OUR VALUES

The Bogentrakt Hostel restores freedom to the Sennhof Chur, once Switzerland's "toughest prison." Here, travel joys meet social interaction, privacy, and Chur's unique lifestyle.

In the historic Sennhof prison located in the heart of Graubünden's capital, a contemporary hostel has been established alongside modern condominiums, cluster apartments, studios, art spaces, small businesses, and a charming restaurant.

Our hostel enhances the community of Chur by providing affordable guest accommodations and a range of services tailored for the new residents of Sennhof. Since March 2023, we've been welcoming guests from around the globe, immersing them in the unique lifestyle of Chur.

MORE ABOUT SENNHOF

Our team

In the beginning, there was an idea, and it all started with four individuals: Marco, Sara, Benjamin, and Franziska, who transformed the Sennhof into a vibrant cosmopolitan hub. It soon became evident that we couldn't achieve this alone!

Today, the Bogentrakt team is a dynamic mix of creative minds, hosts, technicians, craftsmen, and versatile talents—everything necessary to create a thriving hostel.

We are constantly on the lookout for new team members to join us. You can explore open positions through this link.

Perhaps we’ll meet soon. We look forward to it!

Marco & your Bogentrakt team.

Our responsibility

When we chose to establish the Bogentrakt Hostel in the historic Sennhof city prison in Chur, it was essential for us to undertake this project with a strong commitment to sustainability and respect for both people and the environment. In 2022, we were honored to receive the Audience Award at the Raiffeisen Futura Sustainability Prize for our efforts, and in 2025, we proudly became the first accommodation in Chur to earn the ibex fairstay label. Below, you can explore more about our principles for responsible tourism.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
- The Bogentrakt Hostel is intended to connect travelers with the local population and become a place of exchange. To this end, meeting areas are created that are open to the hostel guests as well as our neighbors in the Sennhof and the people of Chur. These include the small courtyard behind the Bogentrakt, our common room, the work room/co-working space, the guest kitchen and the reception.
- To connect locals and travelers, guest events are held that are intended to give guests an insight into the Chur way of life. The guest events are also open to Chur residents.
- Our hostel reception serves as a small neighborhood kiosk for our neighbors in the Sennhof. You can exchange ideas, drink coffee and buy a few basic groceries on Sundays if you are missing something at home.
- We offer our team fair pay, a modern and open working environment and encourage and challenge each other. We integrate and participate. The hierarchies will be flat, we all want to learn from each other and divide our work according to our strengths.
- The whole team should be able to help shape things and get involved. We communicate transparently and honestly.
- We are committed to social causes and prefer to cooperate with companies that share this philosophy.
ECOLOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Regional products are preferred. The added value thus remains in the area and delivery routes are shortened.
- Where it is not possible to use regional producers, partners are sought who produce fairly and sustainably, share our values and care is taken to ensure that delivery routes are as short as possible.
- At the Bogentrakt Hostel, you make a contribution to climate protection and we double it and invest it in sustainability measures in our business. Read more about myClimate's "Cause We Care" program.
- We recycle and use our resources sparingly. Things are reused before they are thrown away.
- Sometimes the only thing that helps is doing without, even for the guest: We do not have daily room cleaning and therefore no daily linen change. This can be ordered by the guest on request and at an additional cost. We have no minibar, no air conditioning, no TVs in the rooms. We try to work as paperlessly as possible.
- We upcycle: old tables and chairs from the prison are given new life, the prison doors are preserved and refreshed, the washing machines in the prison laundry now wash guest laundry.
- We are connected to the city of Chur's district heating network. Ideal conditions for an environmentally friendly electricity and heat supply.
- We encourage our guests to travel by public transport. There are no parking spaces at the Sennhof and Chur is an ideal starting point for train or bike trips.
- A garden is to be created in the small courtyard where our guests and our neighbors can contribute to more biodiversity.
- We want to encourage more ecological travel by sensitizing our guests. A longer stay and a realistic view of life in Chur are the focus.
ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY
- Our services are offered at a fair price. You should never pay or get too much or too little for your stay.
- We work efficiently and use digitalization and automation in a targeted manner so that we can personally take more time for the guest.
- We cooperate with other companies. It is easier together, no one can do it alone.
- Our team is always informed in detail and transparently about the economic situation of our business. This means that decisions can be made together about the continued existence of the Bogentrakt Hostel.
- We also advocate for our concerns and values in regional tourism and hotel associations.
- Our business activities are geared towards long-term success. After all, we want as many guests as possible to have a good time in Chur.