Who is Gudrun?
Gossensass: a spa area with a cult status
We keep talking about this Gudrun, but who is she actually? It’s a long story. Very long. Too long to tell you in detail here. But we’d like to briefly open the storybook for you. Let’s go back to the beginning of the 19th century. These years were a special time for Gossensass because hot thermal springs were found just north of the village, called San Zaccaria/Sanct Zacharias spring. This was the beginning of Gossensass’s heyday as it became one of the most important health resorts for tourists in addition to Meran. Around the turn of the century (1898 to 1900), a woman named Marie Gröbner, or "Aunt Marie", finally built the “Gudrunhausen” hydrotherapy centre on the beautiful site of today’s hotel. From the moment it opened its doors, guests felt comfortable and safe. The healing effect of the water and the healthy mountain air attracted not only “normal” tourists but also famous personalities: “Aunt Marie” had special friendships with playwright and lyricist Henrik Ibsen, the poet Oskar von Redwitz, the painter and writer Helene Raff, the actress and singer Zarah Leander, and many other prominent guests.
Today: a legend, fairy godmother, explorer
The hotel was then passed down from generation to generation – first to Hermine, Marie Gröbner’s daughter, and her husband Dr Attila von Szalay, until it finally came into the hands of Ms Gudrun Jäger, Hermine Szalay’s niece. In 1973, Franz and Edeltraud Mair, the parents of host Martin Mair, bought Hotel Gudrun and renovated it on several occasions. In 2018, a major renovation was completed: 12 new suites and a new dining room were added, and the wellness area was extensively remodelled. Nowadays, Martin Mair and his two sons, Tobias and Marcel, run this hotel which is steeped so richly in history. And Gudrun? She acts as fairy godmother, storyteller, explorer, and … eternal legend.