The Himmelreich turns 50

Karin’s grandparents, Johanna and Isidor Fliri, bought the Himmelreich: it was completely run-down and had only a brick stove in the middle of the house. A colourful variety of birds had made their nests in the rafters and refused to be driven away; only in the cellar was there still any sign of civilisation: it’s there that the monks from the Carthusian monastery had stored their equipment for working in the “Himmelreich” vineyard.

The little “Himmelreichstube” parlour and the terrace with its ancient vines were spruced up, and Johanna and Isidor – Karin’s parents – opened the wine tavern. Johanna cooked traditional South Tyrolean specialities, while Isidor spent his time in the cellar producing simple country wine and high-proof schnapps from the pomace. The foundations for the Himmelreich cuisine had been laid.

“Actually, we could swap the stable for guest rooms …” Johanna remained sceptical for quite some time. Could a stable really be turned into a guesthouse? But on 7 July 1977, the time had finally come: the first 16 guest beds were ready, some of which still had shared bathrooms. Karin loved being part of it right from the start: at last, the Himmelreich was filled with life, laughter, celebration, and joy.

The barn stood empty – which was no good, because the guest rooms were always fully booked. And so, it was converted in no time: the ground floor housed the kitchen and utility room, with a further 6 beds on the upper floor. They were in high demand right from the start.

Things were getting a bit cramped, as the wine tavern was doing very well: the terrace with its magnificent view was a real crowd-puller. But it wouldn’t work without a bar, so one was built. Karin and Hans were now firmly in charge of the business: Karin looked after the service and the office, while Hans was in the kitchen, spoiling the guests with his menu.

Now a huge crane entered the scene, because the Himmelreich needed new beds: 34 in total – guest rooms that were truly special at the time – unique and beautiful, all with southwest-facing balconies.

Demand for a swimming pool was constantly growing, but where should it go? Down in the car park or high above the rooftops? We made the right choice: right in the middle of the vineyards, high up, with a magnificent view over the whole valley.

A sauna was becoming the norm, highly sought-after and popular – at last, something to do even on rainy days. At the same time, 20 further beds were created, which were also constantly fully booked. Plus: son Alex finally joined the Himmelreich and completed the kitchen with its divine cuisine.

Construction of the new dining room and buffet area, plus 7 garage spaces – the east side of the Himmelreich was now also being used, although the access road to the vineyard has been quite steep ever since. Shortly afterwards, the old rooms and the parlour were spruced up, and from then on, daughter Silvia has been working with dedication at the hotel, particularly in the office and in service.

We continued to grow: this time, beyond our own four walls. We bought Residence Sardis and put our heart and soul into that, too. This allowed us to expand our range of services and bring a little piece of Himmelreich heaven to independent travellers who prefer to organise their own holidays in the Val Venosta/Vinschgau valley.

The pitched roof of the old house was removed, all the rooms were renovated, and a flat roof with a roof garden was built, creating an oasis of tranquillity on the Himmelreich roof. It couldn’t have turned out better.

The pool up amongst the vines was slowly aging, so the decision was made: a new pool was needed. Over the course of four months’ construction, a new bathhouse with an infinity pool was built, and the relaxation room was also given a makeover. Our guests are delighted and are enjoying this area to the full.

It’s no longer just Karin and Hans, but also Alex, his partner Debbie, and Silvia who are now at the heart of everything. And the next generation – Jonathan, Konstantin, Laura, and Maximilian – are also raring to go. May we always retain our love for our profession, and may it “steer the ship into a safe harbour even in stormy times”.