in the Press - Hotel Tigaiga
Transcription
in the Press - Hotel Tigaiga
in the Press 2nd Edition / June 2008 Dear Guest, Are you perhaps with us for the first time and would like to learn more about the hotel of your choice? Then you are sure to find this an interesting read. On the other hand, you may be one of our many faithful friends who return year after year. Now we are happy to present you with the second English version, edited with the kind help of Shirley Felsing and Martin Knott. The Hotel Tigaiga is actually quite unique in this ever developing world of holiday hotels catering for mass tourism, where so few remain as having been planned, built and nurtured under the watchful eye of the original owners. We, the Talg family, are very proud of being among this select few and because of this, we should like to take you on a ‘sentimental journey’ through the history of this hotel which has become so much a part of us. Here, we have collected a series of press-cuttings which will give you an idea of what motivates us as hoteliers, and what lies closest to our hearts. And don’t forget, if there is anything at all we can do to make your stay with us more special, do not hesitate to make it known to us, because that is why we are here - to ensure that you are happy and feel at home with us. Welcome! Enrique Talg Family How it all began: 1958... The colour green For us, green is a very important colour. Indeed, green in all its variegated tones, is one of our island’s particular delights. To keep it so is a prime objective for our hotel and our management operates with this environmental principle in mind. The garden, so very green, is where we hope you will spend many a restful hour. Select your own palm tree, because for every hotel bed at least one palm tree or possibly more has been planted. And today: ...2008 An old “Guanche” legend In these pages you will be able to find out why the Hotel Tigaiga was so named. Should you be curious enough to want to know all the details, such as what it means and with which of the many “Guanche” legends it is connected, just inquire at the reception desk for the separate leaflet in which all will be revealed. By the way, on the wall of the lobby, you will find an old facsimile which tells the whole tale. Benjamín Afonso Padrón had it drawn up to give to grandfather Talg Schulz as a Christmas present in 1959. 2 in the Press Easy strider: stepping into the sundrenched south It’s the perfect time of year for a continental hike. Vincent Crump presents our step-by-step guide to four classic walking weekends. Northern Tenerife The whole of Tenerife is essentially one big volcano, and its evergreen northern uplands erupt with supercolourful subtropical flora. Spring is flowering time, and the effect, as you drive the steep-sided coast road from the airport to Puerto de la Cruz, is of a giant rockery exploding with every kind of shrub, cactus, flower and tree. Buzzy Puerto makes a perfect base camp, with a relaxed nightlife founded on strolling between bars to the rhythm of the Latin groups who play out in the squares. Behind, snaking up into the mountains, is the Orotava Valley, where a maze of footpaths leads you into Canarian pine woods, with 4,000ft views down over the coastal plain. […] A helping hand: walking maps of the island are unreliable; much better to pack Noel Rochford’s book Landscapes of Tenerife (£9.99, or £11 from www.sunflowerbooks.co.uk), which details all of the routes above. When to go: spring springs eternal here, with the temperature hovering near 20C year-round. In May, Tenerife is blooming - or why not time your trip to coincide with the petal-strewn Corpus Christi celebrations, held this year from June 17-20 Where to stay: the fourstar Hotel Tigaiga (00 34-922 383500, www.tigaiga.com) in Puerto has ocean-view rooms, its own programme of guided walks and subtropical gardens so impressive that they inspired a former director of Kew Gardens to retire here. Doubles start at £80, B&B, in April. THE SUNDAY TIMES April 25th, 2004 HOTEL Take in a concert, visit the national park and stay in a small Canarian hotel Discover another side to Tenerife Winter getaways HEADING to Tenerife this winter? Remember to pack swimming costumes, a paper-back thriller or two, sunscreen and a pair of binoculars. At first glance the Auditorio de Tenerife, looks like an ancient warrior’s helmet. Or perhaps a spaceship, a Post-Modernist sculpture or a crashing wave. However you choose to interpret it the Santiago Calatrava design is stunning. The new £50 million opera- house (www.auditoriodetenerife.com) opened two months ago in the island’s capital, Santa Cruz, and has a main auditorium seating more than 1,600. Its winter programme includes performances of Mahler, Mozart and Brahms, as well as the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and Antonio Canales dance. It will be so much easier to reach Santa Cruz this winter, with both GB Airways and bmi British Midland starting services Hotel Tigaiga, Puerto de la Cruz The former harbour town of Puerto de la Cruz is the elder statesmen of Tenerife tourism - in the 1890s it was a spa destination. Apart from a rapidly decreasing patch for the pint and pie party, it remains the epitome of graceful tourism. Situated within the Parque Taoro on the select upper slopes of Puerto de la Cruz, the gardens of the 83 - room Hotel Tigaiga are a joy. Seated with a good book and an even better Martini you could be forgiven for forgetting that you from London to Tenerife‘s north airport. […] Tellingly for a leisure route, up to 44 out of 156 seats on GB Airways are in business class. The north of the island is expected to attract busy professionals desperate for a winter sun break: two thirds of the airline’s passengers are booking independently on the web. Tour operators have been extending programmes to the north of Tenerife on the back of the scheduled flights. ANNABELLE THORPE are only four hours from Blighty. It serves organic food in the restaurant, uses solar power and recycles its well water. Details: 922 383500, www.tigaiga.com. Doubles from £44. JO CAWLEY Family friendly Big breakfasts in parrot fashion Puerto de la Cruz sums up the contrasts of northern Tenerife. It is a civilized tourist resort, with good hotels, beaches protected from the ocean by hidden breakwaters, stylish boardwalks, a state-of-theart lido, good cafes and plenty of T-shirt shops. It is also, however, a real and quite reserved Canarian town where most new developments are built in traditional style. It is a place not just for sunworshippers but for nature lovers of a different sort. Its verdant parks and gardens are filled with thousands of spectacular tropical trees and plants. Our hotel, the Tigaiga, stands amidst the greenery of the Parque Taoro. The hotel’s own expansive tropical gardens create a wonderful atmosphere and from our top-floor balcony we could look out in one direction across the town rooftops to the ocean, in the other across the park to the peak of Mount Teide, the ancient volcano that dominates the Tenerife skyline. When the children were in bed and the stars and the sangría were out, the view was even better. The Tigaiga is proud of its prizewinning conservation record, but it PUERTO DE LA CRUZ also has the sort of child-friendly attitude you would expect from a good hotel in Spain. And it was a treat to find that the restaurant did not offer the dreadful international children’s menu of nuggets and burgers with chips or chips. Instead, Stella, 6, and Isabel, 4, enjoyed experimenting with the same wellprepared five-course dinner as us each evening. When the girls were not serving themselves breakfast from the big buffet, playing with the giant chess set (the kick-ass version, where you have to knock your opponents’ pieces over) or trying to charm the lizards in the gardens, they were lapping up the goodsized swimming pool. Puerto de la Cruz’s biggest holiday attraction is the Loro ParqueParrot Park. Almost all animal life is here, from huge gorillas to an albino tiger (“his stripes must have washed off in the water”, decided our girls) and giant penguins, alongside the ubiquitous parrots. The terraces of the good oceanfront restaurants at Garachico were packed with crowds looking out over huge seafood platters at La Roque, which dominates the town’s harbour. I ate a handsome sea monster of a local fish, served complete with teeth and tongue. Down in the harbour, families gently frolicked in seawater pools, formed from the volcanic rock with a little help from concrete steps, seawalls and slide. If you are still hankering after that beach to sunbathe on, drive to Playa de las Teresitas, a glorious expanse of white sand imported from the Sahara desert. Although Tenerife sits off the coast of Saharan Africa, that sand was the only hint of Africa we encountered. Our daughters certainly preferred it to the volcanic black stuff elsewhere. But then, there was so much else going on that they never once whinged about wanting buckets and spades. MICK HUME THE TIMES SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2003 Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife 3 in the Press: One of the glories of Puerto de la Cruz’s Parque de Taoro has been restored to exactly that - its former glory - at a cost of 1.8 million euros after many years of discussion and promises The Sortija garden blooms - at last The sector of the park known as the “Parque de La Sortija” covers an area of 1,100 square metres […]. The name parque La Sortija goes back to the early 1900s, when horse races would take place down the park’s avenue. The jockeys would hold a spiked stick and, galloping at full speed towards the line, try to collect as many rings with coloured ribbons that were strung across the path, onto it, making for a very enjoyable and pretty spectacle. This went on until the 1950s, and was re-enacted once in the late 1990s. (Sortija means ring in Spanish). Its tarmac covering, laid only a few years back, has been torn up and the surface restored to its natural beaten earth state, as it would the new trees that have also been planted. Work will continue, however, to provide a children’s play area, a bar and cafeteria as well as a shady plaza space with benches. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Cabildo president Ricardo Melchior reminded everyone present that the restoration of the park had been one of the dearest wishes of veteran hotelier Enrique Talg, who died last month. “In his memory it is now up to us to look after this area and conserve it to the best of our ability,” he said. The lighting system will be have been originally. There is a cluding the installation of proper large pond, complete with orna- irrigation, construction of the gar- switched on December 2, allowmental fish, surrounded by grassy dens and paths around the beauti- ing night and day use of the park. banks and ground level lighting ful old trees that have been there AM TENERIFE NEWS has been cunningly installed, in- for time immemorial, as well as 11.2006 A rest area in honour of Enrique Talg, founder of the Hotel Tigaiga (Puerto de la Cruz) and a big defender of Tenerife’s natural values, was inaugurated on the sunny morning of May 9th Cabildo pays tribute to Enrique Talg Wyss The place chosen for this rest area is located on the Tigaiga slope, close to the Chanajiga recreative area in Los Realejos. One of the reasons this particular spot was chosen was because of the breathtaking view of almost the whole of the north of Tenerife that can be seen from there. A path for people who enjoy nature hikes called GR-133 will be established soon and this will give them a place to rest and enjoy the wonderful view before they get back to hiking. […] The cost of the works came to 30.000 euros, and the design consists of a stone hut with a table and benches inside, and a tap for drinking water outside. It has been designed to adapt to the environment, thus avoiding any negative impact on the existing flora and fauna in the area. A plaque in Talg’s honour was uncovered during the act, and all the dignitaries attending agreed that this was a well deserved commemoration of this man who had done so much for Tenerife and From left to right: Jorge Bonnet, director of “paisaje y medio urbano”, Ursula, Irene and Enrique Talg, Ricardo Melchior, president of the Tenerife Cabildo, Oswaldo Brito, mayor of Los Realejos and Wladimiro Rodríguez, environmental councillor. whose heirs are now carrying on his great work. […] He was linked to the island of Tenerife from youth, was always preoccupied with environmental issues and was a staunch nature lover. This is why this beautiful place was chosen to remember him. […] More importantly, he was a well loved and respected man by Tel.: (+34) 922 383 500 • Fax: (+34) 922 384 055 all who knew him; I overheard many of the people attending this act sharing lovely anecdotes about him. […] Getting up to the area of Chanajiga is not easy, but well worth it. If you love hiking and nature, you must see this spectacular part of Tenerife. June 2008 AM TENERIFE NEWS 23.05.2008 HOTEL From San Juan de la Rambla to Santa Ursula on foot Coastal walk is being renovated Tenerifes local government has picked up an old project of tourism pioneer, the late Enrique Talg Wyss, founder of Hotel Tigaiga in Puerto de la Cruz, to be put into action as soon as possible. During a meeting held on December 12th, Jorge Bonnet, island landscaping official, agreed together with representatives from communities of San Juan de la Rambla, Santa Ursula, Los Realejos, La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz as well as with members of the CIT of Puerto de la Cruz, Centre for Tourism Initiative, to renovate the coastal footpath between San Juan de la Rambla and Santa Ursula. This route, officially known as PR-TF-30, is 17 kms long and winds along parallel with the coast. Part of the track leads through a protected natural landscape, in parts through urbanized areas and some is beside roads. WOCHENBLATT 23.12.2007 PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 4 in the Press Ecology in hotel management at the Hotel Tigaiga in Tenerife “and the penny suddenly dropped” Spain means to persevere in its quest for improvement in tourism. Increasingly hotel management has applied directives from Madrid. The 4-Star Hotel Tigaiga on Tenerife is a length ahead of the others. It has already been certified under the EU and Spanish legislation. When Irene Talg was at boarding school in Germany, the ‘Green Party’ was beginning to make itself felt in Parliament. She and her fellow pupils all used to wear T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Atomic Energy - NO THANKS!” At this point, the penny suddenly dropped, says the manageress of the 4 - star Hotel Tigaiga on Tenerife. Miss Talg has made a name for herself beyond her island home, even as far as the European Community. The Tigaiga is one of the first hotels in the Canaries to have been certified by EMAS (since April 2004) in other words the hotel fulfilled the European norm for ecological practices. In August of the same year, Miss Talg had the opportunity of presenting her operative model to EU experts. Hotel Tigaiga was in the vanguard in its use of solar energy It was mother Talg who had the green fingers for the garden. Father had always shown a leaning towards “energy saving”, so that as early as 1982 he had the solar panels system installed for heating the hotel’s hot water system and the swimming pool. It was Irene who returned from her professional education in Germany with the firm decision to promote environmental protection on Tenerife. She was there as one on the first to be active, when four years ago the local hotel association, Ashotel, established the island’s environmental commission. “At the time, we sent a questionnaire to 250 regional hotels in order to research how much energy Examples of the environment friendly hotel management: cooking oil is disposed of with due care. Precise separation of refuse they were using and the amount of waste matter they were disposing of. Exactly five hotels responded, saying they had never found this a matter for consideration and were, therefore, unable to furnish any details!” In the meantime this has changed: a more recent survey showed that sixty establishments had information to offer. “One has always to begin with one’s own business” said Miss Talg. Together with hotels in Granada, Benidorm and the Canaries, the Hotel Tigaiga has joined a pilot scheme for eco-management in which, together with the Spanish ecology foundation, “Fundación Entorno”, special criteria are being formed for the hotel industry. The target: environment-friendly use of energy and other resources which would call for a whole package of measures. part of a group of hotel pioneers who started to lay down criteria for quality standards in the hotel business; initially for Tenerife, they were later adopted by the Spanish Institute for Quality in Tourism (ICTE) in Madrid. Since then, Irene has been in charge of monitoring these standards at the Tigaiga. “Of course this all costs money. One cannot think as an accountant. Eventually the investment brings dividends, but of course much later: an island, which continues to be habitable and useful for tourism”. In the short term, as a marketing strategy these labels are of little use: “They are not known well enough”. But Irene Talg can still not complain of missing feedback: for the eighth time the Tigaiga has The Tigaiga been awarded a TUI Holly. This participated in the award is given, according to the guests’ vote, to the world’s best “Q”Quality label A darker coloured pool hotels. In addition, the Tigaiga has saves energy costs The Tigaiga, apart from the Emas, already obtained the TUI EnvironNot everything was as expensive also has the Spanish Quality La- mental prize five times. as the rehousing of the hotel of- bel “Q”. At the beginning of the MAREN KÖSTER-HETZENDORF fice space from the windowless 90s, Irene’s sister Ursula was FVW 6.9.2002 cellar to the ground floor. For example, the swimming pool was just given a slightly darker colour tone, so that now, its water heats faster with the sun shining on the surface and in consequence electricity costs are down. Also cardboard, glass, and garden refuse are separated. Each category is weighed and registered. “Really, it is just like losing weight” says Irene Talg, “first one stands on the scales and decides how many kilos one wants to lose; there is no point in just saying one wants to be slimmer!” The saving obtained through such measures can be substantial, for example, in 2001 the average water consumption per overnight stay was reduced by as much as 81 litres! Sound & bites In the whole world I know of no other hotel apart from the Tigaiga to have survived at the top since the pioneer days of tourism, managing to remain a constant favourite. At first sight, the hotel does not appear special in any way, but it is a hotel, the pride of it‘s owners, which turns other hoteliers green with envy, with its legions of satisfied customers. When asked, why they always return to the Tigaiga, they tend to say, that in part, it is the quiet surrounding, the beautiful garden and its palms, and the knowledge that they are enjoying the benefits of a real “family hotel“. They say that they feel at home, and often return three or four times a year to this charming little 4 - star hotel in Puerto de la Cruz. PILAR ASCHENBACH touristikaktuell, 37/03 HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife 5 in the Press: In Puerto de la Cruz awarded with the golden TUI-Environmental champion 2002 Hotel Tigaiga brought the Environmental-Gold to Tenerife Applause and recognition were shown at a double celebration in the Hotel Tigaiga to congratulate the hotel for receiving the coveted international Golden TUI environment award and for meeting the very demanding requirements of the EMAS scheme. Many local dignitaries were present at the celebration to congratulate Hotel Tigaiga for these two outstanding environmental achievements. In his speech, TUI’s environment director, Dr. Wolf Michael Iwand, highly praised the hotel and congratulated Hotel Tigaiga’s proprietors, the Talg family, and hotel staff for achieving and maintaining the highest possible standards of environmental management. He also mentioned that Hotel Tigaiga had always been TUI environment champions ever since the award was created a few years ago, and this year, for the first time, had achieved the highest place, just beating the Iberotel Sarigerme Park in Dalaman, Turkey. Dr. Iwand also stressed that today’s European visitors not only require high standards of comfort and service in their holiday hotel, but they are also very concerned about environmental issues and are especially sensitive to the way in which such matters are treated by their hosts. He continued to stress that Hoteliers cannot afford to disregard environmental issues, those that do will have to reckon with a decline in bookings, something which the Canary Tourist Industry cannot afford in view of the strong competition to other destinations. EMAS But; is it possible for guests to look behind the scenes of their holiday hotel to form for themselves a valid opinion about its environ- Handing over the TUI-Environmental Gold Diploma: Irene Talg and Dr. Wolf-Michael Iwand. In the background Cabildo-President Ricardo Melchior and the Canarian ViceEnvironment-Minister Milagros Luis Brito mental policies? The answer must be a resounding Yes! The fact that Tigaiga justly obtained first place in the TUI environment champions award 2002 is proven by the EMAS certificate award. In order to receive the EMAS certificate, the hotel was tested upside down and inside out by environment specialists, no stone was left unturned, the verdict being that Hotel Tigaiga fulfils and maintains all of the strict EMAS requirements. Milagros Luis Brito, the Canarian Vice-Environment Minister, urged other hoteliers on the Canary Islands to follow the EMAS certificate goals in order to offer a higher quality to their hotels as well as to enable the islands to develop further. WOCHENSPIEGEL 24.10.2002 This distinction will be awarded annually Ashotel introduces the “ENRIQUE TALG” Tourism and environment prize Paying homage to the late hotelier and conservationist, Enrique Talg Wyss, Tenerife’s hotelier association, ASHOTEL, together with the ministry for tourism and the environment have created a new annual award - the “Enrique Talg” prize - for businesses, associations, private persons or public institutions who demonstrate initia- tives of benefit to the environment, tourism re-development and technological innovations throughout the province of Tenerife. This honour is in memory of Enrique Talg Wyss, a visionary and pioneer within the Canary Island tourist sector, founder of the Hotel Tigaiga, Puerto de la Cruz, whose concern and action for environmental protection brought about many changes, benefiting our natural surroundings aswell as making huge improvements for visitors to the island. The winner of this newly createdaward will be determined by a panel of judges made up of ASHOTEL and regional tourism and environment representatives, University professor Wolfredo Wildpret, President of ASHOTEL’s environment department, Irene Talg, his daughter, and TUI’s director for environment management, Dr. Wolf Michael Iwand. ASHOTEL 37, 2007 Environmental friendly champions 2007 The coveted TUI award for environmentally friendly hotels was once again awarded to several Canary Island hotels for World Tourism Day on September 27th. In the province of Tenerife, Hotels Tigaiga and Botanico in Puerto de la Cruz both received the prestigious award, as well as Jardines de Nivaria in Costa de Adeje and HoSince 1996 TUI have made this tel Gran Rey in La Gomera. prestigious award to hotels that info@tigaiga.com • www.tigaiga.com not only offer the highest standard of quality but who also actively demonstrate their commitment to nature and the environment. In 2004 TUI altered the criteria by implementing a complex scoring system, that took into account both the opinions of guests and other factors, such as the international environment management systems ISO 14001 & EMAS, as June 2008 HOTEL well as water, energy and waste management. Each year winners undergo a rigorous process of selection considering the measures that have been taken to create and maintain an environmental policy that ensures the comfort of guests and demonstrates care for our natural world. WOCHENBLATT 05.10.07 PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 6 in the Press The subtropical gardens of the Tigaiga were conceived in order to offer an oasis of peace and tranquillity. It is inconceivable that there was a time, before the hotel existed, when these 5000 square metres of lush gardens with unspoiled views of Puerto and the ocean were just part of an arid scrub - covered hill of volcanic ash. Over the years... total metamorphosis! A miniature botanical gardens has evolved, and as early as 1977, by popular demand from the hotel guests, the first brochure was published. ... and the gardens are constantly in bloom… Westernlook 1975 All smart with laces and frills was the Western fashion à la Doris Day’ 30 years ago - nothing to do with the sloppy look of Western fashion in 2005. (FOTO: MEYERS MODEBLATT/ ZÜRICH 1975, THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN IN THE GARDEN PAVILLON OF THE TIGAIGA.) His wife’s brainchild Hibiscus (rosa-sinensis) belonging to the malvaceae family For garden tours in English please inquire at the reception. “In your father’s days these gardens looked better cared for”! This dry observation had to be endured by Enrique Talg Wyss in the early sixties. A criticism directed to the new young hotelier by well meaning ‘regulars’. In 1961, the then 4000 square metre garden had won for itself one of the first prizes to have been established by the budding tourist initiative: ‘Por un Tenerife más bello, limpio, alegre y optimista’ covering a project to promote Tenerife’s plethora of beautiful and sometimes rare flora. Enrique Talg Schulz however, had been a botany enthusiast all HOTEL his life, his special interest being blossoming trees. During the years of the Spanish Civil War, followed by World War II starting only a few months later, hotels were few and far between, and while he was running the Gran Hotel Taoro his particular pride and joy were its elegant gardens. This pride would be transferred with equal enthusiasm to the new gardens of his own Hotel Tigaiga. True to his original plan, in the corner under the Tinguaro Terrace, stands a tulip tree, his particular favourite. However his son’s interest lay elsewhere following the tourist boom of the swinging sixties. PUERTO DE LA CRUZ “ ...with botanical matters I have never had a very close relationship” admits the 80-year old in retrospect, (surprisingly contrary to his lifelong love of mother nature). Gardening itself, however, was not his own particular passion. On the other hand, however, his wife, Dr. Gisela Reineke de Talg, had originally planned to study pharmacy and her interest for plant life remained with her. It was soon apparent that she posessed truly ‘green fingers’ and it was with evident enthusiasm that she became involved with ‘garden landscaping’. It soon followed that under her tutelage, her brainchild became reality. Mr Gerry Sanders, fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society and a member of the Malayan Orchid Society, was invited to take part in its development. Today, the gardens still retain her basic flower and plant layout which are so consistently admired by guests and visitors, amateurs or botanists alike. By the 1970s the fame of this extraordinary work of floral opulence and beauty with plants from the world’s most exotic places, had been published in the international press as a photographic report, including an interview with Enrique Talg. The publicity soon brought guests to the hotel who expected to enjoy the gardens and see them for themselves. This in turn gave birth to the idea of offering guided tours of the gardens led by Mr. Sanders. Understandably, some guests found the botanical names difficult to decipher, so each species was numbered. In addition, in 1977, with the help of Mr Gerald Harrison, a man of great experience in tropical botany and formally on the staff of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, she compiled the first garden brochure in English, to enable the guests themselves to find their way around without specialist guidance. With the Garden design prize awarded by the “Amigos del Puerto de la Cruz” Gisela Reineke de Talg’s work found official recognition. Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife in the Press: 7 Winner of the “Top Hotels“-competition One of the loveliest hotel gardens Shortly before her death in 1995, Dr. Gisela Reineke de Talg entrusted the care of her beloved gardens to her daughter Ursula who stood before her, speechless...... “But I don’t know a thing about gardens” she stammered. This was no time for argument, her mother gently took her by the hand and led her purposefully around the garden, where she carefully explained the plants and their individualities to her, at the same time putting her in charge of the latest edition of the garden catalogue, as its second edition was fast dwindling. After this crash course, Ursula found herself with a mass of hastily scribbled notes she had taken during her mother’s explanations, very garbled they were, as some involved the species’ names in botanists’ latin which she had taken down by ear, and for the most part were misspelt. “I was completely out of my depth” she admits today. Following the care of the gardens in her mother’s footsteps was no easy task, but Ursula stayed the course Relax under a glorious canopy of tropical trees in the prize-winning gardens. set to her and threw herself into the job. Now, she is a well informed plant expert and under her auspices the garden has upheld its reputation. She took special care with the editing of the new garden catalogue. She wanted it to be a worthy memorial to her mother’s work in her beloved garden. As an amateur photographer, she trained her lens on the colourful landscape and turned what had been a very dry work-a-day handbook into a book in which each plant has its accompanying photo. 2500 of these have already been sold. A new edition is being prepared. In 1992 the garden gained 1000m2 more space thanks to an approach tunnel to the service entrance of the hotel. In 1999, as had her mother before her, Ursula’s work received recognition. The magazine “Top Hotels” featured the Tigaiga gardens in an international photography competition called “The Most Beautiful Hotel Gardens” where they took 10th place. Picturesque garden views from hotel rooms The Talg family, owners of the Hotel Tigaiga, have always had environmental issues close to their heart and in particular the wonderful variety of fauna and flora native to the Canary Islands. The late Enrique Talg Wyss was an enthusiastic hiker and nature lover. During the nineteen seventies he began campaigning for improvements to, and the signposting of, nature trekking routes so that fellow hikers would also have the opportunity to know and experience the many wonders that the Tenerife countryside offers. His father before him also had a strong interest in protecting and maintaining biodiversity. Today the 3rd generation, who continue to run the hotel in the same informal style as it has always been known, carry on their forefathers’ interest and work in protecting the environment. Adjacent to the hotel we find 3.300 m2 of picturesque gardens, “Jardines Carolina”, that serve as an excellent example of the family’s environmental concerns and efforts; this was formerly land where the Gran Hotel Taoro had the gardener’s house. Years later, sadly neglected, it became an abandoned piece of wasteland. As far back as 1948 Enrique Talg Schulz had requested the local authorities to allow him to take over the care and maintenance of this land but without success. Many years later, in November 2001, his son, Enrique Talg Wyss, finally achieved success. An agreement was reached Tel.: (+34) 922 384 055 • Fax: (+34) 922 384 055 and giving the whole area a complete face lift. The gardens have been planted with native plant species amongst which are found Dragon Trees, Canarian Palm Trees and medicinal plants, giving hotel guests the pleasure of picturesque garden views from all of their hotel rooms. Today this new garden area receives its visitors as a well cared between the Island Government for oasis where people are able to and the Hotel Tigaiga that would sit on comfortable banks and conallow the Hotel to look after template nature. There is a special the ground. The agreement was experience offered in the “paseo renewed annually, but later, in de cosquillas”, a reflexology walk, 2006, the agreement was con- where visitors can walk barefoot over grass, volcanic stones, wood, solidated for 10 years. Since the Hotel Tigaiga were pebbles, etc., to stimulate points given permission to take over the on the feet. With the completion responsibility for maintaining this of the “Jardines Carolina” the area of Taoro Park ground, they whole area of the Hotel Tigaiga have completely transformed it. is now surrounded by beautifully First of all a huge cleaning opera- maintained gardens; an idyllic settion took place and water saving ting for rest and relaxation. irrigation equipment was installed, HELEN AUSTIN turning it into a beautiful garden 05.2008 June 2008 HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 8 in the Press The “TUI-Holly ‘95” awards in Hanover TUI-guests chose the Tigaiga on Tenerife as their “world-favourite” hotel Enrique Talg Wyss was in Hanover recently to collect an unusual award for his hotel: the “TUIHolly '95”. TUI guests had chosen the Tigaiga as their favourite hotel worldwide. Why is this when there is such an enormous choice? What is so exceptional that there is a “regular customer” who has clocked up 53 visits? Another guest in particular has gone even one further because after adding together all his long term visits, he could have been living in the hotel for 4 whole years! Or, the two families who figure in the annals of Tigaiga History, as having been “regulars” over four generations! The secret of this extraordinary success? Reliable, professional management, an immaculately run house, together with that particular “family flair”. Enrique Talg Wyss - hotelier body and soul, with a warm heart, a gent of the old school from top to toe. A rare bird to find whenever one has the pleasure of meeting him, yet he has never failed to notice the changing world around him, and has been ready to adapt and modify whenever he considered it relevant. When the Tigaiga first opened for example, it was the only hotel to have a telex, the first with its own glossy brochure, the first to offer a heated swimming pool, and, always environmentally aware, and the first in the Canary Islands to install solar energy panels to heat the hotel water and the pool. Pioneers from the very Start In 1958 the building work finally began. Although actually the story begins much earlier, that is, after the first World War. It was then that Heinz Talg Schulz from Lüneburg set off for points south to seek his fortune. Madrid‘s Hotel Palace was the first stop on this long journey through life. The next goal was to be Mondariz, not far from Vigo in north western Spain, a much favoured spa specializing in the treatment of diabetes before the discovery of insulin. It was during his time here, that he was approached by the Hotel Quisisana in Tenerife. He made the long sea voyage across the Atlantic regularly, as he was able to do the summer season in Mondariz followed by the winter in Tenerife. Because of these circumstances it so happened that young Enrique Talg Wyss came to be born in Vigo. Heinz Talg Schulz had changed his name in the meantime. The Spanish found “Heinz“ a terrible tongue twister, moreover in Spain it is common practice to use the maternal surname after the paternal. A travelling companion and fellow hotelier was Karl (Carlos) Gleixner, who also used to make the bi-seasonal run between Mondariz and Tenerife, (fast forward to the present day), whose son Gerardo Gleixner is the owner of the Hotel Monopol, opposite the main church in Puerto de la Cruz. 1995: 1st Place Celebrating the success: (from the left) Enrique Talg jr., “Tigaiga” boss Enrique Talg, Gerhard Schröder, TUI-Board of Directors Dr. Ralf Corsten HOTEL In 1922, the Swiss Gustavo Wildpret, manager of the Hotel Taoro, offered its administration to Enrique Talg Schulz. Years later, when he felt it was time to retire and the next Wildpret generation had chosen pharmacy as a profession, he suggested that Enrique take the rudder of that noble establishment. Here was a great opportunity for him. He accepted, but he could not foresee that the business was soon to be faced with lean years. The Civil War soon broke out and the flow of guests became a trickle. Food was scarce - they were hard times for all. Of course, the noble hotel Taoro was not exactly cheap, full board was the princely sum of 12.50 pesetas. This was about 8 cents! When this was increased to 13 Pts. a regular guest was horrified, considering this exorbitant, suggesting that he could build his own house for this amount. This, he promptly did. Today, this stately pile still stands in the Taoro Park housing the Lutheran Parish Community Centre. Back to the Wildpret family. Grandson Juan Topham Wildpret treads in his grandfather‘s footsteps working in tourism. Today he is the president of the CIT (Central Tourist Organisation) of Puerto de la Cruz. the post-war military dictatorship, his powers stretched beyond the military to civilian life. Thus the General functioned as Chancellor of the Treasury dealing with anything from ration books to rates and taxes. “He was a great man” remembers Enrique Talg Wyss. “The revenues levied by his various departments, he invested in public works such as the construction of social housing developments in Santa Cruz. He died poor as a church The general and mouse and his widow was regaled the hotel with a lottery kiosk with which At the end of the Civil War Gen- to make ends meet.” The same eral García Escamez was the García Escamez was obviously a senior military governor of the man with foresight, as one of his Canary Islands. In the days of primary objectives was the pro- 1997: 2nd Place 2000: 2nd Place And again among the Top Ten: Enrique Talg with TUIBoard of Directors Karl Born and Irene Talg receiving the award. PUERTO DE LA CRUZ Proud moment for the Talg Family and the whole Tigai On the picture starting on the left: Enrique Talg jr. Ursu Ottmann, Irene Talg and Enrique Talg, senior - not to fo sisters for the photo, the first in a long series. PHOTO: Again a Holly: TUI-Board of Directors Dr. Volker Böttcher congratulates Ursula Talg and Enrique Talg on their continuing success. Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife 9 in the Press: motion of tourism on the island. In direct connection with this was his aspiration to play host in grand style to the Head of State General Francisco Franco. Unfortunately, there was no hotel of sufficient “standing” to meet his requirements, so he set about having one built. The Hotel Mencey, in Santa Cruz none less. Once the work was finished, iga: worldwide number one in guest preference! ula Talg, theTUI-Chef on Tenerife at the time, Fritz orget the coloured winged Holly, presented by both WS Garcia Escamez approached the leading Spanish hotel chain HUSA offering the administration of his fine hotel. HUSA was indeed interested but was concerned about taking over so large an establishment on its own so far away from the mainland. There was a provision, that in addition, they would require the management of two further hotels in the islands. The Hotel Taoro in Puerto de la Cruz together with the Hotel Santa Catalina in Las Palmas. Relieved to be free of the management of the Mencey, the general agreed. Enrique Talg Schulz however was in no way happy with the decision, because he now found himself without a job, albeit accompanied by a more than generous compen- sation and a sackful of hotel silver engraved “HT“ which he himself had acquired for the Hotel Taoro, and which was now useless. We now find Enrique Talg Schulz running the Hotel Martiánez having taken it over from the German family Trenkel. How the Tigaiga came by its name In the meantime he had acquired some land in the Taoro Park, which he used for growing plants and flowers. Later he switched to bananas, because the plot was really too large for an amateur gardener. After one hurricane following another he really felt he had had enough agricultural disasters, deciding that the time had come to build a hotel. His son Enrique Talg Wyss had just returned from his “apprentice years” in Madrid (Hotel Palace of course!), Stockholm, London, Suvretta Haus in St. Moritz, Grand Hotel Montreux and the Reina Cristina in Algeciras. His father gave him a completely free hand to build the future hotel according to his own concept of how it should be, giving his imagination free wings. Father Talg attended to the finances and supply of building materials, a scarce commodity in those days. Then they put their heads together to decide on a suitable name for their hotel. Of course the engraved silverware was already to hand: “HT”. That could give Hotel Tenerife, or perhaps Hotel Teide? Why not Hotel Talg or better still Hotel Tigaiga, or maybe Hotel Turístico, no, definitely Hotel Tigaiga had a certain something; when saying it, there was a rhythmic musicality to the name, and so it remained. The Hotel opened its doors to guests in late 1958 with 24 double rooms with bath, but as the kitchens were not yet finished the first Tigaiga guests had to go over to the Hotel Martianez for their meals! In the winter season of 60/61 the hotel was at last able to offer full board. Sadly father Talg never lived to see the completed hotel, he died of a heart attack in 1962. Nevertheless, the story has a happy ending, because the hotel tradition has stayed in the family. A third generation of Talgs is at the helm. Both the daughters Ursula and Irene have had excellent grounding and training in the hotel trade - such a demanding occupation. Ursula at the Hotel Training School in Luceme and Irene in Münster, Madrid, Brussels, Prague, and the Hotel Training School in Bad Reichenhall. Similary, the son, Enrique Talg Reineke, having just finished his apprenticeship at the Hyatt in Cologne (instead of the Madrid Palace), went to the Hotel Training School in Luceme, followed by a period at the Bellevue Palace in Berne. He received his Master’s Degree in Hotel Management in Dortmund and became fully qualified as a hotelier. Thus, the future of this charming family hotel stands on firm foundations. However a link with the past was forged when the Corporation of Puerto de la Cruz remembered the man who came as a stranger and died here a much loved friend, by naming a street in his honour “Calle Enrique Talg”. WOCHENSPIEGEL 5.1.96 Sound & bites [...] so much so that he was able to inspire all three of his children to feel the same passion for their Hotel and the island of Tenerife. Each of them has a very different character, but they don’t step on each others toes as the are all in charge of different areas of the hotel. TENERIFE NEWS 06.2005 500.000 holidaymakers decide This is regarded as the “Oscars” of the holiday hotel trade; the TUI Holly accolade is awarded to only the most excellent 100 holiday hotels in the world. Around half a million TUI holiday guests decide through a detailed questionnaire in the largest annual tourism customer survey carried out in Germany, guaranteeing complete customer satisfaction in the hotels receiving this prestigious award. The Hotel Tigaiga, run by the Talg family in Puerto de la Cruz, is a TUI Holly veteran. Once again, in 2007, proving its immense popularity with clients, it has again won the status of being one of the top 100 holiday hotels in the world. It is the only hotel in Spain to have been honoured with a TUI Holly every year since 1995! [...] A fantastic achievement that demonstrates that Hotel Tigaiga offer guests exactly what they are looking for in a holiday hotel. WOCHENBLATT 20.10.2007 info@tigaiga.com • www.tigaiga.com June 2008 HOTEL Awarded with the Tourism Oscar - 14 consecutive times Holly Parade at the Tigaiga Enrique Talg is known as “Mr Holly” within TUI-internal circles, and this rightfully, due to the fact that his hotel is a “laster” in the Holly Awards. Amongst the worldwide 15.000 TUI-holiday hotels, the TUIguests vote their favourites and only 100 receive the much valued recognition. Out of these 100 hotels, only the 10 best are awarded the Holly sculpture and an impressive number of these are displayed in the corridor of the Salón Atlántico in the Hotel Tigaiga. The other winners are presented with a large diploma. Due to this, the Tigaiga is an absolute record holder, as since the introduction of this coveted award, it has been voted seven times among the “Top Ten” - and is still to be found year after year amongst the 100 best TUI-addresses, already fourteen times in a row! Considering its one 1st position and four 2nd positions, no one can catch up with the Tigaiga that quickly! TUI-Guests awarded amongst the holiday hotels worldwide the Hotel Tigaiga: Holly ‘95: 1. Place Holly ‘96: 2. Place Holly ‘97: 2. Place Holly ‘98: 2. Place Holly ‘99: 3. Place Holly ‘00: 2. Place Holly ‘01: 8. Place Holly ‘02: Diploma Holly ‘03: Diploma Holly ‘04: Diploma Holly ‘05: Diploma Holly ‘06: Diploma Holly ‘07: Diploma Holly ‘08: Diploma PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 10 in the Press Old - timer parade through the Orotava Valley A very special outing for Tigaiga guests drove via El Ramal to Orotava, passing the Casa de los Balcones and on to La Perdoma. The first halt was called at the wine cellars of Valleoro, where the guests could enjoy a wine tasting and join in a tour of the bodega. They continued via Los Realejos, El Toscal and then back to Puerto de la Cruz. There, the participants exchanged impressions and commented on their Quite a few pedestrians stopped in their tracks, whipping out their cameras: so many unforgettable experience. smart old-timers are not often to be seen in one go. It was a shame, that this year For the fifth consecutive year, the as the first outing had been such the weather did not behave as it Tigaiga delighted its guests on the an enormous success and all par- should have. The abrupt change 23rd November with a very spe- ticipants were so delighted, he ar- to the winter season made some cial novelty. A drive in old-timers ranged for this to become a tradi- proprietors of these ‘elderly cars’ reluctant, so that only 21 particithrough the Orotava Valley is an tion. They started this Sunday at pated. In previous years, up to 35 unforgettable experience. The original idea came to Enrique Talg, 12:45, from the Hotel parking vintage and classic cars joined the the youngest, some years ago, and area. From there, the parade parade. The public’s favourites this year were three very attractive cars: A model ‘T’ Ford belonging to Cándido Martín Sánchez, a Wipper owned by Cándido Martín González and Juan González Diaz’ Pontiac. Once again, the Talg Family expressed its gratitude to the oldtimer proprietors who had offered their cars for the guests to enjoy, as well as to the police for having escorted the convoy. Next year the Hotel Tigaiga old-timer rally will take place on the 21st November. WOCHENSPIEGEL 4.12.03 (This tradition is still being continued, on the Sunday before the first of Advent. The Hotel guests can therefore look forward to the 10th Parade which is planned to start on the 23rd November 2008.) Luis Pérez has been the eternal chief receptionist at the Tigaiga Hotel for as long as one can remember and he recently received well deserved recognition for his service to the tourism industry in Puerto de la Cruz. The man at reception of the hotel because a little dog called Francisca had a tendency to do her business there. He progressed to cleaning windows, going to the post office to collect the padlocked mailbag, keeping the brass doorknob shining and eventually to carrying luggage. Luis was presented with a plaque marking his “50 years of professionalism and dedication” to a job he obviously loves. The CIT local tourism initiative board also awarded Luis a ‘diploma’ “for being an exemplary worker” in his Receptionist supreme, Luis Pérez, with his family, marking his fifty years with the many years working and living Talgs, now the third generation in the area, and the local council In what was a surprise ceremony at mains “the master of friendliness awarded him an insignia marking the hotel, fellow staff and clients, and courtesy”. There is no doubt the quality of his work over his accompanied by local authorities in anyone’s mind that he has had many years in the post, adding and the Talg family, owners of a good deal to do with the hotel’s this it was his kind dedication that the prestigious hotel paid Luis a excellent reputation and with the was the secret of Puerto’s success warm tribute for his fifty years of numerous prizes it has won over as a tourist destination. Luis, accompanied by his wife the years as one of the finest-run service. Leonides, his children and grandHe began in 1957 as a nine year hotels in the world. At the ceremony Luis could children was visibly overcome by old porter at the old Martiánez Hotel, in those days run by Enrique not hide a beaming smile as he re- the event, and all he could manage was a tearful “Thank you to Talg Schulz. In 1963 he moved to called earlier times. He gave a fond account of his everyone”. the Tigaiga where he has spent the last 30 years as chief receptionist. first task as that boy porter. He ISLAND CONNECTIONS He is now in his sixties and re- had to water down the front steps 17.03.2007 HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 10 great boozy breaks Drink wine from the barrel in Tenerife: Hire a car, buy a map and head for the Orotava wine valley in the island’s lush north, to discover the guachinches (gwa-CHEEN-chays). These makeshift rural bars open seasonally to sell the latest harvest of country wine. With it they dish up home-made goats cheese and fantastic rural dishes such as rabbit stew. Stay at Hotel Tigaiga in Puerto de la Cruz: frontdesk manager Luis is a seasoned guachinchero, and will make recommendations (…). The Guardian 16.02.2008 Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife 11 in the Press: A quite unique specimen A palm tree for loyal guests “When an employee has remained loyal to his place of work, he is given a fountain pen. After forty years of faithful service, there‘s a gold watch for that, and after sixty, there’s a Mercedes!” says Enrique Talg, director of the Hotel Tigaiga with a twinkle. He was having a palm tree planted to mark the loyalty of three particularly faithful hotel guests: Dr. E. Zieschank, who had been a guest in the days of the directorship of Enrique Talg Senior at the Hotel Martiánez, during the time he was negotiating the purchase of land on which to build the Hotel Tigaiga. Herr Vieth was there for the 56th time and lastly, Herr Neumann had managed to tot up no less than one thousand eighthundred and three nights! Such loyalty is truly unusual, and for this reason these guests were to be honoured in an unusual way, by being the sponsors of a magnificent palm tree which now stands right at the entrance to the Hotel and which will grow to be enormous. Those who mistakenly believe that it is just an ordinary “fan palm” should take another look. In fact, they are beholding the “Bismarckia Nobilis” an exceedingly rare species from Madagascar, which had been named after Bismarck himself, as he had done some enthusiastic research on this particular species. Later, when efforts were made to give the tree a more “scientific title”, they were unsuccessful, as popular choice won the day. In Loyal guests Mr. W. Vieth, Dr. E. Zieschank and Mr. H. Neumann were honoured in a special way. Photographed with hotel proprietor Enrique Talg and his daughters Ursula and Irene after the planting of the palmtree. consequence, this rare palm is the only botanical species to be named after a politician. WOCHENSPIEGEL, 20.03.1997 A special ceremony took place on April 17 at the Hotel Tigaiga (Parque Taoro) in Puerto de la Cruz, in which the Centre for Tourism Initiative (CIT) honoured various guests for their fidelity; some received an award for fifteen visits to Puerto de la Cruz, and one of the ladies was given an award for coming twenty-five times. All these guests have been faithfully returning to the same hotel, the Hotel Tigaiga. And they keep returning… I was curious to know exactly what it was that made all these guests return to the same hotel, so I arranged to interview Mr. and Mrs. Washington, Mrs. Edwards and Mr. and Mrs. Irwing, all British. The first couple mentioned was not receiving an award this time, as they have already received some; this is their 38th visit! Mrs. Edwards and Mr. and Mrs. Irwing were being awarded for their fifteenth visit, as well the following German guests; Mrs. Drexler (eighteen visits), whose husband was hospitalised, Mrs. Gebhardt (eighteen) and Mrs. Muehlenbrock (twenty-five)! Mr. and Mrs. Washington stayed at another hotel the first time they came to Tenerife, and happened to see the Canary folklore show which took place at the Hotel Tigaiga on Sundays. There was something about the hotel which really appealed to them, so they decided to try it out the next time they came to Tenerife. Since then they have visited the Tigaiga 38 times; always staying there for three weeks in October and two weeks in springtime. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards met Mr. and Mrs. Washington in 1992 during a visit of the latter to Wales, and de- cided to come to try out the Tigaiga thanks to the recommendation of the Washingtons. The first time they came was with their son, who was 13 years old at the time, and again, came every year in October. Unfortunately her husband passed away three years ago, yet Mrs. Edwards still decided to return again to the hotel, this time with her daughter, and in springtime. Mr. and Mrs. Irwing first heard of the hotel through a brochure, and decided to give it a try, as it sounded like a nice place to relax and they had just retired. Fifteen visits later they are here again and with the in- Tel.: (+34) 922 384 055 • Fax: (+34) 922 384 055 tention to return always. When I asked them why this hotel, why Puerto de la Cruz, they all had the same answers; they felt completely at home from the first visit. The staff, from the Talg family down to the cleaning staff, is welcoming and friendly. Nothing is ever too much for them; all the staff does everything to make them feel at home. And most importantly, they all remember them. The quality is excellent in every aspect. However, what I understood was the main factor that has made them return time after time is the sense of June 2008 HOTEL “home away from home” that they always have experienced. Not only that, but all the visitors know each other very well, there is a family atmosphere; this is an oasis of peace which they all agreed they had rarely experienced elsewhere. Mrs. Edwards also said that she felt very safe, both at the hotel and in Puerto de la Cruz, and the rest agreed with this too. They all said that they love the town for the “old-fashioned feel” it has always had. Mr. Irwing also mentioned that he was happy to see how the Taoro Park was nowadays. [...] All of them mentioned that they missed the late Enrique Talg Sr., who would greet each guest at breakfast time on Sunday mornings; however they are happy with his heirs, Ursula, Irene and Enrique, who run the hotel beautifully, and again, make them feel completely at home. Mrs. Irwing summarised it all by saying “I wish I could live here!” It would be wonderful if all the hotels, restaurants etc. on the island took this philosophy and put it into practice. AM, Tenerife News 25.04.2008 PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 12 Such loyalty is precious these days A small tribute to all employees, who have been with us so long: Cristóbal Hernández has been at the Tigaiga as gardener for 46 years, and many others from the early days now live in well-earned retirement. Of course the regular guests, who over the years have looked forward to being greeted by familiar faces because it gave them that feeling of “coming home”, are a little disappointed. In their eyes, there are increasingly more ‘youngsters’, who in reality have long been employed at 1964 the Tigaiga (some already twenty years - but as they were the young1964: Tigaiga-Family photograph: On the far right, with rolled-up sleeves, gardener sters so long, they were not taken Cristóbal; standing in the first row, the sixth from the left, Luis, the Chief of Reception into account)! as hotel-boy; to the right of the cook, Enrique Talg Wyss FOTO: BAEZA Such loyalty to one’s employer is uncommon in these fast-moving days of change and can only stem from a contented worker, happy in his or her environment. This is the way it is at the Tigaiga. Gregorio Camejo belonged to the “old guard” of the hotel. In the early years, Enrique Talg Wyss would frequently take his guests hiking on the mountain paths. Gregorio, Luis and dog would go with him. When he could no 2005 longer find time for these sorties, he handed the job over to Grego“Without our employees we would senger boy for grandfather Talg at rio who accepted willingly. So that in the day-time, he would ennot find ourselves where we are the Hotel Martiánez.” “In those days things were very thusiastically march off with his today” says Ursula Talg. “It is they who are responsible different” Luis tells us proudly. band of hotel guests, and in the for bringing that special quality to “My mother sent me off in search evenings he was back at his real the guest which we envisage. The of work at the age of nine, she job as barman! In the meantime fact that they take pleasure in their had no money to buy shoes for he has become a pensioner, but work shows clearly by the length my five brothers and sisters. I felt undaunted, he carries on coming of time they have spent with us. very grown up though, being able to the hotel to advise walking enAhead of everybody in the rank- to contribute with my earnings, in thusiasts on any details they may ings is now our Head of Recep- spite of having to go to school in need to know about hiking in the tion, who actually worked as mes- the evening from 5 pm until 9 pm”. mountains - just ask for him. Luis Pérez, Reception 51 years Cristóbal Hernández, Garden 47 years Angel Regalado, Reception 40 years Emilio Padilla, Taxi 36 years Luis Méndez, Rooms division 34 years Francisco Batista, Reception 33 years Vicente Hernández, Accounting 23 years Lucas Salcedo, Restaurant 21 years José Luis González, Restaurant 19 years Damián Pérez, Kitchen 18 years Fermina López, Rooms division 16 years Amelia Yanes, Rooms division 16 years Manolo Cruz, Purchasing 16 years Miguel García, Restaurant 16 years Marian García, Secretary 12 years Damián Guitiérrez, Reception 10 years Juan González, Kitchen 10 years 1994 The big “Tigaiga-Family” 1994: in the front row in the middle Enrique Talg Wyss and his wife Gisela, behind the two daughters, Irene and Ursula and in the middle of the third row, son Enrique. A whole bunch of the hotel’s employees on the photo now retired after clocking up many years of work. Some are still there and are proud to be Tigaiga veterans. HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife 13 Heinz “Enrique” Talg Schulz A truly ‘self-made’ man. Born in Horndorf near Lüneburg. He began his career as an apprentice waiter at the hotel “Weisser Ross” in Lüneburg. After the Great War he felt the urge to spread his wings and this brought him to the Hotel Palace in Madrid. Later he was manager and leaseholder of the restaurant of the Gran Hotel Peinador in the Galician spa town of Mondariz, at that time a favourite for those suffering from diabetes. The hotel was only open during the summer months so he took on enthusiastically the offer of leasing the Hotel Quisisana in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, as it was only open during the winter season in those days. From 1934 to 1952 he was Director of the Hotel Taoro, when Gustavo Wildpret was in charge. After the latter‘s death, he acquired the hotel on lease until it was taken over by the HUSA hotel chain. From 1952 to 1963, he was Director and leaseholder of the old Hotel Martiánez. Over the same period, he was involved together with his son in the building of the Hotel Tigaiga, which opened in late 1958. He married the Swissborn Ida Wyss, who died in 1932 and their son Enrique came into the world the summer of 1924 in Vigo (northern Spain). Later he married Helene Wichmann Graf of Hamburg. In 1950 he took Spanish nationality. After his death in 1962 he was honoured by the town authorities of Puerto de la Cruz naming a street after him. Enrique Talg Wyss was born in Vigo, son of Heinz (Enrique) Talg Shulz, from Lüneburg, whose first wife had been Ida Wyss. After the early death of his mother, he lived and grew up in Olten, Switzerland with her family, to return to Tenerife at the end of the Civil War. He began his experience in hotel management at the Gran Hotel Taoro in Puerto de la Cruz, continuing his training period at Madrid’s Hotel Palace. Later he travelled to the Grand Hotel Stockholm, continuing on to London, Montreux, the Suvretta Haus in St. Moritz, and finally the Hotel Reina Cristina in Algeciras. From 1957 he was assistant Director of the Hotel Martiánez in Puerto de la Cruz, and at the same time he was in charge of the planning and building of the Hotel Tigaiga, where he has remained in charge since its opening in 1959. In 1964 he married Gisela Reineke from Paderborn. 3 children were born of this union: Ursula, Irene and Enrique. He was the co-founder of several local, regional and national tourist associations. Apart from the numerous prizes won by his hotel, in 1980 he was awarded the golden HUSA star as ‘Hotel Director of the Year’. He is particularly remembered for his contribution to the planning of the hiking trails of Tenerife, On his 80th birthday he handed over the ownership and management of the hotel to his 3 children. Shortly before his 83rd birthday he died on 27th September 2006. Ursula Talg Reineke was born in Puerto de la Cruz, visited the British Yeoward School, where she did her ‘O’ levels, and completed her secondary education (Abitur) in Wald, on Lake Constance. In 1990 she graduated from the Swiss Hotelmanagement School in Luceme. A period as trainee followed at the Inselhotel, Constance, then to Switzerland in Weggis, Twann, Klosters, the Four Season in Hamburg, and finally the Westin ANA Hotel in Washington D.C. In 1993, she gained an International Hotel Association Scholarship for the in PDP at Cornell University in the US, and in the same year was nominated “Young Hotelier of the Year 1993” by the IHA and ‘Hotels‘ Magazine. She has been working at the Hotel Tigaiga since 1990. She is the president of the quality association “Excelencia Turística de Tenerife”, which was “born” in 1993 in Puerto de la Cruz. She also teaches at the Escuela Superior de Turismo Iriarte in Puerto de la Cruz. She has 2 daughters and runs the Hotel Tigaiga together with her brother and sister, her principle task being customer services, the supervision of the hotel gardens and the entertainment. Due to family commitments she works only half time at the hotel. Irene Talg Reineke Her primary education was at the British Yeoward School, in Puerto de la Cruz, where she did her ‘O’ levels. After finishing her secondary education (Abitur), in 1985 she graduated from the Steingenberger professional hotel training school, at Bad Reichenhall. She studied in the European Business Programme at the Technical High schools of Münster and Madrid, graduating with a degree in business management. After practical training in Germany, Brussels, at the EU, in Prague, at the commercial department of the Spanish Embassy, a period with Andersen Consulting in Madrid added the finishing touch to her qualifications. She returned to the Hotel Tigaiga in 1993. Here, as codirector, her work lays emphasis on quality and ecological management. She is founder member of the environment commission of ASHOTEL, Tenerife‘s hotel association. It is to her credit that the Tigaiga gained the sought after EU environmental certificate, one of the first enterprises to obtain it in the Canary lslands. The ISO 9001 certification for quality management was also gained thanks to her involvement. She continues to carry out her responsibility for finance and floor service, reception, and, of course, also for the personal well-being of the guests. Enrique Talg Reineke He also obtained his ‘O’ levels at the British Yeoward School in Puerto de la Cruz. After graduation with ‘Abitur’ from St. Blasien College in the Black Forest, he did his apprenticeship and qualified as a hotel keeper at the ‘Hyatt Regency‘ in Cologne. In Switzerland at the SHL in Luceme he passed the cuisine course, and gained the official title of Hotelier at the WIHOGA in Dortmund. He gathered experience in the Food and Beverage department of “Kaufhof” Warehouse in Cologne, at the “Hyatt La Manga” in info@tigaiga.com • www.tigaiga.com Murcia, and finally at the “Bellevue Palace“ in Bem, until his return to Tenerife and the Tigaiga in 1996. In 1999, he won the CIT prize awarded as young businessman of the year. He now sits on the committee of Tenerife‘s Hotel Association, ASHOTEL, and has been a member of the Management Committee of the Tenerife Association of Young Empresarios since 2005. He is married and has two daughters. He runs the Hotel Tigaiga together with his 2 sisters. His particular areas being Head of safety, the restaurants, kitchens, and maintenance services. He is also of course, responsible for the well-being of the Hotel guests. June 2008 HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ 14 in the Press “And yet another prize for the Hotel Tigaiga“ were the succinct headlines of the 23rd May edition of the Canary German language newspaper “Wochenspiegel”, on the occasion of the bestowal of awards by Tenerife’s hotel association ASHOTEL. Small wonder then, considering the impressive list of prizewinning ceremonies covered and archived by this newspaper. Yet another prize...! Wholeheartedly celebrating Tigaiga-crew, whose hotel swept the board winning the prize for Quality and Environment on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Tenerife. It is true actually, that as far as winning prizes is concerned, the Tigaiga is at the forefront. The Salón Atlantico’s display cabinets are resplendent with a staggering number of “Hollys”, (the Oscars of the holiday-hotel industry awarded by TUI). These, together with many other trophies, are so numerous that it would be going too far to enumerate them all. A particularly moving and expressive testimony to the hotel’s cachet is simply a plain metal plaque bearing the legend: “This plaque is presented by the employees of the Tigaiga Hotel as a sign of their affection for the Talg family and in gratitude for having such a pleasant environment in which to work“ This is unusual indeed and worth far more than all the official awards in the world. Yet, as we are on the subject of these famous prizes, where are they all? No use looking in the hotel foyer, as they can only be tracked down in the basement. There they are, along the walls of the corridor, and it is a long corridor. Is this false modesty? “In no way” Irene Talg makes this quite clear. “Environmental protection is only possible, when everybody works together with resolve. This is why the trophies are displayed down here, where, every where they can be seen by employees and suppliers alike which in turn motivates them anew”. Apart from being good tactics, the results speak for themselves. The Hotel Tigaiga’s material success comes first, followed by the prize, although an award is always gladly received. “Credit where credit is due” being the catchphrase. Yes, there are prizes and plenty of them from a variety of sources - but they all show that Tigaiga is ‘on the ball’. WOCHENSPIEGEL 23.5.02 The Eco-Auditors The EMAS certification bestowed by the EU, has particularly to do with global ecology management. This involves a ruthlessly detailed inspection from cellar to roof. The Tigaiga received this soughtafter certification in 2002, when the ECO Auditors first presented themselves, although not only for ecomatters. Management quality is also evaluated and certified. The EU ISO-9001 examination was passed by the Tigaiga in 2003 for the first time. In the following years, TUI-Guests voted the Hotel Tigaiga as one of the 10 best holiday hotels worldwide in view of their actions toward preserving the environment. 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2006 • 2007 Since 2005 the TUI-Award “Umwelt-Champion” is no longer selected from ten, but from 100 hotels, needless to say, the Tigaiga was also present in 2005. HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ Prize-list If one thinks of a hotel price-list, one tends to think of what a night with bed and breakfast or half board may cost. This also differs at the Tigaiga: Here, in chronological order, you will find the prizes which the hotel has been awarded. 1961 Prize for a more beautiful, cleaner, happier and optimistic Tenerife. Island Government Tenerife (Cabildo) 1980 Golden Husa Star “Hotel director of the Year”. Spanish Hotel Chain HUSA 1984 Gold medal for the opening and mapping out of the hiking paths for tourism. Tourism authority CIT of Puerto de la Cruz 1985 Engraved plaque for the help in organizing the Royal Visit in the Casino Taoro • Silver medal on the World Tourism Day - Canary Government 1986 Prize for its amenities, garden and the opening to tourism of the hiking paths. Pedro Rovira 1990 Culinary Award for best Hotel Cuisine. Diario de Avisos 1994 Entrepreneur Excellence Award in the Tourism Industry - Canary Government 1995 TUI Holly: 1st place worldwide • Prize for garden design. Amigos del Puerto de la Cruz 1996 “Q” label for hotel quality from the Island’s Association • TUI Holly: 2nd place worldwide 1997 Environmental award. Hotel Association ASHOTEL • TUI Holly: 2nd place worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 2nd place worldwide 1998 “Q” label for hotel quality 1st edition of the Spanish Institute for Hotel Quality, ICHE, Madrid • TUI Holly: 2nd place worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 3rd place worldwide 1999 TUI Holly: 3rd place worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 5th place worldwide 2000 Environmental Green Planet Award. Kuoni, Switzerland • TUI-Holly: 2nd place worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 2nd place worldwide 2001 Acknowledgment of the professional career of Enrique Talg Wyss. Association of Spanish Hotel Directors. AEDH • Best Hotel Cuisine. Diario de Avisos • TUI-Holly: 8th place worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 6th place worldwide 2002 TUI Environment Champion: 1st place worldwide • EMAS certification for environmental management according to EC standards • ISO 14001 Certification for environmental management • Environmental Prize from the hotel association ASHOTEL: 1st place • TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide 2003 Prize for Quality and Environment: Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Tenerife. • ISO 9001 Certification for Quality management. • TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 3rd place worldwide 2004 TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 4th place worldwide 2005 “Order of Hotel Merit” for Enrique Talg Wyss. Spanish Hotel Association • Recognition for internationalizing the name “Tigaiga” Barrio de Tigaiga, Los Realejos • Enviromental Award: Esco/Hotelplan, Switzerland • TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion 2006 ISO 9001 Certification for Quality management. • ISO 14001 Certification for Environmental management. • EMAS Certification for environmental management • TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 6th place worldwide • Prize for Management by procedures (EFQM). Island government & Applus+. • TUI-Hommage “Golden Laurel” for Enrique Talg Wyss 2007 TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide • TUI Environmental Champion: 6th place worldwide • Enrique Talg Wyss receives the Tourism prize 2007 of the Island Government 2008 TUI-Holly: amongst the 100 preferred hotels worldwide Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife in the Press: 2.500 Firms are proud to have been awarded this distinction and 3.3 million firms have it in their sights Enrique Talg and The Tigaiga win a merited prize At the end of April, Don Enrique Talg, hotel impresario extraordinary of Puerto de la Cruz, went to Málaga to receive an important prize during the First Congress of Hotel Impresarios. The award is named “Order of Hotel Merit” and is bestowed for the first time by the Spanish Federation of Hotels and Tourist Lodgings, in recognition of the excellence of the recipient’s hotel administration. Enrique Talg (originally hailing from Switzerland) has always been a visionary within the Canary tourist business, as was his father before him. Experience, innovation, loyalty, cleanliness are demanded by today’s hotel clients, and the Tigaiga, situated in the beauties of the Taoro Park, has these in spadefuls. But Enrique is also known for his strength, endurance and great human qualities - qualities which he has inculcated in his own family, that will enable this third generation to perpetuate the high standards that their father inherited from his father. TENERIFE NEWS 27.05.2005 Want some adventure? Just build a pool “Building a hotel in those pioneering days of the 50s and 60s days was quite something” reminisces Enrique Talg Wyss. On the site where the hotel now stands there was pure volcanic ash, so that laying the foundations guzzled an enormous amount of the costs. “Then, when we wanted to build the pool, we were confronted by a surface of hard rock which would have been ideal for the hotel foun- dations! We had entered into this project with the light hearted illusion of just having to shovel away the volcanic ash. In fact we had to blast our way through again and again”. The neighbours were not exactly enchanted; “Howevermuch longer shall we have to put up with this” they asked. Nevertheless the pool was eventually finished, and entered into the annals of Puerto’s history as the first heated pool. info@tigaiga.com • www.tigaiga.com 15 Tigaiga over the years 1958 Construction and opening of the hotel with 24 double rooms in December. 1959-2006 The Canary folk dancing performance, started by Enrique Talg Schulz at the Taoro Hotel, come to the Tigaiga gardens. 1960 Completion of the kitchens 1963 Building of the extension: 48 double rooms, 8 single rooms as well as the dining room. 1964 Building of swimming-pool. 1968 Telex connection (first hotel in the Canary Islands to have it) 1982 The first hotel in the Canary Islands to use solar energy 1982-1996 Every year during the summer the hotel closed for refurbishing. 1992 Tennis court and underpass for suppliers Re-landscaping of the garden with transplanting of mature palm trees. TV connection to all rooms. 1993 The suites are modernised. 1994 The laundry is modernised. 1995 Installation of new emergency electricity unit. Adaptation of kitchen to the latest technologies. 1998 The dining room is moved to garden level with breakfast terrace in the garden. New suites installed on entire top floor. 1st floor rooms specially modified for the disabled. Hairdressers‘ salon. The Kiosk is modernised. Conversion and refitting of administrative offices on lower floor. Further modernisation and refitting of kitchen. 2000 Air-conditioning to all rooms, bathrooms renovated 2001 New reception area 2002 EMAS certifícation for environment-friendly hotel management. The swimming pool is retiled. Uso fructae over 3 years negotiated for the neighbouring land. 2003 ISO 9001 Quality Certification. New amenities: Mini spa, and massage area with sea view 2004 Modernisation of fire prevention equipment in accordance with latest specifications 2005 Second part of the fire safety installation. State of the art computer technology in all areas: Internet for guests. 2006 Lobby is redecorated; cosyness in bedrooms achieved with new curtains, bedspreads and pillows. The last Canary folk dancing performance took place in may. 2007 Adjacent grounds are transformed to be Jardín Carolina Rooms receive soundproof panorama windows. Swimmingpool area tiled and equipped with new sunbeds 2008 Visit our blog: http://en.tigaiga50.com June 2008 HOTEL PUERTO DE LA CRUZ In Memoriam: Enrique Talg Wyss One of the quaint tricks of fate was that this wonderful gentleman died on the World Day of Tourism, on 27th September, and when he was about to set off to Santa Cruz to receive yet another award for his excellent contribution to high standards in the hotel industry. His family run hotel, the Tigaiga in Puerto de la Cruz, is renowned throughout the world for its very high standards and friendliness. Talg was a founding member of the Tourism Initiatives Centre in Puerto de la Cruz and one of the most influential figures in the industry in north Tenerife. News of his death was given by a griefstricken Puerto de la Cruz Mayor Marcos Brito at the annual TUI tourism awards ceremony held to coincide with World Tourism Day. Enrique Talg was not only a perfectionist but dearly loved and respected by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing or working for him. He was simply a charming man who took great pleasure in listening to others and to making worthwhile things happen. Indeed Puerto de la Cruz, and a good many of its local population, have lost not only a standard bearer but a good friend. He was born in Vigo in 1924. His mother was Swiss and his father was German. Nevertheless Don Enrique always considered himself a tinerfeño and especially a man of Puerto, having spent most of his life here with his late wife Gisela and his three children. There is no doubt in anybody’s minds that his children, Enrique, Irene and Ursula have inherited their father’s remarkable qualities. Enrique Talg’s father was one of the founders of the tourist industry in Puerto de la Cruz, having worked at the Taoro and Martiánez Hotels before building the Tigaiga in 1959. But it was Enrique who turned the hotel into much more than a small family run concern. He also had a quiet but considerable influence in the development of the less visible but necessary high standards needed to take the local industry forwards. Nevertheless the tributes being echoed throughout Puerto de la Cruz speak of his humanity, of his His portrait painted by Kokoscha-disciple Vicky Penfold, now hangs as a homage in the Salón Atlántico, beside the portrait of his father and truly reflects his distinct personality kindness and generosity and of his exemplary good manners. As they say, a piece of history has departed with Enrique Talg and they are not mistaken. Island Connections, 10.2006 The recently restored Taoro Park, home to the Anglican All Saints church, has once again become a popular spot for people to take a leisurely stroll and for joggers. It also lies alongside the Tigaiga, a family run hotel so often distinguished for its quality of service. Enrique Talg bust unveiled So it is fitting that the regional authorities chose this park to erect a bust of the late Enrique Talg, whose family owns the Tigaiga and who did so much for the tourism industry and for the environment in Tenerife. Hundreds of people turned up to remember this great man; including representatives of the Canary Government, Ricardo Melchior (Tenerife Cabildo President), dignitaries and religious leaders. His son Enrique and his daughters Ursula and Irene were visibly moved by the wonderful things that were said about their father during the ceremony; Ricardo Melchior, who was a very close friend of Enrique, spoke about how he would always bring things back for him from the countries and places he had visited, always trying to improve the island that he loved so much. The Mayoress of Puerto de la Cruz, Dolores Padrón, also paid HOTEL tribute emphasising how significantly Enrique Talg’s work had benefitted Puerto de la Cruz and tourism in Tenerife. One of the most emotive moments of the ceremony was when Enrique Talg Jr. spoke, PUERTO DE LA CRUZ thanking the Cabildo of Tenerife, and especially Ricardo Melchior for the moving homage and for the bust which was sculpted by Canary artist Felipe Hodgson for future generations to see. Finally the bust was unveiled and tears flowed freely down many cheeks watching Enrique Talg Wyss’s children and grandchildren admire the sculpture. AM Tenerife News edition 344 & Island Connections 23.04.2008 Parque Taoro 28 • E-38400 Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife Tel.: (+34) 922 383 500 • Fax: (+34) 922 384 055 info@tigaiga.com • www.tigaiga.com