Holidays in South Tyrol: How the hotels are fighting the pandemic

After the lockdown, tourism in South Tyrol is flourishing again. But how do hotels and restaurants deal with the "new normal"?

South Tyrol was hit particularly hard in March of this year: the Federal Foreign Office declared the autonomous province a risk area at an early stage. The hotel and restaurant association spoke of a "tourist super disaster". But now more and more hotels are reporting full occupancy. The hoteliers are still in shock, but they have quickly and creatively adapted to the new situation.

There are disinfectants with a special scent in the Merano apartment complex

For example the Oberhofer-Kiniger family in Algund near Merano. Mother Heidi and her daughters Judith and Paula had just opened the apartment hotel "VillaVerda" after a three-year planning and construction phase. Based on an Art Nouveau villa from 1908, a spacious, modern park with a natural swimming pond, infinity pool and lots of green was created. The unusual concept of the three petite ladies, financed by the senior, seemed to work: spacious apartments and plenty of space for guests who like to go their own way. The house only offers breakfast, but it is very opulent and in homemade quality. And then came the lockdown.

The three bosses acquired designer disinfectant dispensers to match the upscale ambience. And the ubiquitous disinfectant bottles labeled "Be careful" are kept in the corporate design. Special note: The content, mixed at a local facility, contains a touch of tea tree oil. Keeping your distance is not difficult in the spacious complex, as it is only designed for 80 guests anyway. That both staff and guests consistently wear masks is an unspoken matter of course. The long-suffering Italians have a noticeably more serious relationship with the pandemic. Heidi Oberhofer can only shake her head for the demonstrations in Germany: "We don't have anything like that." Even in the city center of Merano there are no mask grudges. Even in the pedestrian zone, most people wear masks without it being compulsory.

Hotel with doctor becomes "Covid-Protected Area"

The Belvedere wellness hotel in Jenesien, a picturesque village above Bolzano, has simply declared itself a "Covid-Protected Area". Unusual circumstances make this possible. A few years ago, the Munich doctor Dr. Hans Leonhardy joined the hotel manager Renate Reichhalter, founded a family with her and moved to South Tyrol. While he had significantly reduced his medical work before the pandemic, he is now a full-time doctor again. "The in-house medical treatment offer has become a decisive booking criterion," said the doctor. Each arriving guest fills out a detailed questionnaire, is seen by him and subjected to a fever measurement and a corona test. So far, there have been no positive results in over 800 tests.

"Our guests appreciate the medical coverage in the background," said Leonhardy, who fears that the corona situation will not change anytime soon. The doctor, who also advises on pain therapy, the female cycle, detox and nutrition, will therefore continue to personally test all of his employees on a weekly basis. The aim is for the guests to be able to move around the house as normally as possible. The family was also able to gain something positive from the shutdown: The couple used the time to introduce software that stores intolerance and allergies of the guests and implemented a new biopool.

50 minutes of private spa thanks to Corona

The traditional "Post Hotel" owned by the Wachtler family does not have a bio pool, but has a central location in the city center of Innichen. In the busy pedestrian zone into which the guest of the 4 * design hotel looks at dinner, there is a strict mask requirement. Carabinieri watch carefully every day whether all visitors to the picturesque market town adhere to it. The corona outbreaks in neighboring Sesto create a special sensitivity in Alta Pusteria. Even on the paths around the imposing Three Peaks, which are the symbol of the Dolomites region, you can see especially older hikers who do not want to do without their mouth and nose protection even in nature.

The junior boss of the house understands the great caution among the Italians. The situation in Italy is completely different from that in Germany. In Italy everyone knows someone who knows a corona victim. The locals would therefore simply have more respect for the virus. The need to wear a mask in the hotel is also quickly accepted by German tourists. Corona has also brought about changes in the adult hotel: The hotel bar, reminiscent of a grand hotel, where locals usually meet, is closed to non-guests for security reasons, and the solid wood reception area is sealed off with plexiglass. There is a pleasant innovation in the spa area: the guests have to register for the sauna, but they have the stylish relaxation zone to themselves for 50 minutes. The remaining ten minutes are reserved for intensive disinfection by the hotel staff.

Many a guest discusses the mask requirement

The team at the Falkensteiner Hotel in Antholz / Pustertal handles the sauna session in a completely different way. The 4 * house near the Staller Sattel, which has just been expanded to include a new building, gives appointments every 15 minutes. The guests can enter themselves in lists. This sometimes leads to tourists staring at each other sternly or knocking on the sauna door when the time is up. The Wandererhotel in Rasen-Antholz goes to great lengths to adhere to the strict regulations. A disinfectant dispenser hangs on each lift, pens are thoroughly disinfected before being given to guests. Disinfection and of course a mask is mandatory at the buffet. Disposable gloves are also available at the buffet.

The receptionist reports that the duty is not readily accepted by all guests. There are differences depending on where they come from: Italians are problem-free, Austrians are sometimes unruly and Germans show themselves to be cooperative after occasional reminders. Nevertheless, there are always scenes where the staff has to mediate. For example, when guests complain to the waiter about unmasked table neighbors. The obligation to measure guests' fever, which was mandatory in the first phase, but has since been repealed, also sparked discussions. Despite all the changes, the house is pleased that the security concept works and that the rooms are fully occupied again after the difficult months.

The feared disaster did not materialize for the South Tyrolean hotel industry this year, but there were still significant losses. Most hosts realize that the situation can change quickly – and they act accordingly responsibly. As of today, with just 240 people who tested positive in all of South Tyrol, a feel-good holiday in northern Italy is guaranteed.

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