Parkhotel Mondschein and the Art of Restraint
How Parkhotel Mondschein in Bolzano refurnished a medieval building without covering it up.
Parkhotel Mondschein is reached through one of Bolzano's oldest arcaded streets, and the oldest part of the building dates back to 1320. Behind it lies a park of around 1,500 square metres with mature trees, five minutes' walk from the station.
Three decisions show what restraint means here. The first concerns the rooms. When the Merano studio Biquadra refurnished the 60 rooms and 16 suites in 2022, the stucco, the high ceilings and the herringbone parquet stayed, and the new furniture is calm rather than showy. Original artworks feature in every category; the Grand Suite adds a freestanding bathtub and a record player.
The second is to treat the park as the hotel's main room. There are loungers under the trees, a kiosk for drinks and snacks and, from spring to the end of October, a pool. Luna Bar serves in the park as well as inside, and the hotel uses the lawn for talks, book presentations and live music.
The third is that much of the hotel is open to the city. Luna Restaurant takes bookings from non-residents for lunch and dinner, Monday to Saturday, and cooks Italian food with handmade pasta, Adriatic fish and vegetables from its own Arnica field. Luna Bar opens at 7 am for coffee and stays open until midnight. Alto Pizza has its own entrance on Bindergasse, and the arise Body & Mind studio, under cross vaults, runs classes for people from Bolzano too.
None of this is staged. You notice it as you use the place: old ceilings above new furniture, a park you can sit in all day, and a bar that serves anyone who walks in.
