Rheinhotel Dreesen, hotel in Bad Godesberg, Bonn, Germany
The Rheinhotel Dreesen is a hotel in Rungsdorf, a district of Bad Godesberg in Bonn, sitting directly on the west bank of the Rhine. The building dates from the late 19th century and presents a classical facade from that era, which has been kept through later renovations and additions.
The hotel was founded in 1894 when the Dreesen family converted a restaurant building near the Rhine, with architect Georg Westen leading the design. After 1949, it served as the headquarters for the Allied High Commission overseeing Bonn during the postwar years.
The hotel takes its name from its founder Friedrich Dreesen, whose family had worked in hospitality for generations before the building opened. Guests today still move through rooms that carry the feel of a place long used for meetings between people from politics, the arts, and public life.
The hotel is right on the Rhine riverbank, so the water, cycling paths, and boat docks are all within a short walk from the entrance. Visiting early in the morning or in the evening gives the best view of the river and the far bank.
During World War II, the building was used as a command center by German generals, and then taken over by Allied forces shortly after. For a hotel, this double role on both sides of a conflict within just a few years is a rare piece of history.
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