Literature Hotel

A graphic artist who also writes is someone who does not change the ink.”  (Günter Grass)

This room reflects unique charm of the historical building. It has high ceilings with wooden floors and lots of lovingly designed details.

One of the most important citizens of Lübeck in the recent past was the literary Nobel Prize Laureate Günter Grass. During his lifetime, Mr Grass was a frequent guest of the hotel and personally chose the most beautiful and largest room in the Klassik Altstadt Hotel to be named after him. His works as well as his ideas are displayed in this Maisonette Suite. The suite contains countless paintings and text-lines from his famous books. The historic windows, which go from the wooden panelled floor to the ceiling, allow the sunlight to flood the room, providing inspiration and relaxation. The Barrington armchair, with its footstool alongside a comfortable sofa, adds a stunning focal point to this room. It also provides a relaxing spot to settle down with a book, enjoy a cup of tea, or just to watch a bit of TV on a Sunday afternoon. There is a small fridge and a tea maker alongside a Nespresso coffee machine to make you feel at home.

It´s easy to imagine Mr Grass sitting in front of the fireplace enjoying a glass of his favourite Beaujolais whilst writing the script to his latest novel. We offer you these traditional red wines to taste for yourself. The labels of the bottles were decorated by Mr Grass himself with his own artistic designed emblems.

After a day spent exploring streets and squares, there is nothing like soaking in a free-standing bathtub or refreshing oneself under a rain shower. In the Günter Grass-Suite, you will appreciate this contemporary spacious bathroom with its natural texture on the tiles giving it a subtle Zen feel.

A comfortable king-size box-spring bed invites you to dream and relax in peace and quiet in the heart of the historic town of Lübeck. There is plenty of room for your belongings in the walk-in wardrobe. A white, elegant spiral staircase leads to a mezzanine with a queen-size bed. Enjoy the bird’s eye view over the rooftops of Lübeck through a porthole. Also look over the roofs towards the majestic gothic St. Mary´s Church (St. Marien-Kirche). It has always been a symbol of the power and prosperity of the old Hanseatic city, and is situated at the highest point of the island that forms the old town of Lübeck. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the old Hanseatic City of Lübeck.

Heinrich Mann always stood in the shadow of his younger brother Thomas. Nevertheless, he was actually the more interesting of the two brothers. We have also dedicated this beautiful deluxe double room to him. This spacious, high ceiling room allows space for a desk and a small seating area. Through the large windows a lot of light falls into the bright and lovingly furnished room during the day. For families travelling with little ones the comfortable sofa-bed provides sleeping for 2 children. There is of course a comfortable box-spring double bed and a tea/coffeemaker to make yourself feel at home. Since Heinrich Mann loved going to the theatre, which is just across from the hotel, this room has some relics from this time.

The luxurious bathroom with fragrant toiletries, offers a rainforest shower and a free standing bathtub. If this feels like home, it’s because we’ve specifically chosen the furniture and materials with your comfort in mind.

Johann Friedrich Overbeck was a German painter, draftsman and illustrator born in Lübeck. The Overbeck Society of Artists was founded in his name and delights modern art lovers with its many exhibitions in Lübeck.

To honour this outstanding artist, the second deluxe double room on the third floor has been dedicated to him. This room is extremely cosy, furnished with a romantic, classical interior, antique desk and a box-spring double bed. There is of course a little seating area, where you can relax, put on the tea maker and watch TV or read some literature about the famous artist and his family.

There is a walk-in wardrobe that provides plenty of storage. The sunlit spacious bathroom, with an open shower as well as a comfortable and spacious bathtub, allows you to get a good fresh start to the day or helps you unwind in the evening.

If one thinks of famous personalities from Lübeck, the family “Mann” immediately come to mind. The most famous of the family was Thomas Mann, who became known for his novel “Buddenbrooks”. Naturally we have dedicated one of our historical double rooms for the Nobel Laureate of Literature in our hotel. Since he also mentioned the “Fischergrube” as his Senator Merchants House in his novel, the Thomas Mann room is facing just this same quiet, charming little side- street.

This room reflects the simple and unique charm of our historical building, high ceilings, handwoven wool carpets with lovely antique style mahogany furniture. It is the perfect setting, that mirrors the period that this noble prize winning author lived in and wrote about. This charming room, may inspire you to read the Buddenbrooks by the light of the antique bed lamp.

Even though we take great care to maintain the historic characteristics of this traditional heritage building, we ensure our guests all the comforts of the present day. There is a modern bathroom with a shower as well as a separate toilet.

Ida Boy-Ed wrote more than 70 novels and narrative volumes and influenced the cultural life of Lübeck with her Literature Salon. She was a sponsor of the young Thomas Mann. Her private literary events, with internationally known authors were supposedly responsible for Thomas Mann’s novel Buddenbrooks becoming famous throughout the world and eventually allowing him to be awarded with the Nobel Prize in Stockholm in 1901. We are proud to be able to contribute to sustaining her memory by dedicating to her this pretty room on the third floor.

This room is extremely quiet, since it is located overlooking the courtyard behind the hotel. From here you have a charming view over the rooftops of Lübeck’s little merchant houses. The two comfortable mahogany armchairs, in Louis XVI style, invite you to read a book and enjoy a cup of tea. The bathroom is of course in a modern classical style.

The room on the first floor of the building unites two famous members of Lübeck. In 1705, Johann Sebastian Bach travelled more than 400 kilometres from Arnstadt (Thuringia) to Lübeck, to listen and take lessons from his musical role model Buxtehude. The deep friendship that united the two famous composers is illustrated in their mutual letters and texts. These are available to read in this quiet room facing the side street Schwöneckenquerstrasse. The comfortable box-spring double bed is a wonderful place to relax and listen to music from Bach or Buxtehude. Alternatively, the sunlit room inspires one to sit in the wide and comfortable armchairs of the room and to enjoy a warm cup of tea, and indulge in a piece of the famous Lübeck marzipan. Despite being a listed building, the bathroom is designed to meet modern necessities. In contrast to the historic bedroom, the recently renovated bathroom with toilet, shower and sink is very modern. There are also small details such as a hairdryer and toiletries.

Franziska Countess of Reventlow grew up in a Prussian aristocratic family. She wrote many of her books about her strict education, as a woman of the nobility, and how she opposed it. The time line of her life and some of her texts decorate the classic walls of this double room. The room offers many comforts that any countess would enjoy. For example the window directed towards the courtyard, so nothing disturbs ones peaceful sleep in the comfortable double bed. There is also a massive and spacious wardrobe in the room, which easily accommodates all your belongings. Make yourself comfortable on one of the antique style armchairs, enjoy a piece of marzipan which is provided for your enjoyment and read a novel by the Countess of Reventlow in the glow of the antique lamp.

The bathroom adjoins the rest of the room and provides a contemporary touch with modern comforts. So expect a wonderful shower to make you fit for the day.

Like all the double rooms in the Klassik Altstadt Hotel, the Erich Mühsam room is also dedicated to a Lübeck personality. Erich Mühsam was born in Berlin but received his school education in Lübeck, where he quickly showed his love for writing. Some excerpts of his texts decorate the bedroom walls. The comfortable bed forms the centre of the room and the large window overlooks the Fischergrube. The French style mahogany wardrobe harmonizes with the cosy seating corner in the room.

Behind a modern white door is the bathroom, it contains a toilet stylish designer washbasin and a shower, to help you to get a great start in the day.

After the writer brothers Mann and Chancellor Willy Brandt comes poet Emanuel Geibel, the fourth son of  Lübeck.  Some of his famous verses adorn the walls of the double room on the second floor. Through the entrance of the room you see a small gallery, then down a short light coloured wooden staircase you enter your bedroom where you are awaited by an antique desk in case you want to write down a few lyrical verses in the bright glow of the desk lamp. But even the best poet needs a good night’s sleep and with that in mind we have provided an elegant and comfortable double bed with a soft blanket and a mattress that gives your body the perfect support. The seat corner invites you to a lovely and cosy British tea time and also enjoy a piece of Lübeck marzipan.

The ensuite bathroom meets all modern amenities.

The German philosopher Dorothea Schlözer was born in Göttingen, but lived after her marriage in Lübeck, where she created the “enlightened salon”.

Dorothea von Rodde-Schlözer (18 August 1770 – 12 July 1825) was a German scholar and the first woman to receive a doctor of philosophy degree in Germany.

At the Lübecker Salon, guests such as leaders in society, art and politics would assemble in private rooms to debate about cultural issues of national importance.

In the Dorothea Schlözer Room, the walls are decorated with text and pictures that give interesting insights into the life of the “Salonniere”. It’s a quiet cosy little double room, overlooking the courtyard, with a large wardrobe, a comfortable seating area and a desk in the classic-romantic style. The box-spring bed and the location to the quiet courtyard invite you to relax.

The modern bathroom with shower and toilet contains generous storage areas and a large mirror.

More than 100 years later, the Willy Brandt room pays tribute to one of its most famous citizens, and describes his early years in Lübeck. Reflecting the buildings history, the room has large windows, which allows daylight to flood into the room. The interior is decorated with typical Hanseatic flair. A tea maker in the room invites you to a cup of Lübeck tea, which you may enjoy with a small piece of marzipan in the cosy armchairs. Although you are in the middle of the historic old town, the Willy Brandt room is facing a quiet side street. Resting in the comfortable box-spring bed, your peaceful sleep is guaranteed.

The bathroom was freshly renovated in a modern classic style. A pleasant rain shower ensures for a good start in the day.