Madlenerhaus at 1,986 m
Gaschurn-Partenen
Reopening festivities with live music on 30 June 2019
Situated some 60 m to the west, below the dam wall of the Silvretta reservoir, in the midst of the wonderful mountains of the Silvretta, is the Madlenerhaus. It was reopened in June 2019.
The Madlenerhaus offers 60 beds and 24 storage spaces. The parlour has room for about 80 people.
It is perfect as a base camp and rest point for the various bike and motorcycle tours, hikes, mountain and climbing tours in the Silvretta. Due to its location, it is easily accessible for everyone. Its sun terrace offers a magnificent view of the impressive mountains of the Silvretta.
Christine and Elvis: Deeply rooted in tourism
Until the end of 2012, the Madlenerhaus was in possession of the Wiesbaden Section of the German Alpine Association. During the course of the construction work on the pumped storage plant Obervermunt II, it remained closed and reopened its doors in June 2019. It now belongs to the Vorarlberger Illwerke.
The Madlenerhaus, which first opened in 1884, can look back over an eventful past. In the 19th century, the Polish X-ray pioneer and mountain climbing enthusiast Alexander Rzewuski described it as “actually a small hotel and not a club chalet.” In the mid-1920s, Ernest Hemingway would drink and play in the Madlenerhaus on his visits to the Montafon and would bring his author friend John Dos Passos along. During the war years, the Madlenerhaus was used for other purposes and was not reopened until 1954, named after the mountaineer Andreas Madlener.
Today, the married couple Christine and Elvis Spiss, a former passionate chef de cuisine, runs the Madlenerhaus with their team. The two of them are happy to be working in the tourism sector again after having been involved in various other professions. “Our heart simply belongs to this field,” the 47 year-old says. “My husband and I have always wanted to lease a chalet that is also open in winter. When I happened across the call for tender, we knew that the Madlenerhaus was perfect for us.”
Traditional cuisine from the region
The dishes served at the Madlenerhaus are centred around hearty traditional foods made from regional produce. “For appetites large and small, from sweet to savoury, there’s something for everyone,” Elvis explains the menu. The home-made dishes taste best on the sun terrace overlooking the playground, where the little ones can romp and play.
Opening times
Mo. - So. 11:00 - 16:00 o’clock