History of the Hotel Bellevue Wengen

More than 125 years of tradition

Become part of a long-standing tradition of hospitality

1890

The Bellevue Hotel was built by Mr Friedrich Graf, his brother Edward owned the Bären Hotel and his brother Karl built the Hotel Bristol.

1925

Mrs Anna Elisabeth Graf sold the Hotel Bellevue to Johanna Waespe and her stepmother Ida Schwarzwald who moved from canton Aargau to Wengen.

Adolf Bischoff (he lived at „Bühlhaus“ below the ref. church) worked at the Hotel Bellevue as a porter and married Johanna Waespe

1928

The inheritors of Ida Schwarzwald sold the Hotel to Fam. Bischoff-Waespe (limited partnership), Emil Waespe is the brother of Johanna Waespe.

The Chalet Bellevue (opposite the hotel) was the Dependence of the Bellevue. There were staff rooms, the owner’s family lived on the first floor and on the ground floor was the village restaurant.

1942

Emil Waespe left the company and the Bellevue was then owned by Adolf and Johanna Bischoff-Waespe.

The hotel was open during the summer for about 3 months.

The couple Adolf and Johanna Bischoff-Waespe ran the hotel until Adolf died (1955), after which Johanna Bischof ran the hotel another two years.

1955

The road (passing the hotel) was built (there were Italian constructors living at the Bellevue. The hotel was closed).

For one summer the hotel was managed by Johanna’s niece, Mrs Dr. Schalch.

1958 – 1960

The hotel remained closed for two years because of economic and family reasons.

About 1958 the Chalet Bellevue was sold to the Schlunegger Family.

From that moment on it was no longer a restaurant (as there was only one operating permit). The restaurant was converted into a flat.

The „Oberländische Hilfskasse“ which was the trustee of the Bischoff family sold the hotel Bellevue…

...to Mr Hausherr (he was a painter and he changed the character of the hotel), he insollated the property and changed the design of the roof.

1960 – 1963

Mr Hausherr installed the heating, added the access (north west) and put in the bath tubs in rooms 28 and 30.

He employed Mrs Kruck (divorced, Maiden name Comte) as his secretary and then she bought the hotel from him.

In 1962/63 the Bellevue was probably open for the first time during the winter season.

1963 – 1988

Mrs Kruck, later Mrs Bertolli (marriage) was the owner of the Hotel.

Mrs Bertolli installed bathtubs or showers in all rooms. She had many Italian and Spanish employees who worked for her for many years.

1973

The extension with 12 new rooms facing the Jungfrau was built. The construction was carried out whilst the hotel was open (from summer 73 to 74)

1984

Then the entrance area with elevator will be added, and the rooms and floors will be isolated.

1988

Mr Alfred Müller (Architect from Bolligen) bought the Bellevue from Mrs Dorothée Bertolli-Comte as sole shareholder of the Hotel Bellevue Wengen AG.

Mr Müller did good business after the fall of the Berlin Wall with guests from East Europe. He himself drove the bus to fill the hotel.

About autumn 1994 the kitchen was totally renovated.

During the winter season 1995/1996 the hotel was run by the IG Hotel Bellevue (community of interests).

On 31^st July the company (Hotel Bellevue Wengen AG) was declared insolvent and on 17^th August the company ceased trading.

1996

On 20^th November 1996 the Bellevue was auctioned at the Hotel Bernerhof and was bought by Kurt Graf for his daughter and his son-in-law.

In winter 1996/97 the Bellevue was managed again from Ms Christine Clauss (as since 1988).

1997

Since the summer season 1997 the Bellevue was been run by Judith and Andreas Engi-Graf.

Managed by Judith Graf Engi alone and then together with Andreas Engi.

2006

In Oktober an attic room was built into the roof on the 4th floor.

Since 1997 the bedrooms have undergone considerable refurbishment including new furniture, fixtures, fittings and carpets. The facade was painted and new yellow shutters were added. Andi built his garden railway behind the hotel and a large vegetable garden was set up below the terrace

2008

In December our romantic suite was created and opened on the 4th floor.

Recently a new bar and breakfast area was created, alterations made to the dining room and one of the lounges which now has a wide screen TV.

2015

125 anniversary of the Hotel Bellevue.

 History from 1890 to 2015 as PDF