History of the house
three generations of hospitality, drive and visions
The Hotel Restaurant Arvenbüel has always been owned by the Rüedi family. Take a look back with us at the past decades - from the construction of the “Berghus Arvenbüel” in the 1950s to the present day.
The first generation – Albert & Frieda
Grandfather Albert Rüedi was a qualified butcher and ran a large butcher's shop in Winterthur. Albert and his wife Frieda were often on vacation in Amden village. Frieda wanted a hotel in the Arvenbüel district and Albert was very interested in the idea. With a fair amount of courage, the two bought this beautiful piece of land at the beginning of the 1950s and built the Berghaus Arvenbüel in 1954. At that time, the road to the Arvenbüel was not yet developed.
Since Albert and Frieda continued to live in Winterthur and worked in the butcher's shop “Aunt Päuli” – Frieda's sister – and “Uncle Alfons” took over the management of the hotel during the first years. Even today, many guests remember the Pürro couple and the fine homemade dishes that they conjured up.
The Berghaus had a total of 14 guest rooms. Even then, guests found the luxury of hot and cold running water and their own telephone in every room. Showers and toilets were on the floor. By the standards of the time, this was already a very good standard. Many customers of the Metzgerei in Winterthur became regular guests at the Arvenbüel and some of them still are today.
The second generation – André & Silvia
50 years ago, on July 8th 1968, the son André returned from his years abroad and took over the Arvenbüel. Despite his young age, he could already look back on a very eventful and instructive life, with a completed apprenticeship as a cook, attendance at the hotel school in Lausanne and long years abroad, during which he worked in 24 countries and gained a lot of life experience. Until 1974, André and his sister Madeleine, two years his senior, ran the business together.
At the Arvenbüel, André also met his wife Silvia at a cheerful dance evening. They married in 1973 and had three daughters, Barbara, Gabriela and Franziska. Madeleine stayed until after their honeymoon, when she moved to St. Moritz to the Suvretta House, where she took a job as a manager in the Chasellas restaurant. She worked there for a total of 60 seasons under three different directors of the luxury hotel.
In 1984 a renovation and new building was realized. Since then, the hotel offers 21 very large rooms with balconies. Each room has a sleeping and living area. The rooms are comfortably furnished and face south or west. "Back to the roots" seems to be the motto for many guests. They return to the place where they once felt at home as children. "Childhood memories are awakened when you come to Arvenbüel." This is what many guests say. Here, mommy and daddy show their children where they once vacationed with their grandparents. Over the years, many friendships have developed, both among the guests and with the Rüedi family.
Although André and Silvia Rüedi handed over the management to their daughter Barbara a few years ago, they are still often to be found in the Arvenbüel. André continues to take the cooking spoon whenever there is a bottleneck in the kitchen. And Silvia also offers a helping hand at any time.
The third generation – Barbara
Since 2012, the hotel and restaurant business has been run by the eldest daughter Barbara Rüedi in the third generation. With a great deal of heart and soul, commitment and visionary thinking, she not only wants to continue the traditions that have become so dear to her and are appreciated by her guests, but also to be prepared for the future.
- A house that writes history for three generations: Article in the Arvenbüeler Post No. 63, page 2 (German only)
Generational change also among the guests
The children that Barbara and her sisters used to play with now come here with their own children.
Success has never been left to fate. Many events and occasions have been organized in the Arvenbüel. Among the biggest and most significant are certainly those with the Paldauers. Starting in 1975, the band from Austria played every summer for at least one week in the Arvenbüel for 10 years. At the very beginning they were on stage in the traditional lederhosen - today the Paldauer are considered the most successful pop music band of the present.
The tradition of varied events is still maintained today by Barbara Rüedi. From concerts of different music genres to social dance events and funny joke evenings to our culinary buffet highlights, there is certainly something for every guest. In the annual program we inform you about all current events.
