Haus W: 17th-century Alpine lodge reborn as wood-clad boutique hotel in Lech

Hoteliers Gerold and Katia Schneider have restored Haus W, a 1609 Walser house in Austria's Alpine Lech region, transforming it into a four-bedroom boutique hotel. The couple, who also run the nearby Sonnenhof lodge, acted as architects, using untreated local spruce and traditional building methods. Local craftspeople contributed bespoke furniture, stone-laying, and upholstery in a palette of dark greens and slate. A spa and sauna by designer Shinchiro Ogata features a decorative wooden gridded screen. The ground floor houses living, dining, and kitchen spaces; the first floor includes a library with a fireplace by artist Giuseppe Ducort and two bedrooms, with two more in a vaulted hallway. Low timbered ceilings remain from the 17th century. An adjoining studio and shop will host artists in residence, part of the founders' effort to expand cultural offerings in the area. Photography by Jake Curtis.