Our house Lavendel…
… was built in 1979/80 by Reinhard and Regina Walch in the heart of Lech. It was to be run by their eldest daughter Bernadette. Just in time for the First Party, she returned from a season stay in French-speaking Switzerland in the summer of 1980 and was still actively involved in the interior work. In 1980/81 the time had finally come: The Hotel Garni Lavendel opened its doors and started its very first season.
A name for the house was also quickly found! Bernadette, who after a year as an au pair in France had a great love for the lavender fields there, did not have to think twice: it should be called lavender and from now on Bernadette and the entire family should be very happy.
Papa Reinhard came into the house every day and ran errands such as those to the registration office, to the post office or to the bank. And every evening he delivered the fresh milk for the breakfast buffet – an all-round successful start to a happy time.
When Bernadette married her Peter, an excellent craftsman came into the house who is still responsible for all repairs today. The happiness of the family was completed by the birth of two daughters Elisabeth and Caroline.
In 1990 a major extension and renovation took place in Lavender, where Peter was able to prove his skills. Since then, investments and renovations have been made every year in order to offer regular innovations to regular guests – and there are a lot of them at Lavender.
After forty years of happiness and gratitude, it seems time for Bernadette to pass the Lavendel on to the next generation: daughter Caroline, who has been actively supporting her mom in the hotel since 2011 and has a great passion for hosting, will take over the house with her family.
At this point, Reinhard and Regina Walch deserve a big thank you, because with the construction of the lavender they created really beautiful things: a warm and happy home for their children and grandchildren as well as a second home for so many guests from all over the world. Life often writes the most beautiful stories …
Your Hosts
Bernadette Mascher & Caroline Kennedy
Bernadette Mascher & Caroline Kennedy
When the Lavendel was finished in the 1980s, Bernadette was allowed to breathe life into it, which made her dream of staying in Lech come true. Since then she has been doing what has always given her the greatest pleasure: welcoming people from all over the world to a loving home in the heart of Lech am Arlberg.
Since 2011 she has been supported by her daughter Caroline, who will subsequently take over the house. Hosting is in Caro’s blood like her mother’s. After studying tourism business in Innsbruck, she moved back to Lech, where, after working as PR manager at Lech Zürs Tourismus, she found her calling in Lavendel.
Bernadette and Caroline are real Lecher children! Both love to travel and have already seen a lot of the world, but they found their place of power in Lech. Even when they are out and about in nature, they also know the remotest corners of the region. You can often meet them on ski tours or hiking, collecting flowers and herbs or in town while having a good chat with other locals. They are happy to share their insider knowledge and their experiences about the multifaceted region with their guests, who thereby gain access to the Lech that has accompanied and inspired the two women from childhood.
When guests become friends.
In Lavendel this is not just an empty phrase! Around 80% of all visitors are regulars who have been loyal to the family and the house for decades. It is particularly important to the two hosts that the guests feel completely comfortable and welcome. Caroline and her husband Brian have now become parents themselves and their children Mia and Leo are racing through the house like Caro once did. For her and her mom Bernadette, one of the nicest side effects of their fulfilling work is that family and work can be reconciled in this way. As Confucius once said so beautifully: “If you love what you do, you will never work again in your life”.
(+43) 55 83-26 57
Dorf 447 A-6764 Lech
info@lavendel.at
