A different kind of overnight stay

An entire mountain village has been built in Schmallenberg in the Sauerland: LiebesGrün, arguably the northernmost mountain village in the German-speaking world, is just the ticket for anyone seeking true peace and relaxation – cars are strictly forbidden here. Handcarts or a free luggage transport service are available for your bags. When it comes to accommodation, guests are spoilt for choice: sleep in one of the comfortable mountain huts, which boast their own spa area, or perhaps in a Native American tepee? In winter, there’s an added bonus: a cosy, warm stove and a private ski lift that starts right outside the hut door.

Nestled in the heart of the Eifel National Park, in the small village of Rurberg on Lake Rur, lie the m.lab relax houses – a special haven of well-being for anyone who values nature and comfort in equal measure. These holiday homes, built from solid timber, combine timeless design with a healthy indoor climate and light-filled rooms where you can breathe a sigh of relief straight away. Accessible suites, high-quality, eco-friendly materials and a clean, well-thought-out design ensure a comfortable stay.

Here you’ll find space for peace, a slower pace and genuine relaxation. And your adventure in nature begins right on your doorstep: whether on foot or by bike – the varied landscape of the Eifel National Park invites you to explore. A retreat where a connection with nature and well-being become one.

Also in the Eifel, the International Vogelsang IP naturally offers lovely accommodation options: Small cottages for two to four people, featuring panoramic windows, a Finnish sauna and a fireplace, offer an undisturbed winter idyll in the heart of the Eifel National Park – and serve as a base for walkers who are, for example, on the Eifelsteig trail and wish to visit the former Nazi Ordensburg and its exhibition.

The Panarbora Nature Discovery Park in Waldbröl, in the Bergisches Land, offers a unique experience of nature and accommodation: here, visitors can spend the night in tree houses. However, those who are afraid of heights can also opt for African huts, Asian yurts and South American stilt houses. And the next day, a stroll along the 1.6-kilometre-long, accessible treetop walk with its 40-metre-high observation tower is a must.

There are a total of 22 tree houses at the Hotel Fire & Ice in SnowWorld Neuss. They feature a large terrace and boast unique highlights such as an outdoor hot tub, a sauna or a slide leading into the woods. Right next door are various attractions, such as a climbing park, the unique FunFußball facility and a cosy beer garden.

Situated right on the shores of the Diersfordter Waldsee in Wesel are houseboats offering guests a unique view of the diverse flora and fauna. In keeping with this, they have been christened ‘Cormorant’, ‘Common Tern’ and ‘Kingfisher’. Some boats even have a Finnish sauna with a large panoramic window overlooking the lake. Volker Dingebauer is the owner of the houseboats. DeinNRW visited the houseboat owner and dairy farmer at his natural gem on the Lower Rhine.

Is this Sweden or North Rhine-Westphalia? Nature lovers can experience that Nordic holiday feel in the Nils, Clara, Michel and Nele tree houses on Lake Sorpe in the Sauerland. The treehouses are situated right on the lakeshore, giving guests a magnificent view of the water. Treehouse guests can take their own canoes out for a paddle across the lake at any time.

White steam rises, the rumble of engines in the background, and a revolutionary flying machine shoots into the sky – in the world of Rookburgh at Phantasialand, the pulse of progress is ever-present. And anyone who wants to experience this world beyond their own imagination, both by day and by night, can stay in an aviator’s cabin at the Hotel Charles Lindbergh. Right in the heart of the themed world. And very close to the sky-bound thrill-seekers on the Flying Launch Coaster F.L.Y. It’s enough to make your heart race with a thirst for adventure.

In Xanten, on the Lower Rhine, visitors can stay overnight in the historic city gate, the Klever Tor. The 14th-century building links the historic old town, with its cosy cafés and quirky shops, to the town’s green belt – an ideal starting point for shopping trips and outings into the countryside.

The two holiday flats at the Tecklenburg Waterworks are both historic and ultra-modern. Behind the 100-year-old sandstone walls of the former waterworks lie two comfortably furnished lofts that combine designer pieces with industrial charm. High ceilings, large windows and eye-catching features in the bathroom and living area make a break in the Münsterland region a wonderfully unique experience. For example, in one flat, the kitchen and dining table are crafted from historic workbenches, whilst in the other, a bathroom featuring a freestanding bath is a real centrepiece. 

At the V-Hotel in the heart of Bonn, visitors can spend a night on the outskirts of the city whilst being surrounded by nature. In three cosy Swiss stone pine tree houses named ‘Rotkäppchen’, ‘Rostlaube’ and ‘Waldgeist’, birds and squirrels are the only neighbours. But anyone thinking of the wooden huts from their childhood is mistaken: the four-metre-high treehouses measure 20 square metres, are equipped with a bathroom and a balcony, and stand in the heart of the Kottenforster municipal forest. Breakfast features fruit and eggs from the local area, as sustainability plays an important role at this family-run accommodation.

Right next to the Ringelsteiner Forest, nature lovers can spend the night in a listed railway building. The Ringelstein signal box, built in 1941 and decommissioned as early as 1962, can accommodate two to three people. Adjacent walking and cycling routes, such as the Almeradweg, lead straight into the countryside. Simply romantic – a holiday flat right next to the tracks!

North Rhine-Westphalia’s highest hotel is situated in the Sauerland, or more precisely on the Kahlen Asten. Standing at 841 metres plus four storeys above sea level, the hotel bears the lovely name ‘So Close to Heaven’. This mountain inn offers guests peace and relaxation high above the treetops of the Sauerland.