Europäischer Hof
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.
…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.
. Panorama Spa & Fitness
Train, relax, enjoy :)
It was great to collaborate with the von Kretschmann family and the entire "Europäischer Hof" team. You're awesome!