The history
The iconic Hotel Im Weissen Rössl
Famous hotel
For over 500 years, the Weisses Rössl on Lake Wolfgang has been a beacon of hospitality. Today, the Romantik hotel is run by the Peter family and is a 4-star superior hotel offering the highest levels of comfort and service.
The operetta 'Im weissen Rössl' and the former country inn
Our hotel became famous through the operetta of the same name by Ralph Benatzky. When many Austrians hear the words 'Weisses Rössl', they automatically think of actor Peter Alexander in the role of Leopold.
In 1896 Oskar Blumenthal and Gustav Kadelburg were staying at the Villa Blumenthal near the town of Bad Ischl. During their stay, they wrote the romantic comedy 'Im Weissen Rössl', featuring the love-struck head waiter and the headstrong landlady. In 1930, Ralph Benatzky composed the stirring music, and the work premiered as an operetta in Berlin on 8 November 1930.
Following the operetta and the 'Rössl film' in the 1960s, the inn on Lake Wolfgang became an icon. The hotel and filming locations became popular day-trip destinations, drawing crowds of visitors to St. Wolfgang and the Hotel Im Weissen Rössl.
More than just an operetta
The Hotel Im Weissen Rössl owes its fame and venerable history to more than just the operetta and films set here.
It has been serving the people who flocked to the pilgrimage church of St. Wolfgang for 500 years. The current inn "Im Weissen Rössl" opened in 1878. Paul Johann Peter acquired the inn in 1912 and laid the foundation for the family business, which is now managed by the fifth generation of the Peter family. Following numerous conversions and extensions, the 4-star superior hotel emerged in its current form, and today offers individually appointed, extremely comfortable rooms and suites and spacious holiday apartments.
500 years of outstanding hospitality
Experience living tradition at Lake Wolfgang in the run-up to Christmas
For an advent season like in days gone by, come to St. Wolfgang. On the shores of Lake Wolfgang, the focus is on tradition, and it's especially evident at the annual Lake Wolfgang Advent festival, when the town is transformed into a Nativity village. At the most wonderful time of year, the traditions of St Wolfgang create an extraordinary atmosphere of Christmas past.
From country inn to 4* hotel
In the late 1970s, the Peter family converted their country inn into a seriously deluxe 4-star hotel. Today guests at the Hotel Im Weissen Rössl on Lake Wolfgang will encounter charming hospitality, outstanding comfort and superb service – very different to the scenes from the famous operetta set here.
But one thing will never change: the glorious landscape and unique setting on the shore of Lake Wolfgang, which has delighted holidaymakers down the generations.
Art and culture at Lake Wolfgang
Today, the Romantik Hotel Im Weissen Rössl comprises nine buildings connected via corridors and the famous Rössl Bridge. Numerous artworks and little treasures lie hidden within this traditional hotel on Lake Wolfgang and give it a historical, authentic feel.
Film props from German actors and Austrian art
Emil Jannings was a German actor, the first recipient of an Oscar and the only German to have won the award for Best Actor. Jannings also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The stage and film star had a deep affection for Lake Wolfgang and spent many a summer in his villa by the lake. When he emigrated in the 1930s, he bequeathed his furniture to the landlady of the Rössl hotel at that time.
Jannings visited the hotel frequently, as did many other illustrious guests. One of the Peter family's most treasured possessions is a perfume bottle once owned by Marlene Dietrich.
Amother regular guest at the Hotel im Weissen Rössl was Gudrun Baudisch, the grande dame of ceramic art. Baudisch founded the Keramik Hallstatt workshop, which went on to achieve international renown. Many of her pieces have come into the possession of the Peter family over the years and are still cherished here.
"Our guests can explore the hotel as they would a museum," says the hotel owner Gudrun Peter. "You can walk through our nine buildings retracing the footsteps of the film stars and find all sorts of gems along the way. The corridors are lined with a treasure trove of old photos from the film starring Peter Alexander, film recordings and props. We give our visitors an impression of what St. Wolfgang and the hotel looked like back then. There is also a lot more information in the rooms. Guests can immerse themselves in a bygone era."
Today's specials at the Hotel Im Weissen Rössl on Lake Wolfgang
With its year-round heated lake pool and the world's first floating jacuzzi (the Rössl Pool), the SPA at the Hotel Im Weissen Rössl on Lake Wolfgang is one of a kind. Premium professional beauty treatments at the SPA provide the perfect compliment to any wellness holiday on Lake Wolfgang.
The Peter family has always been committed to serving superb cuisine, too. Their efforts have garnered them 15 points, or 3 toques, in the latest Gault & Millau.
Numerous events here have become popular fixtures in the calendar, drawing visitors from near and far to Lake Wolfgang. Wine, game, truffles and the hotel's own 'Rössling' char are all part of the tradition here. Head chef Hermann Poll uses mainly regional products for his exquisite creations at the hotel's restaurants.
Tempted to come and sample these delicacies for yourself?
Then embark on a journey of discovery at Lake Wolfgang and book your holiday at the Hotel Im Weissen Rössl online or send us a no-obligations inquiry.