Hirschen
Schwarzenberg.
A family-run inn on the village square, with art on the walls and a bathhouse in the garden.
Franz Fetz was born in room 7 at the Hirschen, beneath its baroque painted ceiling.
When he took over the inn in 1975, it needed extensive renovation. His love of art and music shaped the hotel. The paintings he collected over the next five decades still hang on the walls.
His children, Peter and Pia Fetz, took over in 2017. They are the tenth generation of the family to run the Hirschen. The inn dates from 1755 and stands on Schwarzenberg’s village square; behind it are the Wälderhaus suites and a bathhouse in the garden.
01
Rooms in the inn and Wälderhaus
There are 14 rooms and suites in the historic inn. Some are small, with low ceilings. The König Max Suite has a ceiling painting dating from 1812, which the painters at Fetzcolor uncovered beneath seven layers of paint.
The Wälderhaus, a solid timber building behind the inn, has twelve suites and direct access to the bathhouse. One of the suites is a loft tucked beneath the roof. Furniture for the rooms and suites was made in nearby Andelsbuch by the Geser joinery, in ash, silver fir and walnut.
02
The bathhouse
Built in 2024, the timber bathhouse was designed by NONA Architektinnen. Inside are relaxation rooms on two floors, a Finnish sauna and a bio sauna. Outside, Peter Fetz designed the benches in the 15-metre metal pool himself. The garden takes its inspiration from the work of Piet Oudolf.
The former seminar room is now the Bademantelbar, or bathrobe bar. After a swim, guests can settle in with a bottle from the self-service wine cabinet.
03
In the cellar
Chefs Jonathan and Raphaela Burger ferment ingredients for their dishes in the Franz-Josefs-Keller and cure the hotel’s own ham in the ham cellar. The Chef’s Apéro gives guests a chance to taste what they have been making.
Dinner is served in the historic dining rooms and the hall, on plates designed by ceramicist Mario Feurstein in nearby Andelsbuch. Raphaela is also the pastry chef, and her desserts are served in the afternoon too.
04
Around Schwarzenberg
The village square is right outside. Have a Kellerbier on the little bench in front of the inn, or watch village life over a morning coffee in the Jägerstube.
The Angelika Kauffmann Museum is dedicated to the artist, and the Schubertiade holds concerts in the Angelika-Kauffmann-Saal. For a walk away from the village, Pia’s choice is the Fohramoos bog on the Bödele.
All images.
From the hosts.
Three questions for Pia Fetz
- 01
Your favourite spot?
In front of our new fireplace. Especially in the darker months. A good glass of wine, and the fire does the rest. The world outside matters surprisingly little, conversations grow longer, and minutes turn into hours. Nobody has complained yet.
- 02
Your favourite dish?
Not one dish, really, but several. Book a Chef’s Apéro and taste your way through what we make here: shoyus, garums, fermented vegetables, ham. And whatever else is ready. It all takes time. The tasting goes rather faster.
- 03
Where would you send guests?
The Fohramoos on the Bödele. A nature reserve, a bog, plenty of sky. A good place to let your thoughts wander. Perhaps the best.
Pia’s local tip
Fohramoos on the Bödele
Fohramoos is a raised bog at just over 1,100 metres above Schwarzenberg. Signposted paths start at the Bödele bus stop and wind through bog woodland and open ground, with boardwalks along parts of the route. You can get there on bus 870, which runs between Dornbirn and Schwarzenberg.
Explore the Fohramoos walkSources & editorial status
Researched from the hotel’s official information, editorially checked on 9 October 2026. We do not claim to have stayed here. Prices and availability directly from the hotel.
Hirschen: Hotel · Hirschen: Restaurant · Hirschen: Spa · Hirschen: Presse · Hirschen: 270 Jahre jung · Hirschen: El Dorado für Ästheten · Hirschen: Bregenzerwald · Hirschen: Kontakt & Anreise · Hirschen: Preise & FAQ
The hotels provide these images for editorial use. Where a photographer has been confirmed to us, they are named here.
- Photo: TMRW Tours
- Photo: Maximilian Pohler
- Photo: Julius Hirtzberger
- Photo: Angela Lamprecht
- Photo: Mirco Taliercio
- Photo: Francesca Gress, Hannes Kläger
- Photo: Jessica Machon
- Photo: Florence Stoiber
- Photo: Connie Klimt
- Photo: Peter Bender & Franziska Stegemann
- Photo: Daniel Gmeiner
- Photo: Cornelius Klimt
