Schloss Englar

The Südtiroler Sparkasse Foundation, together with the government Monuments Office and the Hotelier & Restaurateur Association, has once again presented its Historic Hospitality Establishment of the Year award. The 2020 honors went to Hotel Schloss Englar.

According to the jury, the west wing of Schloss Englar in Pigenò in St. Michael, Eppan, which was adapted into a hotel in 1980, is now one of the most valuable historic hospitality establishments in Überetsch. They praised the tradition, history and style of the ensemble, as well as the leadership of the business by the family of Johannes and Maria Khuen-Belasi. Count Johannes and Countess Maria Khuen-Belasi have successfully shown how it is possible to harmoniously combine deceleration, ecology, economy, privacy and innovation at a historic hotel.

Family operated, Schloss Englar combines the life and work of the owners themselves with high-quality accommodations for guests. Particular note was made of the cautious and beautiful remodeling of the rooms in 2015.
The competition is intended to increase sensitivity for preservation of historic buildings in the hotel and hospitality sector. South Tyrol, this land of culture and tourism, needs its architectural witnesses to a centuries-old tourism tradition, which have themselves contributed several chapters of provincial history, not least as “monuments of migration”.

Also when viewed against the backdrop of regional, international and global competition, historic establishments are immensely successful because they nurture and develop their traditions, generating a unique selling point impossible for others to attain. Competency, sensitivity and creativity are needed in order to carry such values forward.