Between the late Middle Ages and the 30 years war, there are dark stories to be told of the Hugenpoet castles; stories of riots, feuds and marauding. The only information which has survived until today are the names of the builders and of the first owners – the von Nesselrodes, called Hugenpoet. The castle was completely destroyed after the 30 years war and rebuilt in 1647 by Johann William of Nesselrode Hugenpoet in its current form – over 350 years of history welcomes the guests today.

Schloss Hugenpoet remained in the ownership of the family Nesselrode Hugenpoet for nearly 200 years; in 1831, Baron Friedrich Leopold von Fürstenberg took over the rundown castle and put money towards repairs and restorations. The Fürstenberg family moved to the Schloss Hugenpoet, where they stayed until 1955. The idea to transform the castle into a hotel initially came from this family – an idea which was met with enthusiasm by the Düsseldorf Hotelier Kurt Neumann, and put into practice along with a necessary financial investment: thus began what is now known as the ‘third life’, or the ‘civil life’, of the castle. Over the years, father and son Neumann transformed the castle Hugenpoet into one of the most beautiful castle hotels in Germany with an international reputation.

Since 1995, the fate of the Schlosshotel Hugenpoet has been in the hands of Michael and Petra Lübbert. Like the previous owners, they feel a very personal attachment to the castle, and they take pleasure in being able to give their guests the opportunity to experience the historical atmosphere for themselves. In order to secure the position of the castle as one of the principal hotels of Germany on a long-term basis, however, larger investments were essential: the room capacity was extended, the HUGENPÖTTCHEN restaurant was built in the former Remise, and the castle was given an easier, up-to-date ambience. March 2007 saw the opening of the hotel bar, BARONIE, to complement the gourmet restaurant NESSELRODE, and, of course, modern technology has been introduced throughout the castle – carefully concealed cables lie beneath the historical walls. Guests can also now enjoy a stay at the new VILLA TÜRMCHEN.

With the membership of the Leading hotels of the World, the Schlosshotel Hugenpoet has completely arrived in the first league of international hotel trade — an honour, but even more a stimulus for the future.

The moated 17th Century castle situated in the Ruhr Valley has an undeniably enchanting atmosphere. Michael and Petra Lübbert feel a commitment to the traditions of this place, and respect them when considering the future of the castle. Their motto, “Respect Traditions, be Open to Change” values the history of Schlosshotel Hugenpoet, and at the same time builds a bridge between the past and the present. With this in mind, they create an environment in which their guests can work successfully, relax, and live well.

With its 26 rooms and the two restaurants NERO (decorated with a Michelin star) and HUGENPÖTTCHEN, Schloss Hugenpoet is a 5-star hotel with a charming character, and is less than 20 minutes driving away from the fine cities Düsseldorf and Essen and from the Düsseldorf airport.

Today, Schlosshotel Hugenpoet belongs to the Leading Small hotels of the World. It lies in the midst of its own delightful park and amongst the attractive Ruhr meadows. According to the fable, in earlier times the “Hugen“ (toads) would be sitting in their “poet“ (puddle), allegedly waiting to become the Frog King. You will see small toads everywhere; on the collar of the Hotel owner, on the tiepin of the barman, or on the menu of the Hugenpöttchen restaurant.