Peeking behind the scenes

During this one-hour experience, guests have the opportunity to experience their holiday retreat from a completely new perspective, gaining insights into the complex interplay of passion, precision and good organisation that keeps things running smoothly at an establishment such as ADLER Lodge RITTEN.

First, we gather in the lobby for a brief introduction by Klaus about the lodge concept, the fine woods used in construction and the architectural details that give ADLER Lodges their distinctive style – from the carved dragon heads in the gables to the ornate wood prints enriching the interiors.

Genuine commitment meets smart technologies

We then head to the stylish dining room and through to the kitchen, where the daily culinary magic happens. A brigade of twelve are busying themselves among the pots and pans, working with great focus and dedication to delight the palates of around 90 guests. The key ingredients for success? Careful planning, well-defined processes and harmonious teamwork.

Next, we head down a narrow staircase to a large, brightly lit room – the hotel’s waste management centre. This is where all the waste from the rooms and departments is collected, carefully sorted and processed for proper disposal. The only smell is that of cleanliness. It’s all immaculately tidy: the large containers are meticulously labelled, and every item has its place. As sustainability goes, recycling is certainly a good start. But indeed, just a start. The ultimate goal is to prevent waste in the first place. In this respect, much has already been done – from reducing single-use plastic packaging and switching to digital systems to minimise paper consumption to prioritising suppliers who share the same philosophy and use recyclable packaging.

After a short walk down the corridor, a door opens into the hotel laundry, where large machines operate steadily almost around the clock to clean the huge amounts of daily laundry and provide guests with a constant supply of fresh towels and bathrobes. No conventional detergents in sight – everything is washed using only biodegradable products, to preserve the fabrics and protect the environment.

Right next door beats the technological heart of the lodge – an intricate landscape of pipes, pumps and glowing monitors. Hannes takes the floor, explaining how advanced smart control systems are used to manage heat, water and energy automatically. Everything is adjusted with pinpoint precision based on weather, occupancy rate and time of day, so that not a single kilowatt is wasted.

The last leg of our tour leads us below the infinity pool. It almost sounds as if there’s someone swimming above us, though the faint ripple actually comes from the filtered water returning to the pool. The water is treated by salt electrolysis – an eco-friendly alternative to industrial chlorine that is also much gentler on the skin.