Since December 2001, the Riders Palace in LAAX has been welcoming young, party-loving freestylers. From simple shared rooms to suites, it offers something to suit every budget. But times are changing, and so is the Riders' clientele: it is getting older and more mature. For this reason, a new concept was developed for the legendary hotel and implemented in fall 2016 during a renovation phase lasting just under two years. This transformation is being carried out by a young team that did not come together because of their experience in the hotel industry. Rather, the team of five creative minds is united by a passion for new and innovative ideas, trends, and design. In this interview, the renovation team offers a glimpse behind the scenes and reports on what guests can look forward to in the new hotel.
Your team does not yet have much experience in the hotel industry. Nevertheless, you approached the project with great commitment. Were you concerned that it might not work?
Roger Heid, Hotel Manager: We have all gained many years of experience in different areas. We have also traveled extensively and discovered many different parts of the world. We feel that we can incorporate the impressions we have gathered on our travels into this project. The aim is to create an experience that is different from that of a traditional hotel—we want to convey a special vibe.
The Riders Hotel in Laax Murschetg will open its doors in winter 2017/18 not only with a new look, but also with a new concept. What can guests expect in the future?
Roger Heid, Hotel Manager: Our goal is to make everything as easy as possible for our guests, from check-in to the dining experience. The rooms are also designed to be functional and simple, yet stylish and beautiful. Another guiding principle is that the passion that has been put into this project is evident throughout the hotel. Employees such as the chef, the bartender, and the receptionists—they all need to fit into the team, which means being genuine and having a passion for skiing or snowboarding, enjoying being around people, and having a flair for music.
How and where did the new concept idea originate?
Jonathan Voellmy, Creative Director: The ideas arose from an ongoing creative process, but also from the interplay between work and leisure time. When you've been skiing together on the slopes in the morning, your head is clear and you're open to inspiration. We certainly gathered a lot of ideas while traveling, too. When you're on the road, you get a completely different perspective on things. The initial plans for the renovation were actually conceived in India.
What will happen to the young people who have been looking for affordable accommodation at Riders?
Michael Adamina, architect: There are still 4-bed rooms on one entire floor, which means that this target group still has access to cool and affordable accommodation. The price had to be increased slightly, but it has also been adjusted to the new standard.
Which new target group do you want to address with this concept?
Roger Heid, Hotel Manager: We don't divide our target groups according to characteristics such as age or place of residence. We want to reach people who are passionate about the mountains and appreciate music, design, and quality.
What experience do you bring to the team?
Roger Heid, Hotel Manager: I have already gained quite a bit of management experience. Nowadays, I can quickly sense whether something will work or whether someone will fit into a team. It is my job to question the "crazy" ideas and perhaps tone them down to "medium crazy." But I also know when to step back and let the team do its work.
What was the most exciting thing for you during the transformation phase?
Jonathan Voellmy, Creative Director: The blank slate we were given—the opportunity to create something completely new from scratch. In my job, it's often just about the design, about embellishing something. In this project, however, we had the chance to develop the entire concept from the ground up—we even defined the target audience together, which is often predetermined.
What passion do you bring to the project?
Michael Adamina, architect: I have a great passion for graphic design and photography, and I'm very interested in what's going on in the whole surfing and snowboarding scene – I find the graphic aspects and clothing styles particularly exciting. That's also what's so fascinating about LAAX – here you can experience the whole scene in one place.
What do you appreciate most about working in a team?
James Niederberger, carpenter: The collaboration is really special—we all designed, planned, built, and worked together. We always saw it as a circle that we were drawing together. Usually, at the beginning of a project, you have an architect who plans it, then a craftsman who implements it, and finally someone else who operates it. But we all want to be involved in the entire process. We worked together constantly, discussed things a lot, and had arguments. However, thanks to our deep-rooted friendship, everything worked very well. We've all known each other for a long time, and each of us knows where the others' weaknesses lie. This means we accept each other as we are.
What are the biggest challenges during the transformation?
Renato Nigg, site manager: The timeframe we have is very tight for all the ideas we want to implement. The biggest challenge is definitely juggling everything in such a packed construction schedule in a way that works for everyone.
What are you most looking forward to when the project is completed?
Renato Nigg, site manager: I'm happy when everything works and the improvement in quality is visible. I'm also looking forward to seeing that the transformation has been worthwhile, that it's visually apparent, but above all that you can feel it.
