From the Fülgenhütte without running water to Viktoria Alpine Hideaway: in 2027, the property in Avelengo will celebrate 80 years of hospitality. It was in 1947 that the family's story began at the Fülgenhütte. Eighty years later, in the same place, Viktoria is a contemporary hotel with new rooms and suites, more than 6,000 square metres devoted to wellness and a Sky Experience reserved for adults. Between these two moments unfolds a family history of transformation and a culture of welcome passed down over time.
It all began with Ida and her cooking. Born in 1919 in Val d'Ultimo, she began training as a cook in Maia Alta at sixteen, before going on to work in Merano, Switzerland and near Innsbruck. In 1947 she married Viktor Zorzi, a horse trader, and moved with him to the Fülgenhütte in Avelengo.
At the time, there was neither a road connecting the property to the valley nor running water. Guests also arrived by cable car, and Viktor collected their luggage with a horse-drawn cart. Above all, it was Ida's cooking that drew them, winning over visitors not only from Merano, but also from Rome, Florence, Bologna, Ferrara, Verona and Turin. Even then, the pleasures of the table were a reason to travel up to Avelengo and return.
In 1955, after Viktor's death, Ida named the property Viktoria in his memory. She later continued the business with her second husband, Willi Platzer, strengthening an attention to service that would become one of the defining features of the family's hospitality.
The baton then passed to her son Manfred Platzer, who had grown up in the hotel and returned to Avelengo after gaining professional experience at other properties. In 1990 he took over management with his wife Valeria. In the years that followed, Viktoria continued to grow: spaces were refurbished, the offering expanded and the clientele became increasingly international. Meanwhile, their sons Lukas, Maximilian and Jonas also grew up within the hotel, eventually joining its management.
The transformation took place in stages: in 2017 new rooms, a new lobby and a 25-metre outdoor infinity pool were created; in 2018 the large wellness area opened; in 2021 four rooms were added, now known as Alpine Living. The most significant step came in 2026, with the new facade, 18 Terra rooms and suites, the hylēa Sky Experience, new wellness spaces and a new dining room. The name changed too: from Alpine Spa Resort Viktoria to Viktoria Alpine Hideaway, marking a new identity combining contemporary architecture, wellbeing and family continuity. Today Manfred and Valeria manage the hotel together with their sons Lukas, Maximilian and Jonas. The spaces, services and the way the property is experienced have changed, but the family's presence remains central to Viktoria's identity.
The eightieth anniversary in 2027 offers an opportunity to retrace this evolution through images as well: from the Fülgenhütte in 1947 to the new Terra rooms, from Ida's life to today's Skypool. Distant eras, united by the same idea of hospitality handed down from generation to generation.
https://www.hotel-viktoria.com
Viktoria Alpine Hideaway at a glance
Viktoria Alpine Hideaway is a family-run hotel in Avelengo, near Merano. Managed by the Platzer family, it offers more than 6,000 square metres devoted to wellness, a garden of around 10,000 square metres and Alpine-Mediterranean cuisine. The hylēa Pure Element Spa, the new Terra rooms and suites, the adults-only Sky Experience and the facade renewed in 2026 define the property's contemporary character.
Sources and images: Viktoria Alpine Hideaway / Silvia Piliego press release. Complete editorial text in English translation; photographs supplied with the release.
