Chronicle of the Walchhofer Hotels
From Estate to Family Hotel
Host Family with Tradition
The Walchhofer family has been focused on accommodating guests for 4 generations. It all started with a managed alpine pasture in the summer and the renting of huts to ski vacationers. The first inn, the Zauchenseehof, was built in 1968, followed by the Hotel Zauchensee Zentral in 1998 and the Hotel Sportwelt in 2014. This development was the result of the constant increase in summer and winter tourism in Zauchensee-Altenmarkt. The Walchhofer home has developed into a 4-star holiday destination for families.
The Vorderkuchelberg Gut in Altenmarkt around the turn of the century in the typical style of a farmhouse in the Salzburg Pongau region (wooden house with bell tower). Life on the farm was certainly not easy, but fulfilling and varied. The times in summer on the Alm were especially beautiful. The animals were driven to the alpine area near Zauchensee, where the 4-star Hotel Zauchenseehof is located today.
The lush alpine meadows, the Zauchensee with its fresh spring water, and the sheltered location in this valley basin were and are the ideal conditions for productive alpine farming.
In winter, the few alpine huts of Altenmarkter, Radstädter, and Flachauer farmers huddled shyly together on the valley floor in Zauchensee. In the past, the alpine huts were made winter-proof in autumn and the valley was locked up. However, people slowly began to lease individual huts to winter guests. Initially, the vacationers were mainly members of alpine clubs who catered for themselves or were looked after by alpine herdsmen. Individual alpine huts were leased to ski vacationers. This is how winter tourism began in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee.
Compared to today, the journey was really arduous back then. Guests had to walk from Altenmarkt to Zauchensee. In 1936, grandfather Peter Walchhofer foresightedly registered the first transport business with a horse-drawn carriage, with which he transported the guests' luggage. This was a comfortable improvement that was very well received. There were no prepared slopes, so you had to walk up the mountain with touring skis before descending. Wrapped in warm clothes, with knitted gloves and skis with cable bindings, you went down the deep snow slopes at a rapid pace after an arduous ascent. That took guts.
In the winter of 1964, Rupert sen. Walchhofer (here on skis on the Rosskopf) and Benedikt Scheffer explored the Rosskopf, Tagweideck, and Gamskogel area together on touring skis, looking for opportunities for a ski lift. These were the beginnings for the successful development of the World Cup ski area Zauchensee. In the same year, the Zauchensee lift company was founded and the Unterberg drag lift and the lift inn were opened. On the photo are grandfather Peter and father Rupert sen. Walchhofer at the 20th anniversary celebration in 1984.
Together, grandfather Peter and father Rupert sen. opened the Zauchenseehof in 1968 as an inn and youth hostel.
Rupert sen. and his wife Maria steadily expanded the Zauchenseehof, a house was added in 1976 and opened as a hotel. In 1982, a 3rd house was added, expanding the hotel to 44 rooms. Many other additions followed up to the 4-star hotel. They thus created a strong foundation for a total of 6 children and 23 grandchildren. The connection to home and the strong, warm family bond characterize the entire Walchhofer family to this day. Appreciation, friendship, helpfulness, and respect are values that are particularly upheld by the "Walchhofers."
Since 1980, there has been a connection from Altenmarkt-Zauchensee to Flachauwinkel to Kleinarl (3-valley ski circuit).
In 1989, Rupert sen. was awarded the ski school license and the Top Alpin Walchhofer ski school was able to start ski course operations. This made a long-cherished dream come true for the restaurateur, farmer, and passionate skier Rupert sen. Since 2000, Peter Walchhofer has been responsible for the management of the ski school and is now supported by his son Christian, who is also a state-certified ski instructor and ski guide.
With the Hotel Zauchensee Zentral, the Walchhofer family opened another 4-star hotel in Zauchensee. Seven years later (2005), it was connected to the Zauchenseehof via an underground connecting passage. All the trophies of ski world champion Michael Walchhofer, such as the world championship and Olympic medals, the winner's chamois from Kitzbühel, and many other trophies from the 49 World Cup podium finishes can be admired there.
In 2002, the Zauchenseehof got a new indoor swimming pool, which made the vacation even more attractive for families. In 2003, the Zauchenseehof was built over and expanded to 60 hotel rooms.
With the opening of the Hotel Sportwelt, Zauchensee received a modern 3-star hotel directly in the ski area.
In 2018, a large hotel bar with an attractive gastronomic offer was built. The entire children's and activity area was expanded to approx. 1,000 sqm. The Happy Adventure World and the Happy Club were completely redesigned.
The ski area connection from A to Z came in 2020 with the "Panorama-Link" connecting railway. This railway connects the 3-valley ski circuits Zauchensee-Flachauwinkel-Kleinarl with Flachau-Wagrain-Alpendorf, i.e. from Zauchensee to Alpendorf. The 12 Peaks Trophy also runs through this area.
In 2009, the Zauchenseehof received its own children's swimming pool with a baby pool. The first childcare also started in a small children's playroom this year.
In 2010, the remaining youth hostel wing was also converted into a hotel. From this point on, the Zauchenseehof had 80 rooms and a large children's area ("Bobo Adventure World"). The Zauchenseehof developed into a family hotel.
In 2012, the Zauchenseehof became a member of Familotel and has since been one of the leading family hotels in the Austrian mountains.
The winter season 2025/26 marked the beginning of a new era for the 4-star family hotel Zauchensee. The future of the traditional house also lay in the hands of the 4th Walchhofer generation. The exterior view, the wellness area, a large part of the rooms, and the gastronomy area were completely redesigned.
