Hotel Fregehaus

Hotel Fregehaus is probably the only hotel where creaking floorboards and squeaky doors are part of the concept. And why not? After all, it’s one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in Leipzig’s old town, and it’s as it should be. Host Sabine Fuchshuber has a very considered relationship with the past. The trained architect attaches great importance to respecting what has gone before. That’s why in 2014, she converted the 16th century building into a hotel with a great deal of care, and in doing so succeeded in fulfilling a lifelong dream—the building was to remain as it was and retain its historic charm and this it does. With an excellent sense of style, she has created a place in the heart of Leipzig that allows you to experience the traces of time. If you wander around here, history feels omnipresent: Stuccoed ceilings, antique chandeliers, huge paintings, gilded elements such as doorknobs or window handles. But then you also encounter the modern: Eames chairs, lamps and furniture with a stylish industrial design. It’s this rich mix of old and new that gives the Fregehaus Hotel so much atmosphere. Settle down at one of the brass-topped tables, on the velvet-covered seats in the Blue Salon, and it may just make you feel a little bit blue-blooded. You wouldn’t be surprised if Goethe himself were to walk through here with a notebook under his arm. He was one of the famous personalities who frequented the house. Culture vultures will love this place, but the team here are also happy making families and children very welcome too.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The history of the house—it goes back to 1535, when the building was erected; around 1706 it got its baroque style and around 1780 it was acquired by the merchant and namesake Christian Gottlob Frege. A piece of trivia, Campino the frontman of the band Die Toten Hosen is amongst his descendants.
• The considered choices of the hostess—Sabine Fuchshuber has insisted on preserving many details from the past (such as the brick-filled concrete ceiling from GDR days or window frames), in doing so she has established different stylistic elements and has given the hotel its unique character.
• The layout of the building consists of four wings arranged around a rectangular, beautifully designed historic courtyard—the rooms are distributed on three floors around the courtyard.
• The furnishings are made up of many lucky finds, such as the door handles discovered at a flea market.   
• The exquisite regional and seasonal foods and homemade specialties that make up a typical Fregehaus breakfast—eaten on historic Meissen and contemporary Thuringian porcelain.
• The wonderfully comfortable, custom-made beds that make you feel like royalty.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• You can stay here for one night, but also for two weeks or three months.
• The Fregehaus Hotel is in the center of Leipzig—perfect for culture-loving city travelers, as it’s surrounded by stores, studios, bars, cafés, restaurants and galleries.
• The Museum of Fine Arts is directly across the street, about one kilometer away is the Museum of Natural History.
• Leipzig Zoo is a 15-minute walk away.
• Five minutes from the main train station, one minute from the nearest S-Bahn station
• Auerbach’s cellar (surely you’ll see Goethe’s ghost here), the Nikolai church and the Bach museum are close at hand.
• The hotel has already received several awards (Michelin 2019, Varta Guide recommendation 2021)
• A cooperation with Fitness First allows guests to purchase a day pass for only € 10—the studio is three minutes away on foot.
• Sabine Fuchshuber’s team always has tips at the ready, whether about bike rentals or where you absolutely have to eat.
• Children and families are always welcome (breakfast for kids €5, for adults €12)

Photos: Peter Eichler http://www.petereichler.com/