Landhotel Zur Grünen Kutte | Dermbach

Above the green stable door, red letters spell the word "saloon"; inside, the walls are decorated with pictures of various horses. Only a few steps away, six examples of the real thing are tied to a covered stand, and are being groomed and prepared for today's horse riding day trip. The smell of fresh hay and excited anticipation is in the air. "Twenty-five horses live on our ranch," explains Mandy Heidinger. She runs the hotel Hotel Zur Grünen Kutte in Bernshausen together with her parents, Gundi and Lutz Heidinger. 

Cheerful hosts at the hotel Zur Grünen Kutte: The Heidinger family, including their own offspring. ©Carlo Bansini, Thüringer Tourismus GmbH

A hundred and twenty people live in the small village in the Rhön. Mandy's great-great-grandfather built a hotel in its centre in 1864 that is still open for business to this day. What is so special about the hotel "Zur Grünen Kutte": As a guest staying at this hotel, you can not only spend your holidays in the country here and go on the most wonderful discovery and hiking tours in the low mountain range, which extends over around 1,500 square metres, but also explore the surrounding area on horseback – thanks to the Stockborn Ranch, which belongs to the hotel. "Many of our guests have never been on a horse before but have always wanted to make this dream come true," says Mandy. At the hotel "Zur Grünen Kutte", the guests, whether they're children, teenagers or adults, are given the opportunity of doing just that. "A real bonus is that our guests don't ride in an indoor arena. Right from day one, they ride through the countryside with their riding group." When the guests then return to the historic half-timbered building in the afternoons exhausted, but with happy faces and cheeks reddened by the excitement, they are made to feel extremely welcome in this family-run hotel. 

The Stockborn Ranch, which also belongs to the hotel, offers a real Wild West atmosphere, as well as Western-style horseback riding – on 25 horses. ©Christiane Würtenberger, cmr

Light wooden furniture and room ceilings, soft fitted carpets and fabrics in warm colours create a cosy ambience. The atmosphere is just as comfortable in the guest lounge with checked curtains on the windows and antique shade lamps hanging from the ceiling that create a cosy lighting mood, making it the perfect place to finish the day. "We ourselves spend more time in the guest lounge than in our own living room," says Mandy, laughing. Even as a small girl, she already spent a lot of time at the family's usual table. The same now goes for her own three children.  The holiday home on the opposite side of the street is particularly popular with guests who come as a family.

The "Rhöner Sternenwagen" is parked in the grounds of the ranch. You can also spend the night here – and admire the starry sky above the Rhön through the glazed skylight. ©Robert Wolf, Lutz Heidinger

The farmhouse is over 300 years old and was purchased by the Heidinger family in 1995 as an addition to their hotel, and lovingly restored. Today, a total of six guests can sleep in its three bedrooms; there's also an additional holiday apartment in the old building with views of the small inner courtyard and the green meadows and woods behind it. A small, hidden lake called Bernshäuser Kutte is nestled in this peaceful countryside. This sinkhole pond is host Mandy's favourite spot. A long time ago, the ground collapsed here due to subterranean salt leaching. Water gradually filled the resulting circular funnel. The smooth surface of the lake is framed by a dense band of green deciduous trees, as if it were a precious jewel. "This place is a truly reinvigorating spot and a real insider tip," says Mandy with a smile in her voice. Naming a hotel after this peaceful small lake, the "Grüne Kutte" ('green cowl'), was therefore the obvious thing to do.

 

TIPS FOR UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES IN THE REGION

Stargazing

The Rhön is considered to be one of the world's eight best places for stargazing. Staying up until late into the night is worth it. Here, stargazing on a clear night is a truly amazing experience.

mORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE Sternenpark

Headerfoto: ©Christiane Würtenberger, cmr

Foto Infobox: ©Oliver Eisenmann, Rhön GmbH