The Tiguan: A Reliable Partner

With the widespread adoption of the internet, one can now form an impression of a hotel before even arriving. However, understanding the owner's personality remains elusive.

The hotel, located near Lucerne, Switzerland, presents a cool exterior, but upon arrival, it exudes a distinct aura appreciated by car enthusiasts. We spoke with Jaap Schipper (50), the hotel's manager and leader of the "Autobahn Hotels" association, which spans 27 locations across Switzerland, using his personal car as a starting point to discuss his passion for automobiles.

—Is the Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan parked outside the hotel your personal vehicle?

Yes, it is. It's the 2-liter gasoline model with 4MOTION. I previously owned a VW Golf. While Switzerland's roads and autobahns are cleared of snow promptly, even with 2WD, there are generally no issues. However, 4WD offers greater peace of mind and, more importantly, expands my range of activities. Thus, it's my first 4WD vehicle.

—For a hotel manager who must commute regardless of the weather, the Tiguan must be a reassuring companion.

It's already snowing heavily today, with temperatures at minus 3 degrees Celsius since morning. Yet, thanks to the automatic climate control and effective seat heaters, the interior feels like a living room. From a value-for-money perspective, it's an exceptionally high-scoring car. Moreover, for Switzerland, a country without a major automotive industry, VW, based in neighboring Germany, is one of the most familiar and trusted brands.

—By the way, the Tiguan's license plate is "200." It's a neat, round number.

—Where do you take the Tiguan when you're not working?

A friend runs a driving school in the mountains, offering snow driving courses. The Tiguan is a dependable vehicle for getting there. In the spring, I cross the Alps to Brescia, Italy, to watch the start of the historic car rally, the Mille Miglia. I've done this about seven times now.

A Paradise for Transportation Enthusiasts

—You seem to be quite the car enthusiast. By the way, what led you to become a hotelier?

I'm actually Dutch. After graduating from hotel school in my hometown, I took a job at a hotel in Lucerne, which led me to base myself in Switzerland. I then went independent in 2005 and became the manager of my current hotel.

—The hotel has the subtitle "Autobahn Hotels."

"Autobahn Hotels" is a hotel association I conceived and established seven years ago. We offer functional and comfortable accommodations for travelers in Switzerland, focusing on saving them time and money. Currently, 27 establishments across the country are members.

—Nevertheless, "Autobahn Hotels" is a very fitting name.

When I was registering the association, I checked, and surprisingly, no one had used the name before (laughs).

—So, your hotel on the shores of Lake Lucerne is the flagship of "Autobahn Hotels."

This hotel has 38 rooms and can accommodate 96 guests. But isn't it interesting? On the first floor, there's a bus depot, and across the street is the maintenance facility for Mercedes-Benz buses. Incidentally, there's also an airfield very close to the hotel, where Pilatus, known for its business jet manufacturing, has its headquarters and factory.

—It's a location that transportation enthusiasts would find irresistible. Furthermore, what truly amazes every guest is the glass tower spanning from the first to the third floor, housing a collection of model cars.

It's a 14-meter-high display of approximately 700 model cars. The most numerous are the Swiss Postbuses, known as "PostAuto," similar to the ones in the bus depot on the first floor. Due to the mountainous terrain, Swiss Post has been responsible for passenger transport since the early 20th century. While today postal and bus transport use separate vehicles, they are integral to the history of Swiss transportation culture.

—Speaking of which, there's a photograph displayed in the hotel showing an Italian police Lamborghini Gallardo.

That was taken when the Italian traffic police visited. We were chosen as the official hotel when Daimler hosted an international fan event for the "Smart" car on the shores of Lake Lucerne in 2013. The intuition of car lovers to recognize fellow enthusiasts is quite remarkable, isn't it? (laughs).