Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten

The Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten is a luxury hotel located on the Neuer Jungfernstieg in Hamburg, Germany. It is recognized as one of the top hotels in the world. The hotel has received numerous national and international awards and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World alliance.HistoryDuring an auction on February 24, 1897, Friedrich Haerlin bought the small and inconspicuous building with just 11 rooms and 3 bathrooms on the west side of the Inner Alster. Haerlin transformed the building into a luxury hotel, naming it the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. In 1905, an extension of the hotel was opened which made it a grand hotel with 57 rooms. In 1911, additional property was acquired in the neighborhood, creating a total of 140 bedrooms and 50 bathrooms.As a result of World War I, the "Haus Neuer Jungfernstieg Nr. 14" was seized by the High Command of Coastal Defence in 1915. The hotel was poorly maintained during this time period. Haerlin’s three sons were assigned to fight at the front. Two of his sons, Otto and Wilhelm, died in Flanders while his third son, Fritz, survived the war. During the German Revolution of 1918 – 1919 mutinous sailors shelled the Alster Pavilion. The revolutionary Supreme Marine Council took over the hotel until March 1919. The poorly maintained and damaged hotel had to be completely re-renovated. In 1919 the Haerlin Restaurant was opened, followed by the Art Deco styled Jahreszeiten Grill in 1925.