News | 2023-09-29

WALD.WEIT is coming: topping-out ceremony for the new holiday destination in the Rheingau region

A strong signal for tourism in the Rheingau region: the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat has held its topping-out ceremony. In 2024, the modern, sustainably designed hotel resort in the Hahnwald above Kiedrich will welcome its first holiday guests. With the hotel’s own forest and breathtaking views, the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat is the perfect location for enjoying new and very special experiences in the Rheingau region.

The WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat is reviving the tradition of the Hahnwald as a recreation location. The site was once home to the holiday centre owned by IG Bau-Steine-Erden, which was later used by the software company Ploenzke. With WALD.WEIT, a new chapter is now being written. A sustainably designed resort is being built, giving people from near and far the opportunity to experience the forest and vast landscape in the Rheingau region and replenish their energy levels. It starts with 80 rooms, a restaurant with a panoramic terrace, conference and event rooms and a rooftop spa. An expanded wellness area will follow in the second construction phase, along with additional hotel rooms as required. The project developer is the Ingelheim-based Gemünden/Badrot family with their company J. Molitor Immobilien GmbH. The regional investors have recently picked up prestigious awards for the revamp of the boutique hotel Hofgut Wißberg in Sankt Johann. ‘For the community of Kiedrich, but also on a personal level, I am looking forward to seeing the completion of the new WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat here on the Hahnwald, the area’s so-called “local mountain”. The topping-out ceremony is a milestone in terms of the overall project. What is being created here by the Gemünden/Badrot family business has tourist appeal far beyond our region,’ says Winfried Steinmacher, Mayor of Kiedrich.

A multifaceted place of power

The WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat draws on the relaxing effect of the Hahnwald, turning it into a holiday and event venue with all the associated amenities. ‘With its sweeping views, the Hahnwald is the box seat in the Rheingau region. And with its calming aura, its clean air and its lush flora, it is the perfect place for taking a break from hectic everyday life,’ says David Simon, General Manager of the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat, adding: ‘Guests can look forward to a place of power with inspiring architecture, gourmet cuisine and a wide range of activities.’
Whether stressed city dwellers, couples in love, families, active sportspersons, wine connoisseurs or older people who enjoy hiking, the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat will offer its guests different ways of unwinding according to their individual needs. ‘There are idyllic spots in the forest for yoga and meditation, picturesque hiking trails to places such as the nearby Eberbach Monastery, educational adventure trails, wellness options in the rooftop spa with magnificent, commanding views and there is even a mountain bike trail for action enthusiasts,’ says the General Manager, outlining the activity programme.

Gerald Kink, Honorary President of DEHOGA Hessen, also sees the topping-out ceremony as a sign of new beginnings for the region: ‘The WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat will not only be a place of relaxation and enjoyment, but a hotel resort that will bring people together from near and far. It will be a place of inspiration, creativity and togetherness. It shines like a beacon in the vast landscape of tourism and has the potential to shape the future of our beautiful Rheingau region on lasting basis.’

A new dining and event location for the Rheingau region

The culinary aspect will also play a key role. In addition to the hotel guests themselves, day visitors can also look forward to versatile dining options at the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat. The culinary delights will range from the à la carte menu in the restaurant with panoramic terrace to the summer ‘vineyard’. For special occasions and conferences, there will be a separate event floor with a breathtaking view. ‘It will be possible to hold events for up to 199 people in one room up here,’ says David Simon.

Architecture that reflects the forest

The architecture of the WALD.WEIT is a reflection of its natural surroundings and bears the signature of the renowned Wiesbaden architectural firm BGF+ Architekten. ‘The forest as a place of regeneration with its mysticism, its interplay of light and shadow, not to mention its trees and plants, provided the inspiration for the design,’ says architect Uwe Bordt. ‘The projecting front façade and the rails play with the structure and wild geometry of the forest.’ The interior brings the forest inside with natural materials, textures, patterns and the interplay of light and shadow, creating extraordinary spaces for the active hotel, the restaurant and the event area – such as the lobby with its spectacular mushroom gill design.

Sustainable construction and operation of the WALD.WEIT

There has been a particular emphasis on sustainability when building the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat. Geothermal energy is used for heating and cooling in combination with a woodchip biomass plant to cover the peak loads. Recycled material was used for modelling the rails. Wood is a key feature of both the natural façade and the interior design of the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat. Natural stone veneer panels serve as nesting sites and habitats for native reptiles and other animal species. To save resources when watering the outdoor spaces, a process water pond will be created and additional rainwater will be collected via retention roofs. Rainwater infiltration trenches will also help to relieve the pressure on the public sewer system. Extensive charging infrastructure for e-mobility rounds off the comprehensive sustainability concept at the WALD.WEIT.

You can find out more about the WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat HERE