The Hotel Vlčina in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm is one of the most significant realizations of Bohuslav Fuchs's late work and at the same time a remarkable example of interwar architecture responding to the regional context. The hotel is located in an area called Horečky and was to be part of a larger urban and architectural transformation of the place according to Fuchs's design from 1939–1940. It was also to include the reconstruction of the guesthouses and the complex around the Pantáta Hotel and at the same time the construction of a recreational and cultural area with a swimming pool, a children's playground and a theater amphitheatre in a nearby natural basin. However, these generous plans were interrupted by the Second World War, during which the Hotel Vlčina was gradually built according to Fuchs' design from 1940. The construction of the modern mountain hotel was initiated by the town of Frenštát and its implementation was commissioned by the company of Ing. Bohuslav Bloudek from Brno. Although some parts of the building were already in use during the war, the official opening of the hotel took place only after the war ended, on July 18, 1946. Shortly afterwards, Edvard Beneš and his wife Hana visited it.

The establishment of the hotel falls within a period of fundamental transformation in Fuchs's architectural work. At the turn of the 1930s and 1940s, the leading representative of Brno functionalism gradually moved away from the so-called white functionalism with smooth plaster, steel and glass and turned to a more expressive, material-rich concept of architecture. During the Protectorate, he sought inspiration in domestic building traditions and regional folk architecture, especially in the typology of mountain cottages. This shift was motivated not only aesthetically, but also practically - wartime economic conditions limited the availability of modern materials - especially steel - and encouraged the use of locally quarried wood and stone.

The building is composed as a large mountain structure with gable roofs, dormers and a significant division of materials. The facades combine quarry stone and wood cladding, which is how the architect responded sensitively to the Beskydy environment and the landscape character of the place. Although the exterior evokes traditional mountain architecture, the interior was equipped with all the comforts of a contemporary hotel operation – a restaurant, bar, social areas and accommodation with accessories, and was richly artistically decorated based on the architect’s concept. The main motifs were local history and tradition, as well as the landscape. The author of the murals in the social rooms, depicting the History of Frenštát, was Antonín Strnadel, and Eduard Milén created an allegory of the confluence of the Frenštát rivers – Three Rivers. The woodcarvings with folk motifs are the work of Karel Langer.

Their father's work was continued by his children Kamil Fuchs and Alena Korvasová, according to whose design the hotel was reconstructed in 1978–1988, its new interior furnishings, including artistic decoration (the original was carefully reconstructed) and additional artistic decoration down to the last detail, including place settings and ceramics. In the accompanying report we read that “the technical and equipment parameters of the building after almost 40 years of operation can no longer meet current opinions and demands. For these reasons, after careful consideration, it was decided to completely reconstruct the hotel, including a new interior design. [...] The construction modifications are primarily caused by the categorical requirement to build complete sanitary equipment (WC, shower, washbasin) in each room, only rooms on the ground floor and apartments are considered to have bathtubs. These sanitary cells are designed in such a way that they use the existing spacious hallways. The overall artistic concept of the interiors is based on the character of the architectural design of the entire building and also respects the basic use of materials. The designed solution is simple in shape, without the use of currently fashionable elements… the materials used should be as natural, even rustic in character, to the maximum extent, in order to evoke folk art, since one of the basic ideas of the architectural composition of the building is precisely certain reminiscences of folk architecture.”

After the revolution, the building was closed and fell into disrepair. It has now changed owners and is carrying out minor repairs.

Lucie Valdhansová