Places situated on borders are always special, borders where different cultures get mixed in everyday life…the result is a special vibe.
What was your life like before this project began ?
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Communication in Milan. After that, I travelled around the world, worked in restaurants, earned my sommelier degree, and worked for a couple of years at a local wine importer. In 2008, I met Daniel, and in 2010, we opened the Vinzenz, our restaurant. In 2014 and 2018, our daughters were born, we worked a lot, travelled a lot, and began planning on the renovations of the townhouse in 2017…began renovations in 2021.
Daniel worked in South Tyrolean wineries, and we met at a wine tasting, of course….
You opened Vinzenz first, and only later transformed the house above into Haus am Turm. How did one project lead naturally to the other?
My mother ran a traditional B&B on the upper floors – the whole building needed renovation, and she quit her business in 2019. So, we took over. The goal was to bring the spirit of Vinzenz to the upper floors… high quality, individuality, and personal care and attention to detail.
What was the biggest challenge in bringing Haus am Turm to life?
The biggest challenge was, on the one hand, getting all the legal papers and agreements with the neighbours, which took us a bunch of nerves, a lot of money, and at least 2-3 years.
The same architect and friend, Lukas Tammerle, who already designed the Vinzenz in 2010, has, until now, been a really great work in design, lighting, acoustics, and feeling, and has helped us with the renovation of the townhouse. He was able to flood the house with much more natural light, bringing brightness and lightness to the house. It doesn’t feel like a medieval townhouse anymore.
Haus am Turm sits right in the middle of Sterzing, between mountain culture and town life. What kind of South Tyrolean experience did you want guests to discover here?
Places situated on borders are always special, borders where different cultures get mixed in everyday life…the result is a special vibe. Sterzing/Vipiteno is an important old thoroughfare since over 1000 years, it has seen and hosted every kind of people and cultures, some stayed…some left something behind, a beautiful mix of Mediterranean, Italian and Alpine-Austrian lifestyle and habits.
I would say we just have learned to take the best from every part and we would like to show our guests how it is to live in a place like ours, the importance of the local community, the importance of our history, the tranquil and very secluded little valleys with still intact natural habitats and genuine alpine landscape, no “overtourism” and queues to climb a mountain or enjoy winter delights. Where guests are still welcomed with a smile, where hosts have time for a chat, and every guest has a name, not just a room number and a guest card. South Tyrol should not be known just for its beautiful hotels, stunning mountains, and lots of Instagram spots; we have them, but you can also find them elsewhere!
South Tyrol is incomparable because of its culture, the people, the food, the important natural and cultural heritage and the special vibe, a little bit slower, a little bit friendlier, a little bit sunnier than elsewhere….
With Haus am Turm, Vinzenz and Ida Apartments, your days must be quite full. What does a normal day look like for you?
My mornings start at 6.45 – get the girls ready for school – and put in some updates in the housekeeping chat to start the business running. After that, I normally get 30-45 minutes for a yoga workout or me-time to get ready for the day. Around 8, I check in with the breakfast team, get the reception running, be there for the guests, check out, and check in with the chefs. Before noon, I go for a quick visit into town to run some errands and have a coffee with a little chat in one of the cafes down the main street, a really important part of our lifestyle.
Daniel starts the day a little later, normally with some calls and arrangements for the restaurant and wine cellar. During the summer, he takes care of our veggie garden, where we grow most of the veggies for the kitchen from May till late October.
Afternoons are split between reception, bringing the girls to their activities, and some town and hospitality community work. Daniel stays at the Vinzenz from lunchtime till closing after dinner, and I usually join the team for dinner service.
Fortunately, we live in the building ourselves, so it is not difficult to balance work and family life. On our days off, we enjoy the mountains, skiing, hiking, Aperitivo, family dinners, and planning our next trips together.
Looking back, what did you gain by taking that risk? Would you do it again?
We are definitely cut out to run a business; we would not go back on our word depending on others. For us, it was important to run and implement our ideas in our own style. Risk… what’s a risk anyway if you love what you do? That’s the most important point in hospitality: you must love people, and you must love what you do! We would definitely do it again, maybe somewhere else, in a next life, somewhere by the sea, maybe, the water, that’s the only thing we miss the most!
What do you hope guests remember long after they leave?
They should remember the feeling of being in our house, the unconventional style, the lush green throughout the house, the care we put into the little details, the fantastic breakfast, the Vinzenz vibe, the people, and the feeling of being given a little more than expected.
Quickfire
A dish you could eat again and again ?
Simple spaghetti with fresh, sweet summer tomatoes and basil from the garden
A simple pleasure you never get tired of ?
Sitting in the sun and closing my eyes, listening to the wind, the birds…
What's always in your suitcase ?
Swimsuit and my e-book
The next destination on your list ?
Who knows…somewhere nice by the sea
A song that always puts you in a good mood ?
Mr. Jones from Counting Crows
The most underrated place you’ve been ?
Mozambique
THE ADDRESS
Haus am Turm
Vipiteno – South Tyrol – Italy
Historic townhouse stay · Local vibes · Food & wine culture
