Labská bouda in the Krkonoš Mountains will receive a new exterior made of insulation, cladding, and metal sheets

Špindlerův Mlýn (Trutnovsko) – The ridge hotel Labská bouda near Špindlerův Mlýn in the Krkonoš Mountains will receive a new exterior shell that will reduce heat losses and allow the massive reinforced concrete building to better blend in with the surroundings. Workers have already erected scaffolding and started installing the new façade on the front wall facing Labský valley. The reconstruction is expected to cost millions of crowns, said Jiří Chvojka, a media representative of the hotel, to ČTK today. The operation of the lodge, which is located at an altitude of 1,340 meters above sea level near Labská meadow, will not be restricted in any way.

"We started to build the scaffolding before winter to manage at least to reclad the front part of the lodge and to be able to start again in spring, even though the lodge will still not be accessible by car. All summer we transported construction materials and prepared," said Klára Sovová, the co-owner of Labská bouda. According to her, it will be a challenging job at heights; builders will also have to cope with adverse weather conditions.

Until recently, the walls of Labská bouda were covered with aging eternit boards. "New thermal insulation will be applied to the concrete wall, followed by wooden cladding, and special interlocking metal plates that should withstand weather conditions," Chvojka said. According to him, the plates will be anthracite gray, which should allow the lodge to blend better with the environment.

The installation of the new cladding follows the renovation of the lodge's interiors and restaurant, which was completed this summer and cost millions of crowns. Builders also repaired the terrace, which offers views over a large part of the Krkonoš around Špindlerův Mlýn. In recent years, a wastewater treatment plant has been constructed in the lodge, and outdated utilities have been replaced, including the installation of a new heating system.

The nine-story Labská bouda was built between 1969 and 1975. The hotel has 79 rooms with a total capacity of 120 guests. It includes two restaurants. The building is situated on a slope, with the main entrance at the highest floor level. Since October 2018, the property has been operated by Labská spol. s r.o.

The lodge was built in the same location as the previous lodge, which burned down in 1965. The first building on the site of the lodge was constructed in the first half of the 19th century. Its location near the source of the Elbe also makes it attractive to tourists.