The History of the Hotel

The History of Stadthotel Waidhofen an der Thaya

The history of the “Zum goldenen Ochsen” inn dates back several centuries, as it was already operating in the heart of Waidhofen an der Thaya, in the main square, in the 15th century. However, the devastating town fire of 1873 destroyed everything in the city center, and the famous inn was reduced to ashes.

At that time, the inn was run by Rudolf Riegler and his wife, Amalie. After her husband's death, Amalie remarried to Friedrich Engelmayer, who lived in Parisdorf, Weinviertel. They had two daughters: Valerie and Amalie.

But the story didn’t end there. In 1925, Amalie and her husband, Robert Eder, took over the inn, which they quickly expanded and modernized. The hardships of World War II and the war years tested the family once again. Under Russian military control, between 1945 and 1947, the inn could only be restarted after the family returned to horse and cattle farming to survive the economic difficulties.

After Amalie Eder passed away in 1949, her husband, Robert Eder, remarried Maria, and they, along with their daughters and sons-in-law, continued running the inn. In the early 1960s, the family expanded the building, and by the 1970s, the next generation, led by Edith and her husband, took over. However, in 1999, the family’s life took another turn due to a tragic accident.

In the following years, the building, except for the facade, was demolished to make way for a new, modern complex. Today, the former hotel site hosts apartments, a financial office, and a student dormitory. However, the entrance and staircase of the new building remain as they were, honoring the past.

Finally, after a long construction period, the former Eder Hotel reopened in July 2012 under the new name “Stadthotel Waidhofen an der Thaya.” The new hotel is owned by LT Projekt Waidhofen/Thaya GmbH & Co KG, and the area has since been repurposed for agricultural use, while the former golf course is no longer in operation. The new building also features apartments, which are particularly popular among business travelers.