IN THE EYE OF ART
At the Hotel Engelwirt, guests journey through
a world of contemporary art and modern design – and ultimately find themselves
Hamburg/Berching, 17 February 2026 – If the overused term ‘art hotel’ has any validity, it certainly applies to the Engelwirt. Guests staying here embark on a journey of discovery through an eclectic world of contemporary art and modern design – all set against a Baroque backdrop. After working in Berlin, Munich and New York, Michael and Stephanie Zink relocated their renowned gallery to Waldkirchen in the Upper Palatinate and, in 2024, opened the Engelwirt in Berching as a hotel where art is not merely decoration. Here, guests engage in a dialogue with the works of renowned artists, which the philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer described as a ‘horizon’ that ‘merges into one another’.
This former 17th-century provost’s estate is situated in the historic centre of Berching, which is surrounded by a town wall and ranks among the most beautiful spots in the Altmühl Valley. Here, the spirit of the Baroque, magic and fairy tales has been preserved through the generations, right up to the present day. Those returning from a stroll can, for example, enjoy the cakes freshly baked in the house (the charming Angelika makes what is perhaps the best Gugelhupf in the whole of Bavaria!) and is observed in the Café des Engelwirts by a bohemian figure sitting casually in a leather armchair – a charcoal drawing by the Belgian artist Rinus Van der Velde. He blurs the line between fiction and reality. The collection of contemporary art runs like a thread through the entire building and reaches a highlight in each of the 15 rooms and apartments. In Room 5, for example, you are greeted by two dogs in green uniforms rescuing a diver on the moon, whose suit is reminiscent of Neil Armstrong. ‘Diver on Moon’ is a work by the French artist Gregory Forstner. In front of the piece are two small green stools with coffee-table books to browse through.
Wherever the eye rests: paintings and sculptures harmonise with carefully selected designer furniture by Eames, Moormann, Wegner, Prouvé and Moroso, alongside historical features such as stucco ceilings, opulently carved oak doors and rose-laced arches. Rare Baroque-style painted wooden floors alternate with new Winkelmann mosaics in the bathrooms, laid with such precision that the joints and edges align perfectly – creating yet another new image. You don’t need to be an art connoisseur to feel at home at the Engelwirt – the atmosphere here is so relaxed and laid-back, and the rooms and apartments are so spacious. The kitchens reflect the same beauty and perfection: for breakfast, oven-fresh rolls and eggs from the organic farmer next door are served, and those who don’t fancy going out in the evening can whip up a risotto and enjoy it with a glass of wine. As well as the café, the building also houses a small shop selling beautiful and delicious local produce.
At the Engelwirt, one does not merely live in or with art, but occasionally also shares a roof with an artist: this year, for instance, Anna Leonhardt will be staying at the house for a residency. The painter, who lives in New York and Berlin, plays with light, shadow and colour gradients; her work is both timeless and sensual, with elements from finely defined layers of colour seeming to float through a cosmos of her own creation. Leonhardt’s works are also featured in major museums and collections.
There are no televisions at the Engelwirt. It’s as if time here has been pleasantly frozen for a moment or two, whilst the world out there, in all its madness, carries on breathlessly and seems to be falling further and further apart. That is precisely what makes this art hotel so special.
