blocher partners x Dips&Drops EN

Dips & Drops – Where a love of design feels at home.

And so do guests.

How can a hotel, nestled in serene nature, become a place between community and individuality, between activity and retreat? Amid the magnificent mountain scenery, architecture and interior d e s i g n u n f o l d t h e i r p o w e r.

Dips&Drops emerged from the rhythms of a day between bike and slope, between summit cross and spa: movement outside, focus and relaxation inside.

The philosophy of

blocher partners

Since its founding in 1989, blocher partners has been shaping possibilities and ideas to connect experiences in tangible ways, so

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The design responds to the seasons, giving the place a rhythm for restorative holiday time – cyclists and hikers feel just as at home here as winter sports enthusiasts.

Arrive, prepare, set off, return. The spaces reflect the energy flow of the alpine landscape; what has emerged is a home away from home, coherent and without any claim to perfection.

Arrive, let go and simply feel how naturally everything comes t o geth e r.

that space comes alive – timeless, sustainable architecture; emotional, user-centered interior design. We value diversity and work in transdisciplinary teams. Architects, interior architects, product designers and communication designers create concepts that foster encounters.

Projecttype Conversion and extension of a 4-star ski and bike hotel Completion December 2024 Location 5542 Flachau, Austria Operator Harml Touristik GmbH Size 7,840 m² Rooms 9 2, including 2 premium suites Dining – Forks & Friends – fine dining restaurant – Bistro & HandleBar – everyone is welcome – Living Room – Pasta Point Specials – 900 m² for seminars & events in 6–8 rooms – Green Hotel certified – Indoor & outdoor pool – Sauna world – Ice bathing in the river – Bike & ski hub – Loft gym 200 m²

Finalist for Hotel Property of the Year 2025 Award for the most beautiful restaurants, hotels and bars 2026

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In the restaurant, alpine tradition meets modern design. Large panoramic windows offer not only culinary delights, but also a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountain landscape. The interior, fitted with local materials such as Nagelfluh stone and white fir, radiates a warm, inviting atmosphere. The open concept connects reception, lounge and restaurant; the space creates a fluid transition between the areas. After an active day in the mountains, HandleBar becomes the meeting point where guests and locals can relax with a drink.Here, not only is food and drink served – alpine coziness is reinterpreted in a modern way.

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Hans Do you hear that? This mix of dialects, laughter. In the past, arriving here was a procedure. Today it is a fluid transition.

Evening. Outside, the sky above Flachau turns violet. Inside, the first guests are heading to d i n n e r, w h i l e o t h e r s – a group of bikers – have just returned from t h e i r t o u r.

Anja Like a pulse beating regularly. Relaxed, not hectic. Architecture cannot create that atmosphere. But it can create the framework that makes it possible.

Hans The old Tauernhof was solid. Reliable. But it was self-contained. Now I feel as if the house breathes in both directions – out into the mountains and in toward the people.

Anja That’s why we conceived the ground floor zone so openly. No classic hotel lobby, but a sequence of atmospheres. Reception, lounge, bar and restaurant as a landscape, not as separate stations.

Hans When we spoke about the “hub,” the word

Anja Pangerl Architect Interior Architect

Hans Harml Hotelier Client

initially sounded technical. Bike hub, ski hub.

Infrastructure. Today it’s completely clear: it’s not about equipment or a workshop. It’s about exchange.

Anja

Hans

A hub is basically a node. People return from

Do you know what really moved me? When

the mountain with a story – and leave with a

we made it into the top 3 for “Hotel Property

new one. The building structures this rhythm.

of the Year 2025” – at the 196+ forum in Munich.

Hans And yet it remains calm. I see the exposed

Anja

concrete, the white fir, the Nagelfluh stone:

The jury did not only talk about design.

no alpine folklore, nothing clamoring for

It emphasized that this makes a shift in

attention.

perspective visible in Alpine tourism. That a traditional hotel had the courage to

Anja

rethink itself – without cutting itself off

Because the mountains are loud enough.

from its roots.

We wanted a translation. Our façade is like a filter between landscape and interior.

Hans

By day it reflects the light, by evening it

And that the concept is sustainable econom-

becomes transparent. Architecture should

ically and culturally. That was important to

be able to tell the time of day.

me. Design must not be an end in itself.

Hans

Anja

At the panoramic windows, I feel most

Maybe because we didn’t ask: “What is

strongly that our Dips&Drops is more than

trending?” But rather: “How do people live

a sports hotel.

sport today?”

Anja

Hans

When guests sit here after a day of skiing,

Exactly. The alpine region faces major

they see the lines of the slopes. That creates

questions – climate change, seasonality,

resonance.

mobility. A bike and ski hub is also a statement: year-round use, community, experience rather than just overnight stays.

Anja Architecture is, at its best, a framework for meaning. If someone finds a new community here after a tour – then the space has fulfilled its purpose.

Hans Do you think we have said something with this house that goes beyond Flachau?

Anja I think you’ve shown that transformation is possible. That tradition is not a state, but a process.

Hans And if we look back in ten years?

Anja Then hopefully not just on an award. But on a house that continues the dialogue between people, sport and landscape.

Hans Then it’s no longer just a hub. It’s part of a larger network.

Anja Exactly that was the idea.

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The hotel shop is the ideal place to stock up on high-quality equipment for your next adventure. The selection ranges from seasonal must-haves to unique souvenirs and is just as versatile as the surroundings.

In summer, mountain bikes and e-bikes are available for exciting excursions, while in the winter months first-class ski equipment is offered for rent. Guests can have their gear serviced directly in the house and pick up practical accessories for every alpine adventure.

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At Dips & Drops, there are many ways to stay active or find calm. The modern fitness area offers space for focused training. It is complemented by generous spa and sauna zones that enable relaxation at the highest level. Indoor and outdoor pools create fluid transitions between movement and recovery.

Right outside the door, the next adventure begins: in winter, skiing shapes the region, while in the warmer months bike experiences take center stage. The result is an offering that adapts to the rhythm of the seasons and makes every stay multifaceted.

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LIVING ROOM

The lounge is a place for meeting and relaxation. The spacious room with open transitions to the bar and restaurant offers an inviting atmosphere that encourages you to linger. Warm wood tones and natural materials create a cozy yet contemporary environment. Particularly striking is the glass façade with pearl-beige metal louvers in front, which lend the ensemble a rhythmic lightness and strengthen the connection between the interior and the spectacular natural surroundings. The lounge is the social heart of the house, where guests can share the experiences of their day. It provides the ideal setting for relaxed conversations and the opportunity to unwind after an eventful day.

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The rooms combine alpine charm with modern comfort, creating a unique retreat for guests. What unites all 92 rooms & suites is a clear design with the features needed for a stay – whether for a few days or several weeks. Natural materials such as wood and natural stone define the spaces and create a pleasant, grounded atmosphere. Warm, harmonized colors and a finely tuned lighting concept give the rooms calm and depth. The result is retreats that are both functional and atmospheric. They offer space for families, couples, friends, athletes or business travelers – for moments of relaxation as well as for renewed energy after active hours in the mountains.

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Our suppliers: reliable partners who know how to turn our ideas into reality and, through their expertise, ensure the success of a project. These include:

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“Dips&Drops represents a new mindset in alpine regions: innovative, sustainable, designconscious, and open. A hotel that not only builds differently, but also thinks differently – and helps lead alpine tourism i n t o t h e f u t u r e .”

Andreas Martin Chair of the Jury of the 196+ Forum

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Publisher blocher partners Herdweg 19 70174 Stuttgart Germany + 4 9 7 1 1 2 2 4 82 -0 info@blocherpartners.com www.blocherpartners.com Dips & Drops Harml Touristik GmbH Flachauer Straße 163 5542 Flachau Austria + 4 3 6 4 5 7 2 31 1

hello@dips-drops.com www.dips-drops.com Concept, Editing&Graphic Design typenraum GmbH & Co. KG Herdweg 19 70174 Stuttgart Germany + 4 9 7 1 1 2 2 4 82 -400 info@typenraum.com www.typenraum.com Photography Laura Thiesbrummel Matthias Warter