Our story
Legendary tales of "Gratschen" and spas
A journey into the past
Before the outbreak of World War One the Austrian monarchy had already decided to turn the unknown Palmschoss (present-day Plancios) near Afers (now Eores), above the cultural city of Bressanone, into a spa resort with a reputation that would span all Europe. Here at the top of Plose there were more days of sunshine throughout the year than anywhere else in the whole of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In addition, the area enjoyed an ideal southern exposure, sheltered from wind and weather, and it was easy to travel to in all seasons.
The turmoil of the First World War and the sudden death of the architect Otto Wagner in 1918 upset the plans to build the spa in the Art Nouveau style, and the building was finally completed on a more modest scale. Until the 1960s the "Colonia", as it was called, served as a holiday home of the Papal Relief Agency. After a long period of dormancy and a gentle transformation, we now have turned it into a unique four star hotel with a special flair.
The "Gratschen" of Plancios
After a lot of thought, at the beginning of the 20th Century the right place for the tuberculosis sanatorium in Afers was finally found. The carpenters began their work – but they would not quite succeed….
As they chopped away tirelessly, bloody chunks of wood fell to the ground. The Gratschen – the black-and-white spotted nutcracker that overwintered in the mountain forests – snatched up the bloody woodchips and carried them to a completely different place hidden in the woods next to the present-day Vallazza exit in Plancios. The builder and the carpenters put their faith in the nutcracker and abandoned the original site for the new location with its peerless panorama.
This legend has been passed down to us by our grandfather, a lumber merchant and sawyer, who had heard the tale from his fellow guildsmen.
And as we passed by here, in the silence of the mountains, searching for a property where we could make our tourism dream come true, we heard the rasping song of the forest nutcrackers that have also sought out this place to build their nest.
Trusting that the birds already knew the most pleasant place on Plose to settle down in, we started work full of enthusiasm to convert this unique property into a four-star hotel…
And if you, dear visitor, only stop and listen closely into the distance from the balcony of your holiday home, you’ll find you can still hear the chatter of the nutcracker in the silence of the woods.
Before the outbreak of World War One the Austrian monarchy had already decided to turn the unknown Palmschoss (present-day Plancios) near Afers (now Eores), above the cultural city of Bressanone, into a spa resort with a reputation that would span all Europe. Here at the top of Plose there were more days of sunshine throughout the year than anywhere else in the whole of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In addition, the area enjoyed an ideal southern exposure, sheltered from wind and weather, and it was easy to travel to in all seasons.
The turmoil of the First World War and the sudden death of the architect Otto Wagner in 1918 upset the plans to build the spa in the Art Nouveau style, and the building was finally completed on a more modest scale. Until the 1960s the "Colonia", as it was called, served as a holiday home of the Papal Relief Agency. After a long period of dormancy and a gentle transformation, we now have turned it into a unique four star hotel with a special flair.
The "Gratschen" of Plancios
After a lot of thought, at the beginning of the 20th Century the right place for the tuberculosis sanatorium in Afers was finally found. The carpenters began their work – but they would not quite succeed….
As they chopped away tirelessly, bloody chunks of wood fell to the ground. The Gratschen – the black-and-white spotted nutcracker that overwintered in the mountain forests – snatched up the bloody woodchips and carried them to a completely different place hidden in the woods next to the present-day Vallazza exit in Plancios. The builder and the carpenters put their faith in the nutcracker and abandoned the original site for the new location with its peerless panorama.
This legend has been passed down to us by our grandfather, a lumber merchant and sawyer, who had heard the tale from his fellow guildsmen.
And as we passed by here, in the silence of the mountains, searching for a property where we could make our tourism dream come true, we heard the rasping song of the forest nutcrackers that have also sought out this place to build their nest.
Trusting that the birds already knew the most pleasant place on Plose to settle down in, we started work full of enthusiasm to convert this unique property into a four-star hotel…
And if you, dear visitor, only stop and listen closely into the distance from the balcony of your holiday home, you’ll find you can still hear the chatter of the nutcracker in the silence of the woods.
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