About us
Our history. Since 1936.
Once you’ve discovered the Hotel Alpenfriede in Hochsölden, it becomes a familiar place in the mountains for many guests. For three generations, the Lengler family have been welcoming people up here at 2,090 metres above sea level – people who love skiing and appreciate the special tranquillity of the high altitude.
Like the hotel itself, Hochsölden is a special place: high up, shaped by winter, with a sense of space that makes everyday life fade noticeably into the background.
The charm of a cosy alpine hut.
This idea guides everything we do every day. Because the Alpenfriede is more than just a building; it is, rather, a feeling that you experience.
The many guests who return year after year confirm this for us. For us, this sense of connection is both a joy and a responsibility.
The Almhotel Alpenfriede has been owned by the Lengler family for generations. What has grown over many decades is now being run jointly by the third and fourth generations.
Gernot Lengler and his wife Susanne have been closely associated with the Alpenfriede for many years and both work in the business with great personal dedication. With their son Simon and his girlfriend, the fourth generation has now also fully joined the family business.
In this way, the hotel continues to develop without forgetting its roots. For us, tradition does not mean doing everything the way it used to be done, but rather preserving what has stood the test of time whilst remaining open to new ideas.
The Almhotel Alpenfriede thus remains what it has always been: a genuine family-run hotel, where several generations work together to ensure that our guests feel at home with us.
The history of the Hotel Alpenfriede in Hochsölden began long before the current building – with courage, perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit.
In 1925, Maria, the grandmother of the current owner, gave birth to her son Ignaz. His legacy continues to shape the character of the hotel to this day.
Maria worked as a cook at the Hotel Mohren in Oetz. Life was not easy, but her parents supported her and looked after her son. This support became the foundation for everything that followed.
In 1934, Maria arrived in Hochsölden and worked at the Sonnenhotel – at that time one of the finest hotels in the Ötztal valley.
Shortly afterwards, she was given the opportunity to run her own property. Through great dedication, she built what was known as the ‘Pulverhüttl’, the precursor to today’s Alpenfriede.
A small shop on the ground floor, simple guest rooms above – with no electricity and no running water. Much of it was achieved through improvisation and hard work.
In 1936, construction of the Alpenfriede began.
At that time, there was no road leading to Hochsölden. Building materials were transported via a materials cableway; the village could only be reached on foot. Maria meets her future husband, Wilhelm Lengler. They marry in 1939, and their son Gustl is born that same year. The Second World War brings difficult years. Wilhelm is called up and does not return until 1947.
After the war, the slow process of rebuilding began. Wilhelm took charge of running the business, whilst Maria continued to manage day-to-day operations at the hotel – often with very little help.
From early on, guests from all over Europe began travelling to Hochsölden. The journey was arduous, but the mountain scenery proved a magnet.
As interest in skiing grew, the region continued to develop.
In 1952, the lift to the Rotkogel opened, marking a decisive step forward for Hochsölden and for the Hotel Alpenfriede.
