Our lake tales the blog
Tales and moments, mysticism and magic
History or stories? Dream or reality? The boundaries between reality and fiction blur almost imperceptibly. The cuckoo murmurs, the pine whispers, the little brook gurgles. And they all tell stories of their experiences and fantasies. Around the Wolfsgrubner Lake.
50 years of hospitality. And the story goes back even further.
The story of Zilli and Friedl, a small dream and a house full of life on the shores of Lake Costalovara.
So much has changed. But the Schlern mountain and the two of you have remained.
KlausThere are moments when you look back and suddenly realise just how much has grown over the years.
One of those moments came when Zilli and Friedl were honoured by the South Tyrolean Hotel and Restaurant Association (HGV) for more than 50 years of service in the hospitality industry.
A wonderful recognition. And for us as a family, a reason to look a little further back.
Because there is so much more behind those 50 years.
One of those moments came when Zilli and Friedl were honoured by the South Tyrolean Hotel and Restaurant Association (HGV) for more than 50 years of service in the hospitality industry.
A wonderful recognition. And for us as a family, a reason to look a little further back.
Because there is so much more behind those 50 years.
A life story that began at an early age
For Zilli, working life began when she was still a child.
At just eight years old, she already had to go to work. Not long afterwards, she found her way into hospitality. Today, at 84, she can look back on a lifetime in which working with and caring for people has always played an important part.
Seventy-six years have passed since her first days at work. A long time, during which so much has changed. People, travel, expectations and, of course, the hotel industry itself.
What has remained is her joy in being around people. And her connection to a profession that has always meant much more to her than simply a job.
From a small dream to Weihrerhof
It all began with a wish: to be independent. To build something of their own. To create a place where people would enjoy coming together.
Over the decades, that dream became Weihrerhof. A family-run hotel directly on the shores of Lake Costalovara (Wolfsgrubener See), on the Renon (Ritten) plateau above Bolzano in South Tyrol, Italy.
What is now a nature and wellness hotel with 23 rooms and suites has its roots in the courage to create something of their own.
Zilli and Friedl did far more than provide rooms and serve guests. They filled this house with life. With encounters, conversations, stories and friendships. With guests who returned year after year and people who, over time, became part of the Weihrerhof story.
Hospitality passed down through generations
Weihrerhof has been part of our family story since 1967.
Over the years, tourism has changed enormously. Technology, the way people travel, the expectations of guests. Our house has grown and evolved too.
But some things have stayed the same.
The joy of welcoming guests when they arrive. A personal conversation. The little gestures that make a stay special. And the feeling of being more than just a guest at a hotel, but genuinely welcome.
This is the kind of hospitality that Zilli and Friedl have lived throughout the years and passed on to the next generations.
Today, we, Klaus and Manuela, continue to run Weihrerhof. With our own ideas, new challenges and the wish to preserve what has always made this house special.
Because a family-run hotel is not defined by its location, rooms or wellness facilities alone. Above all, it is shaped by the people behind it.
An award that honours a lifetime
The HGV award recognising more than 50 years in hospitality is a wonderful acknowledgement of Zilli and Friedl's dedication.
For us as a family, it means even more.
It reminds us how much courage, perseverance and heart it takes to turn an idea into something lasting. And that so many things we now take for granted at Weihrerhof once began with very small steps.
When we look at old photographs, we see just how much has changed. The house, the surroundings, the people.
And yet, some things have remained.
The Schlern mountain on the horizon. And Zilli and Friedl, still very much a part of it all. ❤️
Thank you both. For your courage, your determination and all the heart you have poured into our Weihrerhof, and still do today.
Your Pichler family
A house with a history. And always new stories to tell.
Today, Weihrerhof is a family-run 4-star nature and wellness hotel with 23 rooms and suites, directly on the shores of Lake Costalovara (Wolfsgrubener See), on the Renon plateau near Bolzano in South Tyrol, Italy.
A small hotel that has grown and evolved through generations. And a place where our family's story can still be felt today.
For Zilli, working life began when she was still a child.
At just eight years old, she already had to go to work. Not long afterwards, she found her way into hospitality. Today, at 84, she can look back on a lifetime in which working with and caring for people has always played an important part.
Seventy-six years have passed since her first days at work. A long time, during which so much has changed. People, travel, expectations and, of course, the hotel industry itself.
What has remained is her joy in being around people. And her connection to a profession that has always meant much more to her than simply a job.
From a small dream to Weihrerhof
It all began with a wish: to be independent. To build something of their own. To create a place where people would enjoy coming together.
Over the decades, that dream became Weihrerhof. A family-run hotel directly on the shores of Lake Costalovara (Wolfsgrubener See), on the Renon (Ritten) plateau above Bolzano in South Tyrol, Italy.
What is now a nature and wellness hotel with 23 rooms and suites has its roots in the courage to create something of their own.
Zilli and Friedl did far more than provide rooms and serve guests. They filled this house with life. With encounters, conversations, stories and friendships. With guests who returned year after year and people who, over time, became part of the Weihrerhof story.
Hospitality passed down through generations
Weihrerhof has been part of our family story since 1967.
Over the years, tourism has changed enormously. Technology, the way people travel, the expectations of guests. Our house has grown and evolved too.
But some things have stayed the same.
The joy of welcoming guests when they arrive. A personal conversation. The little gestures that make a stay special. And the feeling of being more than just a guest at a hotel, but genuinely welcome.
This is the kind of hospitality that Zilli and Friedl have lived throughout the years and passed on to the next generations.
Today, we, Klaus and Manuela, continue to run Weihrerhof. With our own ideas, new challenges and the wish to preserve what has always made this house special.
Because a family-run hotel is not defined by its location, rooms or wellness facilities alone. Above all, it is shaped by the people behind it.
An award that honours a lifetime
The HGV award recognising more than 50 years in hospitality is a wonderful acknowledgement of Zilli and Friedl's dedication.
For us as a family, it means even more.
It reminds us how much courage, perseverance and heart it takes to turn an idea into something lasting. And that so many things we now take for granted at Weihrerhof once began with very small steps.
When we look at old photographs, we see just how much has changed. The house, the surroundings, the people.
And yet, some things have remained.
The Schlern mountain on the horizon. And Zilli and Friedl, still very much a part of it all. ❤️
Thank you both. For your courage, your determination and all the heart you have poured into our Weihrerhof, and still do today.
Your Pichler family
A house with a history. And always new stories to tell.
Today, Weihrerhof is a family-run 4-star nature and wellness hotel with 23 rooms and suites, directly on the shores of Lake Costalovara (Wolfsgrubener See), on the Renon plateau near Bolzano in South Tyrol, Italy.
A small hotel that has grown and evolved through generations. And a place where our family's story can still be felt today.
