Our hotel in Val Passiria/Passeiertal and its story

The beginnings were anything but easy for the grandparents of Heinrich Dorfer, Eduard Dorfer, and Resi Niederbacher. When they took over a run-down inn and farm back in 1923, Val Passiria/Passeiertal had not yet been developed for tourism. With unbelievable verve and determination, the two hosts put all their heart and soul into creating a cosy home for their guests. Soon, the Quellenhof with its pub garden and bowling alley became a popular meeting place for people from near and far. Grandma Resi took her guests on culinary flights of fancy, especially with her popular blue trout dish. The freshly caught delicacy from the Passirio/Passer river delighted locals as well as guests from the rest of Italy, Austria, and Switzerland – including many a celebrity, such as the big industrialists Pirelli and Marelli, famous ministers, and other high-ranking figures.

Originally, Eduard and Resi’s daughter Berta was supposed to “inherit” the Quellenhof, but she waived for love and let her brother Rudolf Dorfer take over the reins of the hotel. Berta was also the one who convinced her friend Luise to come work at Quellenhof. The young woman from Val d’Ultimo/Ultental and the hotel’s junior boss fell head over heels in love and got married on 1 April 1959. After they had taken over the hotel in Val Passiria/Passeiertal in 1963, the Quellenhof with its 20 beds flourished even more. Guests from Italy, Austria, and Switzerland flocked to the Quellenhof to taste Luise’s specialities, soak up the fresh mountain air, and fill the holiday home with plenty of life. A sad chapter in the history of the Quellenhof was the early passing of Rudolf Dorfer at the age of only 42. Despite the immense pain, Luise Dorfer, who suddenly found herself alone with four children and a flourishing guesthouse, didn’t have much time to mourn. She had to secure her family’s future – and for this reason, the business had to grow. Only three years later, in 1973, the female pioneer of tourism in South Tyrol built the Forellenhof with 45 beds and the first tennis courts. In order to create even more space for her hotel in Val Passiria/Passeiertal, she also bought the former Kennenhof with its extensive grounds.

In the early 90s, Heinrich Dorfer took over both hotels from his mother, from whom he also inherited his pioneering spirit. And so he had a modest 3-hole golf course built in 1992, which enjoyed great popularity and was therefore soon extended. In 1994, under Heinrich’s direction, the major reconstruction of the Forellenhof took place (the first of many building projects at Quellenhof Luxury Resort), and in 1994, Alpenschlössel was built. In 2000, the original Quellenhof was demolished and completely rebuilt – with the ulterior motive of building a bypass tunnel that would free the hotel in Val Passiria/Passeiertal from traffic and provide guests with a truly peaceful stay. This project was realised in 2002, paving the way for further conversion work. In the following years, things started to move at a rapid pace: In 2004, the Parkresidenz with suites, wellness area, and restaurants was built. In 2007 and 2008, Alpenschlössel was extended, Parkresidenz got an annexe, and at Quellenhof, a new restaurant was built with a swimming pool directly above it. In 2009, Parkresidenz was extended by the Vitalresidenz, the country house was demolished, and a large park with three swimming pools and a swimming pond was built in its place. At the same time, the Medical Center was built, an absolute novelty in the South Tyrolean tourism industry. Today, the Quellenhof is way more than a luxurious 5-star-hotel in Val Passiria/Passeiertal. It’s a truly unique holiday world far away from everyday life, offering guests the exclusive holiday they have always been longing for.

Host Heinrich Dorfer is a visionary who thinks outside the box and overcomes boundaries. And so he made another one of his dreams come true in 2019. The dream of a Quellenhof Luxury Resort at Lake Garda, in the picturesque village of Lazise. Palm trees and cypresses tower into the sky and lovingly tended olive groves surround this first-class holiday retreat, where guests can live in the here and now.

Only three years later, Heinrich Dorfer brought another vision to life: that of Quellenhof See Lodge with an exclusive hospitality concept for adults only. Luxurious suites and superb lake villas adorn the impressive lagoon with Maldivian flair. Quellenhof See Lodge is – for the moment – the crowning glory of the Dorfer family’s luxury resorts in South Tyrol. But Heinrich Dorfer is always dreaming of something bigger and better. He is a pioneer and visionary who, together with his family, is always ready to write a new chapter in the success story of the Quellenhof Luxury Resorts.