News & Specials–News

It has been a great pleasure!

Since 1994, Damaris and I have had the privilege of being the hosts and managers of Hof Weissbad. We started out 28 years ago with 42 employees – today, over 200 cheerful and friendly people serve our guests at the Hof.

Among our greatest successes were undoubtedly the close relationship with our guests, the personal service on site, the many regular guests, and the fulfilling work on the front line with all our employees. Together, we have managed to preserve the very DNA of the hotel for the long term. I would therefore like to express my sincere thanks to all our employees for their loyal support, for the wonderful and exciting conversations, and for the many friendships that have resulted.

At the age of 63, it is my personal wish to take a step back. So, at the end of April 2022, I will be stepping down as host and director with a tear in my eye, but I am also looking forward to my new role as co-CEO on a 50% basis. Together with Marin Dörig, I will be responsible for the overall management of the Hof Weissbad company and the various construction projects. Fortunately, the other guarantor of our success story will remain with the company. My wife Damaris will continue to work at the Hof Weissbad in the same capacity and with the same workload, focusing on guest services, employee coaching, and marketing. She was, is, and will remain the face of the hotel. I owe her my deepest gratitude.

I am very proud that the General Meeting on Thursday, April 14, 2022, elected me as the new member of the Board of Directors of Hof Weissbad AG. Now I have the opportunity to help shape the strategic future.

New projects

The reduced workload at Hof Weissbad will allow me to devote more time to new projects and exciting tasks. Feldpausch Ristoranti SA in Ticino is now in Appenzell hands. As a partner and chairman of the board of directors, I will support the crew in Ascona. I am looking forward to this great challenge.

I have greatly enjoyed my role as a member of the Board of Directors of Schweizerische Bodensee-Schifffahrt AG since 2019 and will continue to support this company. In addition to operating seven ships and two ferries, the company has plans to build a new hotel in the port of Romanshorn. We are all excited to see how things develop.

The new management

I wish the new management team, with Christian Huber in the restaurant, Andrea Eigenmann in the health center, and Roberto Wittwer in the hotel, a great start with lots of energy and enthusiasm. They certainly won't be short of work. Damaris will continue to support the Hof Weissbad in the areas of guest services, staff coaching, and marketing. She was, is, and will remain the face of the hotel.

Christian Lienhard – an interview

Before Christian Lienhard devotes himself to his new projects, he took the time to talk about his success over the last 28 years at the Hotel Hof Weissbad in an interview. Read on to find out why he is a particularly proud hotel manager and CEO.

1. What is the first thing you do when you walk into the hotel in the morning?

I turn down the loud music at the bar, drink an espresso and check that all the lights in the hall are working properly and are at the same height.

2. How would you describe your role in the hotel?

As the person primarily responsible, I am everywhere – mostly on the front lines, where I meet guests and employees.

3. The hotel is about to undergo the largest investment it has ever seen since it was built. What will be happening around the Hof over the next few months?

There are two main buildings: the bath and sauna house and the seminar park. Both are designed to ensure long-term occupancy of the rooms and to lower the average age of the guests slightly.

4. Where does the Hotel Hof Weissbad stand today?

The Hof Weissbad is at an absolute peak, which will be difficult to maintain. That is why we are building new facilities. A 97% room occupancy rate and 23 million in revenue are hard to beat.

5. What will change most about the hotel?

With the bathhouse and seminar park, we hope to attract more younger guests. That's a good thing. We need to continue to have a good mix of guest segments.

6. The success of the hotel is largely thanks to you and your leadership. What do you do differently from others?

It only works as a team. Everyone runs this business together. Employees must be involved. Only those who can contribute will stay longer.

7. What do you do to keep your employees happy?

We follow the principles outlined in Gerd Gerken's book Leadership by Love. This means nothing more than natural authority instead of power, participation instead of repression, productivity instead of trust, and flat hierarchies.

8. How are you addressing the shortage of skilled workers in the industry (and possibly also reducing staff)?

We train 25 apprentices. Only those who invest in their employees can be successful.

28 years ago, you came to Weissbad from the Bernese Oberland. How did you win over the local population?

I came from Gstaad, where I was the director of a hotel for three years. Before that, I spent six years in Ticino. It's always the same, no matter where you are: at first you're humble, you watch, you listen, you stay in the background until you understand how things work.

10. Could you have imagined back then that you would remain hotel manager in the Appenzell region for 28 years and that your hotel would become one of the best in Switzerland?

My wife Damaris and I were probably a little naive. We didn't give much thought to success or failure. We simply started with great enthusiasm and then gave our best month after month with a lot of love and patience.

11. What was it that drove you, if not the ambition to achieve this great goal one day?

Healthy ambition is always good. But in the long term, you simply need trust – from shareholders, guests, employees, and the local community.

12. What is the secret of your success (in one sentence)?

a love of people and enthusiasm for our work.

13. Were there any things or projects that you wouldn't call successful? Any failures, perhaps?

The first two years were not easy, but they were certainly not a failure. The business was still making losses, for which we were partly responsible. Success then came in the third year.

14. How has the hotel and what it offers changed in recent years?

Over the past 28 years, we have repeatedly expanded and rebuilt. But always with the same goal in mind: we need our tried-and-tested guest segments, such as patients, spa guests, seminars, and wellness. Only with this combination does Hof Weissbad have a chance.

15. What is your vision for the coming years and decades?

Every decision that is made must be made in the best interests of our guests and employees.

16. What success or milestone are you particularly proud of?

Four times named best employer of the year – that was pretty cool.

17. What will change in the future?

The needs of guests during the coronavirus pandemic have made it clear: more comfort, safety, joy, recognition, and more time for themselves.

18. Starting this spring, there will also be some personnel changes. Will we still see you at the hotel?

I will continue to be present at Hof Weissbad, working 50% of the time. I will certainly no longer be on the front line, but I cannot imagine not being there physically.

19. What will the new organization look like?

We have three areas of management: hotel, restaurant, and health, each with a person in charge. Each area has around 70 employees. As co-CEO, I will take over overall operational management, and Martin Dörig will ensure the commercial side of things as co-CEO. Both of us will do this on a 50% basis.

20. Where will we see you in the future?

Everywhere and nowhere. Safe in the office on the first floor, at meetings with the management, with the board, with the executives, and now and then in conversation with a regular guest.

21. What will change the most for you personally?

No longer being on the front line every day. That took its toll over the past 28 years. At 63, however, I'm not going to take it easy, but simply work more at a strategic level.

22. What advice would you give to the "new" management team?

My conclusion after 46 years in the hotel industry, 28 of which were at the Hof Weissbad:

2 x 6-room formula

The success of every company comes from:

1. in the tour, demonstrating consistency and personal commitment!
2. meet many long-standing employees!
3. you take time for your guests and also time for your employees!
4. employees can participate in the decision-making process!
5. guests experience emotions personally!
6. long-term investment in our employees!

The personal success of a leader comes when they:

1. who are delighted to see other employees flourish within the company!
2. making a small change to themselves every day!
3. who occasionally ask themselves the question: What is life really all about?
4. Trust creates and does not deceive itself!
5. caring for others and also caring for themselves!
6. know that a little humility never hurt anyone!

23. Do you have any final words you would like to share with us all?

It has been a great pleasure and an honor to run such a business in Appenzell. I am a proud CEO who knows where success comes from: you have to like people.

I wish you all the best and hope to see you again at the Hof.

Yours, Christian Lienhard