Hotel check: Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel
TESTED BY Dan Booth
HOW MANY ROOMS? 85 guestrooms and 21 suites
PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS Two centuries of history, a reserved traditional elegance and a flair for service.
PRICE A mid-week stay in September starts at €495 ($593) with complimentary Internet.
CONTACT Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel, Königsallee 11, 40212 Düsseldorf, Germany +49 211 160 900, capellahotels.com
VERDICT The Breidenbacher Hof has plenty of history and a traditional feel. But make no mistake – it’s fresh and stylish, as much a luxury experience as it is a hotel, with staff that positively shines with gracious service.
BACKGROUND: There has been a Breidenbacher Hof on this spot in Dusseldorf for over 200 years. Practically from the beginning it built a long-standing reputation as a luxury hotel of the highest caliber, and today’s iteration – one of the Capella Hotels and Resorts properties around the world – does not disappoint.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? Although the name is over two centuries old, the current Breidenbacher Hof is actually a new build opened in 2008, so nothing about this modern property is in any way musty or out of date. Notwithstanding, considerable care has been taken to preserve a sense of heritage and traditional elegance, from the front desk (yes, a real front desk) and the sweeping grand staircase, to the guests-only living room, a large exclusive common room with overstuffed furniture and a cozy fireplace, accessible with your key card.
WHERE IS IT? The hotel is located at the north end of Königsallee, a beautiful linear park with a canal that runs down the middle. Known by the locals simple as Kö, the area features some of the finest upscale shopping anywhere in Germany and it’s the gateway to the Altstadt (Old Town) with its collection of craft breweries and beyond that to the banks of the Rhine.
ROOM FACILITIES If you like hotel rooms that are elegantly appointed with traditional touches throughout (and I do), you would love my Capella Suite at the Breidenbacher Hof. When I walked in I was greeted by strains of Beethoven playing softly on the in-room entertainment system. The desk and its surrounding bookshelves were dark mahogany and the floor to ceiling windows opened up on the Old Town below. The separate bedroom was of equal size and the bathroom almost as large. There are other little details, like touch controls for the lighting located in all the right places to fade the lights gradually instead of abruptly switching them on and off.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS The main restaurant is named Brasserie 1806, a nod to the year when Wilhelm Breidenbach first conceived of a luxury hotel on this spot. The spacious dining room overlooks the Old Town, and the menu under head chef Philipp Ferber features an eclectic mix of traditional regional dishes and French cuisine. The breakfast buffet included with the room rate was varied and generous. For lighter fare, the Lobby Lounge also offers all-day dining plus a classic Afternoon English Tea. To wrap up the day, the award winning Capella Bar and Cigar Lounge serves up signature cocktails and 124 different Cuban and Dominican cigars.
MEETING FACILITIES The hotel has four intimate meeting rooms that range from 300 to 750 square feet. For larger scale events, the restaurant and lounge areas – and even the entire first floor – can be booked.
LEISURE FACILITIES The Breidenbacher Hof’s spa has an indoor pool, two Finnish saunas and a steam bath. The 24-hour fitness room offers Technogym equipment and fitness coaches available for classes or individual training. In addition the hotel is home to Parfumerie Schnitzler which presents its own custom-crafted spa experiences. And true to its reputation of exclusivity, the hotel also has a direct connection through a passageway to two of Dusseldorf’s premier private health clinics.
