“Laurence and I met at business school when we were 20. She was doing a Master’s in luxury marketing, while I was studying for a Master’s in international finance. After our studies in France and abroad, we returned to Strasbourg when Laurence was hired by a downtown hotel.
We are both passionate about the hotel industry. Since she was 13, Laurence has completed numerous internships in this field. As for me, with a passion for entrepreneurship, I’ve been researching available properties in the eastern regions for a few years.” – Nicolas Zugno
We wanted to purchase an existing property that was entirely closed so we could completely remake it in our image. In 2015, during a visit to the Jura, we found a hotel that met all our expectations: the Hostellerie des Monts de Vaux.
Once a gem of Jura hospitality, the only 4-star hotel and the only Relais & Châteaux in the region for nearly 30 years, it had been closed and for sale since 2012. In July 2016, at the age of 25, we became owners of this iconic place, a former coaching inn built in 1773.
Three hours after signing with the notary, we began renovations, starting with the oldest part, the rooms, located in the former hay barns and stables.
We embarked on 10 months of renovations, accompanied by our electrician, plumber, tiler, and carpenter. We took on the largest share of the work, including drywall, painting, wallpapering, flooring, decorating, and furnishing.
Passionate about decor, we wanted to create a space that truly represented us. It was over 1,200 square meters of living space to refurbish! Numerous compliance requirements were imposed on us, and renovation costs skyrocketed.
Family and friends came to help us stay on schedule. At the same time, we needed to familiarize ourselves with our sector, plan marketing, find contacts for operations, and prepare for opening. We also needed to build a team for the restaurant.
In March 2017, the hotel’s seven rooms were finally ready. Our first chef joined, and my sister, a professional waitress, joined us to launch the restaurant.
The commission came through that month, approving the restaurant’s opening but denying the hotel’s, requiring more work. Laurence juggled paperwork and renovations. I joined the chef in the kitchen, and after service, I rushed to help Laurence with the renovations.
A few weeks later, we got the green light for the hotel. With no funds left for advertising, we opened quietly. The initial budget allocated for creating the spa and pool had been redirected to compliance work…
Without extra facilities, we decided to open as an unclassified hotel to maintain cohesion between our bistro-style dining and hotel rating.
Our current chef, Quentin Defert, joined our team a few months after opening as a pastry chef. I left the kitchen to work in the dining area, getting to know all aspects of the business.
Meanwhile, Laurence and I decided to handle the hotel operations by ourselves. We managed reception, calls, reservations, breakfasts, and room cleaning to master every aspect of this trade.
A year later, in March 2018, after a mixed year, my sister and our chef left for new adventures. We decided to close for two weeks to reset and address our mistakes. In this profession, self-reflection is constant, and humility is necessary to accept customer feedback and our own errors.
We reopened in April 2018 as a team of three. We chose to close for lunch so our chef could develop his creative vision, and we aimed higher by offering bistronomic cuisine. We upgraded the hotel facilities and resumed beautification work between services and welcoming guests at reception.
The year 2018 marked the true beginning of Maison Zugno, as our project took on real meaning. In addition to managing the hotel together, Laurence took charge of the dining service, and I joined Quentin in the kitchen. The workdays were exhausting and long, but our clients’ morning gratitude reminded us we were on the right path.
In 2019, we wanted to push forward and decided to pursue a 3-star classification.
We achieved the classification by a narrow margin, realizing the path to excellence would be long.
This year also brought a personal change, as we awaited the arrival of a baby in January 2020. As the hotel and restaurant thrived, it became necessary to strengthen the team since Laurence would not be able to keep up with the pace. Before summer, Nathalie joined as our housekeeper, and Thibaut joined in the fall as maître d’hôtel. We prepared for the birth of our son and decided to close the hotel for three weeks in January.
I used this time to work on creating a new hotel room. Laurence helped, despite being nine months pregnant, but the baby was in no rush. It was when we reopened that he finally made his appearance. With fewer visitors due to my need to stay onsite, we realized that being hoteliers, restaurateurs, and above all, entrepreneurs, demands many sacrifices.
Laurence and Mattéo returned home in early February, and we continued our workdays with Mattéo peacefully sleeping between the oven and stove, adjusting to the rhythm of service.
Everything proceeded as usual for a month and a half until something unexpected happened: Covid. Suddenly, during our Saturday night service in late March 2020, we learned that everything was coming to a halt, exactly three years after our opening. In hindsight, though difficult, this announcement proved to be a great opportunity for us. First, we had the chance to watch our son grow—a rare gift in our profession. Second, we finally had time to reassess everything.
Since our purchase in July 2016, we hadn’t taken much rest or had the distance needed to plan the future of our Maison. So, we decided to begin our upscale transformation by constructing a pool and renovating the roofs of the guest building.
At the end of June 2020, we were able to reopen, motivated by the prospect of welcoming our guests with new facilities. To honor our commitments to suppliers and pursue a sustainable, low-waste kitchen approach, we created our “mystery menus,” which remain in place today. Guests have no choice of dishes, simplifying kitchen operations, and our composting setup has reduced waste by nearly 90%.
Despite our belief in this concept, the early days were tough. We had to open the restaurant before the hotel due to pool construction delays. Result: zero clients on our first opening weekend. No one wanted to dine without menu choices.
When the hotel finally reopened, the first guests were thrilled with the new facilities and the quality of the cuisine. It was a huge relief for all of us. However, this respite was short-lived, as in October 2020, under similar conditions, we were forced to close again. At that time, we had no idea that this closure would last until June 2021!
We took advantage of this extended closure to continue renovating the hotel’s interior and adding new amenities to the park. We decided to invest heavily to secure a 4-star classification, all while making the most of our time with our little boy.
We achieved our 4-star classification in summer 2021, just weeks after our post-Covid reopening. It was a wonderful reward for us and our team. Quentin’s cuisine continued to evolve, and we offered a gastronomic menu rooted in our terroir. We expanded our wine list as we met winemakers, both from the Jura and Burgundy. We focused on finding local artisans to showcase the region’s craftsmanship.
Since Covid, the Jura has gained in attractiveness, and we feel it. With increasing demand, we wanted to embark on a new journey—toward wellness. By the end of summer 2021, we were designing an entirely outdoor spa project that would integrate perfectly with our park. During the main construction, I took the opportunity to completely renovate the existing “little house” into a relaxation and tea room, with my father’s help.
Winter passed, and we realized that many things had changed since Covid. Delays were endless, orders were complicated, and shortages were constant. In short, everything was much more difficult than before.
In the first quarter of 2022, as the spa construction neared completion, Laurence and I decided to aim for a 5-star rating for the hotel. We used every spare moment to adjust, change, renovate, and improve every aspect necessary for the classification.
In April 2022, the spa opened, and our clients appreciated the additional amenities. We had to convert one room into a massage room as it didn’t meet the 5-star criteria.
For several months, we’ve been working with Lumipod to offer a new experience within the Maison’s grounds. We carried out preparatory work to install this new room at the edge of the Monts de Vaux viewpoint. At the same time, we designed plans for a new room on our Maison’s second floor, our “Z Suite.”
Work began outdoors in October 2022 to accommodate the Observatory. We also started construction on the Z Suite while upgrading our existing amenities to aim for our 5-star classification.
The news came in January 2023: we achieved 5 stars with 98% of the points! The Observatory was installed in February 2023, and our Z Suite was inaugurated in May. It was a vibrant winter full of projects!
In March 2023, we welcomed our new recruit, Pierre. He has completed all the outdoor projects since our 2016 purchase, so he knows the Maison well. Upon his arrival, we created our vegetable garden and enhanced the park’s aesthetics with many new features.
The year 2024 brings a series of annual projects, including the re-roofing of the entire Maison and the renovation of the wine cellar to host private tastings. Exciting projects lie ahead, and our story continues to unfold—thanks to you!
At Maison Zugno, we place sustainable development at the heart of our approach, adopting a holistic strategy to minimize our ecological footprint. Since 2020, we have promoted the circular economy by prioritizing short supply chains and organic products in our restaurant, while implementing sustainable energy management solutions, such as optimizing water and electricity resources.
Every aspect of our establishment, from construction materials to infrastructure, is designed to respect surrounding ecosystems. Each year, we work to improve our practices, recognizing that there is always room for progress.
We strive to limit our environmental impact as much as possible and move closer to zero impact, though we are aware that daily efforts are required and the journey will be long. Additionally, we aim to show that luxury doesn’t have to equate to overconsumption; it can also be responsible and sustainable. Our goal is to promote ethical and sustainable tourism, where each stay contributes to preserving the local natural heritage.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of our commitments by sector:
Waste and Resource Management:
We have implemented a rigorous system of selective waste sorting with composting. Organic waste feeds our vegetable garden, which provides fresh ingredients for our restaurant. We use rainwater to maintain the garden and green spaces, thus reducing our consumption of drinking water.
Sustainable Food:
We favor local producers to minimize our carbon footprint and support the regional economy. Our drinks are served in glass bottles, and we reuse glass jars for jams and honey. To avoid waste, our restaurant offers menus developed according to the number of customers, and we ban plastic packaging.
Comfort and Rooms:
Our welcome products are in large rechargeable format, and we use low-energy light bulbs to limit our energy consumption. Towels and sheets are changed on request during long stays, and the spa equipment is only switched on when guests are present, thus contributing to the efficient management of resources.
Biodiversity and Environment:
To support biodiversity, we have installed an insect hut and maintain a sufficient mowing height to create micro-habitats. We use Ecolabel-certified cleaning products and have integrated biochemical design elements such as green walls and a green façade, in order to harmoniously integrate ecology into our architecture. In addition, our landscaping incorporates local plants adapted to the region’s climate, thus promoting a sustainable ecosystem.