The dining room – or Esszimmer in German – is the very heart of the SCHWANEN. It’s where guests eat, meet and talk. To us, it’s where we work, invite and entertain our guests.

See you soon at the SCHWANEN!
emanuel@biohotel-schwanen.com
0043 5514 2133
The dining room – or Esszimmer in German – is the very heart of the SCHWANEN. It’s where guests eat, meet and talk. To us, it’s where we work, invite and entertain our guests.
Our restaurant’s name is Esszimmer – dining room, because I want to welcome our guests as if we were at my place. That’s it – very simple. The dining room is light and fresh and airy. Oakwood floors, benches, walls and ceilings in natural fir, chairs in maple wood. I think we created a room with a really nice vibe. I am always searching for new ideas to improve its atmosphere – after all, it is also our dining room.
Corey Lee, my partner at Benu in San Francisco, perfectly describes our philosophy:
Food, guest service and hotellerie is identity – it’s the most revealing thing about you, about your culture, where you come from, how you live, what’s important to you.
Corey Lee of Benu, San Francisco
This multi-course menu was given its name when one of our guests told my mother: “Wow, you really are some wild women, preparing four different multi-course menus for your guests!” The idea was born when my parents came to visit me in New York and the concept has been a huge success ever since. We now offer our WILD WOMEN menu with 5 or 7 courses, on request also with wine pairings (done by me!)
5-course menu 75,00 + Wine pairings 39,00
Available daily, except Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday during lunchtime. Prior order required. We are happy to accommodate special dietary needs (vegetarian, food allergies, etc.) if you let us know in advance.
In a household run by women, there has to be a safe place for men only: The Herrenzimmer (Gentlemen’s Room). Of course I’m kidding. Next to the amazing female chefs in our family were a bunch of very successful entrepreneurs: The so-called Käsgrafen (cheese counts) of the Bregenz Forest who traded cheese throughout the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. One of them was my three-times great-grandfather Gallus, who had bought the SCHWANEN for his son Jakob – from one of my mother’s ancestors. You see, no matter how you look at it – we are the SWANS through and through.
The Herrenzimmer is also the first room that I could put my personal spin on. We had vintage chairs from the 1950s and 60s revamped in new fabrics and colors by Italian designers from the Milan area. It is a place where our guests come to chat or get inspired. Have a seat on the historic sofa with a book from Antonia’s library or a magazine, meet new people, have a pre- or after-dinner drink or just sit, relax and let your mind wander.
Am I more of an urbanite or is this rural area deep in the Bregenz Forest the right place for me? Re-designing the herbal garden on the east side of the SCHWANEN was my first gardening project. I built a dry stone wall, planted raspberry bushes and many of Hildegard’s favorite herbs and sanded the wooden tables with my own hands. I liked the work (and the results!), somehow it felt so natural, so in harmony with my surroundings and the spirit of the SCHWANEN. I was sure our guests would like it as well. It took me two weeks of my spring break, but it was so worth it.
The garden turned out well, and every year we aim to further improve it. The chestnut trees have grown significantly already, spreading their branches over our garden tables and giving the most wonderful shadow. In our garden you can enjoy our food while witnessing life in a little village: people going to church or Xaver on his bike, cycling by every day at three o’clock.
In the meantime, I have found even more joy in gardening. Let me tell you about that here.