Kissing Semmering awake

Mikl-Leitner: “We need the three grand hotels”

Uwe Reinsperger, Head of the Lower Austrian Regional Building Authority, project initiator Johanna Digruber, Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Mayor Hermann Doppelreiter and WK-NÖ President Wolfgang Ecker.(Bild: Doris_SEEBACHER)

The "Craftsmanship & Building Culture" project aims to restore Semmering to its former glory over the next few years. The aim is to have all three grand hotels - Panhans, Südbahnhotel and the Kurhaus - open again by 2030. 

Johanna Mikl-Leitner personally visited Semmering this week to continue to "kiss it awake". "We have to bring this fantastic region back to its glory days," said the provincial governor. One of the ways to achieve this is with the "Craftsmanship & Building Culture" project. The aim is to recover the old knowledge of traditional craft techniques. "To this end, we want to create craft workshops that will contribute to the revival of traditional crafts in the long term," explains project initiator Johanna Digruber.

The Kurhaus is in the starting blocks. The nature conservation organization "Alliance for Nature" is still delaying the plans of Styrian Florian Weitzer.(Bild: Doris_SEEBACHER)

The Südbahnhotel is waiting to be rededicated. This is expected to happen at the beginning of 2025.(Bild: Doris_SEEBACHER)

The Panhans is being renovated on an ongoing basis. It is unclear when it will reopen.(Bild: Doris_SEEBACHER)

Mikl-Leitner's wish: "That the three large grand hotels are open again by 2030". As a reminder: the Panhans is constantly being renovated and should reopen soon. The spa hotel was bought by Styrian hotelier Florian Weitzer five years ago. Resistance from the nature conservation organization "Alliance for Nature" is still delaying the start of renovations. And the Südbahnhotel is waiting for the rezoning planned for January 2025 in order to proceed with expansion plans. Mikl-Leitner's appeal to all second-home owners who think everything has to stay as it is: "We need these grand hotels. The international guests are waiting for them".