01
1925
Construction of the southern part of the Auenhütte – the gable roof is built.
Alpine Heart
Free Beat
OUR MISSION?
More heart. More beat.
More mountains.
We live the alpine lifestyle with everything that goes with it—nature, sports, and indulgence. And we create moments that run deep and stick with you. Since 1925, an alpine heart has been beating here, and it has never stopped.
Behind the Auenhütte are Tanja & Christoph Bantel, together with their son Sami, whose open nature has long made him a part of the Auenhütte’s soul. By their side is a team that feels more like family than a crew—people who love the mountains, seek freedom, and bring this lifestyle into the Auenhütte every single day.
You won’t find a classic, stiff hotel vibe here. Instead, you’ll find warmth, ease, and a genuine mountain feeling. A place that makes you feel freer and does your soul good.
Auenhütte – since 1925
How it all began: From a small mountain hut with no ski lift to the place to be at the Ifen cable car: the Auenhütte has seen many chapters. Some loud, some quiet. And it’s exactly this journey that makes it what it is today. A place with history, character, and a true heartbeat. The Bantel family runs this special spot in the Alps with pure passion—and you can feel it in every corner.
The History of the Auenhütte (Since 1925)
seit 1925
02
1930 – 1965
A popular destination for ski tourers. Back then, just as it is today!
03
1935
Construction of the flat roof on the northern part (still visible today).
04
1936
The German national alpine ski team trains at what is now the “Olympiabahn.”
05
1995
Room rentals cease; only the mountain restaurant remains.
19 shareholders take over – the Ifen area becomes a charming, deserted spot.
06
1995–2010
Frieder Bantel gradually buys back the shares.
07
2011
The Bantel family owns 2/3, while 1/3 remains with the Kleinwalsertal cable car company.
Christoph returns to the valley after attending hotel management school in Zurich.
08
2012
Renovations begin: the first overnight guests in 25 years.
09
2013
Opening of the second floor with new rooms.
10
2014
Space for 45 guests.
The parlor in the southern section is transformed into a reclaimed-wood party location with sound & lighting.
11
2015
Tanja returns from Innsbruck.
Christoph & Tanja take over running the Auenhütte—from now on, it’s 100% Bantel family.
12
2016
Klaus, a regular guest, donates wood from a 250-year-old Allgäu farmhouse. The first floor is renovated, and en-suite bathrooms are installed. The signature *Auenhütte Style* is born.
13
2017
The Laubela is created, urban wood, alpine soul, “topless partying” (open-air). The cable car company also renovates the valley station.
14
2018
Renovation of the second floor, including bathrooms.
15
2019
A new kitchen is installed, and the new “Denkboden” (think space) is created. Today, it’s the go-to spot for yogis and soulful athletes.
16
2020
The wine cellar is added.
2025
100 years of the Auenhütte.
Alpine heart. Free Beat.
For over 100 years, the Auenhütte was and remains a place for athletes, mountain people, and nature lovers. A meeting point on the Ifen where mountain air meets an urban sense of design, and tradition finds its very own rhythm. And that’s exactly how it will stay in the future: more hut than hotel, more hotel than you’d think.