On one of the last days of November we go to Schruns for a site inspection. It is cold, gray, rainy. But the adverse weather conditions are quickly forgotten when Marc and Philipp Rhomberg paint their vision of the Posthotel Taube in the most dazzling colors.
We begin our conversation in the showroom. This was already set up in the rough construction of the main house in the summer, in order to be able to better assess materialization, interior design and ambience and make informed decisions. We can look forward to a house that both preserves tradition and substance, but also prudently creates space for the new. A house that is tastefully furnished all around by Rankweil interior designer Marika Marte in classic styles, with a regional focus and British flair. 48 rooms and suites, some of them completely individually designed, will welcome guests at 4-star superior level from late fall 2023.
The Schurle Hall
We then enter the rough construction area of the building through the former main entrance of the Taube and turn right, toward the old post office building. In the last passageway before our next stop, Philipp points to the wall in the stairwell: “That’s where your wine box goes, Marc.” A custom-made piece from the master carpenter along the staircase. And then suddenly we are standing in the new-old post office building. Almost like a nave, the high open space with the lancet windows looms before us. “This is the Schurle Hall, named after my father. This is where the bar will be, with three chandeliers above it. Behind it, everything is mirrored all the way up. On the right and left, five coats of arms each from the Montafon. On the front above the bar in the middle is the coat of arms of the Montafon region, framed by two deer,” Philipp tells us, painting a picture of the sophisticated bistro with daytime and evening service. “Or we can place your ibex up there,” Marc suggests.
The two daydream about the fireplace, the continuous benches and the gallery with library on the 1st floor. Here you can sit and browse, have a little privacy, and still keep an eye on the hustle and bustle of Schurle Hall via the balustrade. End result Philipp:
Die beiden schwärmen vom Kamin, den durchgehenden Sitzbänken und der Galerie mit Bibliothek im 1. Stock. Hier kann man sitzen und schmökern, ein wenig für sich sein und hat über die Brüstung dennoch das Treiben der Schurle Halle im Blick. Fazit Philipp:
"The Schurle Hall will hopefully become a popular meeting place in Schruns. It should become cosmopolitan, lively and full of life – just like my father was."
Philipp Rhomberg
À-la-carte in the main building
The hotel restaurant is divided into three cozy parlors – each with its own character, from classic to traditional. A special feature here will be the classic Montafoner Stube, the tables are already implemented by Alex Fleisch in his Schruns workshop with great attention to detail. The heart of the à la carte restaurant is the open charcoal grill with a Chef’s Table.
Let Marc and Philipp Rhomberg explain the culinary offer of the Taube in detail here:
The main centers of the hotel: kitchen & technology
The next stop is a short detour into the future kitchen. The concentrated load of technology can be easily guessed from the pipes on the floor. Marc shows where the delivery entrance, goods lift, refrigeration cells and bar will be located. The enormous dimensions of the ventilation center, heating distributors etc. in the equipment room arouse Philipp’s enthusiasm. We descend further into the “catacombs,” or as insiders used to call it: the “tuba hole”.
The Taube bar and nightclub of the Posthotel
“Look at the vault, this used to be closed off and now it will become our new Taube bar. That’s where the bar itself goes, there are mirrors everywhere, bottles, and if you go around the corner – the tables. There will be dancing and this is where the disco ball goes.” With these remarks, you can already see the full dance floor in front of you in the flesh. Philipp promises, “This will be the best and most beautiful bar in the whole of Montafon. I guarantee that. Parties are celebrated here. In the spirit of Hemingway: a celebration for life.”
The in-house wine cellar
Change of scene: wine cellar. Imagine a classic vaulted cellar. In the center of the room is a massive oak table on oak parquet for at least 12 to 14 people. The wines as part of the room are visible through glass. For degustation there will be standing furniture available. What is still an idea today will have taken on completely different forms in three months.
On our way to the next stop we have to point out the underground connection from the main house to the wellness oasis Alpgues house. “This is where the lobby is being built, by the way: fireplace, big strong deer above it, a wonderful space, in winter with an open fire. It’s going to be glorious.” This intoxicating passion with which Marc and Philipp present the Posthotel has already made us completely forget the cold.
Alpgues House – The wellness area
The entrance of the newly built spa will be characterized by a huge painting of the Alpgues Alpe, as a tribute to this power-giving place in the Verwall. On the first floor there is a fitness room, a whirlpool, a small pool, a Kneipp facility with one cold and one hot treading pool, and an atmospheric fireplace. From here you can go directly to the private hotel garden, which is reserved for hotel and day guests. Behind the indoor pool stretches a quarry stone wall in beautiful Andeer granite, which Marc and Philipp selected on site in the Graubünden village with a population of less than 1000.
The second floor is quieter: lounge chairs with a view of the wildly romantic mountain landscape and the inviting hotel garden. Very central, in the heart of the room: a free-standing fireplace. Tiled in modern flowered tiles from Vorarlberg, because the shade of blue reminds Marc of the blueberries he used to browse with his comb in the Montafon when he was a young boy. He is also particularly proud of the sauna with Himalayan salt stones. “It gives a beautiful light and the salt in the air has a healing effect. Especially if you have a bit of a congested throat and sit in there for half an hour – after that you’re fully healthy again.”
You can also unwind here in the Finnish sauna, the steam bath or in one of the three massage rooms. On the second floor of the Alpgues house are another 14 rooms for the Taube guests.
The hotel garden
Three large beech trees provide a pleasant privacy screen for those seeking peace and quiet in the spa. In total, the Taube garden counts 300 years of life. How is that possible? Trees were used that are all already between 15 and 25 years old. “Because magnificent trees simply belong to the Taube Garden. Trees that bring their own history, like the Taube itself,” Philipp explains. On December 1, for example, a twelve-meter-high oak was planted. In addition, pines, chestnuts, rock pears and yew shafts determine the appearance of the hotel garden.
Follow the progress of how the Taube garden is created:
Hunting Lodge
The grand finale of our tour is Philipp’s favorite building, the Hunting Lodge. This “bijou”, as Marc affectionately calls it, has two separate entrances. One for the guests and a second one for the game processing plant. “That’s where we make our own sausages,” Marc explains. Because some people don’t like to look at the suspended game, as Philipp notes, the gap through which you can still see from here to there today – will be closed with a dry ager in the future.
The Hunting Lodge offers a unique ambience for convivial rounds and seasonal specialties on two floors. From the second floor, a small ladder leads to the “Adlerhörstle” (eagle’s eyrie) – an allusion to the luxurious Adler Suite (eagle suite) in the main house. The gable room can only be reached via a ladder, and it will stay that way. A “Jassertisch” is set up there for the traditional Alemannic card game.
By means of expert analysis, the age of the wood in the Hunting Lodge was determined and dated to the late Middle Ages, anno 1453. When descending into the future liquor cellar, one feels transported back to the Middle Ages: The ancient vault is a natural cellar with an open floor. The walls remain raw and untreated – as they have been for centuries.
Everything all around
Marc and Philipp pay great attention to the preservation and continued use of old materials and traditional craftsmanship. They are in direct contact with their craftsmen, talk to the workers on site, praise the great work and thank everyone for their commitment. “We are very lucky with our project partners,” they say. After more than an hour, we are finished with our tour of the construction site. You can tell that this is more than a simple hotel project – rather, it’s a project of the heart. People are at work here who have a vision and implement it with passion.
During the traditional after-work beer, the two gentlemen show us a few samples in passing. For example, for the flooring of the underground garage: granite chips of the Andeer stone are mixed with tar and processed in this way. Instead of the usual knobs on the staircase banisters, we are welcomed by little golden doves whose shape is currently being tested with the 3D printer – but that’s another story. Or as Philipp would put it, “This is really great cinema.” We’re looking forward to the premiere!
