LIFESTYLEHOTELS Magazin |THE STYLEMATE, Issue No 01/2018, Exciting travellers

THE NEWS ABOUT LIFE, STYLE & HOTELS ISSUE N o 01 | 2018 lifestylehotels.net

Stylemate exciting travellers

LIFESTYLEHOTELS.NET

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

PURADIES HOTEL & CHALETS

Snowdrops are finally pushing towards the sun through the remnants of snow.

IN THIS ISSUE

Puradies Hotel & Chalets Page 3 architecture:

Bergland Hotel Sölden Page 4 coverstory:

Without Limits Pages 5 – 7 Alpslodge Page 8

personalities:

People in Hotels Pages 16 – 17

fashion:

Strong Women Pages 10 – 12

womanly.blog:

Our Date 19 – 21

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art & culture:

Divine Flora Page 13 essay:

Franzobel Page 14

new members:

V8 Hotel Superior, Follonico, Lend Hotel, Relais Blu Pages 22 – 23 gallery:

Nidum Hotel Page 15

Harry´s World Pages 24 – 25 nice to have:

Bar Albert, Gucci & more Pages 26 – 27 food:

Haute Couture & Haute Cuisine Page 28 food:

celebrating spring

When angels travel, heaven laughs, goes a German song. But it is actually people who travel. And they are re­ceived by people. It’s all about people. About travellers and about those who cordially meet travellers.

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When this happens on 500,000 square metres of wellness area, the guest can enjoy the spring bliss at the hotel PURADIES in the Leogang Mountains.

This can make something truly special and enriching for all those involved.

No matter what face the heaven shows.

The sunny plateau facing the picturesque backdrop of the Leogang Mountains is what pure life is all about. In the PURADIES Hotel&Chalets, a perfect balance of tradi­ tions, convenient technology and carefree naturalness has been incorporated in sea­ sonal cycles. Loved-up couples snuggle in the Private Spa Chalet Honeymoon, while parents with children can count on mountain hut fun in the Private Spa Chalet Premium. The most modern facilities with an alpine flair make the wellness factor blossom for everyone, like primroses and crocuses.

Let yourself also be enriched by Style­mate. If you have read earlier editions, you will soon see that it has now changed a little. Also because people have come together to make something good for you.

Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger EDITORS

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Photos: Peter Kuehnl

L I F E S T Y L E H O T E L S . N E T/ T H E S T Y L E M AT E

Photo: Heldentheater

Imprint Page 31

If you do not want to miss an issue, you can also subscribe to Stylemate.

360° sky view

Cin Cin Page 29 directory lifestylehotels

AUSTRIA SALZBURG / LEOGANG

On the outside, biologically built waste wood façades browned by the sun give you privacy, and inside the tiled stove, sauna and infrared cabin shape progressive de­ sign and create a cosy atmosphere. Every­ one above 16 can enjoy a form of coming together in the bath house “INNERE MITTE”.

This paradise with 4 saunas opens up a 360-degree view of the sky above, before cooling off in the wellspring of the natural bathing pool.

Nature also characterises the cuisine of the affiliated 4-star Superior hotel. Vegetables, fruits, meat and eggs come from the hotel’s own organic farm, looked after by the senior Sebastian Madreiter with true passion. In the gourmet restaurant ESS:ENZ, top chef Stefan Krieghofer uses them to create gour­ met masterpieces in his own personal style.

Guests can expect true culinary delicacies, as tasty delights of the region are laid out with Austrian wines in the local PURADIES grocery shop.

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Of course, once inviorganic farm gorated with all this energy, you won’t be able to keep it in any longer. So it works Book Online out well that Leogang and lifestylehotels.net/ especially the PURADIES puradies provide everything that bikers of all disciplines are crazy about. You can train your muscles riding up and down 740 km of signposted mountain bike routes, perhaps on a day tour of the Hundstein (Maria Alm), the Schmittenhöhe (Zell am See) or the Schattberg (Saalbach) – or you comfortably glide down the 500 km cycle tracks in the valley.

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architecture

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Seven travellers who lived for their travels and off their travels.

nature into the home Photo: Toni Klocker

Larch constitutes the shell; oak, stone and loden constitute the “filling” of the hotel.

Only the cellar remained from the former Café Bergland of the post-war period, when the hoteliers Elisabeth and Sigi Grüner started the redesign into the designer hotel in 2010 with the help of the architecture firm Wimreiter. The host Sigi could bring his expertise as a trained carpenter, while host Elisabeth is responsible for the stylish interior.

“With this new building, we wanted to consciously take a great step forward into the future,” she explains. “The old building had always gradually been expanded, so it was very contorted, and the rooms were too small for our plans.” But this is no longer the case: Even the Junior Suite has an area of 38 m2; the exclusive top suite covers 212 – together with a fire­place room with walls completely covered in loden. They emit a cosy warmth and dis­creetly absorb noise.

EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED The Grüners also have an emotional attachment to loden, as they went into sheep breeding themselves, which was even awarded an innovation prize. Their closeness to nature was also ultimately

without limits

Photos: Klaus Lorke

AUSTRIA what provided inspiration for the style of the entire hotel design. Even the architec­ ture competition for the new building had the motto “Bringing nature into the home”.

“There are beautiful houses all over the world,” Elisabeth Grüner explains. “We wanted to create a regionally inspired and unique house where each season can be experienced directly.”

The Hotel Bergland Sölden, located in the centre of Sölden on the Dorfstraße, is snugly nestled into the mountainside lying behind it. The view to the east impresses guests of the hotel both in the summer and in the winter, and the rooms nearest the mountainside to the west are also reached by daylight. The Bergland Sölden was one of the first hotels to place the spa area on the roof, offering heavenly views of the Neder­kogel and its rocky brothers from the pool and the glazed sauna.

PLACE OF STRENGTH TYROL / SÖLDEN IN TRANQUILLITY At the top, you can also find one of the finest Book Online places of strength of Berg­ lifestylehotels.net/ land Sölden: the room of bergland-soelden tranquillity. “We took down an old barn for this and rebuilt it indoors.” The quiet area is fitted with hay beds, conjuring a summer feeling in your soul with their incomparable smell. The mattresses are filled with the same hay the Grüners reaped from their pastures and dried in the sun following the old tradition. Not even music distracts you from the essence of life in this oasis of relaxation.

The vibrant life in the fireplace bar and – newly opened since autumn of last year – the restaurant “Black sheep”, in which the interiors are entirely matched with the Grüners’ favourite animal, offer a success­ ful contrast to this.

ALMA KARLIN, T H E M O S T S U C C E S S F U L T R AV E L W R I T E R B E T W E E N T H E T W O W O R L D WA R S .

Matt Harding Karl May Laura Dekker

BERGLAND HOTEL SÖLDEN

Alexandra David-Néel Photos: Creative Commons

The designer hotel is characterised by regional elements of nature.

Freya Stark Alma Karlin Isabelle Eberhardt

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To awaken quite alone in a strange town, is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.

Freya Stark, explorer 1 4 Y E A R S O L D, L AU RA D E K K E R S A I L E D A RO U N D T H E WO R L D – C OM P L E T E LY A L ON E .

T H E G E R M A N T R AV E L W R I T E R K A R L M AY C O M P L E T E LY I D E N T I F I E D W I T H H I S R O L E A S O L D S H AT T E R H A N D .

But Laura Dekker’s adventurous journey is no fable. At the age of 14, the daughter of a Dutch boat builder and a German started her 18-month sailing expedition around the world from Gibraltar, entirely on her own.

But not for publicity, as she affirmed in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung: “I never wanted to become famous, sailing is all I ever wanted to do.” But fame (as well as evil voices) came anyway.

million watch Matt as he flounders about to simple songs. Because he doesn’t do it in his bedroom, but in India, Bhutan, Zanzibar, the Austra­ lian coast, Kuwait, Mexico, Madagas­ car, Zambia and Yemen. And also in Dublin, Paris, London, Madrid, Istanbul, Warsaw and Cologne.

Traditional media from the Ham­ burger Morgenpost to great US shows talk about him, and his travels are paid by sponsors. “I can live off the dance videos ...,” he said in a Spiegel online interview.

But, when it comes to numbers, he can’t keep up with Karl May. The latter can boast 200 million, not clicks, but books sold around the world. Despite the fact that the travel writer from the German Ore Moun­ tains who died in 1912 published his “travel stories” – where he often played the main character of Old Shatterhand or Kara Ben Nemsi – before he could afford to travel. His Winnetou novels came out in 1893, while his six-week visit to North America took place 15 years later.

May only vaguely conceded that his travels were fiction and that he was never appointed commander of the Apaches: “... no one can suspect that what I narrate is only parables and fables, because if that was known, I would never achieve what I intend to achieve”, he wrote in his biography “Mein Leben und Streben” [“My Life and Aspirations”, available in German].

This daring young woman also has daring predecessors. There was Alma Karlin, the most widely read German travel writer between World War I and II who is largely unknown today. She spoke eleven languages, which she studied in Graz, Paris and London, and published many travel reports in the form of magazine articles and books. She portrayed the experiences of her journey around the world over several years in the trilogy “Einsame Weltreise”, “Erlebte Welt” and “Im Banne der Südsee” [“The Lonely Journey”, “Experienced World” and “The Spell of the South Sea”, available in German] which appeared in 1928.

She and her work have probably fallen into oblivion due to the fact that her books were banned in Nazi Germany. The native Slovenian of German tongue was born in Celje, the daughter of a German teacher.

But she hardly had any resonance in her direct homeland. The Slovenian writer Milan Dekleva first wrote a biographical novel about Alma Karlin in 2015, which also came out in Ger­ man in 2017 with the title “Die Welt­ bürgerin” [“Citizen of the World”, available in German].

M AT T H A R D I N G B E C A M E A YO U T U B E S TA R W I T H H I S T R AV E L L I N G A N D DA N C I N G .

for furt her researc h

Another writer is Isabelle Eberhardt, Swiss of Russian decent, who was only 26 years old but spent seven years as a traveller, especially in North Africa. “I will be a nomad my whole life, in love with the changing horizon, with unexplored, faraway places, because each journey, even to the most overcrowded and visited countries, is a discovery,” she wrote one year before she was taken by “the hour of long sleep” in the Sahara.

She drowned deep in the desert when she was swept away by the flood along with her mud hut after a heavy rainstorm.

Or the British explorer Freya Stark, who travelled to Iraq, Persia, Trans­ jordan, Yemen and also to the Hima­ layas at the age of 86. The nomadic spirit was in the blood of the multi­ lingual daughter of a Brit and an Italian of German-Polish origin.

“To awaken quite alone in a strange town, is one of the pleasantest sensa­ tions in the world,” she wrote in her booklet “Baghdad Sketches“.

Isabelle Eberhardt travelled around North Africa for seven years.

She drowned in the Sahara.

Karl May: Die große Werksammlung Kindle Edition (€ 0.99; only German) Laura Dekker: One Girl One Dream Milan Dekleva: Die Weltbürgerin – Ein Roman über Alma Karlin (only German) The Nomad: The Diaries of Isabelle Eberhardt Freya Stark: The Valleys of the Assassins and Other Persian Travels Alexandra David-Néel: My Journey to Lhasa: The Personal Story of the Only White Woman Who Succeeded in Entering the Forbidden City

A similarly remarkable traveller is the French Alexandra David-Néel, who studied Sanskrit and Chinese and was allegedly the first European to enter the forbidden city of Lhasa in Tibet in 1923 – more than two decades before the Austrian Heinrich Harrer, to whom Hollywood ded­ icated a cinematic monument (“Seven Years in Tibet“) with Brad Pitt as the main character. David-Néel wrote more than two dozen books on her travels, became a Buddhist and even a lama. A young Buddhist monk called Yongden, whom she later adopted, accompanied her on many journeys: “At the beginning of every discovery we encounter curi­ osity. This is a necessary condition for progress.” Alexandra David-Néel not only expressed this sentence, but also fervently experienced it as a traveller.

Alexandra David-Néel, the first European in the forbidden city of Lhasa.

www.wheretheheckismatt.com

Photos: Creative Commons

Matt Harding and Karl May have something in common – millions of fans and a soft spot for travelling, quirky travelling. Not the travels that interrupt your normal life, but those that are everything in life. In 2003, the Australian video game developer Harding had enough of his more or less middle-class life, and decided to go and discover the world until he had used up all his savings. But it never came to that. He became a YouTuber and a video star by always performing the same little dance at his travel destinations and posting a clip of it online. He got made fun of, but he also got many, many clicks.

138,000 people have subscribed to his YouTube channel, and over 50

F R EYA S TA R K L I V E D F O R M O R E T H A N 1 0 0 Y E A R S . S H E T RAV E L L E D T O T H E H I M A L AYA S AT 8 6 Y E A R S O L D.

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ALPSLODGE

Action in firn snow and on the cycling trails – or romance by an open fire: This is what a holiday at Alpslodge has in store for you.

stylish alps

AUSTRIA TYROL / FISS

If the cherished vehicle is accommodated in proper style, then guests can also expect a particularly stylish setting. The hotel rooms and suites exude a modern alpine charm, with amazing combinations of grained wood full of character, traditional cowhide and a simple metal look. Noble designs and clear lines are also predominant in the bathrooms in natural stone and glass.

The guest immediately feels at home in the room, making himself an illy espresso in an intimate atmosphere, turning the PlayStation 4 on or surfing the internet on the hotel’s own wi-fi. Although a moment

on the screen is a missed moment marvel­ ling at the incredible view ... And you can enjoy this endlessly on the roof terrace: “Soaking up the sun in the skylounge will warm anyone’s heart”, Alpslodge host Alexander Walser thinks.

Those who long for a wonderfully relaxing time can let their eyes dwell on the hotel’s own zen garden or dive into the Snake Cave, an exclusive retreat with a water­ bed on the second floor of the spacious wellness area at Alpslodge. An insider’s tip from the host: “In the Sky Relax Zone on the top floor, our guests can watch the active bustle of industrious slope groomers at dusk, while they relaxedly review the day of skiing they experienced.” A healthy drink from the tea or juice bar is recommended for this unusual spectacle.

Alpslodge will open its doors again on 15th June after taking a short spring break. The sunny plateau double suites of Fiss, where the hotel is rooms situated, provides summer guests with many special activities: cycling trails, themed hikes on the witch panoramic path or the exploration single sauna & track as well as action on rooms steam room the mountain with the Fisser Flitzer, the Fisser Flieger or the Skyswing.

Book Online What lies behind all these lifestylehotels.net/ names? The Alpslodge alpslodge team will be happy to reveal this secret. Hotel guests also receive the Super.Sommer.Card so they can use the mountain railway or the hiking shuttle for free or visit the Fiss Summer Funpark.

Whether sporty or relaxed: a holiday at Alpslodge remains unforgettable.

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Photos: praxmarer.net

The Tyrolean Alps in late winter: this means skiing in firn snow, cross-country skiing in the sunshine or winter hiking to find Christmas roses. Bringing the winter to a close at the alpslodge Life.Style.Hotel – until 15 April – means just walking through the front door and indulging in all these delights. Because Alpslodge is located directly near the ski slope, in the middle of a hiking paradise. Even your car can take a holiday – not only because you won’t need it, but also because works of acclaimed artists decorate the hotel’s own garage.

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fashion

strong women

HEDI GRAGER The journalist and blogger Hedi Grager portrays interesting people at www.hedigrager.com and writes about lifestyle, fashion, design, films and beauty.

Photo: Barbara Nidetzky

Outfit: C AL L IS T I

Photo: Alexander Koerner/Getty Images

www.mbfw.berlin www.callisti.at www.marc-cain.com www.marinahoermanseder.com www.sportalm.at

Large fashion fairs and great fashion shows across Berlin – this is the Berlin Fashion Week. The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin (MBFW) is at the very heart of it. Mercedes Benz and the creative agency NOWADAYS have developed a new concept for it, and have found a new location in the E-Werk between Potsdamer Platz and Gendarmenmarkt. “In this way, we want to further revive the fashion location of Germany for the long term in cooperation with labels, partners and press representa­

tives”, organiser and agency owner Marcus Kurz explains. “Berlin is by far the largest and most important fashion location in the German-speaking area, and we firmly believe in its relevance and potential”, Katja Ohly-Nauber, Head of Marketing Communication Mercedes-Benz Cars Germany adds.

I was at the shows of amazing labels such as Marc Cain, Marina Hoermanseder, SPORTALM or CALLISTI, who impressed invited guests with their shows. The MBFW also impressed with a live stream for the first time: all the shows were transmitted on a 50 m2 LED screen at the entrance as well as online at mbfw.berlin.

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fashion Marie Baeumer, Victoria Swarovski, Marc Cain-Chefdesigner Karin Veit and Bettina Zimmermann

MARINA HOERMANSEDER Photo: Paul Aidan Perry

Photo: Stefan Kraul

Photo: Alexander Koerner/Getty Images

Issue No 01 | 2018

Hot fashion in chilly Berlin: The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin 2018

MA R I NA HOERMANSEDER The Viennese designer with an atelier in Berlin studied International Business Administration and Fashion Design at the ESMOD fashion school in Berlin. She became famous thanks to her very special and unique use of orthopaedic leather.

Emancipation is the main theme of her autumn/winter collection 2018/19, which she emphasises with highly expressive details. In her show in the “VON GREIFSWALD”, women marched in graceful military style and elaborate leather con­struc­ tions towards a female future. Carefully selected key pieces such as a leather skirt in a 3D look, a voluminous ski suit, bustiers and strap pants made of leather stripes as well as extra-long coats and tight dresses show how the designer always reinvents herself from her founding inspiration.

And of course Hoermanseder’s typical buckle is a decorative element of many of her pieces. On hoodies, the name “Marina Hoermanseder” stretches completely from one end of the sleeve over the chest to the other sleeve end, and some of her designs bear the large bold letters “Team MH”: “Team MH are simply my girls”, Hoermans­ eder said. Very interesting and perhaps a new must-have is also her round mini bag in the shape of a hand grenade.

MA RT I NA M ÜL L ER CA L L I S T I The designer Martina Müller Callisti is one of the most successful fashion labels in Austria, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year. She has now been in­ vited by Mercedes-Benz and Elle magazine to present her autumn/winter collection 2018/19 as this year’s “newcomer” in Ber­ lin – impressing the invited guests. On the occasion of her anniversary, she showed her new top creations and re-interpreted the designs from previous years: 30 women’s outfits in mostly muted colours, with

Photo: Alexander Koerner/Getty Images

figure-hugging cuts, the typical CALLISTI blend of very masculine looks with military echoes but also with strong sensual and feminine accents. Protruding, opulent skirts were paired with short tops, with subtle shades such as aubergine, dark blue and cream as main colours as well as highlights in taupe and black. “This show in Berlin with a specialist audience and buyers from large fashion department stores is a great opportunity”, raves the designer, who is a regular guest of the Vienna Fashion Week.

TUSCANY

art & culture

MARC CAIN Cool looks for strong women Photos: Marc Cain

divine flora

The Vienna-based label CALLISTI is known for its leather accessories. “But I now work almost exclusively with synthetic leather”, the designer revealed in an interview after her show in the former electric power plant near Potsdamer Platz. Her label name comes from the Greek and means “for the beautiful one” or “to the most beautiful”. The designer also launched her first men’s collection at the end of 2012, and presents her evening fashion collec­ tions twice a year.

SP ORTAL M The Kitzbühel company, once founded as a small knitting factory, is now one of the most successful textile companies in Austria and has been owned by the Ehrlich family since 1980. SPORTALM opened its 65th anniversary year with a fantastic fashion show. Designer Ulli Ehrlich came up with some great ideas: an acrobatics performance by the cheerleading group “Titans Berlin”, a musical performance by the Austrian singer Ro Bergmann, snow trickling from the ceiling and an adorable group of children with new ski outfits and confetti balloons. Even the goodie bags glowed like a festively decorated winter paradise.

As always at SPORTALM, the label focuses on sporty chic and combines delicate lace with warm wool, soft leather and fake fur. A special eye-catcher of the women’s sports models from the series “Ski 1953” is a winter all-over print – from an original photo of the Kitzbühel ski resort from the 70s and with a classic Norwegian pattern.

A mixture of patterns is in vogue right now. Things also get colourful on the slopes again: Ski suits in neon colours,

Martina Müller CAL L IST I

Photo: John Phillips/Getty Images

Ulli Ehrlich S P O R TA L M Photo: Stefan Knauer/Getty Images

c on t i n u e t o r e s e ar c h on l i n e www.parcapuane.it www.comune.lucca.it www.visitflorence.com/florencemuseums/boboli-gardens.html www.parco-maremma.it lifestylehotels.net/italy

with floral patterns, camouflage, leopard and crocodile prints. “SPORTALM is an emotional label, we want to inspire women, and a fashion show is the best way to do it”, says Ulli Ehrlich, mother of five and manager of 800 employees.

“And as she spoke, she breathed spring roses from her mouth ...”, are the words Ovid gave to the goddess of blossoms Flora.

Tuscany still adorns itself today – thank the gods – with truly divine flora. You can best start your botanical journey through the Tuscan spring in the Parco Alpi Apuane north of Lucca, a wild mountain range directly rising from the glamorous coast of Versilia to almost 2,000 metres: deep gorges cut through the steep slopes. The aromatic macchia grows at the bottom of the valley and gradually turns into lush oak and chestnut forests, which, at almost 2,000 metres of the rocky peak on Monte Pisanino, literally run out of air like an inexperienced hiker. But botanical mustsees can also be found in the city – like at the manageable height of 44 metres on the Torre Guinigi in the nearby Lucca. Built in 1384 between the Romanesque and Gothic period, 7 holm oaks and a hanging garden were added on top of the imposing tower in the Renaissance period. This raw charm calls for an idyllic place – and the Locanda

MARC C AI N Under the motto “Members Only”, Marc Cain invited guests to the fashion show in the abandoned U3 station under Potsdamer Platz in Berlin centre: neon tubes, black light and graffiti by “URBAN NATION” artists provided the suitable club atmosphere. As always, prominent guests sat in the front row, including Lena Gercke, Lena Meyer-Landrut, Hannah Herzsprung, Yvonne Catterfeld, Veronica Ferres, Victoria Swarovski, top influencer Stefanie Giesinger, Caro Daur and Nina Suess. The famous model Georgia Fowler opened the show.

“I love strong collections for strong women”, says Karin Veit, Head Designer at Marc Cain since 1976. She showed her favourite business looks, followed by elegant coats of high-quality wool, cashmere jumpers combined with tight overknees, fake fur jackets combined with wide business trousers in cream tones, and cool dark leather jackets. But there was also some sparkle with short glitter dresses and transparent chiffon looks with sequins. Colourful eye-catchers were also large bags and small It Bags made of high-quality leather. The song “You’ve got the Power” ended the fantastic show – and the after-show party began.

Photos: Adobe Stock, Shutterstock

Photo: Gisela Schober/Getty Images

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al Colle in the nearby Camaiore fits that description. A modern guesthouse was lovingly created by renovating a farm­ house. Old trees and olive groves pave the way to it. The slope offers an enchanting view of the coast and the sea.

The next stop is Florence: the Giardino di Boboli behind Palazzo Pitti – one of the most impressive Renaissance gardens in the world. Those who expect well-main­ tained decorative flower beds will be largely disappointed, although the hidden rose garden is definitely worth discovering!

The special appeal of this garden is essen­ tially its austere and strong quality – like the architecture of the Renaissance. Of course the view of the imposing main axis is strongly recommended, but you also should take a look into the many adjacent garden rooms with their modern sculptures.

Afterwards the Home Hotel Florence, a charming, small white Palazzo on the Arno, is only a few steps away. An insider’s tip is door number 1000. It leads to the terrace from which you can admire the incredible panorama of Florence in complete privacy.

The next day takes you to the Riserva Natu­ rale Lucciola Bella. This small spot is what people associate with “Tuscany” around the world: it doesn’t get any more typical than this. Or more beautiful. Because you can never get enough of this place, you can take a break here: you can stay in the nearby Follonico – find out more under “Pure Tuscany” in this magazine.

To round off your spring journey, you can go visit the Parco Regionale della Maremma, which is about an hour’s drive away. Its pristine ecosystem is extremely diverse, and ranges from a beach and a river delta with a marsh to oak and pine forests.

Disciplined behaviour is necessary also due to the fauna: if you’re lucky, you might even see a wolf. All this excitement calls for an excellent glass of wine: At Conti di San Bonifacio in Gavorrano, Conte Manfredo serves the guests of his exclusive resort all the delicacies that Tuscany has to offer: stay in one of the 7 rooms and enjoy!

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NIDUM Franzobel is an Austrian writer. He has published numerous plays, works of prose and poems. His plays have been produced in countries including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Denmark, France, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Russia and the USA.

His great historical adventure novel “Das Floß der Medusa” (Zsolnay publishing house) was awarded the Bayerischer Buchpreis (Bavarian Book Award) 2017 and was on the shortlist for the German Book Prize 2017.

“Luxurious, fresh, different.

No tie, no worries ...

essay

franzobel casual luxury

THE PERFECT GUEST From the point of view of most hoteliers and restaurateurs, the perfect guest simply enjoys and praises. He should not have any extra requests or have any issues, to the point that, as an introverted guest, you sometimes think: next time I’ll just send the money and stay at home.

Mass tourism increases alienation. For tourism professionals, guests become replaceable, while tourists’ brazenness grows.

Guests are, according to his findings, more and more difficult. There are so many stories you could write a book.

Only when you treat people with decency, respect and humility, and are understanding of the other side, does eating and travelling become what it should be: a wonderful experience. And if there are any extra requests here and there, people can take care of them, as long as they don’t become a habit. But tell that to my wife.

But who would want to read something like that?

The guest is king, but this shouldn’t mean that you should behave like a tyrant, regarding the bathrobe, the silverware and the art prints on the walls as your own property. And smashing the inventory, as used to be the custom for rock­ stars, does not go down well.

AUSTRIA TYROL / MÖSERN

... this is Casual Luxury, this is our philo­ sophy”, says Nidum Manager Maximilian Pinzger, describing his casual hotel in a nutshell. Its architecture also appears informal, and nestles relaxedly into the dream location on the “Swallow’s nest of Tyrol”, as the Seefeld Plateau is affectio­ nately called. Inside, 57 rooms and suites with designer solid wood furniture provide laid-back alpine chic from 35 to 120 square metres, depending on the facilities with or without sauna, fireplace or free-standing shower in the room – but all with pano­ ramic windows facing south and a spec­ tacular view of the most beautiful alpine landscape high over the Inn Valley. But this can not only be admired from your very own room but also with a 360 ° view in brilliant mountain company from the rooftop garden and the formidable south terrace of the hotel.

Guests are, according to his findings, more and more difficult. There are so many stories you could write a book.

Photos: Nidum

Or Susan Sontag: the famous American essayist always wanted another hotel room, as I was told by a woman in charge of book tour supervision.

Not even two minutes after checking in, that is, she would go back to reception, complain about something and demand a room change. Always!

This is also a form of artistic attention-grabbing.

But the buzz word among all restaurateurs is food intolerance. Recently, a hotelier told me that a guest had tormented him for two weeks with special requests: there should be no cream in his celery soup, no egg in his schnitzel breading, and in any case wheat flour was poison and cow milk was suicide. Well, allergies are a serious issue. People, exposed to ever stronger environ­ mental conditions, burdened by artificial super­market food, surrounded by pollutants and electric smog, are becoming sensitive and are reacting. The results of ignoring an intoler­ ance can be awful. This is all very true, and the ho­telier and his chef went to a lot of trouble to meet all their guest’s wishes. But when, after days of scrupulous hassling, he suddenly stowed away two portions of Salzburger Nockerl with vanilla sauce, and justified himself to the utterly perplexed hotelier by saying that he was perfectly allowed to make an exception once a week, the restaurateur was totally confused.

Photo: Dirk Skiba

My wife, this wonderful being, never orders what is on the menu. She wants salad instead of mashed potato, the burger should come without the chips, and the meat must be medium-cooked, the Quattro Stagioni should have some more artichokes instead of mushrooms, the icing sugar on the Esterházy torta distresses her and the apple juice must be please mixed with still water. When ordering Asian food, she always asks for an extra hot sauce if the dish is indicated with three chillies, and in the country guest­ house she orders the mixed dumpling plate with hash instead of bacon dumplings and without the sauerkraut. Practically all of her orders have some kind of additional instruction. Why in kitchen God’s name do you need that special treatment? Why can’t a person order what is on the menu? Does it have to do with loss of control? With maintaining a touch of personal responsibility for what we eat?

A breath-taking view as well as variety also characterise the 1,500 m2 wellness land­ scape of the Nidum. The Infinity Pool – 32 degrees in the summer and winter – and an absolutely stunning scenery guarantee luxurious relaxation of the highest quality.

This of course also applies to the sauna­ rium, the Finnish sauna and the steam room in the Nidum spa. Utterly amusing and charming is the “IN DA MOUNTAIN SAUNA“, which can be reached via the picturesque as well as audacious suspen­ sion bridge: A sauna built directly in the rocks. The hot whirlpool and the cold water pool on the opposite terrace make the enjoyment perfect: Fresh alpine air can’t be better enjoyed on this sun terrace with its many deckchairs, cosy pillows and

four-poster beds. Once the personal choice from the wide range of massa­ ges, body, facial and detox chambers & restaurants treatments, stroking and suites kneading with stimulating oils has been found, the totally weary couch potato can rise like a phoenix from the ashes and make square meters an excursion to the beauti­ wellness oasis ful region of Tyrol – by hiking, biking or golfing without limits. Then it is Book Online time for the Nidum hotel lifestylehotels.net/ rule number 1: “GOOD nidum-hotel-seefeld FOOD, GOOD DRINKS, GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD TIMES. Life’s too short for anything less.” In the 3 restaurant areas, the Nidum kitchen crew is strongly committed to serving guests the exquisite delights they deserve. As a starter, the gourmet can best enjoy an aperitif on the sun terrace or in the cool champagne bar.

57

3

1.500

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

people in hotels

theo hofherr

A PA R T H O T E L

PURE LERMOOS

loves taking a bath under the starry sky – and sweets.

personalities Hostess Photo: Rupert Mühlbacher

Host & Chef

christl baumgartner

MASTER OF SWEETS Theo Hofherr knows how to enjoy life and how to spoil his guests. Twelve years in Switzerland have prepared the chef and pastry chef for his masterpiece: Now he has returned to his home country, and has been Manager of the Aparthotel Pure

welcomes the guests of Gourmet- & Boutique Hotel Tanzer with open arms.

FROM COUNTRY INN TO GOURMET HOTEL Hard to believe that this charming woman once threatened her husband Hans that she would not marry him if he took over the local country inn, which has now blossomed into the gourmet and boutique hotel. “As a young worker in other busi­ nesses, I saw that there was no family life there. And I didn’t want it.” But the two got married anyway, and dedicated plenty of time to their family near the exquisite hotel and restaurant. Two of their four children liked this life so much that they

BOUTIQUEHOTEL

Owner

TA N Z E R

Photo: Rene Roller

I T A LY SOUTH TYROL / ISSING Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ hotel-tanzer-issing

It comes as no surprise that Kalcher doesn’t have a favourite suite. “If I wanted to cele­brate with friends, I would choose the 300-m2 villa; if I were alone with my wife, I would opt for one of the Premium suites near the aqarium.” Although the only fish the “Aqarium” deals with is the Innviertel brook trout in honey mustard you can enjoy there ...

THE PERFECTION OF SMALL THINGS “The subject of privacy was the backbone of all design considerations at the Geinberg5“, Manager Manfred Kalcher explains. The result: Five-star villas, resting on top of the Innviertel hill like the refined decoration of

Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ pure-lermoos

to Limoncello raspberries –, and creates his own cakes and still loves to prepare the desserts in elaborate presentations him­ self. “I also indulge in a slice of cake every day, especially the hotel’s own cake with Swiss stone pine schnapps and caramel.”

While we’re on the subject of indulgence: When Hofherr goes on holiday himself, he is drawn to thermal baths in the winter and to Lake Aachen or Lake Lucerne in the summer. “Relaxation is what I care about the most.”

P R I VA T E S P A V I L L A S

a dessert. Each of the 21 suites breathes the spirit of elegance: Refined designer furni­ ture and luxurious textiles, finished with charming details. A spa area with a glazed sauna – together with a panoramic view of the otherwise secluded bathing bay and the outdoor whirlpool with thermal water.

Absolute privacy, paired with the service of a five-star hotel.

GOURMET- &

AUSTRIA TYROL / LERMOOS

G E I N B E R G 5

feels at home in five-star hotels.

work here too today: Melanie in marketing and at reception and Hannes as a chef de cuisine. All those who work at the Tanzer still sit down and have lunch together at eleven thirty – family as well as employees.

This convivial atmosphere is passed on to the guests. They can feel that people are the main focus here. And of course the fine dining ... For the restaurant in the Tanzer is one of South Tyrol’s top spots. Senior chef Hans once earned an award with regionally inspired nouvelle cuisine, and his son Hannes now gives the evening 5-course menu an international touch.

PLACE OF STRENGTH WITH A GARDEN Christl Baumgartner finds the energy for long working days in nature, or by losing herself in a book. She also likes to relax on her south-facing balcony. The hotel itself is so enchanting – and the picturesque garden, crossed by a brook, gives it even more charm. “This is a place of strength after all, so close to the Issing village church.”

Christl Baumgartner would like to work a couple more years in the family business, and then hand the hotel over to the chil­ dren and travel around with her husband, especially to Norway and Sweden. What makes a holiday perfect for you? “A nice bed, enough water from the shower and good food.” Exactly what she provides for her guests.

TAKING MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS Hofherr spends most of his time in the kitchen of his 180 ˚ restaurant, where here creates the finest delicacies from Tyrolean to Moroccan specialities to vegan crea­ tions based on regional products. “I love preparing sweet things the most”, Hofherr confesses, who produces the pralines of the season himself – from baked apple nougat

manfred kalcher

Photos Geinberg 5 : SPA Resort Therme Geinberg 5; Photos Pure Lermoos: Daniel Zangerl

PRAC T I SE D C OR DIA L I T Y At the Tanzer, your vacation and relaxation begins as soon as you meet the senior chef Christl Baumgartner. She still puts her heart and soul into her work in the family business, even after 37 years. “I wouldn’t want to swap my job with anyone. Where else would I have the freedom to climb mountains with guests after preparing the breakfast?” She then returns full of energy from the mountains and nature. And for the most part, emphasises Baumgartner, who is responsible for reception, the service for house guests and the decora­ tion in the hotel, she deals with cheerful people at work. If not, worried faces will always find a sympathetic ear with Christl Baumgartner. Many have come as regular guests for years, and, since the rooms were refur­bished three years ago, many new people have also discovered the Tanzer.

Lermoos and owner of the 180 ˚ restaurant since July 2016. The 37-year-old here brings local authenticity to the Dutch investors’ project. “Pure Lermoos’ unique feature is freedom. Each guest can decide how many services they want to book and how much privacy they wish for in the apartments and chalets.” The apartments impress with spacious rooms and mostly also with an unparalleled view of the Zugspitze. In which one would Hofherr prefer to live?

“In top 11”, he replies without hesitation.

“The sloping roofs and the open panoramic roof truss give the apartment an unparal­ leled atmosphere. You can lie in the bath and look at the starry sky through the skylight ...”

LUXURY & COMFORT “It is the perfection of small things that cre­ ates luxury and comfort”, Kalcher stresses.­ And he knows what he’s talking about: After attending the hotel management school in Bad Gleichenberg, working at the Salzburg castle of Klessheim and studying at the Vienna University of Economics, he has exclusively worked in the five-star sec­ tor. From the Imperial in Vienna and Hyatt International at various Asian locations to

AUSTRIA U P P E R - A U S T R I A / GEINBERG

Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ geinberg5-private-spa-villas

the Balance Resort in Stegersbach. What is his aim as Manager of the Geinberg 5 ?

“Constant improvement. And always maintaining this strive also in the team”.

When Kalcher goes on holiday himself, he spends his time in the most peaceful way possible “with people I’m close to – with my family or with very good friends”.

Here he reads historical novels or goes diving in warm countries. Soon in Papua New Guinea.

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The Stylemate

A SYNERGY OF SHAPES AND COLOURS

Issue No 01 | 2018

We are Elisabeth Böck and Cornelia Pichler, two open-minded, inquisitive women who couldn’t be more different.

But, as the saying goes, opposites attract and develop their true beauty through that contrast. Together, we are womanly, and we write about lifestyle, fashion, design, travel, architecture, cuisine, beauty and – as our name suggests – interesting women. Together with LIFESTYLEHOTELS, we discover exciting places and meet special people who give us entertaining details about their lives. And we would like to share these with you.

our date womanly.blog

Wever & Ducré teamed up with renowned designer Marcello Ziliani, who created an eclectic collection of luminaires.

The lapels of men’s jackets served as a model for the diffusers’ shape.

The lamp body is composed of a single piece of injection-moulded polycarbonate. Inspired by delicate linens, the surface texture is achieved by a complex, cutting-edge laser technology. Available in a variation of colours and metal finishes, REVER provides every room with an elegant yet warm atmosphere.

Follow us on

with silke seemann,

Photos: womanly

h a l l s tat t h i d e away h o t e l i è r e

&

h o l i day r e g i on

dachstein salzkammergut

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

The road is supposedly the reward – and this proves to be true during our winter excursion to Hallstatt.

womanly.blog

We explore the region of Dachstein Salzkammergut, where even James Bond saved his loved one on a noble mission. We calmly drive through snow-capped villages – searching for nature and authentic conviviality, far from the urban hustle and bustle and the grey high-rise buildings. The region of Dachstein Salzkammergut, with its mountains, lakes and caves, is a popular summer destination, but it is in the winter that it really comes into its own, revealing a successful combination of impressive nature, host charm, open fireplaces and local delicacies. Places such as Bad Aussee, Altaussee and Bad Goisern exude a pleasant down-to-earth quality with­out appearing old-fash­ ioned. This is where tradition lives, while being interpreted in a modern way and charmingly introduced to foreign cultures. As we stop along the way to take a few pictures, fresh snow crunches under our feet, the glowing sun blinds us and the dark

blue sky creates the perfect backdrop for the white rooftops, the rustic wooden huts and the wide pastures stretching before us like a white sea. We then proceed to the natural monument of lake Gosausee, the “Eye of God”, in which the majestic Dachstein reflects itself. Although it’s freezing cold, we linger on the shore for a few minutes and admire the unique panorama. Little by little we find inner peace, and the wish to capture these forces of nature on our cameras gradu­ally fades away, as nothing can beat the real experience.

The Dachstein towers over the lake.

It is awe-inspiring and alluring at the same time – a mystical witness of by­ gone eras, watching over everything.

The desire to conquer it rises – except maybe in another season and with appropriate footwear.

When we arrive in Hallstatt, not only do we leave our car behind, but also our sense of time. People don’t rush here, they only recharge their bat­ teries. The village on Lake Hallstatt appears to us in perfect sunlight with magnificent architecture from another time. Hundreds of years ago, the “White Gold”, or salt, seemed to enable things which still hold true today. Because, due to the time of year, we can’t visit the Salzwelten, the oldest salt mine in Europe, or the ice caves in Obertraun, we must settle for the lowlands, which are however just as charming and hold small surprises.

The walk along the Seestraße turns out to be relaxing for body and mind, and puts some colour on our cheeks.

A white ship approaches. The old man near us explains to us proudly that Lake Hallstatt is the only lake in Europe to offer shipping all year round, operated by the same family

for 50 years. You can see how dura­ bility is a virtue here, and change either happens at walking pace or never. That’s a comfortable feeling, coming from a world shaped by acceleration and by a multi-tasking culture. Time is taken for granted here, and things that are not here are not missed. Like lifts. Since Hallstatt, together with the Dachstein and the Salzkammergut, was named a UNESCO world heritage site, houses must be renovated in a way that must ensure the protection of historical buildings and monuments, which automatically excludes many forms of moderni­sation.

INTERVIEW WITH

DR. SILKE SEEMANN Dr. Silke Seemann is a business woman, economist and researcher. German-born Silke Seemann lives in Bad Ischl and runs a guesthouse in Hallstatt. She also teaches at the universities of Salzburg and Innsbruck and works as an organisation consultant and coach. She is working on a tourism strategy for the Federal Ministry and also led the blockchain workshop on tourism.

When we arrive at our accommo­ dation, the Hallstatt Hideaway, the charm of the guesthouse in bou­ tique-hotel style casts a spell over us. Heavy wooden doors, thick stone floors and cosy fabrics give you the impression you have arrived in a place where things are just right for you. We get the feeling of “a home away from home” when we are given our spacious suites, taking us to the forest and to the sky. What more could you want? The rooms radiate warmth – paired with noble design and high-quality materials, but what is truly breath-taking is the view over the snow-covered rooftops and the deep blue lake, surrounded by majestic mountain ranges. We already know that we will feel very much at home here.

Our host, Dr. Silke Seemann, receives us in one of the luxurious apart­ ments. The entrepreneur and tourism expert tells us candidly about her experiences and learning processes related to the hotel and catering industry, and how she thinks things will be in the future. She also reveals that she still has a lot planned, giving us a brief insight into how this place will be enhanced in the future.

What is the most important thing when you undertake a hotel project?

SEEMANN: A carefully designed concept and a focused strategy. This concept is always formed within a team with different stakeholders, and trends, i.e. global social changes, must be taken into account here.

We live in a networked society, which means that our business can be affected by any development. One must think at various levels and not stick to old paradigms. Those who are stuck in tradition, instead of lovingly connecting it to the future through digitalisation, have lost. Our motto is digitalisation with passion.

We study all processes to see whether they are considered part of a network and we adapt the organisation. So we bid farewell to hierarchy and tradi­ tional professions. The hotel industry must be constantly reinvented!

Photo: Viorel Munteanu

You say that Hallstatt can only be preserved through intelligently operated tourism. How would you define this?

SEEMANN: For me it’s integrative tourism, where the place and the quality of life are preserved for the locals. For example, I will soon be

Photo: Kraft.Hallstatt

Photo: Viorel Munteanu

Photo: Seemann

Photo: womanly

opening a corner shop offering a healthy selection with an emphasis on fresh local products, far from the tourist fast food selection. If you want a smoothie, you can’t find one here. So I will provide these products in the corner shop and therefore cre­ ate general added value for everyone.

With us, Hallstatt residents receive fresh fruit and vegetables in mini­ mum quantities and in organic qual­ ity. Guests and schoolchildren can enjoy a freshly made stew made from regional products for lunch. With the Hallstatt Hideaway Mountain, which I’m planning next, we ensure that the locals obtain a popular local recreation area, and that a green area is provided for international guests.

Houses in Hallstatt town centre need renovation work, which could not be carried out without the money from our international guests. We are sharing the beauty of this gem in the Alps with our guests and therefore ensuring that future generations can also enjoy the magic of the extraordinary architecture and location of this place.

What must we learn today?

SEEMANN: With the realisation that artificial intelligence will relieve us of many routine duties in the near future and that our world is drama­ tically changing even in the most remote corners of the world, it is becoming essential to train deeply human abilities which we still don’t master. Especially in the hotel indus­ try, it is crucial to train the ability of empathy and of adaptation. The power of the heart and the gift to practise it are significantly more important than specialist knowledge. This does not mean that it’s not necessary to be able to code, but artificial intelligence can do much better where feelings are not involved. The connection between heart and brain is what dis­ tinguishes us as human beings, and this must be trained in all aspects.

Complex thinking with heart energy and robustness to surprise, the abi­ lity to adapt quickly, distinguishes the best of the best.

Photo: Hallstatt Hideaway

What target have you set yourself for this year?

SEEMANN: My team will grow this year. We are creating a greater var­iety of duties – and chances to learn and grow. We are creating new expe­ riences and places for our guests, where they can find relax­ation, in­spi­ration and peace. So we are up­cycling a typical 70s mountain inn and breathing new life into it. We are preserving its authentic charm and integrating it with current expecta­ tions of a place which not only opens up beautiful views but also profound insights. A coworking space and a learning arena (instead of a boring seminar area) will complete the range in the new few years. We will consistently digitalise the hotel, like the Hallstatt Hideaway, and make it cash-free – transparent in every aspect. The guests will find a team which is not distracted by routine work but entirely at the customer’s service. We will also start with the above described corner shop.

We are motivated by the desire to preserve and make use of the Salz­ kammergut in its every little detail, so that our guests, the locals and our employees can experience what makes a fulfilled life.

Photo: Hallstatt Hideaway

Photo: womanly

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

Issue No 01 | 2018

NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS Valleys and vineyards idyllically stretch around the city. Perfect to cruise around in a classy Daimler ...

100 % car fun

STUTTGART Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ v8-hotel-superior

... or Porsche, before venturing into the heart of MOTORWORLD Stuttgart, the design hotel V8 Classic, its brand-new big brother, the V8 Hotel Superior, and the legendary car showroom.

The blending of a cool modern look with retro at the V8 Hotel Superior already captivates PS aficionados. At the lobby, you pass by super old-timers to check-in at 153 design rooms, of which there are 16 themed, and various apartments. The wide range caters to each individual need. Want to be sporty and British? Please take your bed in the Jaguar XJ2.S or in the British Racing room. Or perhaps you like the French street café? S’il vous plaît, step in­ side the noble chassis of the Citroen DS or

SUPERIOR

in the rooms Vive la France or Le Mans. Or would you prefer to stay local? The S-Class

by Mercedes stands for luxurious comfort and the best quality, recreated in Made in Germany. You can relax in the panoramic sauna of the SPA in the V8 or train in the fitness room. Finally, everyone looks for­ ward to the gastro cylinders of the V8: Along with the restaurant Pick-Up, V8-Bar and Da Signora, the Steakhouse Tower 66, the house brewery Wichtel, the cooking academy and Foodport Check Inn guaran­tee excellent culinary delights. Later, 2.10m long and elevated box spring beds, very long down duvets and multi-chamber pillows guarantee the highest sleeping comfort in all 16 themed rooms.

heavenly place Deep blue sea at your feet, emerald green forest behind you – and above the golden sun in the gulf of Naples and the Sorrento peninsula: it is no surprise that the 11 suites of the Relais Blu lifestyle hotel shine in the best light in exquisite Mediterranean style with elaborate details. This is the true Dolce Vita at your fingertips – like in a luxu­rious bath of the Special Sea View suites incl. a heavenly sea view. But you can also enjoy the other suites – spacious window fronts bring the hotel’s own gar­ den full of olive trees, flowers, spices and herbs into the room like the idyllic Capri, which is just a stone’s throw – or perhaps a dolphin’s leap – away from the coast.

MONTEFOLLONICO Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ follonico-siena

Photos: Relais Blu; Lendhotel: Gregor Titze

Tramonto – and 2 White Essential rooms.

The rooms have a natural fragrance, the interior is modest, beautiful and painted according to the season. From the suites, you can walk directly from the separate front doors to the vines, flowers and pure free nature!

I T A LY

This is not at all surprising, as the patron Helmut Marko is not only an experienced hotelier, but also a passionate art collector and, in any case, a Red Bull racing legend: With the Lendhotel, Helmut Marko hotels opened their third hotel in Graz in 2017.

Fresh, bold and urban on the outside, over 100 contemporary exhibits from all over the world are collected inside. The art and the stylish furniture give the entire hotel an open and free sense of space – pep and inspiration in 53 rooms. With their classifi­ cation into standard, medium and large, all with king-size beds, they are favourably located – also proven by the Cultural, Lend and Extended packages.

either as a starter pack or à-la-carte, provides the energy boost you need for a quick start to your day. In The Lend – Kitchen and Bar you can have a bite to eat until 10:30 a.m. during the week and until 12:00 p.m. at weekends. Gourmet food can be found in the restaurant of the Lendhotel, which serves the traditional Danish dish Smørrebrød or quinoa bowls to guests and onlookers. From 12 to 9 p.m., 7 dishes from salmon to beef tartar to loveshock are pure delight – under giant butterfly lampshades.

Those who want to keep fit can elegantly burn calories in the gym on the top floor.

Or you can enjoy the panoramic view of the Schlossberg (castle hill), the Schöckl or the Plabutsch from the roof terrace.

You can tell by the vibrant life around the hotel, that it is situated in one of the most charming spots of Graz. The motto for the Lendhotel goes: Take a stroll, the city is near!

Baked goods, fruits and vegetables are freshly acquired from the legendary farmer’s market barely 100 m away. So breakfast,

FOLLONICO

T U S C A N Y /

Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ lendhotel

HOTEL

Is there a place in idyllic Tuscany where everything is even more picturesque, and even more Tuscan?

Via the panoramic pergola you can reach the largest suite, Blu Notte. Its impressive fireplace ignites a romantic fire. On the balcony, countryside lovers let their gaze wander across the meadows and vineyards to the church of San Biagio. The spirit relaxes, the soul takes a deep breath. Per­ haps later you can head to Montepulciano or Montichiello, maybe to Sant’Antimo and Siena.

AUSTRIA STYRIA / GRAZ

LEND

Photos: Follonico; V8 Hotel Superior: Frank Hoppe

Original Tuscan furniture conjures a flair of authenticity in the 4 suites – Blu Notte, Alba Chiara, Verde Intenso and Rosso

hotel with an initial spark

GERMANY

HOTEL

Yes, there is: in Follonico near Montepul­ ciano. The hosts Suzanne and Fabio invested a lot of passion and endurance in creating an elegant home from an old fattoria.

Their “slow”sophy approach describes a way of living which is not artificial, but which breathes with the rhythm of nature, soulfully committed to environment and rural heritage – without any stress. For instance, when the sun rises over the won­ derful landscape and you can enjoy your breakfast, which is freshly made from the hosts’ garden.

If there was a rating in Graz for the best combination of hotel, art and location, then the Lendhotel would certainly be one of the favourites.

B A D E N - W Ü R T T E M B E R G /

V8

pure tuscany

23

The Stylemate

The absolute dream location on the Amalfi coast, pure elegance and the finest cuisine truly make the Relais Blu a place for goddesses – and of course also for gods too!

RELAIS BLU Blissful – in the true sense of the word – is the view from the Infinity Pool: Pool, sea and sky blend into an endless strip of blue. Salvatore Acampora, owner of the Relais Blu, loves the culinary delicacies of the Mediterranean region and brings them to you here. His elegant restaurant stands out for its traditional Neapolitan cuisine as well as its international dishes. Masterchef Roberto Allocca, who was selected the Best Chef of Italy in 2011 and earned his first Michelin star in 2014, came to work here in 2013. Gourmets who are not staying at the hotel are also welcome from Tuesday to Sunday.

I T A LY CA M PA N I A / M A S S A LUBRENSE Book Online lifestylehotels.net/ relais-blu-amalfi

world 24

The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

harry’s

gallery

In the 1/2018 edition of the National Geo­ graphic Traveler, a picture of the Murinsel in Graz, designed by the New York archi­ tect Vito Acconci, covers two whole pages.

Harry’s reaction: “It’s crazy!”

Days of flying, the heat at the edge of volcanic craters, the thin air in the Hima­ layas, the hardships of the African steppe, the mortal danger in civil-war stricken countries ...

Nevertheless, we think that Harry Schiffer’s pictures of the world are amazing. Even if he rarely sells them. And this certainly doesn’t hold him back:

The world photographer Harry Schiffer celebrated his 50th birthday on a sand dune in the Jordanian desert. With a photo, of course.

HARRY SCHIFFER Harry Schiffer from Graz became a photographer because he wanted to take photos of the world. But he is especially successful with pictures from his home town. Very successful.

at t h e t op A picture goes around the world: the Murinsel/Mur­island in Graz by Vito Acconci (2016) on t h e l e f t The dunes of the Jordanian desert, where Harry Schiffer celebrated his birthday (2017) at t h e bo t t om Senj in the bay of Kvarner (Croatia 2015)

at t he t op elephants under the sky of Kenya (2016) on t he le f t fishermen on a beach in the Philippines (2014) at t he bot t om the Damakil Depression (Ethiopia 2009)

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

nice to have

das floss der medusa

rever collection

prison & chain

Sportalm

R E A DI NG [T H E RA F T OF T H E M E DU SA ]

18. JULY 1816: Off the west coast of Africa, the captain of the Argus discovers a raft which is about 20 metres long. What he sees on it makes his blood run cold: 15 emaciated figures, hollow eyes, parched lips, hair stiff from the salt, burned skin full of wounds and blisters.

They are the last of 147 people who survived two weeks in the open sea after the sinking of the frigate Medusa. Since there was not enough room in the lifeboats, they were abandoned. This historically documented story is the preamble of Franzobel’s epochal novel, aiming at the core of human existence.

How high is the price of survival?

Zsolnay Verlag 592 pages ISBN/EAN978-3-552-05816-3 EUR 26,80 Available in bookstores

TA BL EWA R E

Bar Albert SNACK DELUX E

GE MS

Wever & Ducré A SYNERGY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW Wever & Ducré teamed up with renowned designer Marcello Ziliani and together they created a decorative collection of luminaires.

The lapels of men’s jackets from the late 1950ies and the early 1960ies served as inspi­ ration, still they don’t appear cagey. Sounds tempting? Then you will be glad to hear, that you can purchase your very own REVER lamp in a variety of colours and finishes.

You can either put it in your private lobby and – of course – it fits perfectly into every hotel room.

www.weverducre.com/contact

star eye

WI N E R E C OM M E N DAT ION

I N T ERIOR

Franzobel

zweigelt girmer reserve

vintage sardines

The highlight of this fashionable piece of jewellery is the sophisticatedly incorpo­ rated deer covered with small stones on the centre front.

Link necklace PRISON € 59.00 Link bracelet CHAIN € 39.00 Also available in the online shop at www.sportalm.at

K+K Kirnbauer Zweigelt-GIRMER reserve Deep ruby-red Zweigelt from our oldest vineyard; aged in barriques from local forests, violet reflexes, sweet nose, evokes rum-coconut, chocolatey with soft tannins, long-lasting.

Grape variety: 100 % Zweigelt Vinification: Fermentation in stainless steel, biological acid reduction in barrique Soil: heavy loam Location: Hochbaum (over 60-year-old vineyard) Closure: Natural cork Drinkable: 10 – 15 years Drinking temperature: 17 °C

L A PER L E DES DI EUX , 2013 Who says that only wine improves with age?

The trend spreading from Portugal, Spain and France to Austria says something quite different! They are the finest sardines, stored in high-quality olive oil, and maturing for years in cans beautifully designed by artists. Until the small fish develop their great flavour. Tip: the vintage year 2013 from the fish house La Perle des Dieux!

www.bar-albert.at www.laperledesdieux.com

Gucci Metal tray by Gucci Décor. A homage to the new logo of Gucci Garden, which symbolises the connection of the building to the universe and the door to the soul at the same time.

Diameter approx. 33 centimetres Around EUR 550 Available at www.gucci.com

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

couture

29

The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

HAUTE

food

food

cin cin

& cuisine

Photo: Alice Jessica North/Creative Commons

A neon eye shines mysteriously from the façade of Palazzo Mercanzia, designed

by Gucci’s Creative Director Alessandro Michele, which completes the 14 crests of arts on the façade with the new symbol of Guccification. In the Palazzo in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria, hedonism is in good hands, as Gucci’s fashion temple is located near the Gucci Osteria: the “Gucci Garden Galleria“. Guccification, Paraphernalia, Cosmorama, Cinema da Camera, De Rerum Natura and Ephemera are the rooms’ codes, where the style-conscious can find special editions of shoes, bags, brocade coats or silver bomber jackets along with precious plates and bowls. With this new interactive “garden”, the luxury label brings a breath of fresh air to the former head­ quarters of the Commercial Court. Fashion, antiques, books, ephemera, contemporary art and eclectic pieces from fashion archives dating back as far as 1921, the year the label was founded, can be found on the second floor. The Osteria is located on the ground floor.

MAG. FLORENTINA WELLEY mainly writes about her favourite subjects for the KURIER Freizeit: Fashion and travel mixed with a pinch of lifestyle in the web 2.0 era and social responsibility.

O S T ERIA GUCCI Is the motto of our time emblazoned in golden letters on the ceiling of the luxu­ rious Osteria of the Palazzo, built in 1337?

The “La Canzona de’ sette pianeti” is a song of joy dedicated to Venus and life. So diners at the Osteria of “Gucci Garden” also pay homage to Lorenzo il Magnifico, patron of the arts, who wrote the above carnival song in 1490. It comes as no surprise that only one of the best chefs in the world is allowed to cook in the creative luxury kitchen, namely Massimo Bottura, famous for his Osteria Francescana in Modena.

“Because we constantly travel the world, our cuisine reflects everything we see, hear and taste”, Bottura says, “we search with open eyes for the astonishing and the extra­ordinary.” And what does the threestar chef serve? On the menu, you can find cult Italian dishes such as the typical tradi­ tional dish Parmigiano Reggiano tortellini or mushroom risotto.

Then it continues with tostadas and pork belly in bread towards Mexico and street food from Peru, prepared by the Colom­ bian chef Ana Karim Lopez Kondo, wife of Bottura’s sous chef Taka Kondo. “Florence has been a melting pot of cultures since the Renaissance; we therefore have the oldest beef variety, the Chianina beef, on the menu, which was already enjoyed by the Etruscans”, the chef says. His dishes named after the artist Lucio Fontana are well-known. Will his famous dessert “Oops! I dropped the lemon tart!” be on the menu of the Osteria?

“Food must speak to your heart”, the cult chef says, “my restaurant is a type of laboratory of ideas.” This is why in 2012, Bot­ tura cooked Parmesan by the ton with his risotto “cacio e pepe“. At the time, 300,000 cheese loaves had broken during the earthquake in Emilia Romagna. Everyone imitated him until the Parmesan was sold out. Real luxury is even preparing dishes from leftover food. And the founder of the “Food for Soul not-for-profit” project has incidentally done this in his temporary reffettorios for those in need until today.

hot el t ip Home Hotel Florence (see page 13). onl ine www.gucci.com/us/en/ store/osteria-bottura

Photos: Frankowitsch

Massimo Bottura

The Museo Gucci in Florence now includes the Gucci Garden and the Osteria Gucci.

Here, Massimo Bottura serves astonishing and extraordinary dishes.

Some locations simply are and remain good – even over decades. For example, this is the case for Harrys in Venice. Or for Gilli in Florence. It doesn’t matter if the weather plays up or the stock market has a crisis, or your career or your marriage is in dire straits – you can save yourself here and all is right with the world again, at least for a couple of hours. There’s nothing else you need to find a new lease of life and to fearlessly face any adversities. But these refuges for body and soul are not only in bella italia, but also a little further north – in the centre of charming Graz.

Photos: Gucci; Welley: Gilbert Novy

“Food must speak to your heart.”

HAUTE

The FRANKOWITSCH at the heart of the old town of Graz stands for legendarily exquisite open sandwiches – and it has for decades. There were and still are today 40 varieties, one better than the other, constantly refined with great finesse (... most recently, vegans are also exqui­ sitely indulged). Add a glass of Prosecco, a small beer or a wonderful Morillon – this is what they call the Chardonnay in Styria. A place like this is already extremely enjoyable.

SUPER C O OL AN D VERY, VERY ST YL I SH But it has become super cool and very, very stylish since last year, when the FRANKOWITSCH got its own temporary BAR CAMPARI. From noon, you can find Aperitivo culture at its finest here: Even the ambience is reinvigorating in Campari red (architecture: Gerd Zehetner, design: Laura Karasinski), and the excellent Aperi­ tivos (bartender: Christian Ebert) of course play their part too. A Campari Soda – the latter from one of 3 original Milanese soda machines in Austria –, a formidable Grand Tonic or a Campari Milano (mint, cran­ berry, Prosecco and Campari) always make you hungry for more. Because it’s always

nice outside in Graz, the picturesque Stempfergasse soon turns into a Campari Bar in Medi­terranean style. A leisurely aperitif obviously calls for a proper accompaniment. The antipasti served in the BAR CAMPARI meet even the highest standards: The FRANKOWITSCH naturally was and is one of the top Graz destinations when it comes to delicacies. Vulcano ham from East Styria, Parma ham from San Daniele,cheese specialities from Austria, Italy and France – those who want to treat themselves or do something special for their loved ones, or their dear companions, were and are best served at the FRANKOWITSCH. It goes without staying that not only connoisseurs of savoury delicacies get their money’s worth in this small and fine pleasure temple, since the FRANKOWITSCH also stands for patisserie at its finest. Uncompromising quality – sadly only until September, as the BAR CAMPARI is temporary. So don’t miss it! www.frankowitsch.at

The Graz pleasure temple Frankowitsch now invites you to the BAR CAMPARI.

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The Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2018

Issue No 01 | 2018

DIRECTORY LIFESTYLEHOTELS

AU S T R I A

DIRECTORY LIFESTYLEHOTELS

GERMANY

Das Kronthaler Wildkogel Resorts – Das Wildkogel FISS Alpslodge Life.Style.Hotel.Fiss FISS Hotel Gebhard FUEGEN Alpina Zillertal family.lifestyle.hotel GASCHURN Montafon Lodge Luxury Lodgehotel und Spa GEINBERG Geinberg 5 Private Spa Villas GRAZ Augarten Art Hotel GRAZ Lendhotel GRAZ Roomz Graz GROSSARL Hotel Nesslerhof HALLSTATT Hallstatt Hideaway INNSBRUCK – KUEHTAI Jagdschloss Kühtai ISCHGL/KAPPL Hotel Zhero Ischgl Kappl KALTENBACH Das Kaltenbach LAENGENFELD Naturhotel Waldklause LECH AM ARLBERG Berghotel Sonnblick LERMOOS Pure Lermoos LEOGANG Puradies MARIA ALM Hotel Eder MAYRHOFEN ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat MOESERN Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel OBERGURGL Hotel The Crystal OBERTAUERN Hotel Panorama Obertauern SAALBACH HINTERGLEMM Alpin Juwel SAALBACH HINTERGLEMM Thomsn-Rock.Hotel SALZBURG STADT Arthotel Blaue Gans SALZBURG STADT Hotel & Villa Auersperg SCHLADMING Stadthotel Brunner SEE IM TAL PAZNAUN Hotel Weisses Lamm SERFAUS Alfa Hotel SOELDEN Bergland Hotel Sölden UDERNS Sportresidenz Zillertal VIENNA Hollmann Beletage VIENNA Hotel Das Tyrol VIENNA Hotel Schani Wien

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G R E AT B R I TA I N

Der Klosterhof Das Graseck HUSUM AN DER NORDSEE Thomas Hotel NUREMBERG Art&Business Hotel SANKT ENGLMAR Berghotel Maibrunn STUTTGART V8 Hotel STUTTGART V8 Hotel Superior TIMMENDORFER STRAND SAND TIMMENDORFER STRAND Hotel Seehuus

ACHENKIRCH

BAYERISCH GMAIN

LONDON

BRAMBERG

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

LONDON

Sanderson St Martin’s Lane

SWITZERLAND

Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa Hotel des Balances SAMNAUN Alpinlodge & Spa ZERMATT Hotel Matterhorn Focus ADELBODEN LUCERNE

I TA LY OTHERS

Hotel Tofana AMALFI COAST Casa Angelina BRIXEN Hotel Pupp CAMAIORE Locanda al Colle TIROLO NEAR MERANO Der Küglerhof FLORENCE Home Hotel Florence GAVORRANO Conti di San Bonifacio GSIES La Casies ISSING Gourmet & Boutiquehotel Tanzer LIVIGNO Hotel Larice MASSA LUBRENSE Relais Blu MONTEFOLLONICO Follonico RIMINI i-Suite SARDINIA La Coluccia Hotel VENICE LIDO Hotel Villa Pannonia ALTA BADIA

F RA NC E

PARIS PARIS PARIS

Hidden Hotel Hotel Felicien Hotel Odyssey AU S T R I A , F I S S Alpslodge Life.Style.Hotel.Fiss Page 8

Hotel Lemongarden UTMT – Underneath the Mango Tree HUNGARY, BUDAPEST Lanchid 19 CROATIA , SUTIVAN – BRAČ

SRI LANKA , DICKWELLA SOUTH

I TA LY, M O N T E F O L L O N I C O Follonico Page 22

P O R T UG A L

Vila Joya Quinta da Bela Vista LAGOS Vila Valverde ALBUFEIRA FUNCHAL

G E R M A N Y, S T U T T G A R T V8 Hotel Superior Page 22

S PA I N

AU S T R I A , M O E S E R N Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel Page 15

MALLORCA MALLORCA MALLORCA MALLORCA MALLORCA MALLORCA

Font Santa Hotel Hotel Can Simoneta Hotel Tres Hotel Zhero – Palma Convent de la Missio Pleta de Mar

I TA LY, I S S I N G Gourmet & Boutiquehotel Tanzer Page 16

AU S T R I A , L E R M O O S Apart Hotel Pure Lermoos Page 17

AU S T R I A , G RA Z Lendhotel Page 23

AU S T R I A , S O E L D E N Bergland Hotel Sölden Page 4

I TA LY, M A S S A L U B R E N S E Relais Blu Page 23

LIFESTYLEHOTELS Booking Benefits Best Price Guarantee Handpicked Hotels No Booking Fee Strict Policy Of Data Protection LIFESTYLEHOTELS.NET

AU S T R I A , G E I N B E R G Geinberg 5 Private Spa Villas Page 17

AU S T R I A , L E O G A N G PURADIES Hotel & Chalets Page 3

I M PRI N T Media Owner & Publisher: Prime Time Touristik & Marketing GmbH, Schmiedgasse 38/1, 8010 Graz.

Responsible for Content: Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger. Editor in Chief: Martin Novak. Managing Editor: DI(FH) Christin Maier-Erlach, Pia Unger, BA. Editors: Mag. Ursula Jungmeier-Scholz, Dr. Walter Hoch, Min Li. Cover-Photo: Johanna Bauer – LUMIKKI. Art Director: VON K Brand Design.

Printed by: Medienfabrik Graz, 8020 Graz. Publication in: Graz. Publication: 3 x yearly.

Hand-picked, independent and stylish hotels for design-oriented globetrotters.

Foto: Hotel Lemongarden

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