Family business run with pride and care
My son, elderly father (94) and I recently stayed at the Alpenblick family run hotel, in Schwende, near Appenzell, Switzerland.
Due to family circumstances, our trip was arranged with very short notice for the hotel. I received a prompt reply with some dates of availability, within the time frame I was looking at.
Our flight in the morning was cancelled and when I emailed the owners of the hotel to inform them we would be arriving very late in the evening, they offered to put together a plate of cold meats and cheese, which was very kind. (Even though the kitchen was closed at that time)
The owners were there to greet us with a warm welcome after a long and difficult journey.
The owners are very welcoming and caring and it was evident that they not only take enormous pride in what they do, but also go out of their way to make their guests stay as enjoyable as possible. They are very helpful, whether it’s explaining to their guests how to get to sightseeing/walking routes, or as in our case, lending my father a sunhat for the duration of our stay because he had forgotten his.
The owners are husband and wife. He is the chef and the food that was on offer was superbly cooked and delicious. The wife manages the staff and assists them. There is a continental style buffet breakfast with plenty on offer, for guests to help themselves.
The team that work at the hotel, waiting/cleaning staff are helpful, polite and friendly. Nothing is too much trouble and requests are greeted with a smile.
The rooms are spotlessly clean and great pride is taken with this. My father was on the second floor, my son and I were in the family room (large and smaller room with separating door) and this was spacious with plenty of light. It was very hot during our stay, 30 degrees plus, and although there isn’t air conditioning, the rooms didn’t feel overly hot. Naturally, the views are amazing whichever window you look from.
The hotel has a lift for those guests with mobility issues. The hotel is situated on a short steep slope from the road, on a hill, so a car is needed for those with mobility problems. There is a car park at the back of the hotel and we were always able to find a space.
I would thoroughly recommend this family run hotel, as it is a long time since I experienced such care and devotion from a team who have such a cheerful disposition and clearly take enormous pride in their work.
I plan to go back one day.