La Loupe St. Anton, St. Christoph & Stuben am Arlberg No. 4

L.L. People lovingly call you Stuben’s concierge. How did
that nickname happen?
R.P. I was working at Hotel Post since 1984 and later took
over the job of manager. The Hotel’s reception was also the seat
of the tourism association, until we got a “proper” tourism office
in 1995. But even there I felt more like a host than a tourism
director. I’ve always envisioned Stuben as one large hotel where
there are different types of beds and restaurants. I know each and
every host in the village well and I know where, in times of high
occupancy, there might be the one or the other free bed. In the past
some even came to me to ask me to put their price list together
for them. Up until a few years ago I personally knew around
60 percent of the guests. And even today not a day goes by without
a long-time guest of Stuben coming by to see me.
L.L. What is it that makes the 110-people village so special?
R.P. Stuben still is a place with a very rural character. Despite
the fact that the groups of regulars that used to meet after Sunday
mass have unfortunately disappeared people still know and trust
each other – or not. And this personal and authentic touch ensures
that the guests feel at home here. I think our target group will continue
to be made up of athletic people who love nature, good food
and drink but who do not need the highest degree of luxury. But
they’ll certainly have top-notch skiing gear. Families like to come
here, too, because they tend to save around 30 percent compared
to what they’d spend in the more exclusive villages on the Arlberg.
However, Stuben is not a place for “cheapo-tourists” either.
L.L. Give us a short summary of the village’s history …
R.P. One prominent citizen of Stuben is “our” Hannes
Schneider, a personality our advertising still makes frequent
use of. In his time the slopes weren’t groomed and one had to
climb up the hill on foot. That might be the reason why people
from Stuben are such good skiers. In the late 1950 everybody
rented out a few rooms, there were only two hotels at the time.
In 1981 came the connection of our Albona-cable car with the
ski area around St. Anton, Zürs and Lech. From then on it went
uphill. Today Stuben offers a healthy mix of B’n’Bs, hotels and
apartments. Compared with other winter sports destinations
Sport & Freizeit
“I still feel more like a
host than a tourism
official.”
“I’ve always envisioned
Stuben like a large
hotel with different
types of beds and
restaurants.”
“When you come to
Stuben you don’t
need a fur coat and
a Porsche but you’ll
definitely need great,
top-notch skiing
gear.”
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