Heidelberg Luxury Travel — Anna Sol- Interior & Art photographer

“When you get into a hotel room, you lock the door, and you know there is a secrecy, there is a luxury, there is fantasy. There is comfort. There is reassurance.”

— Diane von Furstenberg

Luxury five-star hotel lobby with antique interior

The quote by Diane von Fürstenberg is perfect for the hero of my story today, but I would add to what was said - there is a sense of family here, there is love. It's truly like that. There are many luxurious hotels in the world, but few where you can feel at home, in an atmosphere of unobtrusive, pleasant attention, care, and perhaps even be surprised - love. As you follow my narrative, you'll understand why love, but let's go in order.

I've always admired businesses that remain under the management of one family from the moment of their founding, in our time, this becomes a rarer story, but today's hero is exactly that, the brightest example of a successful family business.

The hotel's history dates back to 1865, in 1906 it was acquired by the ancestors of the current owners and to this day it remains in the possession of the von Kretschmann family. At the moment, the hotel is managed by the third and fourth generations of the family, and it must be said, they manage it very successfully. Thanks to their absolute love and dedication to the business, they managed to create a beautiful luxury hotel, where modernity and comfort meet classic elegance and luxury, a hotel with an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness, in which the people who work there hold a special place. After speaking with some of them (and when you're an interior photographer and move all around the hotel, it's quite easy), I realized that they genuinely love their work, and when a person loves their job, they will do it exceptionally well, which is why the hotel functions so beautifully.

When I asked Dr Caroline von Kretschmann how they manage to create such a wonderful, without exaggeration, heartfelt working environment, she replied, "The people are not only hotel employees, they are part of the family" and I think that's a beautiful answer.

. Family

And now I'd like to tell you a bit about the members of the von Kretschmann family. In my opinion, the success of such a large hotel is based on each family member engaging in the direction they love and in which all their talents are maximally revealed.
When I first entered the hotel, the interior enchanted me. It's an impeccable stylization - exquisite classic without a hint of antiquatedness, multiplied by a splendid combination of colors, textures, and patterns. Antique lovers will truly appreciate the art objects, furniture, and lamps collected throughout the hotel. And of course, the flowers, beautiful fresh flowers everywhere, predominantly white. And all this beauty, style, and interior is created by Sylvia von Kretschmann.

When I got to know Mrs von Kretschmann, I understood that the hotel's image, its interior, its atmosphere, couldn't be any different because it's all a reflection of her - a stylish, refined, beautiful woman with incredible energy. For me, she's a bright representative of "woman power". Next day I started shooting in the hotel lobby at 6 in the morning, and she was already there because her day begins at 5:30 AM. First, she checks with the night shift how the night went and if everything is fine with the guests and the hotel. Then she arranges the flowers delivered to the hotel, makes sure everything is in order in the halls, and this is just the beginning of the day. And yes, cute note- when I started shooting at 6 AM, she personally brought me a cup of coffee and a croissant to start my morning on a pleasant note. And the entire hotel is permeated with such warmth and care.

Hotel — Now let's move on to the next representative of the third generation of the von Kretschmann family- Ernst-Friedrich von Kretschmann.
Mr von Kretschmann is not only a hotelier but also the person responsible for the construction and technical aspects of the hotel. As you walk around the entire complex, you understand how logically and functionally it is designed. The main building was constructed in 1865 and equipped with all the technological novelties available at that time. Over different periods, the hotel was expanded and developed, while maintaining high standards and incorporating technological innovations as they were invented. In 1965, Mr and Mrs von Kretschmann took over the hotel management, marking a period of significant renovations and construction. It was during this time that the complex began to take shape as we see it today. And we see it in a grand scale - with 118 rooms and suites, conference halls, restaurants, a spa with a pool, underground parking, and... I'll stop here, and at the end of the story, I'll share the link for the hotel's layout plan for you to see it all yourselves.

Hotel decoration — And here we have reached the fourth generation of the family - stylish, energetic and swift Dr Caroline von Kretschmann. She manages and develops the hotel, handles finances, and creates fantastic, dynamic content for the hotel's social media. She is open to everything new and believes that progress can only be achieved by keeping up with the times. Earlier, when I mentioned "swift" about her, I didn't use that term as a metaphor. When she enters a room with her light and brisk stride, bringing with her a delicate aroma of perfume with tangy herbal notes, that word comes to mind precisely.

…And at this point, let's remember that I'm not a blogger, but a photographer who sometimes enjoys writing about what or who I like or find emotive. So, from here on, there will be a lot of photos... well, okay, occasionally with some brief comments from me ( I can't resist :) ). So, let's go.

. Lobby, Europa Bar & Smokers’ lounge

When I was taking these photos, there was a couple sitting at the nearby table. The woman became interested in my camera, and we started talking. They had come to Heidelberg from Munich for a couple of days. I won't go into the details of our conversation, so long story short: as our conversation was coming to an end, they mentioned that they travel a lot - New York, Paris, Rome - and they always stay in the best luxury hotels. These hotels are beautiful, offering excellent service, but it's here, at Europäischer Hof, that luxury, beauty, and service are multiplied by warmth, family atmosphere, friendliness, and coziness. They said they will definitely come back here. In my opinion, this is the best compliment a hotel can receive.

And in this bar, I can easily imagine characters from a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

. Rooms

. Summer restaurant & breakfast area

It was one of the best sea bass in my life... I understand that this might be a somewhat strange way to start a note, but facts remain fact. Right now, as I'm writing these lines, I'm very hungry(I try not to eat at night:)) and my hand started writing about food on its own. So, roasted Breton sea bass with saffron sauce, Spanish mussels,
pointed pepper, garden peas and paella rice and dessert- white mousse of Valrhona Ivoire couverture with Victoria pineapple, Japanese green tea, Kaffir lime, coconut foam and mango sorbet. No more words needed; you just need to come and taste it for yourself.

Btw, Summer restaurant is open to 17 September 2023 and then another restaurant comes into play-“Die Kurfürstenstube”. It opens on September 18th and operates throughout the entire winter season.

During breakfast, one moment stuck with me. As I was sipping my coffee and observing the hotel guests, Dr Caroline von Kretschmann entered the restaurant. She approached each table, dedicating a couple of minutes for small talk with the guests, and I could see how much they appreciated it.