How it all began

Originally, a simple farmhouse stood at the address Zug no. 5. Today, on the same spot, one of the most modern and comfortable hotels on the Arlberg awaits you: the Walch´s Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel.

The old Walser farm was built back in 1651. Around 300 years later, Josef Walch senior and his wife Burgi gave the house at no. 5 in Zug a new lease of life, turning it into a café and guest house. The first guests arrived in 1959, with the attic storey being extended in the summer of 1960. This was followed by an annex with a restaurant and further rooms. The restaurant was extended in 1972. Back then, the focus was on the restaurant, and the rooms were given up.

Many guests from Lech came to dine in the Rote Wand inn in Zug, with Burgi Walch cooking for her guests. Many of the original guests still praise her apple strudel and her quark strudel – her shredded pancakes are also a legend in the region. A further favourite was fondue, introduced to the Arlberg by Josef Walch senior.

Hospitally since 1959

Skiing instructor during the day, in the evening Josef Walch senior picked his guests up from Lech by horse-drawn sleigh and brought them to the inn for a fondue. Many stayed back to join in the dancing. The former cellar bar – a disco with DJ – later became the infamous Sennkessel, attracting many celebrities staying in Lech to nearby Zug to party. Then came 1999 and, in favour of the hotel guests getting a good night’s sleep, the lively parties were stopped for good.

After taking over the inn from his parents in 1987, Joschi Walch started extending the hotel in 1989. First of all he added buildings A and B, and the former stables were replaced by the apartment block. Today, the Walch´s Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel is a modern design hotel with five buildings connected by an underground tunnel, outside and inside pool, a large wellness area and many other extras worth discovering.