Schaan and Vaduz open their new youth hostel

23. APR. 2021

After almost one and a half years of construction, the new Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel welcomes its first guests. The new hostel was built according to the highest sustainability standards and is expected to bring more than 10,000 overnight stays to the Principality each year. This is expected to open up new guest segments and boost tourism in Liechtenstein.

Today, Friday, 23 April 2021, is the day: The Swiss Youth Hostels (SYH) and the municipalities of Schaan and Vaduz present the new Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel. Back in 2015, the municipalities of Schaan and Vaduz decided to replace the youth hostel at Under Rüttigass 6, which had existed for 40 years, with a new building. After almost 18 months of construction, the new youth hostel is now open to the public. The result is a modern “Top” category establishment with 116 beds in various room categories. The business is run by Adrian and Isabelle Koch. This managing pair has many years of experience in the catering and accommodation industry and already ran the youth hostel in Romanshorn together for six years.

Daniel Hilti, Communal President of the Municipality of Schaan, is delighted with the opening: “We are proud and very pleased with the result. The new youth hostel building meets modern guest needs and offers optimal functionality combined with maximum comfort. We are convinced that this will not only appeal to our regular guests, but will also encourage new guests to visit Liechtenstein.” Manfred Bischof, mayor of Vaduz, was also optimistic about the opening: “Cooperation across municipalities has proven successful, as is clearly reflected in the result. Once again Liechtenstein has a modern youth hostel, which is a sensible addition to the existing accommodation offer, putting our destination back on the radar of budget-conscious travellers and families, as well as schools and clubs.”

Janine Bunte, CEO of SYH, is also convinced that the youth hostel will become a magnet for guests: “With the new Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel, we can welcome another sustainable and modern youth hostel to our network, which appeals to many different groups of guests with its wide range of accommodation. Despite its proximity, Liechtenstein is still largely undiscovered by the Swiss, yet there are an incredible number of opportunities for sports and culture enthusiasts to enjoy remarkable holidays.” The Swiss Youth Hostels assume that the youth hostel will generate around 10,000 to 11,000 overnight stays for Liechtenstein each year.

Modern accommodation in a royal setting
DSchaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel offers its guests a total of 32 rooms, including twelve double rooms and four family rooms with their own shower/WC, as well as ten rooms with four beds and six rooms with six beds and a shower on the floor. Barrier-free units are available for all room types. The architectural firm Erhart + Partner AG from Vaduz, winners of the architecture competition with their project “Einstein”, are responsible for the new building and have realised the youth hostel based on this concept. “It is the first youth hostel we have built. The concept with different room categories and various meeting zones in combination with an environmentally friendly and accessible construction was a great challenge and we are very satisfied with the result,” says Martin Erhart, owner of the architectural firm.

Inspired by Ernst Gisel’s Mühleholz school centre, the new youth hostel was clad with a clinker facade, helping it to blend in perfectly with its surroundings. Furthermore, the building impresses with its clear architectural design, large glass fronts on the ground floor and a generous terrace with a view of nature and the mountains. Inside, the clear structure was also continued. The ground floor of the four-story building houses the lobby and reception, the spacious restaurant, a library and the games room. Visitors can enjoy a clear view of the surrounding Liechtenstein nature from all common rooms and lounges as well as from the roof terrace and the seminar room on the fourth floor.

Energy and ecological sustainability also played an important role in the new building, as René Dobler, CEO of the Swiss Foundation for Social Tourism, explains: “With the new building of the Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel, we have continued our pursuit of sustainable tourism without compromise. Schaan-Vaduz is our third Minergie P standard youth hostel, after Gstaad and Interlaken.” The ecological footprint is also kept to a minimum in terms of energy generation: The youth hostel’s own electricity is produced by a photovoltaic system on the roof and the energy for heating is generated by a groundwater heat pump.

From the youth hostel right to Liechtenstein’s holiday paradise
Thanks to its central location in Schaan, the youth hostel is an ideal starting point for a variety of different activities. Hiking is a guest favourite especially in the spring and summer months. With the Naafkopf (2570 m), the historic Eschnerberg high trail, the 75 km Liechtenstein Trail and numerous other routes, all walking and hiking needs can be satisfied in Liechtenstein. In addition to numerous other activities such as mountain biking, trail running, climbing, golf, inline skating, fishing etc., this small country offers a great deal of ways to relax and have a good time. After a day of swimming in Grossabünt lake in Gamprin or the nearby Mühleholz swimming pool, Liechtenstein restaurants invite you to feast and indulge. The culinary spectrum ranges from exquisite gourmet specialities in award-winning restaurants to traditional dishes in rustic inns and alpine huts. The Principality also has a lot to offer culturally, for example on the Museum Mile in Vaduz with its modern art museum or the Liechtenstein Treasury.

From the youth hostel right to Liechtenstein’s holiday paradise
The COVID-19 situation permitting, the municipalities of Schaan and Vaduz will celebrate the official opening of the Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel together with the Swiss Youth Hostels on 11 June 2021. Anyone interested is cordially invited to come and see the newly built youth hostel at the open house on 12 June 2021. Details regarding both events will be communicated in due course.

Further information on Schaan-Vaduz Youth Hostel Press release (PDF)