History of Hôtel de Famille
Around 1885 we execute a murderer in Vienna that the newspapers of the time had great fun in the taverns of Vevey.
This news came before the eyes of an inhabitant of La Tour-de-Peilz original German but married to a Vevey.
Hugo de Chavannes-Thiélau was so shaken by the news that he decided to create in Vevey a "family hostel". He saw in such an institution the best way to help young people during their tour of Europe.
Discouraged at first by his friends, he decided to pursue his project and managed to create an initiative committee. The goal is to "equip the city of Vevey an institution that can offer lower prices a clean, healthy food as good as possible to the many travelers moving or staying in our country in search of work and that single persons already established in Vevey, which also deserve a lot of interest, precisely because they are sufficient unto themselves with very modest resources to replace... as far as possible what is lacking in those who are forced by the necessities of life to leave their families, their homeland, we want our hostel reminds them something of the domestic hearth, and they feel that their is a real interest in seeking to facilitate their goal they pursue.
On 2 February 1889, the necessary capital is subscribed by 66 shareholders. Money being well met, the General Assembly is convened on March 18, she decided the foundation of the company of Auberge de Famille, Vevey, and develops its statutes, most items are still valid today.
The History of the Hall Family is more than the mere mention of a century of hospitality to the streets of the Commons in the heart of the city Vevey, but a real novel hotel technology.
In 1889, entry into service, with 54 electric light bulbs, the equivalent of 642 candles.
On June 30, 1890 everything is ready for inauguration after many vicissitudes and hard work. On the night before, a tap left open causing a flood and could jeopardize the event: some doors remain closed rooms and guests will suspect anything. The building contained in the eastern part 5 apartments for rent, easily convertible into hotel rooms, in addition to the main dining rooms, living room, office, rooms with 38 beds in total including 14 reserved for hotels first class, the other 24 are in the hostel itself.
Even making a very modest price, the accounts are packed with a small profit after six months already, to the astonishment of shareholders most of whom thought they had agreed to fund lost.
It is not rash to say that this is a unique example in the annals of the Swiss hospitality.
The influx during the first year was such that the director had to refuse more than 100 people. The Council then decided to dismiss the tenants of the apartments and turn them into hotel rooms, bringing to 40 the number of beds in the first class.
In 1892 already we're talking about changing the name to Hotel-Pension Family hotels because of the first class, but this new name will be entered in the Register of Commerce in 1900.
In 1901, the first expansion with a spectacular dining room with 80 seats and three new floors (18 rooms with 1 bed). The success helping, was inaugurated in 1907 a body building devoted especially to the Inn (2nd class) and a laundry-linen.
The inter-war period is a difficult, yet it stimulates the institutional officials in 1933 that install heating oil in 1938 and running water.
In 1946, the day of hostilities, the era of comfort and takes off 50 rooms are equipped with hot and cold running water, telephone made its appearance in 11 rooms. Is converted, it enlarges, it modernizes, the metamorphosis...
Veranda, anti-noise wall, the hotel garden machine, dishwasher, double glazed windows, parking, kitchen renovation, call center, indoor pool, sauna, introduction of IT management, fire detection, elevator, WIFI in all rooms.... were added over the years.
With its 3 stars SSH Hall Family has become, over time, a very nice facility with maximum comfort and reception facilities, accommodation meets the requirements of all clients. Its constant changes and improvements, would take to prove that, properly managed, marketed effectively and regularly adapted to market needs, establishment of medium category is quite able to get the taste of the 21st century.