Insider tip for holidays in the Tyrolean mountains
Passion and alpine lodge ambience
They say that mountains shape a person. This couldn't be more fitting for Tanja and Björn. Tanja, a true child of the Tyrolean mountains, has hospitality in her blood. After graduating from hotel management school, she honed her skills in various areas and destinations. A brief detour into the real estate world followed, but in 2020 she returned to her roots. One thing was now clear to her: she no longer wanted to miss out on the wonders of hospitality at over 1,000 metres above sea level.
Björn is originally from Heidenheim and brings his experience from the real estate industry with him. His love of Tanja brought him to Tyrol. Life running an alpine lodge was completely new to him - and yet it seems as though it was his destiny.
And then there's the rascals - our children, who have added so much to our lives up here right from the start.
We look forward to meeting you,
Tanja, Björn, our little rascals and the whole team
History of the Alpine Club lodge
The Kölner Haus has been a place of hospitality since 1929 and has adapted to the needs of guests and environmental requirements over the decades. An integral part of the mountain landscape of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and a popular destination for hikers and winter sports enthusiasts alike. We now employ around 20 people in the winter.
Establishment and opening in 1929
- 1 September 1929: Opening on a bright late summer's day. The construction work continued until the last minute - the carpenters worked into the night before the opening day.
- In those days, the lodge was only accessible on foot. A road was not built until 1935.
- The coat of arms: To mark the opening, the city of Cologne presented the innkeepers with an iron shield with the Cologne coat of arms (still visible today) and a fountain statue.
Early changes and challenges
- In the 1930s, the number of guests staying at the lodge was high, but bed capacity was still limited.
- Expansion plans were therefore drawn up in 1932, but initially only minor maintenance and sanitary improvements were carried out.
- During the Second World War, the Kölner Haus was fortunate to escape major damage. In the post-war years, the lodge was under the administration of a trust for a time.
During the war years
- The Thousand-Mark Ban (1933–1936): The introduction of a visa requirement severely restricted tourism and thus the number of guests staying at the lodge.
- The abolition of the visa requirement in 1936 brought a renewed increase in visitor numbers.
- During the war (1939-1945), the Wehrmacht (German armed forces) used the lodge as a base. Despite widespread supply shortages, visitor numbers remained surprisingly high. After all, it was a place of refuge for war victims.
- In the winter of 1944/45, the Kölner Haus remained completely closed due to a coal shortage.
Post-war period and modernisation (1956-1968)
- In 1956, lodge rights were regained by the Cologne section.
- 1959: The mountain station of the Komperdell cable car was built directly above the lodge, and from then on the Alpine Club lodge was easily accessible from the valley in just a few minutes.
- 1968: Renovation and complete overhaul: New sanitary facilities, a sewage treatment plant, the mattress dormitory and a self-catering room were added. The sun terrace was extended.
Expansion and environmental awareness (1970s-1980s)
- 1972: New plans for expansion were proposed and implemented over the years.
- 1983: Inauguration of the extension: A new section of the building complements the original layout of the lodge at a right-angle to the north side. The sewage treatment plant was renovated once again.
The tenants and lodge custodians over the years
In almost a century, there have only been three tenant families at the Kölner Haus: Franz Schuler ran the lodge from 1929 to 1963, assisted from 1937 by Zita Mathoy. His son Karl took over for a short time until 1966, before Anni and Fritz Michels succeeded him. It was not until 25 years later, in 1991, that Franz and Hannelore Althaler took over, followed in 2013 by their daughter Anja Hangl and Walter Kerscher, who ran the Kölner Haus until 2023. Today, it is the turn of Tanja Zangerl and Björn Wolf with their children and a team of up to 20 employees.