Goodbye – "ond bliebid gsond!"

Dear guests and friends of Hof Weissbad

After 19 years as Chairman of the Board of Directors, I am stepping down from this position with fond memories. I have met many of you during my long time at Hof Weissbad. Your questions, observations, and comments, your criticism and praise have always been a source of inspiration to me and have shown me that you, as our guests, take a keen interest in the development of our resort and sometimes even share our excitement. What still touches me after so many years is that you, too, perceive the Hotel Hof Weissbad as something extraordinary, independent, and unique. It has always been a pleasure to explain our projects and business considerations to many of you in conversation. It has always been my aim to make you feel that we approach our work with a high sense of responsibility and only make decisions when we can do so with a clear conscience. In this blog post, I would like to share some of the smaller and larger special features of our 4-star superior hotel with integrated health center.

A vision has been realized

The founding fathers of Hof Weissbad AG achieved a pioneering feat 28 years ago when they made the purchase of the spa hotel possible. This purchase involved a significant financial investment on their part, and they thus laid the foundation for a successful company. Their courage in choosing a successful share sale strategy was rewarded with an interest-free loan of millions from the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden.

Shaping the future

Following in the footsteps of the founders of Hof Weissbad AG, we, the second generation, have implemented various projects with great courage and commitment. To do this, we needed land to realize our visions. This had to be bought back in complex negotiations.
Today, you will find our herb garden, the flower workshop, the farmhouse, and the Flickflauder restaurant, and a newly designed parking lot on the former site of the park café. The bathhouse is to be built on the former tennis court. Behind the farmhouse, we are planning a seminar park in a unique setting.

The bottom line from all these agreements is that the consolidations continue to provide excellent conditions for the further development of our company.

We are changing to remain what we are

Looking back on the achievements of my predecessors has always helped me. I would therefore like to reiterate what has been our guiding principle throughout all these years: we have always followed a clear strategy. This included not expanding the number of hotel rooms in the Hof itself. Our hotel should develop, but also remain what it is: a manageable hotel. For us, size is not synonymous with quality.
However, strategies can and must be adjusted if necessary. This was the case when we decided to supplement our accommodation options with the more affordable Weissbad Lodge – a simply furnished hotel where hikers, athletes, and business travelers will find everything they need: a welcoming, simple, modern, clean, and stylish hotel.

Our main goal has always been to stay up to date, be there for our guests, and offer our employees an exciting and secure workplace. Because they make us what we are: a place of hospitality.

Friendliness is not something we train, demand or simulate; it comes from the heart. This is one of the keys to our company's success. Namely, the unvarnished example set by our managing couple, Christian and Damaris Lienhard, and the entire management team. Their performance as hosts is second to none.

Health at the center

The fundamental philosophy of our first director of the health center, Dr. Renzo Saxer, remains as valid as ever: the three pillars of health are nutrition, relaxation, and exercise.

The Hotel Hof Weissbad aims to be a place of relaxation – and for some of our guests, a place of recovery, especially for those who use our health center.
My successors will closely monitor developments in the healthcare market. Here, too, our goal is to remain at the cutting edge.
The next step is the opening of a new family doctor's practice. Dr. Marion Bötschi, an experienced cardiologist, has been hired and will offer high-quality diagnostics and treatment starting in June 2021.

Relaxation and culture

For many of our guests, culture is very important and contributes to their general well-being and relaxation. That is why we not only value a well-stocked library, but also offer you a varied cultural program. Customs, crafts, concerts, readings, visits to the Landsgemeinde (open-air assembly) or guided tours of regional businesses can help you not only feel comfortable in the Appenzell region, but also a little bit at home. Culinary art is also part of culture in the broader sense. In cooking and nutrition courses, we show you tips and tricks for wholesome cuisine – here too, the motto is: health comes first!

Roman Signer

We have a long history with the internationally renowned Appenzell artist Roman Signer, which began when he was still largely unknown. Our grounds served as a testing ground for his actions early on. This is one of the reasons why we decided to open our house and its surroundings to his works – as inspiration and a topic of discussion for us all. Signer's art was not and is not loved by everyone. It creates tension and is sometimes perceived as provocative. We – the responsible member of the Board of Directors, Guido Koller, the entire Board of Directors, and I, the Chairman – were aware of this. But even well-meaning offers to exchange the works for local handicrafts could not deter us from working with Roman Signer.
We are delighted when we hear a hearty laugh or see a smile when someone suddenly recognizes the subtle joke or thinks of their own experiences.

A family of shareholders

The activities and events bring many guests closer to our hotel – and some of them decide to become shareholders of Hof Weissbad AG. Our family of shareholders has now grown to over 4,000 people. The Annual General Meeting is not only a forum for dealing with the agenda items in a transparent and informative manner, but also offers the opportunity for interesting encounters on a festive evening.

"Dear guests of the Hof, I hope you will continue to remain loyal to our hotel. I will remain a committed ambassador for the Hof and look forward to seeing you again here or getting to know you personally. The crisis has shown us that nothing in life is more precious than good encounters!"

Farewell

My departure comes at a time of great uncertainty. The Covid-19 crisis is not yet over. Its global economic and social consequences cannot yet be estimated. However, in the future, people will seek peace, security, and good experiences in unspoiled nature more than ever before. Hof Weissbad can offer this. And I know it is in good hands. That is why I am leaving with a light heart.

With warmest regards

Sepp Breitenmoser
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hof Weissbad AG 2002-2021