Black Rock House
Inspired by the mountains and rocks, the house is an architecturally designed rental in the town of Weiler, Vorarlberg. All living spaces feature custom-designed furnishings and incredible views.
When designing the hotel, we tried to retain as much of the original structure’s character as possible while also meeting the modern needs of a hotel.
Bar10Zimmer
How would you describe Bar10Zimmer in a nutshell?
Bar10Zimmer is a small boutique hotel that occupies a historic townhouse in Dornbirn, Austria. The heart of the property was once a bakery, which we have transformed into a bar, with 10 guest rooms across the three upper floors.
What is the story behind Bar10Zimmer, what was your inspiration to create it?
My husband and I come from a completely different industry but we have always travelled a lot and particularly love authentic, small places. So we wanted to bring something similar to our region, as these places are quite difficult to find in Vorarlberg.
We opened to guests in 2018 and have found that the property attracts a nice mix of business clients and leisure tourists. It’s been interesting how people who appreciate what we do have discovered Bar10Zimmer. It attracts a certain kind of people who like architecture and aren’t looking for a hotel with a big TV and a buffet breakfast.
How would you describe the atmosphere and the interior design of Bar10Zimmer?
Architectural clients always comment on the relationship between the old and new in the property. The interior design is very modern for such an old house and we’ve purposely kept things minimalistic. We’ve only included what was needed in the rooms — there are no minibars and if guests want a TV, they can book one at reception. The floors are raw wood and there is no plastic in the entire house.
There are 10 rooms set across three floors, with three different categories for guests to choose from. We have a small, single room that is ideal for one or two nights, as well as four comfort rooms and five standard rooms. The main difference between the latter two is the size of the room. Each room is unique and a couple have balconies.
When designing the hotel, we tried to retain as much of the original structure’s character as possible while also meeting the modern needs of a hotel. We didn’t want glass structures in the bathroom, so the showers are open and the basins are found in the room itself. Most of the furnishings have been custom-made by a local carpenter based on our designs and the quality of the mattresses and bed linen is very high. Each room is equipped with special art-pieces and a Dyson Pure Cool Ventilator.
Downstairs is the bar and a small reception area, although we usually greet guests and check them in at the bar over a coffee. It’s all very casual. We keep the reception open until 11 pm and provide guests with a code if they are arriving after that time.
We provide guests with a special, a la carte breakfast, which is served in the bar each morning. From a menu, they can select eggs cooked fresh to order and bread from a local bio-baker, as well as coffee made using a high-end espresso machine. We always provide complimentary espresso to our guests throughout the day.
At lunch there is a small menu with sandwiches, soups, salads, homemade cake and a wide selection of special drinks and wines. In the evenings, it’s more of an Italian bar-style scene rather than a formal restaurant.
We don’t have any cots or extra beds to provide for children but families are welcome to book two rooms or have a child with them in their bed (they are quite large) if they prefer. By default, there are no TVs in the room, but they can be booked at reception.
Bar10Zimmer is perfect for a longer stay to get to know the entire surrounding area with Lake Constance, Bregenz Forest and eastern Switzerland. But of course, it is also a perfect stopover on the way south or to the nearby ski areas. Whether on the way to Milan, Zurich, Lech-Zürs, Lake Como or Lake Maggiore — everyone likes to stop by in Dornbirn.
Dornbirn is a charming small town with a considerable range of cultural and shopping opportunities and also a perfect starting point to immerse yourself in the beautiful Vorarlberg mountains and to take advantage of the proximity to Lake Constance, Bregenz, the Principality of Liechtenstein and all of eastern Switzerland.
If you’re looking for culture, Dornbirn is home to two famous museums — the Inatura Natural Spectacle, which is dedicated to natural history, and the Kunstraum Dornbirn art gallery. There are fantastic hiking possibilities in the surrounding region and in the nearby town of Hohenems, you can learn about the area’s Jewish heritage. The Kunsthaus Bregenz is a “must” for art lovers or you can easily drive across the border to experience the contrasting culture of Switzerland.
Bar10Zimmer is located in the centre of Dornbirn, which is home to around 50,000 people. It’s surrounded by lots of restaurants and shops that are within walking distance, as well as a couple of famous museums.
What I particularly like about Dornbirn is that it’s an urban setting while offering easy access to both cultural and natural attractions. In 15 minutes, you can be in the ski fields or on hiking and mountain biking trails, and Lake Constance is also nearby. The region is also famed for its modern architecture and many people visit for this reason.
We’re positioned in the Rhine Valley near Austria’s borders with Germany and Switzerland, so there really is so much to do here. Many people stop in Dornbirn en route to their ski resort or on their way to Italy and the Bregenzer Festspiele in summer attracts many visitors to the region.
The summers here are great as it’s not too hot and you can escape the heat of other parts of Europe. I would say that from May to October is the best time to visit, except if you’re passing through for a winter ski holiday. Most of our guests stay for two or three days to explore Dornbirn and the surrounding region.
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