History

1919

Purchase of the Hotel Säntis

On May 10, 1919, Karl Locher from the brewery of the same name sells the Gasthof Säntis to Franz Anton
Heeb-Fritsche for the price of 55,000 francs.

1925

Second generation

After both parents passed away at around the age of 60, Josef Anton and Luise Heeb-Signer, the second generation of the Heeb family, took over the business for CHF 60,000. Before entering the hotel industry, Josef Heeb worked as a chauffeur.
When he took over the Säntis, Josef Anton Heeb-Signer sold his transport business to Emil Stucki, known as Zebra, in Appenzell.

1939–1945

Purchase of the Hotel Säntis

Thanks to the
of their farm, the Heeb family was self-sufficient during the war years. Despite the times of deprivation, a roast was occasionally served at the Hotel Säntis.

1948

Purchase of the Hotel Säntis

In the post-war period, Johannes Hugentobler gave the Säntis façade a new look with new motifs and a striking reddish base color. Numerous building façades in Appenzeller Hauptgasse bear Hugentobler's signature style.

1960

Josef Anton Heeb-Signer enjoyed maintaining close contact with the farming community at the Hotel Säntis. He was therefore very disappointed when the cattle show was held at the Landsgemeindeplatz for the last time in 1960. The then builder Emil Breitenmoser – known as "Spatz" – felt the full force of his displeasure. The state council was responsible for tarring the Landsgemeindeplatz and the resulting relocation of the cattle show to the Brauereiplatz.

Meanwhile, Josef Heeb Jr. became the third generation to follow in his parents' footsteps. At hotel management school in Neuchâtel, the Appenzell native enjoyed a special status among his young female classmates: "My classmates took great care of me. During my apprenticeship, I never had to buy toothpaste myself or take on the unpopular task of peeling potatoes," recalls Josef Heeb. Thanks in no small part to a girlfriend from western Switzerland, he learned French fairly quickly. After his apprenticeship, Josef Heeb gained additional professional experience at the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lenzerheide, the 5-star Baur Au Lac in Zurich, the Hotel Euler on the Rhine knee, and the Hotel Walhalla in St. Gallen. During a ball at the Hotel Ekkehard in St. Gallen, to which hotel employees from the surrounding area were invited, Josef Heeb met Annemarie Drach, who grew up in Zell am Ziller.

1961

Annemarie Drach and Josef Heeb get married. Their son Thomas is born on December 9. Josef Heeb-Drach works in his parents' business for an annual salary of 1,800 francs. The following year, the young father receives an annual salary of 3,800 francs.

1963

's parents, Josef Anton and Annemarie Heeb-Drach, purchase the Hotel Säntis for 350,000 Swiss francs in the year of his birth.

1963/1964

Josef Anton Heeb-Signer, pictured here with his wife Luise, continued to visit the Säntis almost daily even after selling it to his son, preparing breakfast for guests and his grandchildren. He also used his typewriter to take care of minor administrative tasks. He found it difficult to warm to the various renovation and expansion plans proposed by Josef Anton Jr.
In 1964, Josef Anton and Annemarie Heeb-Drach's first daughter, Gabriela, was born.
Even though Josef Heeb's father was not enthusiastic,
he expanded the previously "simple inn" into a
hotel with 40 beds.

1967

Sepp Heeb is born. In the same year, the new "Landsgmendstobe" is built at the expense of the previous kitchen. However, the construction project cannot be realized without controversy: Josef Heeb-Drach plans to build a basement under the "Säntis" to the east, towards "3 Eidgenossen," in order to gain more space. These plans met with such strong resistance that construction was halted for a year. Finally, a compromise solution was reached with the gallery-like sidewalk and the slightly smaller "Landsgmendstobe."

1969

Guests from all over the world have been enjoying their stay at the Säntis for decades. To meet the growing demands of international guests, the aging, spartan rooms in the old building are being refurbished to provide new comfort.

1970

Annette, the baby of the Heeb-Drach family, was born on Epiphany in 1970.

1973

April 1973: Things are heating up in front of the "Säntis": Only
two years after its introduction at the national level, the men of Innerrhoden vote on the introduction of women's suffrage at the cantonal and municipal levels at the Landsgemeindeplatz. A majority votes against women's suffrage.

1974/1975

To provide more space for the seven-member Heeb-Drach family, the "Säntis" will be expanded and a spacious private apartment will be built.

1977

This year, the Hotel Säntis is hidden behind a massive steel scaffold during the Landsgemeinde. Due to frost and snow, Appenzell painter Peter Sparr is unable to complete the work on time by the last Sunday in April. But by May, the facade motifs created by Johannes Hugentobler in 1948 are shining in their former glory.

1980

The hotel lobby is being redesigned and the toilet facilities renovated.

1981

The hotel kitchen, the dining room, the dining hall, and
the large hall shine in new splendor.
The "Säntis" can now call itself a "Romantik Hotel" and joins the international "Romantik Hotels & Restaurants" chain.

1982

The garden restaurant is renovated and enlarged. The hotel now has a spacious lounge. Also in 1982, the Landsgemeinde rejects women's suffrage at the cantonal and municipal levels for the second time. Stefan Heeb completes his culinary training at the renowned luxury hotel "Palace" in St. Moritz.

1985

After completing his culinary training, Stefan Heeb attended hotel management school in Zurich.

1986

Thanks to personal contacts with Richard Handl, the
"Hilton" Far East General Manager with Appenzell
roots, all three sons of Annemarie and Josef Heeb-Drach work for the hotel chain in Tokyo for several months. This includes Stefan, who supports Richard Handl in management for a year.

1987

Josef Heeb-Drach suffers a serious car accident in Ireland
in which he almost loses his life.
He still feels the effects of this accident today. After this stroke of fate, Annemarie Heeb takes over the management of the family business—with success: in 1988, sales increase by around half a million francs compared to the previous year. Stefan Heeb resigns from his job in Zurich and joins the family business at his parents' request.

1990

This year's Landsgemeinde causes an international stir: for the third time, a majority of Innerrhoden men vote against the introduction of women's suffrage at cantonal and municipal level. This makes Innerrhoden the only Swiss canton without women's suffrage.
The artist Sibylle Neff, who lives directly on Landsgemeindeplatz, is so enraged by this decision that she throws porcelain plates out of her window during the assembly. Other women in Innerrhoden also refused to give in after this third rejection and lodged a constitutional complaint against the Landsgemeinde's decision. Their efforts were successful: in November 1990, the Federal Supreme Court ruled that women in Innerrhoden now also had the right to vote and stand for election.

1991

The Landsgemeindeplatz is becoming more colorful and more feminine: on the last Sunday in April, women will be allowed to enter the "ring" for the first time and decide on the political future of the canton. "Some women, but also some men, had tears of emotion in their eyes,"
recalls Josef Heeb-Drach of this historic Landsgemeinde. During her semester break – she studies German and French literature in Glasgow – young Scottish woman Catriona Paton is doing an internship at the "Säntis" to improve her German. The junior manager and the 19-year-old from Dunblane take a liking to each other. But first, Catriona returns to Scotland after the summer season to complete her studies.

1992

Catriona Paton returns to Appenzell and takes up her permanent position at the Hotel Säntis.

1993

Catriona Paton and Stefan Heeb take over the official management of the Säntis. The Heeb family buys the neighboring house to the west, Lidwine's House, named after its last owner, the seamstress Lidwine Mazenauer. The demolition and new building permit will take another two years to be granted. The new building is subject to the condition that it must be designed as an autonomous house – with its own entrance,
staircase, and a floor plan structure independent of the Hotel Säntis.

1994

Catriona Paton and Stefan Heeb are getting married.

1995

Catriona and Stefan Heeb-Paton purchase the Säntis on January 1, 1995. In the same year, their daughter Stephanie is born.

1996

The "Lidwines Haus"
adjacent to the Hotel Säntis is being demolished. The cottage, which was probably built in the 18th century like the Hotel Säntis, is being replaced by a new building costing CHF 3 million. This will provide the family-run business with an additional modern seminar room, six new junior suites, a bar, and a sauna area. The hotel now has a total of 37 rooms with 70 beds.

1997

The official opening of the extension will take place on March 1. And the new, additional offering is proving popular: around 900 seminar overnight stays have already been booked for spring and summer 1997. In his welcoming address, Landammann Carlo Schmid congratulates the Heeb family on their courage in investing in the future in these economically difficult times. At the same time, the Innerrhoden cantonal council also emphasizes the great economic importance of
tourism for the canton, which is experiencing a further increase in quality with the new offering. In the same year, the "Säntis" receives its fourth star in accordance with SHV requirements. At this point, the establishment is the only 4-star hotel in the village of Appenzell. Chef René Moser and his team earn an additional "GaultMillau" point for the "Säntis." The "Säntis" now has a total of 14 "GaultMillau" points to its name. Privately, this eventful year is crowned by the birth of Silvan.

1999

The entire third floor of the main building is completely renovated. The hotel rooms are now more spacious and feature new bathrooms. Stuart Heeb is born.

2000/2001

Appenzell artist Adalbert Fässler Sr., who previously created the color scheme for the annex
, is now adding facade paintings to the former
"Lidwine's House." The hotel kitchen is being completely renovated. The kitchen staff will now have access to induction hobs.

2002

The Walker-Knechtle family sells the Hotel Hecht on Hauptgasse in Appenzell to Catriona and Stefan Heeb. From now on, the hotel will be run as a "Garni Plus." The entire Hecht has now been completely renovated. To improve comfort, the number of rooms has been reduced from 52 to 38.

2003

Renovations are also underway at the Säntis: six bathrooms are being modernized and the hall is getting a visual makeover with new curtains, colors, and lighting.

2005

Eight rooms in the main building of the "Säntis" are being completely renovated (year of construction: 1963).

2006

The Heeb family welcomes another addition with the birth of their son Sean.

2007

Complete renovation of eight additional rooms built in 1963.

2008

With the birth of Scott on May 10, the happiness of the
Heeb-Paton family is complete. The children are growing up bilingual.

2009

Complete renovation of eight additional rooms in the new "Säntis" building. All rooms have now been renovated and given a modern design.

2010

In March, Annemarie Heeb-Drach passes away at the age of 78.

2011

The Heeb family suffers a tragic blow: 5-year-old Sean dies in a skiing accident.

2013

The exterior facade of the Romantik Hotel Säntis shines in new splendor, and hotel guests can now benefit from an electronic access system.

2016

The Heeb-Paton family is expanding its portfolio once again with the purchase of the
Hotel Löwen in Appenzell.
Löwen is operated as a classic bed and breakfast hotel and is being renovated step by step. The three buildings have a total of 102 rooms. During the peak season (spring–fall), a team of around 50 people takes care of the guests' well-being.

2019

On May 10, a hundred years ago, the Heeb family
acquired ownership of the "Säntis" on Landsgemeindeplatz in Appenzell.

2021

Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Heeb family is looking ahead and investing in around 20 new bathrooms.

2026

Silvan Heeb takes over the three hotels from his parents in the fifth generation. The joint umbrella brand "Appenzeller Hotels" is the next step in further consolidating the already partially centralized organization.

Silvan Heeb laid the technical foundations for his career with a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and a diploma in hotel management and catering from the Zurich Hotel Management School. He gained valuable practical experience during an internship under Matthias Ramer atthe Hotel Seidenhof in Zurich. He then spent two years as restaurant manager at the Bad Ramsach Quellhotel under the direction of Hermann Mazotti and as part of the Balance family, owned by Rhéane and Felix Suhner.