First of two hotels Motel One opens in Bonn

BONN · Hotel chain Motel One has opened its first hotel in Bonn, situated on the road “Berliner Freiheit”. A second Motel One is expected to follow next year, located across from the train station.

For years, the founder of Motel One Hotels, Dieter Müller, had had his eye on Bonn. Now the managing director has found two locations for his hotels. On Wednesday, the first hotel officially opened on "Berliner Freiheit". The second is being built across from the central train station, with an opening planned for 2020.

The first guests are already in the new hotel, standing at the reception with their suitcases on wheels. In the background, lights are flashing and flickering at the bar. If you take a closer look, you will recognize text segments from Beethoven's symphony. Schiller's works were the inspiration for this. Bonn's most famous son left his fingerprint in many places. "Each building has its own theme," explains Ursula Schelle-Müller, wife of the director and responsible for the design and marketing of the current 70 hotels from Motel One. For this Bonn project, she was able to engage Cologne video artist Gudrun Barenbrock.

With a love of detail, they successfully implemented the Beethoven theme. "I work with a lot with musicians, but not with dead ones," says Barenbrock with a smile. For them, the design was a challenge and an opportunity to present video art outside of an art space.

Four million euros invested

In any case, Ludwig van Beethoven definitely has a presence in the lobby. His symphonies can be listened to via headphones - without the other visitors noticing. Despite this thematic implementation, the Motel One at “Berliner Freiheit” is in line with the other buildings in terms of both architecture and interior design. The simple and modern elegance can also now be found in Bonn.

"I am glad that we were able to open here in Bonn before the Beethoven anniversary year," says Müller with a smile. He has invested just over four million euros in the hotel, 20,000 euros per room, he estimates. The hotel with 218 rooms is not far from the Beethoven Hall.

Motel One is only a tenant in the building, which offers views of the Rhine and the Kennedy Bridge. The property itself belongs to Württembergische Lebensversicherungsgesellschaft (Württemberg Life Insurance Company). Müller always wanted a hotel in Bonn because of its good location on the Rhine. The waiting was worth it, Müller explains. "The overnight accommodation numbers in Bonn justify placing another hotel here, especially given our moderate price structure," he is convinced.

The hotel will be run by Görge Henrich, an experienced manager who is returning to Bonn to run the hotel. He had to move away in 2006 for professional reasons. Since he began working for Motel One in 2012, the Bonn man told management he was keen to return to Bonn as soon as a hotel opened here, and now he has his wish.

(Orig. text: Susanne Wächter; Translation: ck)

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