Gone are the days when hotels in cities seemed like foreign bodies. Today, they no longer see themselves only as a place to stay overnight for out-of-town guests, but as lively meeting places in the middle of the city. Bars and restaurants inspire both locals and travelers.
Managing Director Roland Duerr sums it up with his guiding principle: “The Rosewood is primarily there for the people of Munich,” he says during the on-site visit. “The sense of place is very important to us. We want to be connected to the community and the regional culture.” There are plenty of them: During our conversation, we look at listed façades, behind which offices, shops, hotels and restaurants are hidden. Between Marienplatz, Hofgarten and Stachus, it has always been about combining tradition with ideas. In the midst of this environment, the first hotel of the Rosewood Hotel & Resorts in Germany has opened. The renowned hotel group was founded in 1979 and is now led by CEO Sonia Cheng from Hong Kong. There are around 30 hotels of the brand worldwide, and now Europe is on the expansion plan. Last year, a luxury hotel was opened in St. Peter’s Square in Vienna, with further openings in Amsterdam, Fuschl Castle, Rome, Venice, London and Milan imminent.
In Munich, the hotel with 73 rooms and 59 suites was built behind historic facades in two interconnected buildings in keeping with the old town. The magnificent neo-baroque building of the former Bavarian State Bank in Kardinal-Faulhaber-Straße was built in 1893 by the architect Albert Schmidt and later extended. After being damaged during the Second World War, the interior of the building had to be redesigned. From 2000 to 2005 it was gutted and completely renovated. The neighbouring Palais Neuhaus-Preysing is attributed to the Munich master builder François de Cuvilliés and his circle. At the beginning of the 18th century, it was a noble residence, later it was acquired by the State Bank. Bayerische Hausbau built the modern hotel behind the neo-baroque and rococo elements. It’s no wonder that Rosewood Munich’s motto is: “A blend of historic splendor and modern luxury”.
If you leave the Rosewood, you will find the exquisite city quarter Fünf Höfe and other shops just around the corner that invite you to take a stroll. Roland Duerr strives for good neighbourly cooperation. A few meters he was a guest of Ruth Gombert at SOIS BLESSED, and the other small shops and galleries. In addition, there are other luxury hotels within walking distance: directly opposite the Platzhirsch, the Bayerischer Hof, which opened in 1841, not far away the Kempinski Vier Jahreszeiten and the Mandarin Oriental Munich. The famous Brenner restaurant, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, is also close by, as is the Bavarian State Opera. But the stay at the Rosewood is also worth it. From here, the history of Munich can be explored from your room, for example with a view of the Frauenkirche. For special occasions, five “Signature Suites” with up to 400 square meters are available. There are also six function rooms, from ballrooms to small salons, for events of all kinds.
Managing Director Roland Duerr has been in Munich for almost a year. He prepared the opening and put together the teams of around 200 employees. Born in Germany, he has been working for Rosewood for over ten years, initially as hotel manager at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York. From 2016 to 2022, he served as Managing Director at Rosewood in Abu Dhabi. Prior to that, he worked at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, the Four Seasons Hotel Berlin (now Regent) and the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Now his place of work is thousands of kilometres away from the United Arab Emirates in the middle of the Bavarian capital. The hotel was built in collaboration with the Munich-based architectural firm Hilmer Sattler Architekten. For her first project in Germany, London-based interior designer Tara Bernerd took on the task of creating a symbiosis of history and contemporary elements. “With her experience, she brings the spirit of Rosewood to the Bavarian metropolis,” Duerr emphasizes. “It transports the building’s historical past into the modern present.”
But the hotel doesn’t want to be a museum, but a lively meeting place. In addition, Roland Duerr and his team play with the many traditions. For example, Bar Montez is named after the fun-loving Irish dancer Lola Montez, who became the mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The bar offers plenty of space and has its own entrance on the corner of Prannerstraße. Among other things, the king gave Lola Montez a palace in the nearby Barer Strasse as a residence. In 1847 she was naturalized and raised to the rank of Countess of Landsfeld. However, Montez was not very popular with the population. She caused a scandal when she went through Munich smoking her Great Dane Turk cigar. Eventually, she had to flee. Of course, this should not happen to the guests of the bar. That’s why there are exceptional drinks, carefully selected vintages and liqueurs as well as delicious snacks. The live music program is intended to make Bar Montez a popular meeting place for music lovers.
The Rosewood Munich’s restaurant, “Heinrich’s”, also has a special story to tell. It is named after Heinrich Heine, one of the most famous German poets and writers of the 19th century. Heine had a close connection to the city of Munich and spent several years of his life there. The restaurant offers a modern interpretation of Bavarian cuisine and places great emphasis on regional and seasonal ingredients. Guests can enjoy traditional dishes, but also taste the chef’s innovative creations. In addition to dining options, Rosewood Munich also offers a spa area with a gym, swimming pool and various spa services. Here guests can relax and be pampered.
The Rosewood Munich wants to be a place of encounter and exchange. It should not only be a hotel for travelers, but also a place where the people of Munich meet and feel comfortable. Managing Director Roland Duerr is proud of the new hotel and is looking forward to finally welcoming guests from all over the world. He is convinced that the Rosewood Munich will occupy a unique position in the Munich hotel landscape and will quickly develop into a popular meeting place. With its combination of historic charm and modern luxury, Rosewood Munich is a place where tradition and innovation combine to create a unique atmosphere.
Editor’s Pick:
