17.03.2022People and Stories

Maria Hauser, junior manager of the world-famous Stanglwirt in Tyrol, shares exciting insights into the 400-year-old family business


mafi meets Maria Hauser for an interview: junior manager and tenth generation of the family in the business. She gives us a look behind the scenes of the time-honored traditional company, which has grown from a cozy tavern into an authentic and innovative organic wellness resort.

"If it's supposed to impress it needs to have character."

Maria Hauser is the oldest daughter of Balthasar and Magdalena Hauser. After successfully completing her studies at the International College of Tourism & Hospitality in Australia and many years' experience as an event manager in the US, Maria has been responsible for marketing, PR and major events at the Stanglwirt since 2006.

We learn why Tyrolean hospitality will never go out of fashion and how reflecting on one's own roots and traditions contributes to a successful corporate culture.
"The incredibly high quality of mafi natural wood floors is also appreciated by our guests and contributes a great deal to the warm, homey feeling of our resort."
 
Maria Hauser on mafi natural wood floors

Individual interior design as a foundation for a unique success story

Is the Stanglwirt pursuing a special interior design path and is it making certain choices in the materials used?

Definitely, yes. The design is based on my father's very clear ideas and plans. Indeed, he has designed every bed and every armchair in the Stanglwirt himself. He creates all the details in his head and the result is a style that's clearly recognizable.

My father has set his own trend by building timeless designs marked with his own character and style. He's managed to make them all with his very own style.

When choosing materials, we rely on natural materials that create healthy living spaces. My father has always built with timeless designs and sustainable methods. He always wants to stay true to his roots and not waste anything.

He sticks to genuine Tyrolean authenticity and originality

Especially in hotels and restaurants, it is extremely important that they have their own palpable character. They shouldn't be interchangeable or comparable to the competition because they were built in essentially the same way. This requires a lot of thought, creativity, effort, and attention to detail from the owner/designer. But this is the only way to give your operation a distinct identity and character.

"If it's supposed to impress it needs to have character," Maria Hauser says, quoting Goethe.

After all, your authenticity is your business card and should reflect the personality of the host. That's what makes the difference. This is why family businesses stay ahead of the chains because this is the difference that guests sense.

Is that why guests feel so at home at the Stanglwirt?

Our guests have been telling us for decades: "This feels just like home."

That's why we've made that our slogan: "Feel at home." That's is the best way to describe the feeling when you are visiting the Stanglwirt.

The Stanglwirt and mafi natural wood floors share the same values of sustainability and a sense of tradition.

There are many parallels between mafi and the Stanglwirt: Both companies are family-run businesses that have embraced a sustainable and resource-conserving  philosophy from the outset, against every trend.

What steps is the Stanglwirt taking to actively contribute to environmental protection?

Conservation of resources, environmental protection, and sustainability have always been at the core of the Stanglwirt's philosophy. We were the first building bio hotel in Europe, producing the majority of our energy supply ourselves and growing most of our own food on our Stalwart’s organic farm.

We use a heat pump to save energy, our green roofs act as natural air conditioning, and there's much more. Wherever organic and sustainability make sense, we go for it 100%.

READ ALL ABOUT THE STANGLWIRT'S ORGANIC COMMITMENTS HERE: : GREEN VALUES

What's behind the term "bio" when you call yourselves a "biohotel?"


We are called a "biohotel" because of our organic or biological building philosophy.

At the Stanglwirt, we only have solid wood furniture and antibacterial natural wood floors, such as mafi's larch floors milled from sustainable forestry. We were already "organic" before this became a trend and before the association of biohotels was established.

The employee apartments with 154 units were also built in solid wood construction. An employee residence with such extensive biological building standards is certainly unique in Europe.

It was an important and valuable investment in our employees, who are very important to us.

"At home at the Stanglwirt" – from a cozy inn to an authentic organic wellness resort with over 2,500 m² of natural mafi flooring

What do you particularly appreciate about mafi natural wood floors, Ms. Hauser?

Of course, the entire philosophy behind natural wood, which fits perfectly with our philosophy. I believe that nowhere else is so much wood used as at the Stanglwirt. Even toilet lids and paper holders are made of wood, as a funny detail on the edge.

The incredibly high quality of mafi natural wood floors is also appreciated by our guests and contributes a great deal to the warm, homey feeling of our resort.

We take a close look at the philosophies and values of our partners pursue and whether they are in line with ours. And mafi was a clear yes from the beginning.

With a spirit of innovation and gratitude through these times of COVID

A glimpse into the recent past: the tourism business took a major hit with COVID 19. How did the Stanglwirt fare during this challenging time?

Of course, COVID has been a challenging time for tourism and, of course, the whole world. For us, the lockdowns were also a challenge and truly unique, as we hadn't shut down the Stanglwirt for almost 300 years.

In this respect, the pandemic has not only been history-making, but also a very special experience for us as a family and as a team.

We were particularly touched by the appreciation and loyalty of our regular guests and long-time employees during this time.

This mutual trust that we've built with our guests and employees over the decades and centuries was made particularly evident. And for that, we are deeply grateful.

The success story continues: genuine originality paired with heart and mind as guarantor for the next 400 years of success at the Stanglwirt

A glimpse into the future – where does the Stanglwirt see itself in the next 10 years, Ms. Hauser?

We have a lot of plans and ideas; my father is a walking encyclopedia of ideas with ideas for the next 200 years. Once you are a visionary, you are always a visionary, I think.

I follow his motto here: "Don't just say today that you want to do something; be able to say tomorrow that you did it."

So we can't reveal too much yet, but there will definitely be a lot going on.

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