Here, experience meets new ideas, time-honoured traditions meet change, and sometimes even differing visions of where their shared journey should lead. It is precisely this that constitutes a particular strength for the family: developing the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt without losing sight of its roots. In this interview, the Reiterer Mittelberger family explain what matters to them today, what genuine hospitality means to them, and why Vöran is far more than just the location of their hotel. It’s about family, change, responsibility and the question of what should remain as so much else evolves.
Two generations work under one roof at your business. How do you manage to combine different experiences, ideas and perspectives into a shared identity?
We do indeed have several generations working together – and with that, of course, different ideas and perspectives. It’s not always easy, but that is precisely where one of our strengths lies.
The older generation brings a wealth of experience and knows the establishment, its history and how it has developed over many years. The younger generation brings new ideas and a different perspective on things. We try to combine the two rather than pitting them against one another.
It is important to us that we talk to one another and remain open to each other’s ideas. Not every idea is put into practice straight away, but we listen to one another. This is how the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt continues to evolve, without us forgetting where our roots lie.
The Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt has had close ties with Vöran for generations. Which values have been preserved over the years, and which have had to change to ensure the business remains sustainable for the future?
Above all, what has remained is the personal service, the warmth and the connection to Vöran. We want our guests to feel truly welcome here, rather than simply booking a room.
At the same time, of course, a great deal has changed. Guests’ wishes and expectations have evolved, opportunities have changed, and we as a family also have different ideas about how we want to run the Oberwirt.
We have therefore continually developed our hotel – both in terms of its physical structure and our approach. For us, sustainability does not mean leaving everything old behind. Rather, it is about preserving what has stood the test of time whilst remaining open to new ideas.
As a member of the South Tyrolean Innkeepers’ Association “Südtiroler Gasthaus”, you embody the spirit of traditional inn culture. What does hospitality mean to you at a time when guests’ expectations are constantly changing?
For us, hospitality means, above all, being attentive and truly noticing the person standing in front of us. Every guest is different and has different wishes. It’s lovely when you can sometimes tell what someone needs before they have to ask for it.
Of course, expectations have changed and many things have become more personalised today. But the basic idea has remained the same for us: guests should feel at home here, be in good hands and want to come back again.
And for us, hospitality also means remaining personal and authentic. We don’t want to be an anonymous hotel, but a family-run business where you can feel the people behind it.
The Tschögglberg high plateau is not a place for quick stopover tourism. What opportunities does this special location offer for a family-run business, and what challenges does it present?
The very fact that people don’t just happen to drive through Vöran by chance is also a great opportunity for us. Anyone who comes to us is making a conscious choice to visit this place. Our guests are looking for peace and quiet, nature and a break from everyday life – and that is exactly what we can offer.
Of course, the location also brings its own challenges. We are not a place that people simply pass by. That’s why we have to show our guests what makes this special place so unique.
At the same time, it is essential for us to have an online presence and to convey our unique features authentically through our marketing. We want to specifically highlight the tranquillity, the intimate scale and the special atmosphere of the Tschögglberg high plateau, so that we attract the attention of people who are looking for precisely this kind of holiday.
Many guests today are looking for peace and a slower pace of life. Do you think that the high plateau offers people a different kind of holiday? What can a stay on the high plateau offer that a hotel in the valley cannot?
Yes, we’re convinced of that. Even the journey to Vöran slows things down a little. Once you’ve reached the top, you’re away from the hustle and bustle, yet still connected to the world.
For us, it’s all about the wide open spaces, the tranquillity and the view of the mountains. You can set off on a walk straight from the hotel, with nature right on your doorstep and all around you.
In the morning, you can simply step outside, take a deep breath and immerse yourself in the landscape. You don’t have to be constantly doing something. The high plateau gives you the chance to reconnect with yourself and take a slightly slower approach to your holiday.
Many of the decisions you make to take responsibility for the environment and people aren’t immediately visible to guests. Which change at the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt has made the biggest difference in day-to-day life, even if it’s barely noticeable to guests?
For us, responsibility begins in our day-to-day work. It is often not the big things that make the huge difference, but many small decisions: using energy and water more consciously, not wasting resources unnecessarily, using regional produce, and constantly questioning our processes.
Guests often don’t even notice much of this. But that is precisely what matters to us. A more sustainable offering doesn’t always have to be visible or spectacular. It should become second nature in everyday life and be thought out for the long term.
Regional cuisine thrives on the people behind it. Which local producers or partnerships have a particular influence on the cuisine at the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt restaurant, and why?
We place great importance on working with people from the region whom we know personally and trust. For us, it’s wonderful when we’re not just buying a product, but also know who’s behind it and the passion with which it’s produced.
That said, it’s not about us obsessively sourcing everything locally. What matters most to us are quality, provenance and a good working relationship with our suppliers. Where it makes sense, we source products from South Tyrol and our immediate surroundings.
We also want to convey this connection between our cuisine, the regional produce and the people behind it to our guests. For us, good food is just as much a part of South Tyrol as the landscape and the people who live and work here.
A family business continues to evolve with each generation. Is there an idea from the younger generation that took some courage to implement at first but has now proved a success?
I believe the biggest change was that we dared to rethink the Oberwirt step by step.
Particularly in a family business with a long history, change is always a matter of courage. You don’t simply want to change what has been built up over generations, but to carry it forward.
The further development of our hotel, particularly in the area of wellness and our focus on relaxation and slowing down, was therefore an important step. Today we realise that this combination of our history, modern quality and the tranquillity of the location suits us very well.
Many guests today are looking not just for accommodation, but for a connection to the place. How do you manage to make Vöran and the Tschögglberg high plateau part of the holiday experience?
For us, it starts on a very personal level. We love telling our guests about Vöran, giving tips on walks and special spots, and recommending things you might not necessarily find in a guidebook.
A lot of it simply comes up in conversation. If a guest wants to know where to go for a lovely walk, which hike is particularly suitable on a certain day, or where there’s a special view, we’re happy to share our personal experiences.
We want our guests not just to stay in Vöran, but to really get to know the place. For us, the landscape, the people, the traditions and the tranquillity of the Tschögglberg high plateau are just as much a part of a holiday as our hotel itself.
If you were to describe the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt without using numbers, room categories or special offers, what three qualities would best define your hotel?
Warm. Personal. Genuine.
Warm, because we love looking after our guests.
Personal, because we’ve remained a family-run business and direct contact is important to us. And genuine, because we don’t want to try to be anything other than what we are.
What would be a sign for you that the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt will remain exactly what it is today in the future: a vibrant part of Vöran?
For us, it would be lovely if the Oberwirt continued to be a place with which the people of Vöran and the surrounding area feel a connection. A place where people come for a meal, a coffee, a chat, or simply because they feel at home here.
At the same time, we hope that our guests don’t just see Vöran as a holiday destination, but truly develop a connection to our village and to the Tschögglberg high plateau.
If the Oberwirt can continue to develop whilst still remaining part of Vöran, if locals and guests come together here and we can keep our doors open to both in the future, then that would be a wonderful sign for us. After all, a family business can and must change. But it should not forget its roots in the process.
When you think about the history of your family and the Hotel Restaurant Oberwirt: What would you like to preserve, and what would you like to pass on to the next generation?
For us, the Oberwirt is not just a hotel, but a piece of family history. Many of the decisions we make today are therefore not just about profitability. We also think about what we would like to pass on to the next generation. We want to carry on the history of the Oberwirt, but at the same time have the courage to write our own story.