About us
Hosting
With joy, with warmth
– and with a tradition
that has been at home in our family since 1973.
The story behind the Grundwert Apartment
The house that is now home to the Grundwert Apartment is my parents’ house. Built in 1973, it is where I grew up. 100 metres away stands the former Gasthaus Buchholz – the place where my parents welcomed guests from the 1970s, first as an inn and later as an apartment house. Even as a child I lent a hand when the Ferienhaus Buchholz hosted guests.
In 2018 the business there came to an end. But for us, the story of hosting was not over.
In 2025, Lisa and I decided to continue this tradition – in the house of my childhood. We renovated it completely with our own hands, together with friends and family. With wood, natural paints, cotton and the aim of renovating sustainably. Part of my parents’ house has become the Grundwert Apartment: a place where our family’s values live on.
Since my father passed away in 2024, my mother has been an important support in this project – she lends a hand wherever it is needed. So today the apartment is a family project that connects past and present.
5 questions for Raphael
You and Lisa are the hosts. Who can holidaymakers expect to meet?
The two of us – Lisa and me. But for us, a holiday above all means freedom: our guests should be able to move about freely, arrive and breathe. We are there if you have questions or need anything – and otherwise your holiday stays what it should be: your time to relax.
Lisa and I don’t live right at the apartment but, because of our commutes to work, in Fontanella and Bizau. Still, we are close enough to be there for you at any time. My mother also lives right on site and is happy to help with any questions or information.
Lisa, my partner, is my most important support in this project. She welcomes guests with a warmth that cannot be staged – she is a social worker by profession, and you can feel it. She organises, keeps things in order and pays attention to detail and cleanliness. Without her, the Grundwert Apartment would not exist in this form. I myself work as technical manager at a leading metal company – and take care of everything to do with craftsmanship, technology and maintenance.
What does “living mindfully, enjoying what truly matters” mean to you in practice?
For us, the two belong together: living mindfully and making a home mindfully. Values such as a connection to nature, regionality and mindfulness are not buzzwords for a website for Lisa and me, but part of our everyday life. We live them before we pass them on to our guests.
Being mindful means paying attention to what you do. For the renovation we chose wood, natural paints and cotton. We wanted a house that breathes – one that feels alive. Not a house that was put up quickly just to function.
Our connection to nature is not a marketing message but everyday life. We spend our own free time in the mountains, in the forests and by the streams of this region. And that is exactly the feeling we want to pass on to our guests: that they arrive here, breathe deeply and take something home that lasts longer than the holiday itself.
You renovated the house yourselves in 2025, together with friends and family. Why this route rather than a turnkey solution?
Because this house is more than a property. It is the house of my childhood. Every room has a story, every wall once had a different purpose. We wanted to preserve and develop this substance and history.
Doing it ourselves, together with people who matter to us, was a decision of the heart. It took longer. It was harder work. But the result bears our signature – and that of the people who worked on it with us. You can feel it when you walk through the rooms.
A guest is looking for an activity in the region. What do you personally recommend?
In winter we spend a lot of time on skis ourselves. The three ski areas close by – Damüls–Mellau, Fontanella–Faschina and Sonntag–Stein – each have their own character. Damüls–Mellau is the largest, Sonntag–Stein the quietest. If you prefer to get away from the pistes: there are ski tours here for every level.
In summer we are mostly out on foot and on the bike. The hiking areas of the Großes Walsertal and the neighbouring Bregenzerwald have routes for every pace. We particularly recommend the e-bike tours through the region – the hills of the Walsertal and Bregenzerwald are made for them, and with an e-bike you can easily reach alpine pastures and viewpoints that would otherwise be reserved for the experienced. There is hardly a more relaxed way to get to know the landscape.
On warm days we head for the water – the Lutz and the Bregenzerach rivers are cold, clear and invigorating. If you prefer something more relaxed: the natural swimming lake Seewaldsee is one of our favourite places. And for the active: classic bike tours and ski tours are of course a must for us too.
Your favourite spot in the apartment is …
… the balcony. In the morning at sunrise, in the evening at sunset on a mild summer night – from there you see the mountains of the Großes Walsertal as they are: wide, calm and honest.
For me, though, it is also a place of memories. As a child I spent many happy days here with my family. When I stand there today, both are present: today’s view and the pictures of the past.
