Der engel

Our home. Your home from home.

From a funny anecdote to a dream come true. For Gerlinde and Hermann it all began on a foggy day on 13 December 1969. Hermann, who hails from Matrei in East Tyrol, was looking for a job. What he found was the love of his life – Gerlinde – and a job too! For Gerlinde it was a stroke of luck in more than one way. She had taken over the running of Der Engel at a very early age. Being alone in such a big hotel at the age of just 18 often made her uncomfortable, so Rex the shepherd dog became her first roommate. Then came Hermann. What a disappointment for the boys from the village, who had all been hoping they would be the one able to win her heart. The young couple put a lot of time and effort into making Der Engel even bigger and more beautiful. There was so much to do at that time that nobody sat down and thought about a concept – at least not until the then-president of the Best Alpine Wellness Hotels, Josef Knabl, came to visit Der Engel in 1990. He told Gerlinde and Hermann that their beautiful hotel would be a good fit for the Best Alpine Wellness Hotels and invited them to join this illustrious circle. The couple were initially not convinced by the idea of turning Der Engel into a "spa hotel". However, after a little reflection and persuasion, they recognised the great opportunity that had been given to them. Today we are very happy that Gerlinde and Hermann dared to take this step at that time. It laid the foundations for what Der Engel is today. Heaven rewarded them not only with a shared home but also with two beautiful children: Gerold and Elke. The two of them, together with their families, have continued this dream together to make Der Engel a special place somewhere between Heaven and Earth. And there's still more to come. Because for us, standing still means moving backwards. Check out our blog to learn more about our plans big and small for the future. We look forward to you joining us on this journey.

Our (Hi)story

1748
Der Engel is granted a license to serve alcohol.
The original certificate is on display in the Jagdstube room. Cheers!

1898
Urli Wendelin Pflauder turns the tavern and farmstead into a fully fledged guesthouse with 8 rooms. At this time most of the guests are scholars and members of the aristocracy who spend their summers in the Tannheim Valley or are travelling along the busy north-south trade route.

1921
Sebastian and Ludwina Pflauder take over the running of Der Engel.

1960
Their daughter, Melanie Föger, becomes the third generation of the same family to take over what has by that time become a hotel. After her sudden death it is her niece, Gerlinde Schädle, who takes up the reins. She already has experience in the hotel business, having run the Hotel Liebes Rot Flüh in Haldensee near Grän.

1966
Hermann Mattersberger from East Tirol comes to Der Engel to work as a chef – and falls in love with both the valley and Gerlinde.

1972
Der Engel becomes a modern hotel with 90 beds. In the same year, Hermann and Gerlinde welcome their son Gerold and, two years later, daughter Elke. The expansion of the hotel marks the start of a period full of hard work for Gerlinde and Hermann.

1990
Der Engel is equipped with an indoor pool, several saunas and a modern lobby – the cornerstones of the modern spa hotel which it has become today.

2009
Extensive work is carried out to renovate and modernise the hotel. An area is created complete with an outdoor swimming pool, a chillout area and a large terrace. The original building is torn down, the road is moved, an underground car park is built and 20 brand new suites and rooms are created at the front of the hotel. The lobby and bar are expanded, while the spa is given a facelift. After all the work is done, Der Engel has 180 beds and 110 members of staff.

2012
The middle section of the hotel building is extensively renovated. The mountain lake is created as well as a number of further highlights.

2015
Two new Bergglück junior suites and one Bergglück suite are created from what were three Geißhorn rooms. Wood-panelled rooms for the lunch and afternoon buffet, a new indoor pool with loungers and quiet hideaways, expansion of the outdoor pool with a purity corner, creation of a family sauna and clothed sauna, enlargement of the underground car park. There is also a new hotel entrance and reception area, a shop with heavenly Der Engel souvenirs and much more.

2019
The motto The New Orgänic is born. As well as a show kitchen for lunch and afternoon buffets, Der Engel is given a new Orgänic Spa where one area flows seamlessly into the next. Everything appears to be floating – including the roof made of driftwood. A number of saunas are added (stone sauna, loam sauna, saltwater sauna, steam sauna) as well as new chillout rooms and jungle rain showers.

May 2022
What a crazy two years it has been for all of us! Summer is just around the corner and when this website goes online we will probably already be feeling the heat. We are delighted to finally welcome guests back to Der Engel once again and we can't wait to show you the best bits of the beautiful Tannheim Valley.

We may have only just got our feet back on the ground, but we are already dreaming of what we could change and improve to make Der Engel even better. We won't let you in on any details right now, but rest assured there will be plenty more surprises as we head into the future. Stay tuned!

Gerold & Elke

Meet your hosts

Gerold & Elke. What makes them tick? One loves numbers and early mornings in the forest. The other has a passion for beauty, warmth and design. What unites these two, apart from their roots? It is the love of their families and the passion for the region they call home – a place we sincerely hope will become your home from home. A spot somewhere between Heaven and Earth. And at the end of a long day Gerold and Elke fall into bed tired and content, because they get to spend every day with happy guests. Heavenly!

Here in Grän we wear our hearts on our sleeves and have our heads in the clouds.