Best Western Hotel Krautkramer
A modern version of traditional waterside abodes...
Water cannot be dissociated from either the history or the culture of the Rhine region of Northern Westphalia. In the Middle Ages, the local lords frequently built castles on the many islands of the region's rivers in order to benefit from the natural defences provided by water, in the absence of steep hillsides and rocky outcrops. As military techniques evolved, their defensive role diminished and many were converted into pleasure retreats with the surrounding water serving both a decorative and a recreational purpose. Today, a hundred or so such castles still exist in Munsterland, such as Vischering, Burg Hülshoff, Haus Rüchhaus, etc. Thus, the riverside location of the Best Western Premier Hotel Krautkrämer on the banks of Hilltrup Lake is firmly in keeping with the Wasserschlösser (waterside castles) tradition, despite the fact that the hotel was built in 1968. For, here too, as for its venerable ancestors, water is a prominent feature of the unique atmosphere of this enchanting countryside spot, despite the nearby city of Münster, awarded the Liv-com prize in 2004 as the most pleasant city in its category in the world and several times voted the most "bicycle friendly city in Germany".
The Best Western Premier Hotel Krautkrämer offers a unique quality of life, both elegant and perfectly balanced. Built out of authentic, noble materials (the ancient beams of a 300-year-old farm, for example, add character to the interior decoration), the property seeks less to stand out from its natural environment than to blend in quietly and harmoniously with the surrounding countryside. The owners for example never tire of lauding the joy of seeing the sun rise over the lake or of bicycling round its banks. The rooms with balconies command splendid views of the natural landscape that extends on all sides of the hotel. The hotel, however, is far from lacking other particularly convincing appeals, among which its highly renowned restaurant and magnificent wine cellar. Westphalia, particularly rich in gastronomic delights, figures prominently on the menu, which features local dishes such as Rheinischer Sauerbraten (roast beef marinated in sultanas whose recipe is said to date back to the time of Julius Cesar) and smoked ham. A local expression in the region refers to the sky of Westphalia as being dotted with hams, in reference to the hams that hang in the fireplaces of Westphalia's cottages and which are smoked by the wood fires.
The hotel regularly stages exhibitions devoted to contemporary artists whose work exemplifies the country house feel of the hotel and its lovely classical wooden furniture (the piece in the lobby and the door and cupboards in the restaurants are masterpieces of local craftsmanship). In this way, the hotel also upholds the values of the city of Münster, itself home to several museums (including the stunning Pablo Picasso graphic arts museum and the lacquer museum), and whose urban character has nonetheless lost nothing of its several centuries old authenticity.
Given the overall prominence of water, guests cannot do otherwise than take a dip in the hotel's indoor swimming pool, beautifully designed with large bay windows overlooking the surrounding countryside. The Best Western Premier Hotel Krautkrämer is without doubt a perfectly balanced contemporary interpretation of the old riverside pleasure retreats that are dotted around the region and has remained true to their authentic and elegant tradition of hospitality.
| Best Western Premier Hotel Krautkramer |
| Zum Hiltruper See 173, Muenster, DE, Muenster, Germany - 48165 |
| Phone: +49 (0) 2501 8050 Fax: +49 (0) 2501 805 104 |