Meet the host: Franziska

From a well-worn green couch in Zurich to three slow, beautiful stays in Toggenburg

Franziska has been hosting for a long time – it just looked different back then. In Zurich, it was Couchsurfing and a well-worn olive-green couch. Nothing fancy, just a genuine welcome. People would arrive tired from the road, and within half an hour – a cup of coffee, a bit of talk – they’d look like they could finally breathe again.

Now her hosting has moved to Toggenburg, where she looks after three places. The valley is wild and beautiful on its own – big skies, sharp ridgelines, forest paths, cowbells somewhere in the distance – but what makes her stays special is how they feel once you step inside: warm, calm, and easy to settle into. Comfortable, beautiful, so artistic, and absolutely cosy.

The thread that never changed

The best part is that Franziska still hosts the same way she always did. She’s warm and present, but never in your face. More like: she’s thought of things before you even realise you’ll need them. You arrive, drop your bag, and it all just makes sense – the light, the layout, the little practical stuff. And no, we’re not giving away every secret. You’ll have to see for yourself.
Her local recommendations are just as thoughtful. No generic checklist – more the places that fit the day you’re having: a walk that works even in moody weather, a late-afternoon viewpoint, a quiet corner that feels like it’s been waiting for you. It all depends on your schedule – and the kind of stay you’re here for. She welcomes everyone, from writers in need of peace and focus to runners getting their miles in on the trails.

Her favorite place: the historic schoolhouse

In 2021, Franziska and her husband Renato bought a historic wooden Toggenburg schoolhouse – one of those buildings that immediately feels like it has stories. They started renovating, step by step, and after the first phase they moved in and began building a life there with their two boys.

At the same time, they began hosting historic Airbnb accommodations in the village, all cared for with the kind of attention that comes from living nearby and actually being present. You notice it in the small things: how the rooms are set up for slow mornings, how everything you need is where it should be, how the atmosphere feels calm instead of curated.

Franziska says it best herself:

In our historic Toggenburg schoolhouse, we found one of our life projects. My husband Renato and I bought this charming wooden house in 2021. After an initial renovation phase, we’re now enjoying life in the countryside with our two boys, surrounded by Toggenburg’s wild, beautiful nature. With a lot of heart and dedication, we now take care of two historic Airbnb accommodations in the village. We’re looking forward to making it possible for you to have a wonderfully relaxed stay here.

That last line – a wonderfully relaxed stay – sounds simple, but it’s exactly what she’s truly good at.

What staying with Franziska feels like

Of course she hosts accommodations. But more than that, Franziska hosts a feeling: that you can arrive a little tired and leave a little lighter. I truly felt that, especially when I was visiting her while being 7 months pregnant.

The Toggenburg can be dramatic and rugged, but it can also be incredibly gentle – especially when you know where to go, and when the place you return to at the end of the day is warm, calm, and easy to live in. And that’s the thread from Zurich to now: the green couch might be gone and the setting changed completely, but the feeling is the same. Franziska still hosts the way she always did – warmly, personally, and with that quiet gift of making arrival feel easy.

This is where our host series begins. With Franziska – three places in Toggenburg, a schoolhouse turned into a family project, and hospitality that feels like a real welcome, not a transaction.

If Franziska’s way of hosting speaks to you, take a look at her three places and choose the one that fits your kind of rest. She would love to welcome you.