The website of the Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe promises “Moments full of contentment and inner peace”. 45 elegant and luxurious rooms and six suites are advertised. But an overnight stay in this once noble hotel is not possible. Not anymore: The hotel was closed in 2010 and since then the castle hotel has been slumbering like a slumber.
The building was erected from 1912 to 1914 at a height of 770 meters. Stupinigi Castle near Turin is said to have served as a model for the architect Wilhelm Kreis. After completion, World War I began and the imposing house near Baden Baden was initially used as an officer convalescent home. Later it was turned into a spa house, which was also the holiday home of Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. In 1988 the Bühlerhöhe was converted into a luxury hotel. After it had undergone numerous changes of ownership, it was supposed to belong to an investor from Eastern Europe since 2013, according to a report by “Bild”.
The list of celebrities who are said to have resided here is long: in addition to Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Britney Spears and Boris Becker, the English national team is said to have used the castle hotel as their team quarters at the 2006 World Cup. Since the premises have been empty in 2010, the question of further use in the region has become louder and louder. The hotel is on the list of monuments as a cultural monument of particular importance. There are currently no viewing appointments as the property is closed.
“Urbexer” and Lost Places:
So-called “urbexers” have a dangerous hobby: they visit forgotten, abandoned or dilapidated places that are in danger of collapsing. They usually have good camera equipment on board to take photos and videos of the seats. However, the exact address of the Lost Place is never revealed – that counts as an absolute no-go in the community. This is to prevent people from traveling to the places that cannot do anything with the abandoned beauty and presumably cause destruction.
In addition to the general risk of injury, visiting such a place can have legal consequences: It is often assumed that buildings that are empty and thought to be abandoned no longer have an owner. A dangerous misconception. Urbexers who enter such a site or building without official permission commit trespassing. It is always a good idea to ask the owner for permission beforehand.
Sources: “Badisches Tageblatt”, “Bild”, “BNN”