Hotel Chalet am Kiental

SPONSORED STORY Jürgen Lehn loves great food, art and design, stimulating encounters and Lake Ammersee. And so how better to combine these preferences than with an exclusive country hotel in Herrsching? When he was offered the chance to snap up the stunningly developed “Sixtnhof” in 2006, there was no doubt. He had to have it. “Farms like this are hardly ever preserved, because in the past, people had no idea just how idiosyncratically beautiful they were,” says Jürgen Lehn, who immediately fell for the farmhouse’s no-frills, classically elegant style, which was built in 1786. Back in the day, the building style was simple but solid. The chalet’s stone walls are seventy centimetres thick.

Herb Chamber or Hunting Room?

The fact that an acquaintance also sold him his extensive art collection from Russia now contributes to the fact that each of the ten spacious, brightly lit rooms reflects a different personality. “We don’t enjoy front-row seating at the lake, so we choose to offer something special: our guests can feel like they are with friends that boast very different tastes,” says Jürgen Lehn.

Friends – unlike relatives – can be chosen, so regulars often ask for “their” room. Romantics tend to go for the lovely “Rose Room”, while the rustic “Kräuterkammer” (Herb Room) has a down-to-earth feel, the colourful “Grain Room” could have been furnished by a fun-loving girlfriend, and in the “Jagdzimmer” (Hunting Room), you feel as if you were staying with a forest owner.

A Soundtrack – Brought to You by the Host

Fine natural materials, wooden flooring, great bathrooms and a wellness area are all a matter of course when moving in the upper echelons of overnight accommodation. Jürgen Lehn also appreciates the little things, as these can have a major effect. This includes the lounge music in the background. It goes without saying that he compiles the soundtracks himself. Or perhaps a fine fragrance that gently envelopes a guest as soon as they arrive.

Above all, however, art is a matter close to his heart. “My wife always gives me a ticking off when I walk through the corridors carrying pictures yet again,” Jürgen Lehn confesses with a joke, “I rehang frequently, exchange one work for another in my collection, and I really enjoy getting into a room’s new atmosphere.”

A Soft Spot for Lifestyle

Jürgen Lehn suspects that his love of good hotels developed in his childhood. “We were not wealthy, but nevertheless, our parents showed my two siblings and me the world. We travelled a lot, mainly in Italy, France and Switzerland. Aside from the associated sights and museums, my father always wanted to see the inside of the best hotels, and so we’d stick our noses in and marvel.”

No wonder Jürgen Lehn actually went on to find his professional fulfilment in the hotel business. Before becoming self-employed, he headed the Banquet and Gastronomy Division at the “Bayerischer Hof” in Munich for 13 years as a member of the management team. However, by his own assessment, he still can’t cook: “It’s just about enough for fried potatoes and meatballs. I set high standards, including for myself. And so, at our house, my wife cooks, or we get to pick a great restaurant.”

Plates Like Works of Art

Chef Hyusein Huseinov’s authentic country cuisine is exactly to the taste of the hotel’s guests, as well as that of many enthusiastic restaurant critics, by all accounts. Husseinov’s plates look like works of art; the Chalet’s truly unique menu, for example, combines pike-perch with spicy Spanish chorizo and saffron. The food is served in three small dining rooms, creating an almost private atmosphere.

Maria Lehn prepares breakfast herself with tremendous finesse. “We think it lacks charm to make guests pick up food from the buffet, so we’ve opted for a more elaborate yet beautiful option,” she says, serving fine canapés on a silver étagère.

Ascent to the Holy Mountain

Fruit salad, muesli and a selection of little extras arrive at the table in tiny glasses, eggs are prepared à la carte, and a glass of champagne rounds off the start to a wonderful day – be it at the lake or on the golf course. Many guests naturally tackle the short climb to the legendary “Holy Mountain”, home to the Andechs Monastery, or enjoy the serene atmosphere along the roughly ten-kilometre-long lakeside promenade on the eastern shore of Lake Ammersee.

After a fulfilling day, hosts Maria and Jürgen Lehn retire almost every evening to their jetty, which leads out a few metres onto Lake Ammersee.  The reeds rustle, the ducks quack, and the water glistens. Sometimes, they make sure to take a gin and tonic and some nibbles with them. That’s all the two of them need to know that they have done everything right.