Inside Grandhotel: An Interview with the Makers of a Marvelous Miniature

Some miniature projects begin with a clear plan. Others unfold slowly, shaped by memory, circumstance, and shared curiosity. Grandhotel, an wonderous 1:12 scale grand hotel dollhouse, belongs firmly in the latter category. What started as a single kit has grown into a richly layered miniature world—complete with public spaces, private rooms, a penthouse, and even a permanent winter village below. I spoke with the maker behind Grandhotel to learn how this ambitious project came to life.

How did the idea for Grandhotel begin?

“First of all, thank you very much for your interest in me and my work— I feel honored.”

The project began in December 2019, driven by his wife, Fabiola.

“My wife—she was the driving force—expressed the wish that we buy a Minimundus ‘Wandhaus’ kit together.”

Fabiola had owned a dollhouse as a child, one that still stands unchanged in their dining room today to preserve that memory. As an adult, she wanted to design one herself. What began as a shared experiment quickly became something more meaningful.

“As it turned out, we both had great fun with it, and then the lockdowns came. We were very happy to have this hobby.”

At what point did it become a grand hotel?

Once the initial build began, the vision expanded—both literally and figuratively.

“It was her idea to build the hotel on a huge sideboard that had belonged to her late mother.”

That piece of furniture now anchors the entire structure, grounding the project in personal history. While the maker is an engineer who took early retirement, he downplays his role with characteristic modesty.

“I was and still am ‘only’ responsible for sawing, drilling, and the electrical work. She designed the entire hotel and carried it out herself.”

How was the hotel constructed and finished?

Although the project began with a Minimundus Wandhaus kit, it was quickly transformed beyond recognition. The structure was expanded to include a rooftop studio and a four-part removable façade, allowing the entire hotel to open for viewing. Every interior surface reflects careful crafting.

“All the rooms were finished by her with Stucco Veneziano and, in some cases, wallpaper.”

The staircases began as kits but were expanded and reconfigured. Many of the doors and windows started as raw wood and were painted by hand, reinforcing the custom nature of the build.

Tell us about the interiors—what makes them special?

The ground floor sets the tone with a Belle Époque–inspired CanCan Bar circa 1900. A real marble bar, illuminated from behind, anchors the space, while a roulette table adds a sense of late-night glamour and European decadence. Throughout the hotel, dolls and furnishings by multiple artists populate the rooms, lending the interiors a layered, lived-in authenticity.

Above the public spaces are six very different guest rooms, each with its own private bathroom—a rare and ambitious feature at this scale.

At the top of the building sits a penthouse suite, accessed by a spiral staircase, with further access to the tower and rooftop garden.

Where did the furnishings and dolls come from?

Before Brexit, many architectural elements, furnishings, and artist dolls were sourced from England.

“We sourced many items from England—building elements, furniture, and artist dolls.”

The collection also includes numerous dolls acquired from Terry Davies in the USA, giving the hotel an international mix of miniature artistry.

The winter scene below the hotel is especially striking—can you tell us more?

One of Grandhotel’s most enchanting elements is its setting. The hotel overlooks a winter Christmas market, complete with festive stalls and seasonal charm.

“The winter Christmas market remains set up all year round.”

Adding movement and narrative is a ski and sledding slope that runs from the hotel down to the market below, turning the entire display into a permanent alpine resort in miniature.

How large is Grandhotel today?

The scale of the project is impressive by any standard. The completed structure measures 180 cm wide, 140 cm high, and 60 cm deep (70"W x 55"H x 24"D). , with a removable façade in four parts that allows the entire building to be explored room by room.

What does this project mean to you now?

Grandhotel is more than a model. Built by a couple married for 13 years, shared with three cats, and shaped during a time when the world slowed down, it represents reclaimed time and shared creativity.

What began as a simple kit has become a grand hotel in every sense—a miniature world built with patience, technical skill, and deep personal meaning, inviting viewers to linger, explore, and imagine the stories unfolding behind every tiny door.

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Written and edited by Darren Scala with the help of AI technology