Hirschen for the Now

The Hirschen, 270 years young, has always been a place of good cheer and conviviality, encircled by the rich landscapes of Austria’s Bregenzerwald. Tenth-generation hosts Peter and Pia Fetz now bring the Hirschen into a new iteration with whimsical new additions, including fabulously spacious suites called Hirschen Homes, a fermentation cellar, an eco-heated pool, a bathhouse spa - even a ‘bathrobe bar’. Heck, it’s even got a new name that just trips off the tongue - Hirschen • Fine Hotel, Restaurant & Spa.

So why the big change? Peter and Pia Fetz felt keenly that it was time for a new vision for the Hirschen. Already established in the local environs with the cachet sincerely earnt as the ‘place to be’ the Fetz’s weren’t content to rest on their laurels.

Instead, they looked to the future, thinking of how to incorporate technology, sustainability, local craft and innovation into the long-term plans. And in doing so, they were able to extend the season for the hotel too – all round good economic sense for this hospitality duo who’ve learnt a thing or two from their worldly travels and the house itself - having been in the family for mere 270 years.  

Coming to the Hirschen is very much about the feeling of the guest experience and this hasn’t changed, but perhaps the experiences themselves give the Hirschen a feeling of fresh air, ready to be enjoyed in a multitude of ways. Take the iconic bathhouse, for example, newly designed by NONA architects and meticulously executed by Bregenzerwald craftsmen. A tribute to the region’s strong remit of architectural timber design, the bathhouse took five years to plan and build, using exclusively craftsmen from Bregenzerwald, its charm is its crafted simplicity.

Peter Fetz is rightly pleased with the results saying, “The Bregenzerwald is known for its architecture, especially in timber construction. It was somehow clear that we would build something architecturally iconic — and in wood. The unique roof shape resulted from the local hipped roofs. NONA Architects truly created a masterpiece here. If I may say so.”

Inside the bathhouse are cossetting relaxing spots, treatment rooms, spacious saunas, gym and yoga studio. Outside is a 15-metre pool heated ecologically, with plenty of perches to sit and relax. Even better, the spa is linked by secret passage to a spa bar, otherwise known as the ‘bathrobe bar’, for that quenching re-tox.

Elsewhere in the Hirschen, time and attention has been given to the historic inn, where technology was employed in the ancient settings to bring it up to date with enlargements and renovations. The new Hirschen Homes sits in the Wälderhaus, previously used for seminars, and is now luxuriously reimagined, allowing for spacious suites, each offering a stylish, contemporary way to life, eat and sleep, in the Hirschen way.

In the hotel’s cellars and basements, foodie innovation is bubbling. Fermentation and pickling takes place here with a range of products, wines are laid down and the prosciutto found perfect conditions amid the dim cavern. New guided tours shed light on these culinary and viticulture experiences. 

Some things don’t change though, like Peter Fetz’s favourite solo spot at ‘table 70’ near the bar, which faces into the restaurant yet somehow always ends up surrounded by friendly faces. Despite the huge strides and incredible transformations the Hirschen has undergone, it still remains about a feeling and a vibe - in the words of Peter, “In the end, it’s all about the people. Always!”