Hospitality since 1390

The farmstead can be traced back to 1390 and is one of the two farmsteads on the Vatzenwasen and identical to the ‘Sehusalehen’. The fiefdom owners were obliged to the count to take him across the lake by boat if necessary. At that time, the Hofstatt was located directly on the town boundary and on the so-called Stede, the Bregenz harbour. Its owners were ship and timber merchants and heavy taxpayers, as can be seen from the tax books of the 16th century.

Around 1570, Jakob Hälin began the series of owners who not only ran the shipping and timber trades, but also acted as innkeepers. It was thanks to his negotiating skills as town bailiff that the people of Bregenz were released from serfdom, where it still existed, in 1579. His term of office also saw the largest donation ever made to the town of Bregenz: Jakob Eimer, bishop of Ascalon, suffragan bishop and canon of Constance, who was born in Langen near Bregenz, bequeathed considerable cash to the town for pious donations, in particular the Blattach estate and woodlands, some of which are still owned by the town of Bregenz today.

In Matthäus Merian's town view from 1643, the house is depicted between the lime kiln and the timber yards on the lake in the immediate vicinity of the Stede (harbour). Its location in the middle of the trades, where the men had to work hard and therefore easily broke into a sweat, and on the only road towards the Klause, explains the economic prosperity of the house over the centuries. The establishment of the Bregenz grain market around 1650 on the Vatzenwasen (today Kornmarktplatz and Kornmarktstraße) and the thirsty throats of the grain merchants and traders led to a considerable consumption of wine and beer, which can be seen from the change and wave money (tax) paid by the respective owners of the house.

Andreas Wilhelm von Aichbeckh, who had taken over the house from his father Georg Wilhelm von Aichbeckh around 1730, owned a vineyard in the upper Weidach and 113 rights to a Torggel, which lay in the vineyard. The ownership of 1 1/2 timber mills, a timber yard with a wooden hut and 1/2 1 ‘lädi gerechtigkeit’ showed him to be an enterprising landlord, timber and boatman who knew how to utilise the location of the house.
Through his widow, the property passed to his son Franz v. Eichbek, who was a senior councillor in Weingarten. He apparently remained what he was - namely a civil servant - and sold the property to Fidel Reiner the Elder in 1770.
The tax description from 1796 shows him to be an extremely well-funded man.
In addition to agricultural land in Bitzelwies and Flotzbach, he had to pay tax on 1 1/8 Juchart of vines on Klausberg and 15,ooo guilders in cash, which was roughly the equivalent of 10 well-built town houses. After his death in 1798, his only son of the same name, Fidel (born 1767), took over the estate. A cider press is also mentioned for the first time, for which he paid a tax of 12 Kreuzer in 1802. The realisation that a good sip of wine or cider should be accompanied by a good bite of bread may have tempted him to acquire the house at no. 186 (now Kirchstraße) together with the ‘Bäckerpfisterey’ (bakery).

His son Ferdinand (born 1799) followed in the footsteps of his forefathers and took over the property and landlord's rights in 1832. After his death, his son Eduard (born 1837) and then his daughter Maria Anna Adelheid (1842-1913), who had married the bookbinder Gustav Adolf Gruner (1844-1905) from Kirchgasse in 1874, ran the inn for a short time. The bookbinder became the landlord, who for a century gave the house the euphonious name ‘Zum Gruner’ or ‘Gruner's Beer Garden’.

In 1875, a daughter was born to the couple, whom they named Anna Maria after her grandmother. After the death of her mother (1913), she continued to run the ‘Gasthof Gruner’ with her sister Klara during difficult times. She became probably the best-known landlady in Bregenz and was so concerned about the well-being of her guests that she didn't even take the time to get married. In 1949, she was awarded a certificate of honour by the Vorarlberg Innkeepers' Association for her 56 years of service. She died in 1959 at a ripe old age. In the meantime, after 150 years of Reiner-Gruner family tradition, the house had passed into the ownership of Mr Georg Messmer and his wife Agnes, née Riedesser, in 1948. Thanks to his extremely thorough training and his outstanding skills, he and his family have turned the catering business into a prestigious hotel with 100 guest beds and a popular restaurant. The shady guest garden in particular was an oasis of relaxation for many guests, especially during the festival season. The hotel was run by his daughter Paula until it was sold in 1989.

In 1990, after a 6-month remodelling and renovation period, the hotel reopened under new management. Many were amazed at the speed of the rebuilding and some thought they could bet that the May 1990 deadline would not be met. This latest chapter in the history of Bregenz's oldest surviving hotel, which has been open for business for 400 years, is now complete.
The hotel presents itself in new splendour and with many new amenities, such as the bright conservatory, the attractive Conference and seminar rooms and the underground car park. The majority of the rooms have also been completely refurbished and redesigned.

But tradition has not been forgotten either, so the ‘heart’ of the house, the long-loved wine bar, has been preserved in its original form and furnishings.

25 years Hotel Messmer at Kornmarkt.

The Haim host family has been welcoming guests to the Hotel Messmer am Kornmarkt for 25 years now.

After 30 years of existence, 2019 marked the start of the hotel's renovation. Starting in winter 2019, the hotel was fully air-conditioned and the 12 deluxe double rooms were renovated at the same time.

The next step was to rebuild the entire ground floor from scratch in winter 2020, leaving only the historic ‘wine parlour’ intact. The seminar rooms were adapted to the new requirements and brought up to date.

A meeting point for our guests was created with the new bar and lounges.

Between 2021 and 2022, 37 rooms were renovated and now shine in the hotel's new design. A harmonious atmosphere with coordinated colours and cosy furniture now awaits you in the rooms that leave nothing to be desired.

From February to the end of March 2023, 1 single room, 1 twin room and 11 bathrooms were remodelled. The rooms were renovated in the style of the comfort rooms from the last renovation and the colours were adapted to the concept of the hotel. In the new rooms you will find all the amenities you could wish for in a 4-star room.

From air conditioning to bockspring beds, everything your heart desires.
The facilities include: Bathroom with shower, TV, telephone, minibar, room safe, seating area, kettle with tea and coffee for free use.

We look forward to welcoming you soon and presenting you our new rooms.

We are proud to have been awarded the Austrian Ecolabel since 18.07.2023 in the categories 

• Green Hotel
• Green Location
• Green Restaurant

and the EU Ecolabel.

From January to the end of March 2024, 25 double rooms and 30 bathrooms were remodelled. The rooms were renovated in the style of the comfort rooms from the last renovation and the colours were adapted to the hotel's concept. In the new rooms you will find all the amenities you could wish for in a 4-star room.