Leipzig is a town of transformation. Long before the 2nd world war, the town was famous as a trade centre and the place where Bach worked for a long time. The town went in decline after the heavy allied bombing in the 2nd world war and the neglect of being part of Eastern Germany. After the reunification, massive amounts of people left the town to find work. However, that has changed as more recently the city is sometimes nicknamed “Boomtown of eastern Germany”, “Hypezig” or “The new Berlin” for being celebrated by the media as a hip urban centre for the vital lifestyle and creative scene with many startups. Leipzig is now the fastest-growing large town in Germany.
Centrally located in the old town of Leipzig and a five-minute walk from the Central railway station is Hotel Fuerstenhof. The historic building of the hotel was originally built as a patrician palace by a banker, Karl Eberhard Löhr and his family back in 1770. In 1889, it became a hotel and it has been legendary ever since. Hotel Fuerstenhof is now part of The Luxury Collections of hotels from the Starwood Hotels group.
The Serpentinsaal, the conference room with its walls decorated with dark cut serpentine, also know as the marble of the Saxonian Kings.
Enjoying The Hotel
I arrived in Leipzig by train from Berlin which only took one hour on the fast ICE train. Leipzig Central station is huge and beautiful and also doubles up as a large indoor shopping centre. After a five minute walk, I arrived at the hotel in a lovely elegant reception, which is the connecting hub to the wine bar, winter garden and restaurant Villers. As soon as I checked in the room, I checked out the winter garden for some afternoon tea and cakes. The winter garden had a nice piano but no pianist, unfortunately. In the late afternoon, I returned to the winter garden for some great pre-dinner cocktail drinks. The atmosphere was great then, with businessmen and tourist making up for some good conversations.
I also decided to check out the Vinothek 1770 wine bar, which had a wealth of famous people visiting it and signing their names on the lids of wooden wine boxes; these lids are used as wall decoration for anyone to see. This wine bar has a range of 80 open bottles from around the world which can be complemented with some fine antipasti and cheeses.
Reception at hotel Fuerstenhof
Wintergarten – piano bar
Deluxe Room
I stayed in the Deluxe room which was a nice size room of around 30m2. The king-size bed was cosy with the linen really nice to tuck yourself into. I was greeted with some pastries and fruit and a personal message from the reception. The furniture in the room gave me a real essence of why this hotel is part of The Luxury Collection from Starwood hotels. The bathroom is beautiful with sinks for two people, a shower cabin and a good size bath.
Spa
In the afternoon I tried the hotel swimming pool and spa area known as AuqaMarin. I was transported back to some Greek island, the blue pool, white walls, plants, elevated sections and the rock waterfall all gave this impression. I could imagine coming here on a cold winter day and being immediately uplifted by the decor. The spa also included a Finnish sauna, Roman steam bath and the shower grotto, which was a unique experience. For fitness freaks, there was also a well-equipped gym for both cardio and weight training.
AquaMarin – Little Greece in the hotel’s basement
Restaurant
Restaurant Villers is the in-house restaurant and it was one of my best dining experiences I have had to date. It was that special that I have written a dedicated feature on this which you can read here. Chef de Cuisine, Hannes Schlegel is a fine chef and truly one that you must come and experience yourself. Here is a teaser of the food I have tasted.
Haute Cuisine Dining Experience at Restaurant Villers
Breakfast
Breakfast was served in the same area as Restaurant Villers, and it is a lovely setting with a wide choice of excellent food options, together with excellent service. The food is healthy and fresh and is just a great way to start your day. There are a lot of business clients staying here and they all seemed very happy indeed. There is a wide choice of eggs personally cooked for you, which is a nice touch.
Conclusion
The staff were excellent and really hosted us like their own family. The Hotel Fuerstenhof is a unique experience that you should go and try. It is centrally located in the beautiful town of Leipzig with the old Town on your doorstep and Europe’s most modern zoo also close by. Find out why Leipzig is voted Germany’s most liveable town and while you do, stay at Hotel Fuerstenhof. Life is full of ups and downs and this is the place to reflect and be treated in pure luxury style.
Details
- Room reviewed: Deluxe Room – From €145
- Address: Troendlinring 8, Leipzig, 04105, Germany
- Website: www.hotelfuerstenhofleipzig.com
- Phone: +49 341 140 0
