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Today’s Federal Highway no. 1, has been a major trading route for centuries. In days gone by when the transportation of goods wasn’t quite as easy as it is today, Salzburg’s bishops established so called staging posts at strategic points along the route to help traders overcome difficult ascents and river crossings. This was also the case here at the Eugenbach Stream, which in pre-sound shift times was known as the ˜Taferne am Gachsteig” or the ˜Taverna on the Steep Path” and that’s how the name of the hotel came into being.
As early as 1380 the tavern was awarded the ˜unconditional, irreversible and perpetually hereditary public house licence” with certificate and seal. A fascinating history stretching from the Middle Ages to the present day, some of these stories have been handed down over the centuries, a lot however, have unfortunately been lost for ever.
Since 1516, when Hans and Ursula Gschirr became the owners of the establishment, its history has been better documented. And from this point in time the Gastagwirt was passed down from generation to generation upon marriage. Over the centuries many of these families have contributed to the success of the guesthouse and hotel, in good times and in bad, in times of famine and war. Some were less successful than others like Simon Gmachl who managed to lose half of the property in a game of cards about 200 years ago. His picture hangs in our dining room and to this day card games here are somewhat frowned upon!
Our ancestors at the beginning of the 20th Century were called Karl, three generations of Karls can be found in the Gastagwirt Chronicle. Franziska Kaufmann the widow of the third Karl, who unfortunately died far too young, is the senior proprietor of the hotel today having remarried Matthias Kaufmann.
Their daughter Anneliese and her husband Fritz Maislanger, like the many generations before them, are dedicated to upholding the century old guesthouse tradition and maintaining the hotels standing in the region on this ancient yet busier than ever before transit route. And, if it is God’s will, this will be carried on by one of their three children in the next generation. | 
