This house is a hotel
Our story dates back a long way, as both our maternal and paternal ancestors have been building hotels for over a century. We grew up in hotels, so we can truly say that our hotel is a home, and we take care of it as such.
Our paternal great-grandparents started in the early 1900s in S. Sebastiano di Folgaria with the "Albergo Alpino di S. Sebastiano."
Even earlier, our maternal great-grandparents, hoteliers since the late 1800s, built the "Locanda Fiorentini," which was destroyed and rebuilt twice, during both World Wars. Tenaciously, it still stands today.
1963 - The Sayonara
In 1963, our grandparents built the Hotel Sayonara in Costa di Folgaria, where our parents and we grew up. It’s not just a hotel, for us it’s a home, and we take care of it as such. There are interesting items, gliders hanging, countless books, showcases with cashmere sweaters made by our mother, and Gloria's art studio, where guests can watch her create paintings and participate in her Art Retreats. In the evening, it transforms into the intimate vegetarian restaurant "Arte dell'Orto," created by Greta.
The Rech-Hof Sayonara Hotel was built by Ezio Rech with his wife Oprandi Gesuina, known as "Tina" or "Giuì."
Ezio, son of hoteliers who built the "Albergo Alpino di San Sebastiano" in the early 1900s, worked as a migrant tiler in Salzburg, Bavaria, and Switzerland before World War II. In the Swiss Alps, he met Tina, who was also a migrant working as a waitress at the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz and the Suvretta House along with her brother Andrea, a Maître d'Hotel. Andrea later returned to Italy to open the famous "Stavros Grill" in Fino del Monte (BG), a renowned restaurant known for its wide variety of filets from around the world, caviar, and fine wines. During his time in St. Moritz, Grandpa Ezio tiled the villas of Anita Ekberg and Gucci, among others. His building skills, combined with a sharp business sense and Grandma Tina's experience, convinced them to return to Italy to build our hotel, with immense sacrifice. It was 1963.
From 1963 to 1993
The hotel was initially named "HELVETIA" but was later changed to SAYONARA, a name suggested to Ezio by a friend working in the province of Trento. At the time, people were attending Puccini's *Madama Butterfly*, and there was a fascination with the Orient. Drawing on his Swiss expertise, the newly built hotel already had a telephone switchboard and an elevator, amenities that few possessed. It featured marble floors, Murano glass chandeliers, silverware, room service with breakfast in bed, shoe polishing, and all the luxury services expected. During this period, the hotel hosted illustrious guests like the Medolago, Veronesi, and Castellani counts and countesses, as well as notable commanders like Hon. Amori and generals of the Carabinieri, such as General Corsini and General Malatesta. There were also prominent entrepreneurs like Cav. Invernizzi and distinguished engineers, most notably Ferrari’s Ing. Forghieri. During these years, a new dining hall was added, expanding the structure, along with the construction of a tennis court and a mini-golf course. Ezio also attempted to venture into the ski lift business, but bureaucracy in the province of Trento and competition on the plateau blocked his efforts.
From 1993 to 2008
After Ezio Rech’s passing in the summer of 1993, the hotel was passed to William and Barbara, while the Mini-Golf and "Casetta del Gelato" went to Enrico, along with the villa behind the hotel. At that time, the hotel was burdened by the enormous costs of inheritance, the payment for the villa created by Ezio for his children, which remained with Enrico in the division of assets, and the cost of the newly completed rooms and windows replaced a few years earlier. The snowless winters and slopes without artificial snowmaking didn’t help, and as if that wasn’t enough, a serious car accident involving Willi severely jeopardized the business, which is only now trying to recover, despite ongoing challenges.
From 2008 to 2021
From 2008 to 2021, the management gradually passed into the hands of William and Barbara’s children, Andrea, Gloria, and Greta, who, with a spirit of renewal, sought new ideas and solutions to continue the business as the fourth generation of hoteliers. Several renovation projects were undertaken. All bathrooms were updated, the Model Lab for model airplane enthusiasts was tripled in size, the rear garden was created with a splendid heated hot tub, and the tennis court was renewed with synthetic grass, complete with changing rooms and showers. Solar panels were installed for water heating, and the "Kest Point," a small café for sandwiches and aperitifs, was built.
From 2021 to Today
In 2021, the Rech siblings, Andrea, Gloria, and Greta, faced with the ongoing crisis, decided during the COVID-19 pandemic to embark on a new project: creating their own company, taking over their father’s business, and completely renovating the rooms, creating spacious themed suites. This meant sacrificing bed capacity in favor of comfort, a bold decision that goes against the logic of large-scale economics. This important and risky step significantly reduced the number of beds, so the investment’s sustainability now relies entirely on the quality of service. It’s a considerable challenge. For this reason, everything is personally overseen by our family, from room cleaning to home-cooked meals with high-quality products, as well as "Arte dell'Orto," the vegetarian restaurant offering organic, locally sourced products from nearby farms, depending on the season.
We only hope that our tenacity will prove us right.
