LOVE FOR NATURE IN ITS 14TH GENERATION

The Naturhotel Chesa Valisa in Austria Kleinwalsertal Valley at a height of 1200 m had already turned organic more than ten years ago. Today it is the first climate-neutral hotel in the Vorarlberg. The siblings Magdalena and David, who took over the hotel from their par-ents this year, are resolute in their endeavours to expand the concept. All the while going that extra step.

With more than 32 renovations to its name, David Kessler (who observes that he is only a year younger than the number of refurbishments it took to where the hotel is today) and his sister Mag-dalena now run the Naturhotel Chesa Valisa with its three fresh new-look buildings. Not only is it a four-star hotel, but it is the first bio hotel in Austria’s westernmost state of Vorarlberg. David and Magdalena are the 14th generation receiving guests up here and hosting them. The main building dates back to 1507 – that was the era when Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas. Obvi-ously a lot has happened in the past 500 years. Today there are two extra buildings next to the main one. All of them are constantly being honed into eco-friendly houses, one thread in common run-ning through them all: The love for nature! Nothing is ever at a standstill here, although one would be forgiven for thinking that time had stood still in this setting.

Processes that produce beautiful things need time

The fact that nature is the Kessler’s greatest asset is something you notice in every corner. All you have to do is look at the hotel’s architec ture: Just about everything is made from wood. Thirty years earlier David and Magdalena’s parents en-gaged the visionary still young (today world-renowned) Vorarlberg archi¬tect Hermann Kaufmann, whose preferred approach was reductionist, working with clear lines. For the new building, the third of the three buildings, he used untreated, locally-grown silver fir wood, which discolours over the years. On the shaded side it becomes silvery; on the exposed side it is burned brown. So if you look at the hotel from the mountain opposite, it looks as though it gradually blends back into nature.

Trendsetter parents

David and Magdalena Kessler are proud to be continuing what their parents built up. They tell Art of Snow that their father was already going from farmer to farmer in 2007 with the suggestion that one could revert to all things organic. Even earlier, some 20 years ago their mother was offering the first yoga seminars at a time when nobody had yet shown an interest in the discipline. Their parents were trendsetters and the biggest challenge for the new generation now running the hotel is to recognise forthcoming trends early on.

Going beyond the normal state of affairs

“Quality is when the targeted state of affairs and the actual state of affairs are identical. Everything that goes beyond this is sheer enthusiasm,” is David’s strong conviction. And the hotel is certainly not lacking in enthusiasm. The water in the pool is spring water. All the products that are processed in the kitchen are organic, as well as regionally sourced. In the meantime all beverages and drinks have also become organic – from the cola made from blackcurrants to the wine resultant from biodynamic cultivation. The all-wood furnishings in the 55 rooms have been handcrafted by carpenters, the bedding is made from natural fabrics, and the cosmetics in the spa are not only organic but also vegan-friendly. And where organic is the name of the game, sustainability is not far off – hence why heating takes place climate-neutral and hot water comes from the hotel’s own photovoltaic system. “We’ve got a clear idea of the direction we are taking,” is the word from Magdalena, “the only question is what new challenges will present themselves along the way.” This also goes for their endeavour to take their involvement in projects in the developing world to the next level.

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DAS NATURHOTEL CHESA VALISA |6992 HIRSCHEGG | KLEINWALSERTAL | AUSTRIA