Innovation and Family Life – Florian and Julian Mayer, managing directors of the Familux Resorts, are currently driving major innovations in their properties while also embracing their roles as young fathers with their own little families at home. There’s never a shortage of ideas. When Florian and Julian Mayer brainstorm new plans, hardly a stone is left unturned, and the Familux universecontinues to grow more multifaceted with each project.

At the Alpenrose – Familux Resort, a major renovation has just been completed. Among many new features, it now includes a glacier sauna where a snow room is separated from the 90-degree hot chamber by just a glass door. At the Dachsteinkönig – Familux Resort, this autumn will see the creation of new luxury chalets with outdoor pools and unique à la carte restaurants. Next year, the Oberjoch – Familux Resort will take a deep dive into a new dimension with a 50-meter-long infinity pool.

And then there’s the ambitious vision “10 in 10”, introduced last year: by 2034, there should be a total of ten Familux Resorts. Locations at the Baltic Sea, in Italy, and in Switzerland are already in planning.

But beyond their innovation-driven entrepreneurship, both Florian and Julian are also young fathers. Florian’s daughter Leni is four years old, and Julian became a father last year to twins Elsa and Frida. They shared with us how they are navigating fatherhood, what vacation means to them now, and how things have changed since their own childhoods.

We all have ideas of what family life should be like, but things usually turn out differently. What were your “aha” moments?
Julian Mayer: Everything is different—morning to night. You sleep differently, you eat differently, you move differently. Priorities have been completely turned upside down, but in a good way. Of course, I try to make sure the kids come first—but with so many projects going on, that’s definitely a challenge. Some mornings we wake up and everyone’s happy, other times we’re all up four hours earlier and nobody’s happy.
Florian Mayer: It gets easier over the years—they become more independent. It’s really cool because now I can have real conversations with Leni. But another topic is definitely planning and time. With two adults, it’s usually pretty easy to be at place B at time A. With kids, sometimes that works perfectly, and other times it just doesn’t work at all.

What values would you like to pass on to your children?
Florian Mayer: For me, it’s important that children learn certain virtues early on—like treating others with respect—and also that they understand the value of our guests, because they are the foundation of our livelihood. Hospitality is deeply rooted in us thanks to our parents.
Julian Mayer: I completely agree. Tourism is a vital part of our lives—it’s our bread and butter. And it takes both down-to-earthness and open-mindedness.

You both grew up at your parents’ workplace, the Alpenrose in Lermoos. What’s especially important to you in your own family lives today?
Florian Mayer: Everyone has their responsibilities, and we live in different federal states. We allow ourselves the luxury of a private retreat. Back then, that didn’t exist. Our parents lived in the staff house, our father was with the guests almost all the time, and we had new friends every week. Of course, there were many advantages. But having four walls of your own is liberating—that desire really shaped me.
Julian Mayer: The family sitting down together at a table practically never happened. We didn’t even have a traditional dining table. There were often construction projects going on in the house, so everything had to be quick and simple. These days, we place a lot of value on shared meals—I’m already looking forward to weekend breakfasts with the kids once they’re a bit older.

What does vacation feel like for you now—what does it actually look like?
Florian Mayer: When we take a vacation at a hotel, it’s 70 percent work for me: observing, learning, spotting mistakes. I always come back with a full photo album—it often becomes inspiration for new ideas.
Julian Mayer: Yes, there’s no way around it. But it’s fun—you have a lot of conversations with staff, you’re constantly thinking about everything. You just can’t switch that part off.

And how does the rest of the family feel about that?
Julian Mayer: It’s kind of “part of the deal.” (He smiles.) I once went a bit overboard—seven hotels in twelve days. But that only happened once, and it was before we had babies. We definitely take things slower now.

How and when do you find time to truly switch off?
Florian Mayer: For me, sport is both a release and a mental reset. I go running and listen to podcasts. I’ve set up a shortcut on my watch so I can dictate notes while running. That’s when I get by far the most ideas.
Julian Mayer: It used to be sports for me too, but now I don’t get to it as often. These days, it’s mainly walks with the twins—those are the moments when a lot of thoughts and ideas come up.

Has becoming a father changed the way you see yourselves?
Julian Mayer: I was genuinely surprised by how powerful the emotions are. As long as the twins are doing well, nothing else really matters—even if the world around us is falling apart. That kind of priority is hard to imagine beforehand. As long as they’re healthy and happy, everything else is basically a bonus.
Florian Mayer: Absolutely. Since having kids, we don’t do anything just for ourselves anymore. At the start of our careers, we invested significant amounts—that was a risk, of course. But not taking that risk would have been one too. It’s in our DNA; our parents lived entrepreneurship the same way. Many people are surprised by what we dare to take on—but for us, that mindset has grown naturally over time.

There’s a lot of change happening at Familux Resorts right now—has change simply become part of daily life?
Florian Mayer: The major renovation at the Alpenrose wasn’t easy for our parents emotionally—there are so many memories in that house. But the truth is, there was just as much change back then. Our father knows that, too. Today, we get to sit here and enjoy the fruits of those efforts. None of what we do is impulsive—we’re building a head start for the future.

What has become more important to your guests when it comes to vacationing at Familux Resorts?
Florian Mayer: The way people vacation has changed—stays are shorter but more intense. What used to be about saunas and whirlpools is now about headspas and nail bars. And with the rise of “workation”—the combination of work and relaxation—guests need features like an office box.
Julian Mayer: Many of our guests run their own businesses and work while on vacation. We take advantage of those options ourselves when we travel—it’s completely normal for us. Health is also a much bigger factor than it used to be. Even the food at the children’s buffet is now significantly more balanced and nutritious.

How has your perspective on vacation changed since becoming parents?
Julian Mayer: We were recently in Vietnam at a family hotel, but there were unsecured staircases, hardly any changing tables, and no safety rails on the beds. You quickly understand why our concept works so well for families.
Florian Mayer: Before we had a child, a family hotel was completely off the table for my wife Caro and me. It just didn’t appeal to us—we were looking for peace and quiet. But now, with our daughter, things like water slides, outdoor playgrounds, and animals are suddenly very exciting. I probably don’t even need to mention where Leni likes to vacation the most. (He smiles.)

Looking to the future—beyond current plans in Switzerland, the Baltic Sea, and Italy—do exotic destinations appeal to you as well?
Florian Mayer: The visions are definitely there—the plans, not yet. But if you think about it long enough, it’s hard to find a reason why we shouldn’t do it. In a few years, that might be the next logical step.