comfort: all rooms were fitted with a bathtub or shower, a tennis court was added (1972) and the gardens expanded. “If you don’t move with the times, you go with the times” was Franz’s motto – and he lived by it.

The House Christine – a family gem

 

Before today’s House Christine became part of the Hohenwart, the Schönblick guesthouse stood in its place. When its owners ran into financial difficulties, an opportunity arose for Franz and Anna Mair to acquire the neighbouring property – a stroke of luck, as it lay directly on the boundary of their land. Out of consideration for the then operators, they did not bid at the first auction, but at the second they seized the chance. In 1987, the first guests moved into the modernised house, which was named Christine in honour of the eldest daughter. With the House Christine, the Mair family once again demonstrated their instinct for investing at the right moment while preserving the essence of the hotel: traditional South Tyrolean hospitality.

 

 

From pioneer enterprise to modern wellness hotel

 

The 1980s and 1990s brought further expansions: with the “Bachmair” Apartments, new accommodation options were added, along with numerous renovations and loving redesigns that gave the house its contemporary character. In 2002, the mountain inn Gsteier was added – a rustic complement to the Hohenwart. Another milestone came in 2011 with the construction of the VistaSpa: a spacious wellness world offering sweeping views over Meran. Spread over several levels, it combines saunas, pools, relaxation rooms and a rooftop terrace into a place where relaxation and panoramic views are equally in focus. With the VistaSpa, the Hohenwart set new standards in wellness and consolidated its reputation as one of South Tyrol’s leading hotels.

 

 

The Hohenwart today – the Mair family welcomes guests to Schenna

 

Today, the Hohenwart presents itself as a stylish 4* superior hotel, harmoniously combining tradition and modernity. Managed by the Mair family in its second and third generation, it has become a second home for many guests. Since 1997, Sepp Mair is leading the hotel, having taken over from his parents; he is now gradually passing more responsibility to his son Franz. This means that the third generation is already firmly integrated into daily hotel life, ensuring that tradition and modernity at the Hohenwart are carried into the future. By their side is Gerti – Sepp’s wife and Franz’s mother – whose warmth and organisational talent decisively shape the style of the house. Christine, Sepp’s sister, is also deeply involved in caring for guests, in the loving decoration and in the garden design. And by the way: Mrs. Mair Senior still stands at the breakfast and afternoon buffet six days a week, caring for guests with the same warmth as in the early years.