

South Tyrol's History Is Displayed Everywhere in the Historic Hotel Pragser Wildsee
How do you create a dynasty? We would like to ask Emma, the "original mother" of the Heiss-Hellenstainer and founder of the historic Hotel Pragser Wildsee. She would probably answer something like this: with a sense of family, foresight and thrift. What Emma exemplified in the 19th century still holds true in the family. "I'm not pushed by a trend; when I remodel, I take my time with each decision. I go back and forth about how to best preserve character and flair for the hotel and the lakefront site," says hotel owner Caroline Heiss.
She thinks in terms of ancestors and grandchildren at the same time. A quote from great-aunt Therese circulates in the family: "Whom God wants to punish, he gives a hotel." Caroline doesn’t accept this and negotiates with God: she got the hotel from her parents and thanks heaven that her ancestors kept the house afloat even in stormy times. The hotel has experienced everything: fate, war, flight and splendor.
Take a look at the hotel's history here.
Discover the Pragser Wildsee Zeitgeschichtsarchiv (contemporary history archive).






We Are Your Hosts. Get to Know Us a Bit.
Caroline Heiss was in the Swiss banking business and controlling is her strong suit. Her life partner Jens Kappel is a lawyer. Together they run the hotel with a team of 70 employees. Not because they have to but because they want to. A detour was necessary for this to happen though. Caroline grew up in the hotel and at a boarding school. She had a strict upbringing, knew what etiquette demanded; as a child, she had to change her clothes three times a day to show off excellence in the hotel. She was 23 when her father died and her mother Heidi Bürgisser continued to run the hotel. Caroline and her brother were given some time to think. Time to make a plan to preserve and modernize a hotel that seemed to have fallen behind the times.
Caroline is aware of her responsibility: "What I change today, my son will have to manage in the future."
Five Spots Sharing Our History
How do you make sure that a hotel makes it through decades and hardships? By keeping the hotel’s milestones and family history in mind.