THE (UNUSUAL) HOST
AND INTRIGUING HOTEL
IN SOUTH TYROL

The biographies of the two hosts are as varied as they are inspiring, as extravagant as they are surprising. After many years in their professions, the business economist and the lawyer-journalist decided in 1995 to take an unconventional turn. At that time Hotel Gartner was already showing its age, and combined with their desire for a new challenge, this inspired them to embark on an exciting adventure in hospitality. Their new career began with a major renovation in 1996. The vision was clear: following the style and lifestyle of the new owners, the Gartner was to become one of the leading design hotels in South Tyrol. Art, literature, music and fashion – the passions of the two new hoteliers – found their place in the redesigned house. After the renewal of the west wing and a bright winter garden, step by step further projects modernised the hotel. In 2008, a spacious lounge with chic reception, new rooms and bathrooms, a stylish dining room, plus pools and saunas soon brought the hotel into the spotlight of aesthetes.

In 2019, domestic and international architecture awards followed when Barbara and Florian Gartner, together with the Bolzano-based studio Monovolume, created a spectacular SPA building with saunas, treatment rooms, pools and a fitness centre. A striking loft in the park added to making the Gartner a Tyrolean zeitgeist place. The “White Heaven Terrace” rooftop on the SPA House with panoramic views and a vast library followed in 2023. That same year their daughter Greta, after a master’s degree in tourism and valuable hotel experience, returned to the family hotel, bringing fresh energy and ideas. With this momentum, 2024 saw the opening of one of the most modern and stylish kitchens in South Tyrol, a stage for gourmet experiences, tastings and special events. And the lifestyle story continues: in 2025 the lobby was given a golden look with new furniture. The “Guest Nest” with hot-whirl-pool and the “Goldfinger”, a 3D-printed artwork, once again show how modern thinking shapes Hotel Gartner. And the future? It surely holds more surprises!