Why travel far when beauty lies so near? We know the feeling, which is why today we’re taking a little detour to lovely Bad Ischl. The River Traun babbles calmly along, and the hotels and cafés are mirrored in the water. This glamorous spa town, where Emperor Franz and his Sisi once bade each other goodnight, is a popular destination for anyone in need of a rest. And here, framed by rocky landscape and right on the Traun, stands the Stadthotel “Goldenes Schiff”. The hotel has been welcoming guests from all over the world since 1821 (long before Franz and Sisi went on dates in Bad Ischl). Modern lifestyle meets a hotel with a long history - that smells of fascinating stories! No wonder, then, that this city hotel relies on just the right scent marketing. We talked about it with Elisabeth Gruber-Krobath, the hotel’s manager.
Question: “Das Goldene Schiff” is part and parcel of the town’s history. What does the hotel stand for today?
Gruber-Krobath: In a long branding process, we have positioned ourselves as a city hotel. Our values are stylish, relaxed and likeable. Our history goes back a long way and began with the Traunreiter. This Traunreiter is still the storyteller of the Goldenes Schiff today.
Question: What awaits guests after they check in to the hotel?
Gruber-Krobath: Once our guests have settled into their room, with a view of the Traun and the surrounding mountains or a view of the town, they can explore Bad Ischl; we’re right in the centre, next to the Konditorei Zauner pastry shop. After a little voyage of discovery through the town, they can relax in the new Traun Spa and enjoy the sauna and steam bath. After a good, restful sleep, our guests can choose from an extensive breakfast selection and get the perfect start to the day.
Question: How did the partnership with AROMEA come about?
Gruber-Krobath: That goes back a long way and was started by Mr Lippitsch - the first contact was at GAST, a trade fair for the hotel industry, restaurants and tourism.
Question: We’re delighted to have been working together for so long. But let’s get down to brass tacks: where are guests and staff pampered with scents? And which diffuser are you using?
Gruber-Krobath: Guests first encounter our scent marketing as soon as they enter the hotel; the lobby is scented via our central ventilation unit. The fragrance bears the fitting name “Cosmopolitan”. In the spa area we also chose a feel-good scent. Here you relax to the aromas of “Green Tea”. In both areas, the AROMEA PRO 5 shows everything it can do.
Question: In what way does scent marketing make that small but subtle difference?
Gruber-Krobath: Scent is taken in unconsciously and creates a pleasant, subjective feeling.
Elisabeth Gruber-Krobath on scents and their emotional effect
