A house of tradition

Family Karner serving you since 1875
A passion over generations

Around 1850 Alois Wallnöfer, also named Kromer Luis, used the today hotel as a corner-shop. His son-in-law Alois Karner, moving out from „Taferner“-Tavern, married Wallnöfer’s daughter Maria. Together they opened the Tavern and accomodation „Zur Neuen Post“.

Already in 1877 the young couple came up with a Guestbook, and kept going on with using it ever since. Up to this day all these guestbooks are preserved and give an important insight into the numbers, origin and personal information of their guests. From the year 1877 up to the turn of the century around 4000 guests signed the book, means that every year „Zur Neuen Post“ hosted around 200 visitors.

Price & guests

In the meantime their son Alois Karner, together with his wife Hedwig Stafler, took over the tavern. They could offer 36 beds, costing 1,20 – 2 Kronen per night or for those who wished full board 5 – 7 Kronen. Where did the guests come from though? Mostly from Germany, followed by England and the United States and a few from France, Italy and Austria.

The main-season ranged from June up to late October. Up to 1910 carbid-lights were used, just later an electrical line to provide people with power was built from Mals/Malles to Spondinig. The tavern also used an ice-house to store ice in winter in order to keep food cool and fresh throughout the summertime.

The menu was varied and rich and hot meals were available throughout the day up to midnight. Even fish was served, as fresh trout was caught in the nearby Kalterteich-pond.

Times of war

With the outbreak of the First World War, this inrush of tourists and the economic prosperity came to an abrupt end. The good years were over and followed of many lean years.

During the four years of the First World War, in the Post tavern was accommodated the Rayon command 1 of the Ortles front. There were only Austrian troops from the common soldier up to the Rayon commanding officers Colonel Hradesny, Colonel Abenddorf and finally, until the end of the war, Colonel Lempruch, General Dankl and then the field marshals von Conrad and Archduke Eugene. And last but not least, in September 1917 and again before the end of war in October 1918, also His Majesty Emperor Charles stayed at the hotel for a war situation meeting.

After the end of the First World War the Italian soldiers came via the Stilfserjoch to Prad and established themselves in the Post Hotel. In the interwar years the tourism stagnated under the fascist government. Only in the post-war years the number of overnight stays increased again.

Grand-uncle Alfred Karner

Alfred Karner, the son of Alois and Hedwig, took over the hotel from his parents. As „Post“ in the post-war years stood for several shabby taverns, the hotel was named Zentral.

In this time, more important than the guesthouse was the agriculture sector which was a major source of income. Additionally there was also a small Esso petrol station complementing the hotel.

Alfred was the proud owner of the second automobile in the village and also mayor of Prad for a short time. Because his marriage with Maria Paulmichl was childless, he left his house to his favourite nephew Alois Karner, the son of his brother Max.

Alois & Paula Karner

Already by the age of 19, Alois took over the hotel in the late 50ies from his uncle, but at first with only modest success.

He married Paula Schenk and with the increasing tourist flows, the two succeeded in modernising and amplifying the building. The agricultural sector was abandoned and already in the early 70ies, the first indoor swimming pool was built.

Alfred & Sabine Karner

After Alois’ disease-related death in 1994, his son Alfred, at that time also still 19-year-old, took over the family business. After numerous renovations, the marriage with Sabine Lechner and the life that is brought into the house by the three children Julia, Alexander and Andreas, the Hotel Zentral shines brighter than ever before.