Hotel Diedrich

The Sauerland is the largest tourist region in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, located east of Düsseldorf and about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Luxembourg. The region is particularly known for its scenic nature, hiking, and mountain bike trails and during the winter season, it attracts a lot of winter sports enthusiasts. Winterberg is one of Sauerland's best-known towns and a popular winter sports resort and favored by a lot of Dutch tourists throughout the year. Just 15 kilometers south of Winterberg, the little town of Hallenberg is home to our favorite wellness hotel: Diedrich Wellness Hotel & Spa.

We've visited many other wellness hotels over the years but always ended up coming back to this one. Founded in 1898, this 4-star, adults-only wellness, and spa hotel is currently being run by the 4th generation of the Diedrich family and is priding itself to be a sanctuary for people to recharge and relax.

The small country town of Hallenberg is part of the Hochsauerland district, surrounded by the Rothaargebirge mountains and not far from the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park. The picturesque town is nestled along the Nuhne river with narrow, winding alleys. The town and its surrounding landscape with high plateaus and green meadows make it a great starting point for hiking, Nordic walking, and cycling. Though Hallenberg has a couple of churches as well as supermarkets, it is a quiet and sleepy town and you will have to drive to one of the neighboring towns, such as Winterberg if you are looking for more tourist sights and shopping facilities.

The hotel used to be a post office way back in the day and already accommodated travelers over 120 years ago. The hotel has kept its traditional, cozy feel inside and out, without sacrificing modern comforts and has continuously set new standards of understated luxury and wellness by adding and updating its facilities. A couple of years back, the hotel used to be open to families with children but has recently switched to becoming an adults-only hotel (16+). During the pandemic, the hotel started construction on a new hotel wing with an extended wellness area and modern rooms with balconies as well as an outdoor infinity pool. Whereas the infinity pool is already in use, they are planning on opening the extension to the wellness area in December 2021. The new rooms should be available for booking in early 2022. Currently, construction is still ongoing, so it is possible to you might hear some noise but during our stay it was minimal, and construction will soon be completed.

The hotel has a total of three parking areas located around the premises. There is sufficient space and there is no need to book a parking spot ahead of time, we really never had an issue finding one. Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out is at 11 am. On the day of your arrival, you can use the wellness area from 12.30 pm onwards. During that time the hotel will gladly store your luggage at the reception until your room is ready. There are changing rooms in the wellness area where you can change. When you book over two months ahead of your stay via their website, you will get a 10% early bird discount. Dogs are not allowed in the hotel.

The hotel has about 65 rooms in total, with single, double rooms, and suites available. Though none of the rooms are outdated, the "Stammhaus Premium" category is our favorite because the rooms are modern, bright, yet cozy with a lot of wood elements. Also, we found that most rooms are quite generous in size compared to other hotels. You can either choose a room facing the road or one with a view into the lush valley in the back of the hotel. While choosing your room, please keep in mind that the hotel is located on a busy main road. However, rooms facing the street have insulated windows and we never had an issue with traffic noise. That said, the view of the back valley from the rooms is very beautiful and calming, so if that is important to you, definitely opt for a valley-view room.

All rooms have a TV, fridge (with a complimentary bottle of water), WIFI, bathroom amenities, and a wellness bag with slippers, sauna towels, and bathrobes. There is a desk area and a lounge chair to relax. You have the option to book your rooms with breakfast or half-board, meaning breakfast and dinner, which we highly recommend because the food is one of the reasons why we love this hotel so much. More on this later!

In 2022, the rooms in the new part of the hotel will be bookable. These modern rooms have a private balcony as well as free-standing bathtubs. Having a balcony will be a great plus, especially during the summer months and it will be great to sit outside, read a book and enjoy the view. We can't wait for the new wing to open, so we have yet another reason to go back!

Something that really annoys me while being on holiday are short breakfast hours. When the breakfast buffet is only available until 9.30 or 10.00 am you have to get up early though all you wanna do is sleep in. Not at Hotel Diedrich! One of their biggest flex is that they serve breakfast until 11.30 am! Not only can you sleep in and still enjoy your breakfast without any stress, but their selection is also amazing: cereals, müsli, bread, bread rolls, charcuterie, cheeses, yogurt, eggs, bacon, juices, fresh orange juice (unfortunately not during COVID times) and even sparkling wine. Plus, items are refilled on a regular basis, so even if you come late, the produce is fresh and the selection is still great. All of these points make it our absolute favorite breakfast buffet!

The breakfast room is quite big with large windows making it a very bright and inviting room. Just choose an available table and a member of staff will kindly welcome you and offer you some filter coffee (cappuccino, etc. are available from a coffee machine at the buffet). Not only will you get a whole can of good coffee but they will also bring you a little daily info brochure with excursion tips, news, the weather, and available activities and treatments in-house. You can also order fresh German-style pancakes topped with sugar and cinnamon as well as your favorite egg dish, which are freshly made to order. Just ask one of the friendly staff members. Their scrambled eggs are some of the best we had in a hotel.

Located near the pool and wellness area is the spa-bistro. Recently refurbished, this modern bistro is open morning till 10.00 pm and offers complimentary tea, water, and apples, as well as coffee in the morning. There is still, sparkling as well as hot water and a large selection of teas available. This is absolutely free and included in your stay, so make sure to bring your reusable water bottle which you can refill throughout the day.

In case you get hungry, you can order small dishes from their snack menu, which also includes veggie and vegan options. Home-made cakes and coffee specialties are also available, we are in Germany after all. These meals are not included in the half-board but they are all reasonably priced. You can just charge them to your room. There is not always a staff member present but there is a phone with instructions on how to put in your order. So, just sit down, relax, have a cup of tea, and wait for your food.

Hotel Diedrich has an à-la-carte restaurant called "Anton's" but when you book the half-board option, a 4-course dinner is already included. There is a separate restaurant for hotel guests where there is a designated table reserved for you during your stay. Each night, you'll find the daily menu for the 4-course meal as well as aperitif recommendations and wine pairings on your table. The menu and recommendations change on a daily basis. Dinner hours start at 18.00 and you have until 19.30 pm to order. Each dinner menu includes a starter, soup, main, and dessert. Drinks are not included and can be charged directly to your room.

When making your booking, do let them know if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions (ex. vegan) and they will do their best to accommodate your request. For the main, you can choose between a meat, fish as well as a veggie option. A vegetarian alternative is also available for the starter and soup of course.

The kitchen team pays great attention to using local and regional ingredients as much as possible. Dishes are mainly inspired by German cuisine, but often with a modern twist. Portions are just right but do not hesitate to ask if you want a second helping, they'll gladly give you some more. At Hotel Diedrich, we usually start our day with a late breakfast, which will actually keep us full until dinner time, so the half-board option is just perfect.

One small downside that we have found are the prices for drinks during dinner. Whereas water is available for free during the day in the spa bistro, you will be charged around 4 Euros for a large jug of water at dinner. However, starting December 1st, water will be available free of charge for guests throughout the day, even dinner. Furthermore, prices for beers are also quite up there at around 4 Euros for a small beer, though it is a local beer from the town of Hallenberg. The quality-price ratio for the wine however is actually quite fair. There is a small but well-balanced selection of wines and a 0,25 cl carafe of wine comes in at around 8 Euros. I usually went for their aperitif recommendation and a small carafe of their Italian or Spanish red wine and Chris usually chose Borsch, one of their local beers.

The kitchen at Hotel Diedrich is actually an "open kitchen", meaning that guests can come in to have a look at how the team is working and ask any questions they might have. This transparent approach to cooking and service is amazing and shows how it should be done. If you fancy a drink after dinner, the newly renovated bar area is open from 5 pm and serves a range of classic cocktails, wine, and beer.

Whereas the restaurant for the hotel guests is modern and nicely decorated, we always request to sit at table 404 in the "Poststübchen". This is our little inside tip. This cozy little room next to the restaurant only has 4 tables, which gives you a lot of privacy and you can enjoy your dinner in this beautiful, traditional room, which actually used to be the post room.

Wellness and relaxation are at the heart of this hotel and the wellness facilities are quite extensive for its size. As mentioned before, they are currently constructing an extension to the wellness area and the opening is planned for the end of the year. You'll find large towels in the spa basket in your room but if at any point you require new or additional towels, you can pick them up from the wellness reception in the spa-bistro.

The heated indoor pool is nicely sized and loungers are available on two levels as well as on a small terrace outside. The pool area is open from 7 am until 10 pm and the sauna area opens midday until 10 pm, though the saunas will already be shut down at around 9.45 pm. So if you are in the mood for a swim after dinner, there is enough time to come down to the wellness area to relax. Besides a steam and relax sauna, the hotel also has a Finnish sauna with a view of the valley. Though the sauna area is not large, it never felt crowded and people are always very respectful. Our favorite is the relax sauna, which is heated to around 63 degrees Celcius, perfect to relax your strained muscles after a long day of hiking or biking.

On the far end of the pool, you will find a staircase leading down to the relaxation area, a beautiful space with loungers, beds, rest areas, and hidden reading corners to lay back, have a nap, or read a book. It's almost like a different world. There are pillows and blankets available to snuggle up in. Relaxing music and nature sounds are playing and it's one of my favorite spots in the hotel. The area is quite dim (there are reading lights, don't worry) and calming, helping you to relax instantly. We've fallen asleep there more than once and it's a great place to meditate or to help you recharge.

The hotel has a small but relatively well-equipped gym with quality workout machines which is open early till late and there is a music box you can connect your phone to play your music. There is no Wifi in the gym nor in the wellness area. The hotel made this conscious decision in order for people to relax instead of playing on their phones.

A striking new feature is the outdoor infinity pool with a view into the valley, an absolute highlight. The construction was recently finished and the railings you can still see in the picture have been removed. The pool is heated to 30 degrees, so you can even take a swim outside during the colder seasons. Sun loungers are available on the adjacent terrace.

If you are in need of a massage, facial, or pampering session, Hotel Diedrich has a nice catalog of wellness treatments available. You should book your appointment at least one or two weeks before your trip to make sure that you get your desired day and time slot. We are usually quite happy with our treatments and the spa staff is very friendly, yet reserved to allow you to relax as much as possible. Last time I got the anti-aging facial package, which included a great back massage, and Chris got a facial designed specifically for men. His treatment was a bit disappointing because even though if it was specifically designed for men, it was not designed for men with beards in mind. The treatment (cleanser, mask, massage, and moisturizer) was only applied to the beard-free part of the face. Some beard oil or conditioner would have been great to complete the treatment, so overall, the price-performance ratio for this specific treatment was not the best.

Whereas the food and wellness facilities surely highlight how great this hotel is, the service and staff, however, take this hotel to another level. I've rarely been in a hotel in Germany or anywhere in the world in fact with such kind, professional, attentive, and forthcoming service and this is what makes this hotel truly special in our eyes. Whether it's the staff at reception, during breakfast service, in the spa bistro, or at dinner, people are very thoughtful and considerate, whether these are seasoned staff members or trainees.

Great customer service is definitely a top priority here. Wishes or requests only have to be voiced once and staff will try their best to accommodate them. For example, when we did the booking for our first visit a couple of years back, I noted that I do not eat mushrooms. Even during our meanwhile third visit in August of this year, this little detail was still paid attention to. When mushrooms were on the menu, the dinner staff immediately offered me an alternative, without me even having to ask. This extra effort is making guests feel very much respected and welcomed and it's these little details that make this place special.

Hallenberg and its surrounding landscape is lush and hilly but not as mountainous as the black forest, making it ideal for hiking, and (mountain) biking. At the hotel, you can rent both mountain bikes and e-mountain bikes, including helmets, for a day to discover the surrounding area. There are some easy bike routes, for example, going to Winterberg, but we love to go off-road riding through forests and up and down the plateaus, which is no problem with the e-mountain bikes and their batteries last a respectable amount of time. Just watch out to not bike too far. Last time, we actually ran out of batterie on the last 5 km of our trip on a long steep incline, and believe me, those bikes are heavy and not fun to push up a hill. Luckily, after we reached the top, it was downhill for the last leg of the ride. The hotel also offers some fitness classes, such as aqua fitness and yoga.

At the reception, you can get the Sauerland-card, which will enable you to use public transport in the region for free and get discounts on a lot of activities and tickets. Winterberg is located about 20 minutes from Hallenberg by car or 1 hour by bike and it is a great city to visit for some shopping and sports activities. There is a climbing park, a bowling alley, a cart track, and a zipline. During the winter months, this is, of course, the ski sports center of the region.

At the hotel, you will find a lot of information about local hiking and biking tracks. You can also request a packed lunch for a small fee to take on your trip. We recommend a hike to the Königsloh near Hallenberg where you can find an 8-meter high wooden sculpture shaped like a giant chair. It was actually built by a local furniture manufacturer and is being used as a viewing platform and offers magnificent views of surrounding bird and landscape conservation areas.