A few days before the holidays, the municipality of Fiesch withdrew the operating authorization for two hotels, citing financial failings by the owners. A brutal decision which leaves vacationers and hoteliers in an impasse.
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The town of Fiesch, in Valais, has closed two hotels, leaving many customers without accommodation for Christmas. The decision was taken after the Dutch tenants, Kirsten Lensing and Erwin Hilverink, failed to honor their financial obligations to the municipality.
The hotels concerned, the Lodge Inn Fiesch and the Schmitta, were closed by order of the municipality. The president of Fiesch himself announced this drastic measure to the couple of owners. These, despite significant investments in recent years, today find themselves in great difficulty, as reported by “Walliser Bote”.
“We could have paid everything by mid-January”
The municipality justifies this decision by the non-payment of invoices and the absence of settlement of tourist taxes. In addition, registered letters sent to the couple were reportedly returned without even being opened. This situation has left customers, who came to spend Christmas in Haut-Valais, looking for last-minute alternatives.
In an interview with “Walliser Bote”, Kirsten Lensing and Erwin Hilverink explain their dismay. “We have invested all our time and money in these two establishments. Now it’s all over,” says Erwin Hilverink. Although they admitted owing money to the municipality, they were convinced that they would be able to settle their debts after the end-of-year holidays, thanks to the turnover generated. “We could have paid everything by mid-January, but the municipality did not grant us this deadline,” he adds.
Conflicts with the owner
The problems are not limited to finances. Since their takeover of the Lodge Inn Fiesch in 2018, with an investment of 250,000 francs in renovations, relations with the owner have deteriorated. This one, installed in a basement apartment, required additional work, notably for heating and a ski room.
But after the owner demanded investments in fire protection, the hoteliers decided to terminate their lease-purchase contract in September.
“What else can we do here?”
The couple tried to relocate the guests of the Lodge Inn to their second establishment, the Schmitta Hotel, but the operating license was withdrawn for both hotels. However, this measure applies to individuals and not to establishments, a point that professionals in the sector should be aware of, believes the daily.
Today, the hoteliers, who resided in the Hotel Schmitta, are planning to leave Fiesch permanently. “What can we still do here?” they ask themselves, helpless.
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