An opening with obstacles

-breathe, keep breathing –

Our new hotel wing is open. Step by step. The first milestone has been reached. But the road to this point was more than bumpy and yes, we had to breathe a lot.
On the official opening day and first occupancy by our guests, only 11 of 36 rooms were ready for occupancy. And not all of them were ready on time for check-in at 3 pm. Our wonderful housekeeping team released the new rooms one by one every half hour and we were able to proudly accompany our guests to their rooms. After all the stress and chaos, we didn’t want to miss out. And the feedback was simply fantastic. Bright eyes and proud owners with goosebumps.

The week after the opening was a real 24/7 week for us. Nils was up late into the night putting the last TVs on the walls, wiring and installing repeaters for the internet, while furniture makers, electricians and painters were also working late into the evening. And yes, sometimes guests had to wait a little while before they could move into their room. So a big thank you goes to everyone who showed so much understanding and patience during the opening. One week after the start, the last room was ready for occupancy. We were lucky, because we were fully booked on that date. Now I’m sure you understand the 24/7 working week. The pressure was on. Of course, the new rooms have made themselves felt in all areas – 36 additional rooms bring up to 72 more guests to the hotel. Crazy, we tell you!

But why was everything so tight in the end? It’s not as if we’ve been resting on our laurels for the last year. The supply chains in Germany are a disaster at the moment. We’re still waiting for the hairdryer delivery, which is put off again every week. The televisions? Only half of them arrived on time, so we had to look for another supplier two days before opening. And yes. Sickness absences among the various trades, rework and a construction plan that had to be meticulously executed down to the last detail caused many a pitfall.
Anyone who knows us knows that we don’t shy away from any task. We printed room numbers ourselves without further ado because only four fives out of 26 metal numbers could be supplied. With room numbers from 151 – 162 and 251 – 259, as well as 351 – 362, that’s bad, of course.
Oh yes, and then there was the new locking system, which suddenly could no longer be programmed.
We got creative, but at some point you wonder what crazy ideas you can come up with when you just have to make things work.

Oh, one more story. In passing, Nils tells us that he decided to take the first elevator ride himself. He probably didn’t think about the fact that it was neither TÜV approved nor tested. And to make sure it didn’t get boring, he decided to do it at 10 pm in the evening. In the elevator he remarked that he had no cell phone reception and that if the thing got stuck it would be a quiet night. He took it positively. He would finally have had some peace and quiet… It went well and the elevator now officially transports our guests to the various floors.
Special thanks also go to our incredible team. Overtime after overtime, endless commitment – without you we would have been completely lost.
Everything is now finished inside and the exterior work is progressing. Soon the terraces and balconies can be opened.

And hey, after the opening is before the next opening. From November 6, our classroom will open with yoga and fitness classes. There’s life in the house! But we’re also working late into the night to organize this. A 10 x 2 meter high modular sliding wall made of recycled teak is currently being built, behind which one or two surprises for the fitness classes will be hidden. Unopened, it offers an incredibly cozy ambience for wonderful yoga classes. By the way. Take a look at www.forellenhof.de/kursplan and come along for a free taster session. We look forward to seeing you.
Oh yes, and let’s move on, because it’s not over yet. While our guests are enjoying the new rooms, we’re working on the wellness area – everything has to be spruced up in time for the opening on December 9th and, well, that’s just over 4 weeks away. I’ll tell you how it is. We’ll continue to tackle every hurdle with full motivation, but we’ll put 10 crosses in the air when it’s finally January!