Living the Laurin Life

Welcome to “Welcome to Our World”, an exclusive interview series where we invite you to explore the essence of luxury hospitality through the lens of WorldHotels properties.

Today, we are privileged to delve into the world of Parkhotel Laurin, nestled in the heart of Bolzano, Italy, with its esteemed General Manager, Andreas Flückiger.

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Good morning, Andreas, it's great to speak to you today about your WorldHotels Elite property Parkhotel Laurin, in Bolzano, Italy.

How long have you been General Manager here?

I've been here for two years now, before that I was working in 5 continents, and now I have arrived in the 6th.

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That must have brought tremendous experience to your role! Do you have a favorite place where you have lived?

I wouldn’t say there is any favorite place, but Latin America was absolutely special, Ecuador and Peru stand out particularly.

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Back to the stunning Italian city of Bolzano, you refer to your property as Bolzano's Foremost Hotel, can you tell us how you have achieved this title?

It's our continuous drive to improve the quality of our historically iconic hotel.? Quality always comes first. We're always updating our facilities and the maintenance.? The rooms are over 30 years old now, and every year we conduct renovations and refurbishments such as modern parquet flooring with beautiful rugs instead of carpet, all the while respecting the history and integrity of the original design.? The original lift, built in 1910 and featuring the traditional bench seating Is being fully refurbished to reflect the original design but incorporating modern technology; we are now adding its connection to the lower ground floor.

Why do so many people feel at home at Parkhotel Laurin?

It's a unique, relaxed environment, I'm trying to avoid the cliché of 'feeling at home', but despite the grand architecture of the hotel, guests don't feel the need to dress up, we keep the mood informal and our guests have told us this too.? The English gardens outside are lush but imperfect, which makes it charming.

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Parkhotel Laurin began as a Grand Hotel In 1910, can you tell us a little about the hotel's history?

The hotel was commissioned and built by the Staffler family in 1910 and is now run by the 3rd generation. The family came to Bolzano in the 19th Century, and the grandfather built the hotel.? It's a particularly beloved building as other Art Deco buildings were either pulled down or destroyed.? Parkhotel Laurin was partially damaged during the Second World War due to its proximity to the train station but has been loved and preserved from generation to generation.? We have seen lots of famous people enjoy their time here and the hotel is very loved by the community of Bolzano. Interestingly, it was one of the first hotels to have electricity in all guest rooms and its own petrol pump.? The 'original', as the current Mr. Franz Staffler was a true visionary but was dedicated to preserving the history of the area.? We feature original frescoes throughout the hotel from 1911, that have been restored years later, adorning the higher walls of the bar with stories of (the tiny) King Laurin.? Life flows through the hotel, reflecting the charisma and architectural vision of the Staffer family.? It's quite important to note that the hotel is not directly run by the family (as would be the case in many hotels in the area), but they are always present to ensure the vision lives and breathes to this day.

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The estate itself is stunning, how does this relate to your story, and how does it impact the guest’s experience?

An integral part of the experience is where we are located, where else do you find such a historically grand hotel with its’ own park in the absolute center of downtown? Every season here brings new aspects to explore and new reasons for joy for the guests.? As soon as the weather allows, everyone moves outside to enjoy the cooling trees in the gardens, the outdoor bar and dining areas, and the new pool being constructed, There is a tent being built next to the outdoor kitchen, the story of Parkhotel Laurin follows you around and can be found in all the small details, everywhere you look is original art - each room has an individual painting, in which we describe the artist in guests' personalized key card holders.

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Can you tell us about the beautiful architecture and interior design, where did the inspiration come from?

All the design and architectural input comes from Mr. Staffler himself, and new design features have been organically integrated to modernize, yet still embrace the original look & feel.

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There seems to be a blend of modern art and historical architecture - is the balance of these two elements key to the design?

Yes, it's integral to the design and comes from the original ownership; he loved the approach and it all links back to his visionary nature. We have created a brand-new suite, which is called 'Suite 1910' and sits above the new glasshouse restaurant 'ConTanima' in the gardens - the suite features a beautifully framed wooden door and a bold piece of modern art and botanical green accents, all blended seamlessly into original era furniture.

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Do you feel the lines are blurring between leisure and business stays when presented with so many layers?

Yes, and we need both.? Our hotel is seasonal, we adapt to any weather to offer year-round leisure stays and business offers seasonally typical busier periods.? We feel that, by offering a welcoming informal environment, tourists to Bolzano blend nicely with business guests.? From Easter onwards, we usually see more leisure guests, but September is high season for both.

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What are the brand values of Parkhotel Laurin? How are these reflected during a stay?

Live the Laurin Life! It's difficult to describe, it means everything and nothing at the same time! The German term 'L?ssige Durchl?ssigkeit' seems most appropriate, roughly translating as 'casual permeability' which means a casual ability to get through to the core of a person. Everyone here lives their own relaxed and informal life; guests could come down in their bathrobe and nobody would mind. Another sign of our casual warmth is that many more locals than hotel guests crowd the bar, they feel at ease and come here to relax and unpack their week, and they don't feel guilty for wearing jeans.

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What is unpredictable or unexpected about Parkhotel Laurin?

The garden! It's a 4,000 sqm park surrounding our building. And the warm, buzzy, vibrantly welcoming bar, always full of life and completely different from what the fa?ade of the hotel might suggest.

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Do you have any special events on your calendar?

Yes regularly, for the last 30 years from October to May we have offered live music and jazz every Friday; DJ and apperitivo buffet every Thursday, and a piano player every Saturday - it is a Bolzano staple, where locals look forward to visiting.? We sometimes host rock bands in the garden, if they are visiting the city, they often ask if they can have an additional evening and play, and we are happy to have them. We're fully committed to supporting local art, we sponsor artistic events, accommodate visiting artists, and get involved with any art movement that needs our championing. All In all, our approach creates a real sense of community, you'll even see the local police at the bar having a coffee!

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What key trends in travel and hospitality this year are you particularly excited about??Which ones play to your advantage?

Sustainability, we received our GSTC certification last year for our sustainable practices. This is something we were already committed to, not so much as a trend - it should be part of what you are doing, always keeping an eye also on financial impact. People like to travel for food, follow the Michelin star trail, and plan trips based on where they can have a great culinary experience. The wine routes of South Tirol are richly covered, with an abundance of vines over a relatively small surface of land, so we are well placed to offer locally sourced food and wine at very high standards.

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We have a strong commitment to EPC: Earth, People and Community. Can you share any details on how these themes are demonstrated at Parkhotel Laurin?

Besides the GSTC certification, we work with a lot of local food products, 80% of our offer is composed of local wines and juices.? We save electricity and water wherever possible and importantly we are a fair and correct employer for our staff, we treat our team well.? Our investment in culture-related practices and how we invest in the arts and the local community help to create a sustainable city.

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What do the guests love about Parkhotel Laurin?

They Live the Laurin Life! A good example of this is the bar and the garden - our locally produced gin (King Laurin Gin) creates tremendous Gin Tonics and is inspired by herbs and plants from our garden and is produced locally. Our dedication to the spirit of culture & arts is palpable to our guests and enriches their stay and experience of the destination - it drives us to constantly invest in it.

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We hear you have just opened a new gourmet restaurant outside of the hotel in an orangery-style setting in your rose garden, this sounds like a fairytale!

Yes, we've opened our glasshouse restaurant 'ConTanima' as the owner had the vision to create our own gourmet restaurant.? To explain the name, Bolzano has always been a place of passage from north to south, and those who travel through always leave their mark, a 'contamination' or elements behind them which stay with us in Bolzano.? The name is also a wordplay of 'Con tua Anima' which means 'With Your Soul', exactly what our staff put into the delivery of the food and drink.? The food itself is Mediterranean with twists, it's quite simple but of a very high standard, it is already attracting a loyal crowd of almost all local guests and spreading through word of mouth.? We only have 22 seats, which keeps the experience exclusive and rather special.?

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What role does food & beverage play for you at Parkhotel Laurin?

We found the opening to be an important addition to the local community, we want to be a hotel for everybody, and we have very correct price levels to accommodate this.

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What are your most valuable recent investments into Parkhotel Laurin, how does this support your story?

We are building a new pool with wellness features within, offering jacuzzi loungers and a brand-new sauna.? Alongside this we are creating a new relaxing terrace and changing area - all outside to fully enjoy the plush garden area. As I mentioned we are also investing in the updating of the rooms with additions such as parquet and hand-woven rugs and an improvement to the available technology such as the lighting, and the addition of USB plugs at the bedside tables, all whilst retaining the original style and art.

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What is your personal favorite place within the hotel itself?? And why?

The garden: it gives you a reason to get outside, I love walking around, breathing the air, clearing my head, it gives you a well-deserved break.? It's also reportedly a significant 3°C cooler there than in many parts of the city such as Walther Platz so it's a real sanctuary, especially in summer.

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If you were to travel to Bolzano, what you absolutely recommend doing?

Just stroll around and take it all in! I find the nicest season to be Spring, I love to sit in Walther Platz in the cold sun and see people passing by - it offers the nicest moments.

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What is your personal vision for Parkhotel Laurin??

We want to exemplify how the Parkhotel Laurin is the undisputed choice for a stay in Bolzano. It’s a true institution, we welcome guests from all over the world and are proud to be the heart of urban South Tyrol. The future is unpredictable, but our values remain the same, we want to blend grand hotel charm with contemporary lifestyle, create a mix of city and nature, blend regional authenticity with global openness, and Italian elegance with Alpine tradition, to ultimately create that unique guest experience. For international travelers and locals alike, we are the lively retreat par excellence, and this is something we work hard to protect and uphold into the future.