Proving that a hotel can bloom from the most unlikely of settings, Hotel Liberty has just opened its doors to guests after an extensive three-year renovation project centered around Offenburg’s former prison. Set just outside the city walls of Offenburg’s old town, Hotel Liberty is the ideal base from which to explore the historic city, as well as the region’s lush vineyards and the world-famous Black Forest.
Hotel Liberty’s 38 rooms and suites are spread across two 19th-century buildings and joined by a contemporary glass box. Originally conceived by the German architect Heinrich Hbsch in 1840 and completed in 1845, the structure served as a jail for the city of Offenburg until 2009. A comprehensive renovation program between 2014 and 2017 has resulted in a hotel design defined by wide corridors, natural materials, and a 10-meter-high glass wall which provides a striking juxtaposition to the severe red sandstone faade. The original stonework plays an integralh part in the aesthetics of the 38 rooms and suites, which have been created by connecting several former cells.
Perfectly equipped for a stylish night cap, the minibar is housed in a gray-green lacquered cabinet, custommade for each room, and filled with a selection of local spirits and wines. Local flavor also extends to the bathrooms, which are elegantly outfitted with showers and fittings from the Axor signature line of Schiltachbased company Hans Grohe.
The meagre prison rations of yesteryear are a distant memory at today’s Hotel Liberty, where gastronomy plays an integral role in the overall hospitality concept. Served in the gallery, traditional afternoon tea is heightened by a superb choice of fresh tea leaves and herbs, which are cut and infused to order.
French chef Jeremy Biasiol is at the helm of the ÒWater & BreadÓ restaurant, taking responsibility for the spectacular open grill which stands between the kitchen and dining room. After spending many years working with Alain Ducasse (Biasiol, Le Essex House, Paris, Le Louis XV, Monte Carlo), Biasiol won his first Michelin star in Hong Kong before moving to Jade on 36 at the Shangri-La Pudong in Shanghai.
Location Just outside the city walls of Offenburg in Germany’s Baden-Wu_rttemberg state, the hotel puts guests just minutes away from the city’s historic center, the famous Black Forest, and the French city of Strasbourg. Oenophiles are spoilt for choice with the sheer number and variety of wines from surrounding vineyards, and the lush walkways of the Black Forest provide ample tracks and trails for hikers and cyclists.
