I think the Kempinski probably pay Ulen a fee for the passes, and if you can buy them its just another way of making extra money, you would have been using the gondola anyway wouldnt you so if you buy a Vip pass youve paid twice?.
The Vihren Palace Hotel have a better way of avoiding the gondola queue, their bus takes you to the top of the gondola.
So can you go to buy a pass at the Kempinski instead of the gondola and get a VIP pas, even if you are not staying there. What time do you need to get to the lift to get up within an hour?