A hotel is only as good as the people behind it

Around 35 employees look after your well-being at the Alpen Adria Hotel.

The Rainer family & the team

What makes our hotel unique are the people who work here. From the friendly lady at reception to the hard-working apprentice chef who might even become our Chef de Cuisine one day.

Of course, many people say that. But we provide the proof. Or rather our guests with countless positive hotel reviews, for which we are infinitely grateful, and above all our employees themselves. Because like few other hoteliers

we have a team that has been loyal to our house for many years.

Until 1978, our team was led by Maria Hinker (before her mother Mrs. Maria Theuermann), the mother of Susanne Rainer. Unfortunately, Mrs. Hinker died in the summer of 1978 and Susanne and Eduard Rainer, a teacher and railwayman, took the plunge and took over the business.

To the detailed history of the Alpen Adria Hotel

The second generation

The Alpen Adria Hotel is now run by 2 generations and therefore several Rainers: In addition to the two sons Klaus (he is the wine specialist at the Alpen Adria Hotel) and Marcus, daughter-in-law Andrea also works in the business. The youngest family members are the two daughters of Klaus and Andrea - Romy (September 2010) and Julie (February 2012) as well as son Theo (November 2016) and Luca (March 2013) - son of Marcus and Melanie.

Klaus Rainer

The hotel professional who set out to find a wife for the hotel and for life in Vienna 😊 He works hard every day with a lot of energy and passion, and his knowledge of enjoyment is reflected in his own bacon and wine production. Best dad ever when it comes to his three children. On vacation, he takes the whole family cycling through Friuli; exercise and enjoyment are the best things of all.

Andrea Rainer

After several years in the communications industry and a course in tourism management, she moved from Vienna straight into the hotel business in Carinthia's Gailtal valley. She always wanted to go somewhere with mountains, and the Pressegger See on her doorstep is a wonderful bonus. Just like her husband and three children, her "large family of employees" is very close to her heart. To balance out everyday hotel life, she goes cycling in the mountains or to the sea.

Romy

Junior manager born in 2010, already has an overview of the reception and hotel operations. Great musical talent and a very lovable girl.

Julie

Junior manager born in 2012, sports talent - swimming, cycling, hiking, climbing… Exercise is good for you! Already has a lot of fun helping her dad pour drinks in the bar.

Theo

Junior manager born in 2015, the little prince who not only has his two sisters wrapped around his finger. He especially loves the hotel playground, the children's playroom and the children's cinema, where he can "chill out" with his hotel friends in the evenings when mom and dad are at work.

Susanne Rainer

She has been running the hotel since 1978 with great dedication and attention to detail. One of Susanne's specialties is her homemade apricot jam. But "Grandma Su" also likes to take time for her grandchildren. The "Edi-Alm" is her favorite place to relax.

Eduard Rainer

Together with his family, Edi has transformed the Seewirt into the Alpen Adria Hotel it is today through many renovations and years of vision. He loves his family and the Kühweger Alm with its beautiful alpine flora, but a trip to Grado by the sea is also pure pleasure for him, vino rosso and spaghetti al' olio peperoncino, what more could you want...

Marcus Rainer

He is the specialist for garden maintenance and cleanliness in the hotel complex. He is also the perfect tour guide with lots of insider knowledge about the Alpe Adria region. He enjoys spending time with his son Luca at Lake Presseggersee.

Luca

Junior manager born in 2013, whether playing table tennis, in the indoor pool or in the children's playroom, Marcus' son feels right at home at the Alpen Adria Hotel.

Our reception team

Office Manager Katrin

"A hotel business has a wide variety of tasks. I started at reception over 13 years ago, where guest contact, reservation inquiries, bookings and billing are the day-to-day business. I now support the Rainer family as an assistant in several areas, be it marketing, online media, social media, offer design or keeping an overview of the room plan. I really enjoy working with our reception team, and after the season there is always a joint excursion on the agenda. It's important that we also get to know something new so that we can always give our guests great tips for their vacation."

An excursion tip from Katrin: Weissensee - by car to Neusach, then hike to the eastern shore and back by boat, my children love this tour.

Receptionist Kathi

"I have been part of the Alpen-Adria-Hotel family since the end of 2022. My area of responsibility includes reception, where I get to spend fun, creative, warm, varied and sometimes a little crazy hours. It really never gets boring and I'm particularly fascinated by the way in which absolutely planned business people can completely switch off, switch over and enjoy themselves from one day to the next. I particularly enjoy being able to share the delights of our region and the hotel with our guests. From-A-, like our unique Alpine pastures, to -Z-, like Swiss stone pine, there is simply everything your heart and soul need here."

An excursion tip from Kathi: With good mountain boots via St. Steben to the Graslitzen (my absolute favorite mountain). After a leisurely break at the summit, with an incredible view over the whole valley and with a bit of luck the sight of chamois, golden eagles and capercaillie, then down the other side of the mountain to the St. Stefaner Alm - stop off at Halter for "an Reindling and a Radler" and then back down to the valley via the Windische Höhe.

Receptionist Jasmin

"I have a degree in tourism management and after 10 years as an administrative employee (ÖGK) I have returned to my passion for hotels. I work as a receptionist but I am also happy to help out in service, I simply love working with our guests. The work at the Alpen Adria Hotel is varied, challenging but also a lot of fun. I have many positive memories of the hotel, whether cleaning after the various renovations or helping out at the wedding of our junior managers, as well as the many fun end-of-season events… I have known many colleagues for over 15 years and it feels a bit like family. We can rely on each other and that makes working in a team really fun!"

An excursion tip from Jasmin: Tarvisio is always worth a trip, whether for a stroll around the market, drinking Aperol or cappuccino, eating pizza or for the kids the summer toboggan run or the adventure playground

As an HGA apprentice in reception and also in service -

Bianca

Bianca joined the reception team in February 2024, making her the latest addition to the Alpen Adria family. She has decided that school is not the right path for her and that vocational training in the hospitality industry is much more fun. We are very happy to have her with us, because despite her young age, she already has a really professional approach to looking after guests. Bianca loves to spend her free time with her horses.

An excursion tip from Bianca: A hike in the Siebenbrünn Nature Park, just a few minutes' drive from the hotel

Our service team

Restaurant manager Martin

"I've been working in service at the Alpen Adria Hotel since 2014, I feel very comfortable here and really appreciate the Rainer family. A healthy atmosphere among us employees is also important to me, so in my role as restaurant and team leader I take special care of the individual concerns of my colleagues. Most of the time we work really well together - when it comes down to it, everyone supports everyone else. I like to spend my free time with my family and playing tennis. As a big fan of German football, we went to 3 games in 4 days last fall and didn't sleep much… "

An excursion tip from Martin: The Egger-Alm and my "local mountain" the Poludnig, best for biking and hiking …
An insider tip: Our home-made "Kugy-Gin", which I also love to drink myself!

Waitress Doris

Doris is one of our longest-serving employees (she has been part of the Rainer family since 2007). Her competence and always calm and friendly manner is a blessing for our guests. Doris prefers to spend her free time in the great outdoors, whether by bike or snowshoe in winter - the main thing is exercise in the fresh air!

Waitress Edelgard

"I work in service, which I really enjoy. We have a good working atmosphere, lovely bosses and, above all, really great guests. I worked at the Hotel Seewirt 30 years ago and returned to the Alpen Adria Hotel in 2016. A word to my colleagues: What one person can't do, many can."

An excursion tip from Edelgard: The Radniger waterfall

Waitress Michaela

Michi has been an integral part of our service team for several years now. Our guests tend to see her in the morning and at lunchtime, as she is usually on duty until 3.00 pm. She is also a reliable early riser when it comes to preparing the breakfast buffet for our guests twice a week. But if we need help in the evening, Michi is always ready to help out - thank you very much!

Breakfast waitress Stefanie

"I work in service and am responsible for the breakfast buffet. This suits me very well because I can work early but only in the mornings and have time for the children in the afternoon. To give me a bit of variety in my work, I also help out at reception from time to time. I grew up in a hotel on Lake Weissensee and now enjoy working on Lake Presseggersee. The bosses are all nice and always try to accommodate my requests for days off, I love going to concerts 😊."

An excursion tip from Steffi: Every Thursday in summer there is a weekly market at Lake Weissensee (from 9 am to 12 pm) and then a boat trip or a walk around the lake. In winter, ice skating on the largest prepared natural ice rink in Europe

Franz and Eva

Initially we only had Franz with us, but now his Eva has joined our service team. They both come from Hungary and have already worked in several countries, including years in Italy, which explains his love of musica italiana. Franz is a real service professional and we appreciate his flexibility when it comes to changing the roster at short notice: "No problem, boss!". Eva is an enrichment for all guests with her cordial nature. Because she is so hard-working, we have to share her with a wine tavern in Lower Austria. But better "half Eva than no Eva" 😉

An excursion tip from Eva and Franz: to Caorle or Lignano - even on a day off, the sea is close enough!

In service - Kamila

Our cheerful lady from Poland, who lives with her family in Gailtalt and has been working at the Alpen Adria Hotel since the 2024 winter season. She has brought her German up to a super standard in a very short time. Friendly, courteous and always focused at work - we really appreciate that about her.

An excursion tip from Kamila: A leisurely circular hike (approx. 1 hour) near St. Paul - here you can get to know beautiful, new places in the Gailtal valley

Our kitchen team

Head chef Christian …

"After 12 years away, we have returned to the Gailtal and have been cooking for Alpen Adria guests since December 2017. The good atmosphere in the kitchen should be reflected in our dishes. Regional specialties, creative and freshly cooked is our motto. As a chef, it is very important to me to emphasize the taste of the individual products and not to over-season them with foreign flavors."

… and his wife Medina in the patisserie

"I am responsible for the patisserie and love to spoil our guests with delicious sweet variations every day. I also help with the creation of the starters, we are a very good team in the kitchen and have a lot of fun.
In our free time in the afternoon we enjoy going for a walk by Lake Presseggersee, we like to spend our days off in Villach or in nearby Tarvisio with a good pizza and an Italian cappuccino."

An excursion tip from Christian and Medina: the water adventure trail in Rattendorf, the nature trail, is laid out as a circular route and is also accessible with the baby carriage . There are also benches and tables for resting and barbecue areas.

Sous chef Veronika

"I completed my training as a chef at the Thermenhof Warmbad Villach. I then got a taste of the Alpen Adria Hotel. I liked it so much straight away that I have now been spoiling guests with delicious food in the family business for 10 years. I really enjoy being a sous chef. I feel very much at home in the Rainer family business. My motto is to go to work with a smile every day. I like being part of the team. Over the last few years, I've made lots of wonderful memories, they're all special. Graduation dinners are always fun and cheerful. My colleagues are all very nice and some of them have really grown on me. The kitchen team works well together and a joke now and then is just part of it."

An excursion tip from Veronika: Dobratsch Nature Park - enjoy the wonderful panorama. And for culinary delights, the farmers' market in Hermagor on Saturday.

Cook Mario

"I'm part of the kitchen team and support my chef and everyone else. I really enjoy working here because the chefs are super nice and I can work with my wife. Our kitchen team is often stressed, but there is never a lack of fun, we laugh a lot in the kitchen. At the end of the season, we have a lot of fun on the company outings."

An excursion tip from Mario: " As an Italian, I can recommend the nearby mountain village of Tarvisio, you are quickly over the border and immediately feel the Italian flair

In the kitchen - Beata

Beate came to Austria from Poland in 2016 and has been working in the Gailtal Valley since 2017, and has now been with us at the Alpen Adria Hotel since the winter season. She is very hard-working and diligent and doesn't shy away from any work - whether it's doing the heavy pots in the washing-up or helping with the room cleaning on the floor. She has two grown-up children (her daughter Kamila is also in our service department) and a son in Poland. And what's particularly nice is that Beata will soon be a grandmother for the first time - her grandchild will be born in Poland!

An excursion tip from Beata: Up to the mountains on the Nassfeld - always pure relaxation on a day off!

Kitchen help Eveline

"I worked as a chef at Naturgut Gailtalerhof for 20 years. I joined the Alpen Adria Hotel in 2015 as a breakfast and salad chef. But I also particularly enjoy the patisserie; in winter I love baking delicious cookies… Together with our head chef Christian and my colleagues, we make a great kitchen team."

An excursion tip from Eveline: Eating a good slice of cake at Semmelrock in Hermagor

As a dishwasher and all-rounder: Robert

After Josef retired, Robert joined our team as a real asset. He supports the kitchen as a dishwasher, but as a trained gardener he is also a great help in maintaining our outdoor areas. Robert comes from Hungary, at the moment a lot of communication is still done via "Google Translate", but the longer Robert is here, the better he will speak German. And we can tell that Robert is a really lovely, great person and employee anyway!

A hiking tip from Robert: "My colleague Aad took me up Monte Malurch on the Italian side of Nassfeld, it was a very strenuous hike for me, but it was soooo beautiful!"

As kitchen assistant: Kerstin

Just as an employee from the kitchen left us, Kerstin stood in front of the door and asked for a job… It couldn't have been a more perfect fit. She is such a hard-working, loyal and uncomplicated employee that we are delighted to have her. She and Medina make a great culinary team when it comes to starters and desserts, but the rest of the team are also great fun, especially when we raise our glasses in the kitchen in the evening for staff birthdays…

A hiking tip from Kerstin: The cozy, idyllic circular trail around Lake Presseggersee, where you can relax on the benches in between and enjoy the scenery!

Our floor team

Chambermaid Franka

"I've been working at this family hotel for several years now and enjoy being part of the team. I'm easy-going and get on very well with all my colleagues. I clean the indoor pool first thing in the morning, which is nice and quiet work before we get going… I've seen a lot of renovations in the hotel, sometimes it looks really messy, but we've always managed to get everything clean again. It's a good feeling when we've finished a season, the end with everyone is always a very nice day."

An excursion tip from Franka: The Gössering ditch in Hermagor, ideal in summer because it runs along the Gössering river, partly shaded, children can also go to the water, ideal for relaxing

Chambermaid Rosa

"I am a chambermaid and take care of the cleanliness in the hotel. I really enjoy working at the hotel because I have enough time for my children and can be with my husband, who is a chef at the hotel. The company outings are very interesting and fun, last year we went on a boat trip on Lake Weissensee in beautiful weather. We have a great working atmosphere and lots of fun."

An excursion tip from Rosa: As a native of Italy, I recommend a trip to Udine, just over an hour away by car, a great Italian city with a centro storica, bars and cafés, and large shopping centers on the outskirts of the city

Chambermaid Petra

"I've been working as a chambermaid for many years… I like working at the hotel because some of my colleagues have become good friends. Since 2002, there have been many stories to tell about everything that has happened in the hotel…. We are the best team!"

An excursion tip from Petra: For a hike, take a day's stage of the Carnic High Trail 503 between Sillian and Nassfeld, each section is particularly…

Chambermaid Karin

"My tasks include room cleaning and the wellness area. When I'm needed, I can be found in the scullery. I like working at the hotel because it's close to home (I can get to work without a car) and I have good colleagues who I can rely on in an emergency. I've been with the company since 2006 and have witnessed a number of renovations and expansions. There have also been some fun end-of-season parties. I always get on well with all my colleagues, especially the chambermaids, but also the chefs Adrianus and Mario, who are always in a good mood, the dishwashers Walter and Josef and the janitor Markus."

An excursion tip from Karin: those who love nature and long walks in solitude and tranquillity will find the ideal place for this along the Gail.

Chambermaid Christine

Christine is our warm new addition to the floor. After 12 years in another company, her husband said that she should work for us. That was certainly the best decision for everyone! She is a cheerful person through and through, totally uncomplicated and always up for a laugh. At carnival, her grandma's herring salad is a culinary highlight that is eaten with the whole family. Christine has three grown-up children and is - in our opinion - a grandma who is young at heart!

An excursion tip from Christine: A walk along the Gail from Möderndorf - in winter usually with hoar frost, but especially in summer in the evening a particularly atmospheric experience!

Floor - chambermaids Valentina and Francesca

Valentina is one of our lovely Italian chambermaids who moved here from Sicily to the Gailtal valley. As the men have good jobs here, the whole family moved to Carinthia. Valentina has three children, with whom she does a lot in her free time: swimming, playground, cooking… There's something different on the program every day. She is very precise and accurate in her work and supports our team four times a week.
Francesca is our newest addition. She also comes from Sicily and moved to the Gailtal valley with her children due to her husband's job. Within a few days, she had moved into her new accommodation, organized a place in kindergarten for the bambini, completed all the paperwork, introduced herself to us and started work. That's what we say: Lei è una ragazza bravissima!

An excursion tip from Francesca and Valentina: A walk along the Gail from Möderndorf to Podlanig, a nice afternoon program for the whole family

Wellness & Caretaker

Masseuse Natascha

"I'm the masseuse in the hotel, and I also help out in the rooms when I'm needed. Thanks to the Alpen Adria Hotel, I've been able to continue my professional and personal training and development, and I'm currently training for pedicures. I like my guests - every guest is an experience for me. I have my favorite colleagues at the reception and in the rooms, I always have something to laugh about with them."

An excursion tip from Natascha: the donkey park in the Malta Valley - an idyll for young and old, the botanical garden in Klagenfurt, the Gailtal local history museum

Janitor Markus

"I'm a janitor and the go-to person for everything. It's a varied job and there are new surprises every day. It's always very nice to talk to our regular guests. During the major renovations and at the end of the season, I'm usually lying in the sun at the campsite in Mali Losinj. My favorite of my colleagues is Sepp, who can't survive without picking mushrooms in the summer."

An excursion tip from Markus: to the Watschiger Alm and enjoy the fantastic mountain scenery with a delicious Bretteljause. The Almschotten is the best in the valley and always sells out quickly.