One Hotel - Five Stories
For over 70 years, the Hotel Ambassador in Brig has been run with devotion by the Welschen family. The honest hospitality, personal service and innovative flair of the host family exceed the expectations of a modern family hotel at the foot of the Simplon.
Downloadanniversary book
Host, guardian angel, helper in
need - We live what others write
The guestbook is the living history of the hotel. There is more in it than just a "Thank you, it was nice to stay with you".
The Brasserie des Cheminots is one of the most popular railway meeting places in the Valais. If you want to learn more about railway history, the Cheminots is the place to be. Here, warm hospitality is paired with the charm of the over 100-year-old railway pub.
Whether emergency helper or race comforter, at the Hotel Ambassador the Welschen family has an open ear and free accommodation for everyone. The hospitality knows no bounds, so in emergencies of all kinds, help is provided without complications. Even when the police forbid further travel.
The Hotel Ambassador is known far beyond the cantonal borders. Politicians, musicians, sports stars and entertainers praise the hotel, which is run with a dedicated heart.
That is why caution is advised: If you only book for one night, you might be seduced by the unique charm of the hotel to stay for several nights.
60-year-old passion with a head start
Alfred and Anna Welschen bought the Cheminots guesthouse in Brig in 1945. Before buying the guesthouse, they both worked in the hotel business and gained the necessary experience for their own business in Ticino and the Grisons mountains. Well-travelled, cosmopolitan and fluent in languages, that was their key to success. As equal partners they ran a business together, that alone caught his attention in this conservative region.
From 1945 to 1948, the Welschens rebuilt the Pension Cheminots to meet the modern demands of a modern hotel. A bar was set up in the cellar to offer international guests entertainment as well as room comfort. In the Catholic Upper Valais, this was rather a reprehensible affair.
Anna Welschen was a gifted cook, was in charge of the administrative and business management and was responsible for the hotel rooms. Alfred Welschen was the extrovert type who knew how to entertain the guests brilliantly. With his unrestrained drive as a hotelier and as a passionate hunter, he shaped the house just as much as his wife, as the calming influence in the background. This combination was the reason for the success of the Pension Cheminots.
In 1962, the two went into well-earned retirement. From then on, the guesthouse was leased out until it was taken over by Stefan Welschen in 2000. In the meantime, the Cheminots became the Hotel Ambassador.
Benno & Ferdinand Welschen,
the Walliser Buben from Brig
Benno and Ferdinand Welschen grew up almost like twins, separated by only 17 months. While Ferdinand inherited more passion from his father, Benno was more calculating, thoughtful and reserved. After graduating from hotel management school in Lausanne, they were both drawn to the big world of the hotel industry.
Benno Welschen's stations took him from Gstaad to Naples to London and from Peninsula to Zurich before he worked as General Manager at the Source des Alps in Leukerbad until 1996. To this day, he is co-owner of the Hotel Ambassador and a passionate consultant.
Ferdinand Welschen's hotel career had begun at the Hotel Palace in St. Moritz. After 9 years in the Engadine, he and his family moved to Zurich. Until his death in 1988, he worked as head cashier in the management of the Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich.
His son Stefan Welschen has taken over the Hotel Ambassador and is actively supported by his uncle Benno. Together they lead the hotel to its goal; a small but fine boutique hotel for the broad regular clientele.
Stefan Welschen and his genes;
imaginative and persistent
If you want to keep up with Stefan Welschen, you have to think fast and listen well. Down-to-earth, quick-thinking and impatient, that's how he is described.
After completing his apprenticeship as a chef and graduating from hotel management school in Zurich, Stefan Welschen gained his experience in the hotel industry in Zurich and Denver (USA). Since his return to Switzerland, he has concentrated on the F&B management of large gastronomic establishments.
When he took over the Hotel Ambassador in 2001, there were just two employees responsible for service and hotel and Stefan Welschen, a trained chef, worked in the kitchen. Today, with 11,000 overnight stays per year, the whole thing would no longer be manageable.
The genes of his grandfather and father come through every now and then. Like his ancestors, he is a forward-thinking doer with his heart on his sleeve. He drives the family business forward, tinkers with new, crazy ideas and thrives in his role as host.
With the Brasserie des Cheminots, he turned another idea into reality. The gastronomy of Bruges is revitalised with genuine French brasserie cuisine. Above all, the quality and freshness distinguish this cuisine. The combination of seasonal specialities and exquisite wines gives the brasserie its uniqueness.
The next idea is already on Stefan Welschen's table; an elegant bar where his guests can end the day in style.
Maria-Grazie Vincenzi, The Strong
in the Background
She likes to leave the stage to others and works quietly in the background. Whether dripping taps, screaming children or a crashed IT system. There is a solution for all these problems: Grazia.
In March 2001, she took on the job of administration, bookkeeping and récéption, but soon her field of activity expanded to become the good soul of the house. With her southern composure, she clears every stumbling block out of the way.
Stefan Welschen and Grazia have also been a couple in private for four years. Actually, not much has changed, except that their workload has increased from 100 to 200%. When you love your work, you don't count the hours.
