In South Tyrol, Zurich, Oklahoma City, Bangkok, Crete, and Nicosia, hotels are no longer just places to sleep—they’re playgrounds for family visionaries. These siblings, parents, and partners aren’t just running hotels; they’re rewriting the rules of hospitality. From sculpted Alpine peaks to Venetian walls, each property pulses with personality, culture, and a little bit of rebellion. Step inside, and you’ll meet the families turning hotels into living, breathing stories—where design, local flavor, and human connection are the real luxuries.
SOUTH TYROL, ITALY
Growing up in their parents’ hotel in the heart of the Dolomites, Sandra, Peter, and Tobias Schgaguler learned hospitality alongside childhood adventures—helping guests, hiking the mountains, and soaking in the rhythm of family life. In 2018, they returned to transform Schgaguler Hotel for the modern traveler, creating a decisively contemporary space that boldly contrasts the rustic Alpine tradition while preserving its warm, personal soul. “Our ambition was to create a place that inspires guests to live a better life. So, we focused on simplicity.” The hotel’s sculpted, cubic, almost skeletal, white-framed façade feels perfectly at home, echoing the snowcapped peaks of the Dolomites.
Today, every detail reflects their collaboration—Sandra curates a wine list celebrating local flavors, while Peter and Tobias oversee design and operations with meticulous care. Together, they’ve shaped a hotel where innovation meets tradition, proving that when a family works as one, hospitality becomes more than a business—it becomes a living legacy.
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ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Günter and Manfred Weilguni are not just brothers—they’re the heartbeat of Tyrolean hospitality. Raised in Innsbruck, where tourism is woven into daily life, they absorbed the art of welcoming guests from an early age. Günter journeyed from international cruise ships to hotel schools in Switzerland and Cornell, while Manfred honed his culinary skills in five-star kitchens before stepping into management. Together, they’ve shaped distinctive properties like Hotel Spedition Thun and The Hide in Flims, always balancing curiosity, playfulness, and purpose.
Their latest outpost, The Home Hotel Zürich, embodies this vision. Housed in a former paper mill in the newly buzzing district of Wollishofen, it channels the Dada movement’s spirit of creative rebellion—more than a hotel, it’s a gathering spot, an artwork, a sanctuary. “We wanted a concept that’s bold and emotional—a hotel that doesn’t just host guests, but inspires them,” they say. For the Weilguni brothers, hospitality is a way of life, and The Home is their stage for connection, discovery, and ever-evolving creativity.
OKLAHOMA, USA
Sara Kate and Jason Little are the dynamic duo behind Bradford House, a bold hotel in Oklahoma City where history and wanderlust collide. What was once a 1912 Victorian home has been transformed into a cosmopolitan retreat brimming with character, reflecting the couple’s love of travel, art, and design. Their journeys—from the streets of Paris to the galleries of Stockholm—infuse every corner with stories, textures, and heirlooms, creating a space that feels curated, not staged.
Sara Kate’s keen eye for interiors and Jason’s expertise in real estate have resulted in a hotel that is at once elegant and inviting, cosmopolitan yet unmistakably local. As Jason Little puts it, “It wasn’t just about a business—it was about creating culture and a community for our family.” Guests wander through a living gallery, sip cocktails in cozy corners, and feel the pulse of a home shaped by two people who see hospitality as an art form. At Bradford House, design tells a story—of personality, creativity, and the Little family’s love of life, all in one unforgettable experience.
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Paul and Angie Sachdev are redefining luxury with a true social hub in the heart of Bangkok’s bustling Sukhumvit district. After years in the fashion and lifestyle industry, they shifted gears to open Public House Bangkok—an inspired space designed to blur the lines between home, restaurant, office, and creative community. “For us, true luxury today is not marble floors or gold taps,” Angie explains. “It’s human connection. It’s sitting around a table, engaging in conversation, instead of being glued to a phone.”
Drawing inspiration from Paul’s childhood visits to his grandfather in Bangkok’s old town, the hotel features custom furniture and a daring mix of local and global art. Expansive, light-filled spaces encourage connection—from podcasting to cultural exchanges with local artists and galleries. Public House Bangkok is a launchpad for exploring the city and, more importantly, reconnecting with one another.
CRETE, GREECE
The Agorastakis family is a living blueprint of craftsmanship, heritage, and island spirit. Manolis Agorastakis was born in 1953 in a mountain village 20 miles from Chania, a city in the northwest of Crete. “Most of the villagers rarely had the chance to see the sea and did not know how to swim. But every summer since I was eight months old, my family would come to Chania for several months and stay in a guest house a few meters from the sea.”
Now, alongside his children—Stefanos, Konstantina, and Katerina—he runs The Tanneries Hotel & Spa, a stunning transformation of four historic tanneries overlooking the Aegean. Stefanos brings his vision for architecture and design, Konstantina curates the interiors and art, and Katerina oversees guest experience and wellness programs. Their combined expertise has created a space where history meets modernity, and the rhythm of the sea is felt in every detail.
NICOSIA, CYPRUS
Thanos, Natasha, and Anna Michaelides are reshaping what it means to stay in Nicosia. Growing up in a family where hotels were alive with stories, meals, and laughter, they each discovered their own way to shape hospitality: Thanos dreams the architecture, Natasha orchestrates the guest experience, and Anna fills every corner with the flavors and rhythms of Cyprus.
Their flagship, Amyth of Nicosia, rises within a historic villa embraced by the city’s Venetian walls, a place where old-world stone meets contemporary design. Every detail—handpicked art, thoughtful layouts, local touches—is meant to make visitors feel part of the city’s story. “Being surrounded by so many people from such a young age made me curious and open,” Natasha says. “I learned to appreciate people from different cultures, and I became a quiet observer—always noticing how people arrived, relaxed, and connected.” Amyth captures the spirit of Cyprus, offering guests a stay that feels alive, authentic, and entirely its own.