Pension Penhab

Matthew Stokes and Annie Wathen are the new owners of Pension Penhab a typical Austrian Pension in the heart of Hinterglemm. We have worked in the area for many years at various places and are very proud to have our own place. We'd like to share our experiences and love for the snow and mountains.

Busc (British University Ski Championships)

Posted Sun 01 Jun 2008 at 14:50GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

We started our weekly Saturday change over with not much expectations for the next two weeks as we only had 2 bookings, wasn't looking good at all. We finished the changeover and relaxed only to receive a phone call from the tourist board looking for beds. The big man upstairs was looking down on us that day we then had 12 students staying for 2 weeks and a full house for the second week, what a result. We heard many reports about the behavior of these BUSC students and were a bit nervous. When they arrived it was a breath of fresh air and good to see people are age. We two weeks was full off fun like street partys special djs, big air competions and skiing/boarding over a water pool. They left on the Friday and we were sorry to see them leave as it were like we had a house full of friends staying. It had now been 3 weeks since Mickey had left and we were defiantly missing him around the house he was amazing help last season and hes welcome any time. We defiantly missed him during the changeovers as when the students left on the Friday we had a night changeover as we had more guests arriving the next morning for th Puntigamer Music Festival. Was a great challenge for us with these guests as they spoke no English so this was a great time for us to practice our German. The weekend went quickly and that was it everything shut apart from a couple of lifts. We had sometime of then to ski with our friends Dave and Angela, they're great fun and good friends. Angela was amazed at one point during the day as she saw something moving under the snow only to be told it was a Snow Mole very funny. (it was the tip of her skis!)

Thank you to all

Posted Wed 28 May 2008 at 12:15GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

Thanks to all that made our first season so very special.

1st Seaon Over thanks to all

Posted Wed 28 May 2008 at 00:00GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

Hi guys, this is a big thank you to all you guys that helped us with are first season, great friends and awesome guests thank you all. What a season massive snow and what a learning experience.

Winter Over Thanks to Everyone

Posted Sun 25 May 2008 at 00:00GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

Finally our first winter is over heres a few bits about are first season running a small hotel in Hinterglemm and the ups and the down. Theres always many things going on and fun being had as were very lucky as were both under 25.Read on!

Long Season!!

Posted Tue 08 Apr 2008 at 19:02GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

Its April the Th and everything is closing and the season is coming to an end. Its been a long tiering season full of story's and fun. Heres just a bit about are season.

Fresh Snow

Posted Fri 14 Mar 2008 at 08:15GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

Morning of the Th March, much to surprise its dumping it down with powder, guests up nice and early and dying to get out there. Will report back whats it like. Great week this week lots of awesome guests that are all having a great time generally an easy week.

Our First Season

Posted Sat 08 Mar 2008 at 12:59GMT By Matthew Stokes
Related pages: Saalbach - Hinterglem

Our first season!

Welcome to our blogs guys here you will hear are experiences during our first season in our new hotel in Hinterglemm. Annie (the boss!), Mickey (novelty scando!) and I are running Penhab this season lots of stories to tell. Pension Penhab was one of the first places to be built in Hinterglemm and if the walls could talk you would all be amazed of the fun there’s been in this place.

We got of to a great start this season, fantastic snow in early November meant great skiing was had by all the locals which was great as we new that busy times were ahead of us. December 1st crazy day our first guests arrived lucky a few mates so very easy going and got us into the swing of things.

We plodded along with a few guests coming and going till the Swatch snowmobile competition, was full for the first time and we know we would only have a handful of English speaking guests. My god we were right it really pushed us to learn more German and try and interact with the guests. All very nice people apart from the normal village idiot that was drunk still at breakfast but i guess this is what we need to get used to.

Dec 22nd

With all the first nerves leaving us we were ready to open for our Christmas guests that were staying for two weeks. This was going to be a special winter for Annie and myself as due to many seasons working for different companies we had forgot to have a Christmas and defiantly forgot what Christmas was like with our own family. This was the first time it really struck home that we were here and ended up having one of the best Christmas and new years ever. One thing did happen that made the neighbors laugh, we celebrated English new year at ten o clock Austrian time as we forgot which way around the clocks were what a waste of fireworks and good champagne was still good fun.

Lots more snow followed in January and we really started to enjoy ourselves and not let the long hours and hard work get us down. Our lives were made easy by all the awesome guests we had, lots of fun had by all. Not going to go on about every month so here were we our now Th March.

Snow situation last week was a bit worrying, very slushy and warm. We were all caught by some guest’s sun bathing topless on the sun terrace! Never a good sight very funny though. I cant believe were in the final month of the season fully relived last week had great snow fall really saved the season for us.

Change over done all in good time every room cleaned every bit of wood polished as many of you know change over’s are defiantly not a peach compared to the rest of the week. All worked hard and was going great till i said (great season so far no smashed glasses or crockery) can’t believe i said it. So decided to clean the oven as normal, took the cooker door of and cleaned it beautifully. Then it all went wrong i got up quick and hit the cupboard down removing some flesh from my head then we couldn't’t get the door on the oven again. Was not fun at all I'm sure you all know what’s going to happen and yes i dropped the oven door flat on the floor the same time as new guests walked in. What a smash glass every were still cant believed it happened but never mind these things happen to make us a better person I'm sure. Okay I'm off to wait for the guests to arrive and check out the football scores on sporting life.