Highly experienced hospitality duo and husband & wife pair, Michael and Stephanie Lehnort are the General Managers at the Valsana Hotel & Apartments. A striking retreat with eclectic Alpine-inspired interiors, exceptionally comfortable beds, a small but sleek spa complete with impressive eco-credentials. We sat down with them both and dug a little deeper into their background and what it is really like to live and work in Arosa running a chic new hotel.

Michael and Stephanie Lehnort at the Valsana

How long have you been General Manager of the Valsana?

We have been the General Managers of the Valsana Hotel & Apartments since June 2018.

Tell us a bit about your background and previous experience?

Before coming to Arosa, I (Michael) was already part of the Tschuggen Hotel Group, as the Executive Assistant Manager at the Carlton Hotel St. Moritz which I did for almost six years. I have a degree in hotel business administration and started my career after training as a hotel specialist and working in front-office positions in Germany and the UK. I gained my first experience in Sales & Marketing at the Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden, where I met my wife, Stephanie, who was working as Director of Events at Brenner's. Three years later, we moved to Switzerland where I took on the role of Director of Sales & Marketing at the Gstaad Palace, while Stephanie worked as Director of Events at the Parkhotel Vitznau, as Events & Marketing Manager at a car dealership, and as an E-Commerce Manager at the Gstaad Palace. As a trained hotel specialist, she then also took on various roles at the Carlton Hotel and at the Academia Engiadina in Samedan. Together, we have two sons.

What has been your favourite moment working at the Valsana?

It is too difficult to narrow it down to one! Our favourite moments are always when we have a chat with our guests during check-out. They tell us about their experience at Valsana, about the great job our employees do every day and how much they enjoyed their stay. The biggest compliment they can give us is when they directly book their next stay with us - those are the best moments!

What do you love about working in the mountains?

We really enjoy the beautiful nature in Arosa. It comes with silence and tranquillity. In addition to that, we love experiencing both the summer and winter seasons in the mountains. In between the seasons, we manage to take a bit of time to explore and enjoy Arosa together which we love. Another big plus of working in the mountains is the lack of traffic - it is so peaceful.

Where is your favourite place to ski?

We love to go cross country skiing in the Isla area of Arosa. It’s a lot quieter with fewer people, you often find you can ski through the beautiful forest area without seeing another person, it’s really magical.

What influences have you brought to the hotel?

We are constantly working on increasing the feeling of being one big family – among guests and employees - our Valsana)-Family. Also, we are looking at making our hotel experience more and more sustainable to protect our beautiful environment even more.

What changes has the industry seen in Arosa?

The main change is that Arosa is becoming more international and more well known outside of Switzerland. We have also seen quite an increase in summer guests visiting Arosa, which of course is partly due to summers in the cities getting hotter and hotter and people want to escape to the mountains for a summer holiday.

In your eyes what makes Arosa a special destination?

Located at the end of the romantic Schanfigg Valley at an altitude of about 1800 metres above sea level with its impressive range of mountain peaks all around. Arosa is amazing for hiking and biking in summer and offers all kinds of snow sports and activities in winter.

What experience do you want to give your guests when they stay at your hotel?

We want our guests to have a memorable, sustainable and inspiring stay. They should feel at home at the Valsana and as part of our hotel family.

What new developments are there to the hotel and service this year?

The Valsana has been CO2-neutral since 2019 and we have just started an eco-certification with Green Globe.

Where do you like to spend your holidays?

We love going to Sylt (Germany) in the spring. In the autumn, we enjoy destinations such as Greece – where the weather is great and we don’t have to fly too far.

Which is your favourite room in the hotel?

For guests travelling with kids, we prefer our apartments, because they give families a lot of freedom and independence to spend their holidays in the way which best fits their needs. Our favourite hotel rooms are the Corner Junior Suites which are great for couples.

What is your favourite dish on the menu in the hotel?

Stephanie loves the Onsen Egg, I prefer Pike Perch. Our favourite dessert is Green Apple with Rocket. You should come and try them!