Gailtaler Hof Motorbike hotel in Kötschach - Mauthen / Gailtal Valley - Carnic Alps / Carinthia / Austria

The Innkeepers, History, and Development

Since motorcycling guests have been visiting the Gailtaler Hof since its opening in 1957, it was only logical that Christine, the oldest daughter of the Engl family, would eventually become completely infected with this passion. The turning point came when she rode as a passenger on a K100 over the Gailberg at the tender age of 15.

Of course, she also rode mopeds. At 18, against her parents’ wishes, she obtained a motorcycle license alongside her car license.

With her first earnings, she bought a Kawasaki ZL 500, leaving her first cautious scratches on the curves of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, at Plöckenpass, and Staller Sattel. During her studies, her mother even delivered the Kawa to her in Florence, which somewhat affected her presence at university but not her knowledge of the roads in Tuscany.

This motorcycle (4-cylinder inline, 2 overhead camshafts, water-cooled, shaft drive, LM wheels) now holds a place of honor at the hotel entrance during the summer. Christine hopes that one day her grandchildren will proudly show off Grandma's first motorcycle.

After a while, a Honda and a KTM Duke were added to her collection, so for two years, she rode three motorcycles. Finally, she exchanged the Honda and KTM for a BMW, a brand she still rides today.

Josef is a “late bloomer” and only got his first motorcycle at the age of 41. As a Tyrolean, he knows all the worthwhile routes north of the Hohe Tauern. Whether in sun, snow, or ice, you can ride in any weather. Motorcycling has been a wonderful hobby for Josef, which he is now turning into his profession. What a stroke of luck!

Machine and Favorite Route

For three years, Christine has owned a BMW 1200 GS, which she believes is the machine that best matches her riding experience, alongside the Africa Twin - one she sometimes still longs for.

Josef rides a Yamaha XV950 Midnight, certainly not a bike built for the Alps... but it’s a lot of fun, and that’s what it’s all about.

In the summer, both are fully dedicated to their guests and the business, so three-day trips or vacations on the motorcycle are not possible. That’s why they enjoy the weekly guided motorcycle tours with their guests. There’s still so much to discover that the written tour suggestions need to be updated and supplemented almost annually. Christine particularly loves riding over the Plöcken Pass into the dreamy Friuli, to experience some of the southern flair and the lightheartedness of the Italians. Each year, she racks up between 7,000 and 10,000 km. Josef’s heart still belongs to the high mountains. The Großglockner, Nockalm, Sella, and roads like the Pustertaler Höhenstraße continue to captivate him.

Guests and Hotel

Since 1957, when the first guests visited the newly built house, many must have arrived by motorcycle or scooter. At that time, many lacked the necessary “spare change” for a car.

Since 1989, there has been a conscious effort to cater to motorcycling guests, with tour suggestions, weekly guided rides, a shelter, garage, workshop, and tips, striving to make the offerings a bit more attractive and interesting each year.

In 1996, they co-founded MoHo - Motorcycle Hotels with colleagues from Hotel Solaria and Landhotel Jausern, a platform to better attract and satisfy motorcycling guests.

Special Recommendation

For them, riding a motorcycle is like dancing; it has a bit to do with rhythm and feeling - and above all, with practice. And if one day doesn’t go as planned, it’s important to accept it and not force anything.