The Hohenwart terrace: summer evenings above Merano
There are places at Hohenwart where you immediately understand what the house is all about. The terrace is one of them.
A table in the evening light. A cut rose in a vase. Silver cutlery, white table linen and glasses reflecting the last light of the day. A table lamp, too, and a soft blanket for later, when the sun has disappeared behind the mountains and the air begins to cool.
A place to arrive and feel at home
For many Hohenwart guests, the terrace is quite simply one of their favourite places. But they are not the only ones who feel a special connection to it. For Mrs Gerti, who welcomes guests in the restaurant and makes sure everyone finds their place, the terrace is the part of the hotel she feels closest to. For her, it is more than a beautiful view. It brings a sense of freedom, comfort and having arrived.
When she stands there and looks out over the Merano basin towards the Texel Group, everything seems to grow quiet. Especially in the evening, when the tables are bathed in golden light and the sun slowly disappears behind the mountains. For a brief moment, everything lies open before you: the valley, the mountains, the sky and the house.
Many guests tell us that they look forward to precisely this moment all year. A Hohenwart Spritz beneath the large walnut trees. The scent of freshly brewed cappuccino. Something sweet from our pâtisserie. Time to sit, pause and simply enjoy.
A sense of openness
Hubert, our front office manager, who has been part of the Hohenwart family for almost 40 years, has also found one of his favourite places on the terrace. He comes here nearly every day. Sometimes to let guests know that their room is ready. Sometimes for a quick chat. And sometimes, perhaps, simply because it feels good to be there.
For him, the terrace is one of those places that has remained true to itself over the years. Many terraces have been glazed, covered or enclosed. Ours has not. It has remained open, with its two large walnut trees, well-kept lawn, rose beds, tables, chairs and benches.
Of course, much has changed at Hohenwart. The hotel has grown and become more modern and comfortable. Yet the terrace has preserved something of its original character. It lives with the weather, the light, the seasons and the people who sit there.
The gentle murmur of voices beneath the walnut tree. A warm welcome and being shown to your table. The sommelier recommends a glass of South Tyrolean wine; the starter carries a hint of the south, while the main course speaks of Alpine roots.
This is what a summer evening on the Hohenwart terrace feels like.
A front-row seat between wide horizons and familiar views
The terrace is perhaps where Hohenwart’s special setting reveals itself most beautifully. Every table comes with a panoramic view: high above Merano, on the hillside in Schenna and open to the surrounding landscape.
In one direction, the view stretches across Merano, the Adige Valley and the Venosta Valley towards the Ultental Valley. This is the sense of space. Then the eye returns to what lies close at hand: the centre of Schenna, the castle, the church hill and the mausoleum. Beyond them rise the more imposing peaks of the Texel Group, including the Mutspitze Mountain, Mount Zielspitz and Mount Tschigat.
You sit sheltered beside the house and yet remain part of the landscape. Not in the middle of it, but just a little above it all.
Mr Mair and a view that feels like home
For Mr Mair, the small viewing platform in front of the dining room is particularly important. From there, the view extends across the valley and into the mountains. It brings together everything that has shaped Hohenwart: Schenna, South Tyrol, the landscape and the hotel itself.
For him, people have always been at the heart of Hohenwart: guests, team members and family. “We work with people, for people.” There are few places where this idea feels more fitting than on the terrace. It is where people come together for breakfast, coffee or dinner, for a conversation or simply for a brief pause.
The terrace is therefore more than a viewpoint. It is a place of connection.
From breakfast to dinner, always with a view
Our terrace is lively throughout the day.
Mornings at Hohenwart begin with breakfast and a view across the valley. The air is clear, the coffee is fragrant and the whole day still lies ahead. At lunchtime, the terrace becomes a place for a light pause. In the afternoon, it belongs to our South Tyrolean Marende, a cappuccino, a slice of cake or an aperitif beneath the walnut trees.
Often, that aperitif is the Hohenwart Spritz. Created by our bar, it is our house recommendation. We make the syrup ourselves, using rosemary from our own garden.
And in between? Our bistro menu is available throughout the day.
Guests who are not staying at the hotel are also welcome on the terrace. For anyone wishing to experience Hohenwart through its views, garden and flavours, it offers a particularly lovely introduction to the house.
An evening beneath the walnut tree
In the evening, the terrace takes on a different atmosphere. When the tables are set outside, it may well show its most beautiful side. The summer air remains warm, while a fresh breeze moves gently across the tables.
Our cuisine brings together Alpine and Mediterranean influences, regional ingredients and a keen sense of the seasons. Add a glass of South Tyrolean wine, the mountains and the view across the valley.
On Mondays and Fridays during the summer, there is live music on the terrace. Music drifts beneath the walnut trees, while conversations become quieter or livelier depending on the evening. Some guests stay a little longer simply to listen.
The lovely thing is that no two evenings look the same. Sometimes the sky is clear. Sometimes clouds move across the mountains. Sometimes the warmth lasts late into the night. Sometimes the blanket is needed a little earlier. Yet every time, it feels unmistakably like Hohenwart.
A place for memories
Over the years, the terrace has witnessed many summer evenings. Celebrations, conversations, arrivals and reunions. Guests sitting here for the first time. Returning guests who already know their favourite table. Team members passing by for a moment. The Mair family, who make a point of personally greeting every guest.
Perhaps that is the strength of this place: it turns dinner into more than a meal, an aperitif into more than a drink and a view into more than a beautiful outlook.
A table set for dinner. A cut rose. Silver cutlery. A glass of wine. The walnut trees. The mountains. Merano in the evening light.
And the feeling of being exactly where you should be.
Every evening looks different. And yet every summer evening here feels a little like coming home.