...that's how fairy tales begin. Whether it was always like in a fairy tale, we leave to your imagination. But one thing we know for sure - everything has a beginning, even the Hotel Krone. In our archive, we are searching for the origins and provide little insights here from then to now.
In the 15th century, the house of the "Gesellschaft zu Pfistern" was located on the site of the hotel Krone . "Pfister" was the name of the bakers' trade and their house is also known as the guild house. Thus the first "stones" were laid for the time travel of the hotel Krone.
In 1821, the "Gesellschaft zu Pfistern" sold the house to the city of Thun. The latter transferred the tavern rights of the "Löwen" on Freienhofgasse, which had been demolished in 1807, to the house, turning the guild house into a fully-fledged inn.
In order to avoid confusion with the "Gasthaus zu Metzgern" opposite - with its magnificently carved lion as a sign of trade - the name "Krone" was chosen. The inn has been privately owned since 1852.
In 1968, the Steffisburg entrepreneur Walter Hauenstein acquired the Krone, the Buchhofer butcher's shop next door and the Feuergässchen in between.
After careful planning and lengthy negotiations due to the preservation of original but poorly preserved components, the complete demolition of the two buildings took place at the beginning of 1971.
In 1972, the new Krone could be reopened with reconstructed facades as an elegant 4-star old town hotel.
Since then, the Krone has undergone numerous renovations and conversions. Milestones in its recent history include the redesign of the "Krone-Gärtli" (today's Aare Terrace) in 1979 and the opening of the China Restaurant in 1983.
The last and most obvious change took place in 2008, when the current owners Urs Hauenstein & Andrea Hauenstein-Wolf, the first floor with restaurants and the reception underwent a major renovation.
Since then, Krone has presented itself as a modern and friendly place to linger.
The young generation takes over with a breath of fresh air. From 2020 to 2024, Janine Wolf is bringing a new vision of Krone and a young touch to everyday business. The visual appearance is now fresh and welcoming, the rooms have been refreshed with beautiful parquet flooring and the processes have been digitalized.
Melanie Fontana, Director, and Dirk Wunderlich, Assistant Director, took over the helm of the 4-star hotel in spring 2024. Together with a courageous management team, they continue the vision of a fresh & charming place in Thun city center. You can look forward to everything that is to come - it certainly won't be boring!
