What if I told you that you could stay at the home of an Empress?
Well, you can. The former home of Empress Victoria Friedrich – the daughter of Queen Victoria – welcomes guests to a regal stay just 15 minutes outside of Frankfurt.
For me – living in the countryside outside Frankfurt – it’s a short 20 minutes’ drive away and I used to regularly visit the property with my parents for dinner from age twelve. When I left my hometown for new horizons more than 25 years ago, those visits came to an end. Meanwhile, after returning over a decade ago, it was my appetite for exploring new destinations that kept me away. Yet, ever since my first visit, I had dreamed of staying overnight. Imagine my delight when it finally happened this summer – and it left me wondering why it’s taken me so long to make this dream come true.
Even though years have passed, the place remains as magnificent as ever.
Built in 1893, the castle was first opened to the public in 1954 by Victoria’s great-grandson, Donatus Landgrave of Hesse, who to this day remains in the possession of the hotel.
Where is Castel Hotel Kronberg located
In the Frankfurt area, Kronberg im Taunus is known to be the home of the wealthy businesspeople who by day work in the glass towers of the banking district while by night and on weekends, enjoy the clean air and beautiful views of the nearby countryside.
Despite the hotel is located only a short 15 minutes’ drive from downtown Frankfurt, you will end up in an entirely different world. German geographer, naturalist, and explorer Alexander von Humboldt once praised the Taunus to be the most beautiful low mountain range in the world. Though honestly, I think this might raise the bar a bit too high, the area is without question a fantastic backdrop for a short staycation away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. Alternatively, it would be the perfect start or end when visiting Germany via Frankfurt International Airport.
The hotel – or castle – itself is perched on a hillside within the boundaries of a private, listed historic park that features a beautiful rose garden along with an 18-hole golf course.
What is it like staying at Castel Hotel Kronberg
A stay at Castel Hotel Kronberg feels like a peek inside the world of royalty, but with all the but with all the contemporary luxury you could ask for.
From the outside, the impressive property looks like a blend of a stately manor house and a country hunting hut, mixing grand, classical elegance with rustic, timber-framed charm.
Throughout the property, you still find several original antiques and paintings, including paintings by Rubens, Titian and Gainsborough on the walls and treasures that include Limoges porcelain, gilded Venetian mirrors, antique bronzes and stain-glass windows.
Further hints that you are staying in a royal house come from the culinary side. Take the signature Prince of Hesse cake: a decadent chocolate masterpiece infused with an entire bottle of wine from the family’s own vineyard; or indeed the selection of wines from Prince of Hesse winery located in nearby Rheinhessen wine region.
The hotel not only offers you a luxury escape from busy city life. I loved how engaged and easy-going the staff was. Despite the grand, royal atmosphere, every interaction felt warm and genuine, with the team constantly going above and beyond to make each guest feel uniquely valued.
The rooms and interiors of Castle Hotel Kronberg
The hotel offers various room categories, starting with the Heritage rooms up to the 150 square metres Royal Suite overlooking the extensive park and golf course.
All rooms are individually designed with curated colour schemes, blending 19th-century royal heritage with modern amenities.
I had opted for the Caste Balcony Park View Room, one of the very few rooms with a private – albeit small – balcony, overlooking the manicured garden and golf course. Sadly, the weather was not collaborating (my visit collided with the only two days of cooler temperatures and occasional rain this past August); otherwise, the balcony would have been the perfect place to enjoy breakfast.
The room itself was quite spacious, featuring a comfortable bed, a small seating area, and plenty of storage space, a welcome surprise for a hotel room. The modern, spacious bathroom was stocked with Molton Brown toiletries.
Thanks to my SLH (Small Luxury Hotels of the World) membership, I was treated to a complimentary minibar, free bottled water, and a generous welcome gift consisting of a bottle of Prince of Hesse white wine, macarons, fresh fruit, and a slice of melt-in-the-mouth Prinz von Hesse cake.
While the estate features two distinct dining venues and frequent private celebrations—such as the two weddings hosted during my two-day stay—it lacks an integrated, full-scale pool or spa area. For those considering a morning swim and/or spa treatments a necessity, this is the hotels only true downside. To make up for it, the hotel offers free transfer and entrance to a nearby day spa and fitness centre.
Dining at Castle Hotel Kronberg
First things first. You will want to head to the large outdoor terrace (during summer) or cozy down in the historic private library of Empress Victoria when the weather is not for outdoors to have afternoon tea or enjoy an innovative spritz cocktail (the lavender spritz was a personal favourite. You can also order snacks or the signature Prinz of Hesse cake here too.
Next, you will want to stop for a pre-dinner cocktail at Frederick’s Bar. The beautiful, intimate bar inside the castle features an extensive cocktail menu spanning from the classics to innovative twists, along with creative non-alcoholic alternatives.
Gourmet food is clearly one of the perks of the property. Home to two restaurants, the gourmet restaurant Enrico d’Assia during the summer months and fine-dining Schlossrestaurant Victoria, open from September through May. Both are overseen by head chef Christoph Hesse.
Visiting during the summer period, we enjoyed the excellent classic Italian and German dishes served at Enrico d’Assia. The restaurant is named after Heinrich Prinz von Hessen – who is commonly known under his Italian artist’s name Enrico d’Assia.
During the summer months, deliciously filled picnic basket with regional cheeses, meats, bread, and wine are waiting for visitors keen to wander into the surrounding park and rose garden for a light lunch.
Meanwhile, the Michelin-starred Castle Restaurant Victoria was not on the cards as it remains closed during the summer months – which I take as a sign to return during the upcoming Advent season when the hotel offers a series of special festive events like a fondue evening at the pop-up winter cottage.
The restaurant serves lunch and dinner from Wednesday through Sunday, with multi-course seasonal menus. Reservations are strongly recommended, considering the restaurant is open to the wider public and popular with local guests. From the reviews, it still is as superb as I remember from my last visit – though of course there’s a new chef and food trends have clearly moved on. So, my own verdict will have to wait.
Breakfast was a highlight, with a well assembled buffet that gets the day staring with a selection ranging from fresh bread to pastries, jams and marmalades, cold cuts, salmon, cheeses, muesli and yoghurt. In addition, a separate eggs menu includes eggs all styles, eggs benedict, pancakes, waffles, and omelettes freshly prepared in the kitchen.
The best things to do in the neighbourhood of Castel Hotel Kronberg
The hotel is a great place to relax and get pampered but if you are looking for other activities, the Taunus area offers plenty of opportunities.
The small historic core of Kronberg is a leisurely 15 minutes’ walk away. Think small, cobble-stoned alleys lined by half-timbered houses. The 12th century medieval Kronberg Castle – not to be confounded with the hotel – towers above this historic core. It is open to visitors from the end of March through to the end of November from Wednesday to Sunday.
Other nearby small historic towns worth exploring include Königstein, where you will also find the oldest castle ruin in Hesse, Castle Königstein along with and nearby Falkenstein Castle ruins.
Also nearby is Bad Homburg, a historic spa town with Bad Homburg Castle and its elaborate garden, the Kurpark (spa park), a historic English landscape park originally designed in 1854 by the renowned Prussian landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné. The park features wide open lawns, winding pathways, picturesque water fountains, the Orangery, and the small Russian Orthodox All Saints’ Church. The park also hosts Europe’s oldest tennis court (dating to 1876), a golf course, and mini-golf course.
A short drive away, UNESCO World Heritage Roman fort Saalburg is a fully reconstructed Roman fort located along the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes. The site was originally built around 90 AD as a small wood-and-earth fort to guard a strategic pass across the Taunus mountains. Later it expanded into a stone army fort housing roughly 500 to 600 Roman soldiers. Abandoned around 260 AD it slowly fell into ruins in the following centuries. It was reconstructed by order of Emperor Wilhelm II between 1897 and 1907, and today is the world’s most completely restored Roman Limes fort.
Meanwhile, the city of Frankfurt with its own historic core around the Römerberg is indeed just a short 15 to 20 minutes’ drive away.
In addition, Opel Zoo, a 27-hectare landscape zoo Founded in 1956 by industrialist and zoologist Georg von Opel is nestled between the towns of Kronberg and Königstein. It was designed featuring near-natural enclosures with minimal visible barriers to allow the animals to live in social groups. Today, the zoo is home to over 1,600 animals from more then 220 species from Africa, Asia and Europe.
And finally, for nature lovers the Taunus Mountains offer an extensive network of hiking and biking routes.
Is Castle Hotel Kronberg worth a stay
Yes, it is!
If you are searching for a quite luxury retreat to escape the hustle and bustle of the Frankfurt area, Schlosshotel Kronberg should be on your radar. The historic property, tucked away at the foot of the Taunus mountains, surrounded by lush forests, is a hidden gem if you are seeking relaxation, love hiking/biking, golfing, and getting spoiled with delicious food.
