Four stars with history

How it all began and the Edelacker legend

Weinberghotel Edelacker

A place of unforgettable memories and an exciting history all its own

The history of our hotel modestly began as a small inn called “Neidels Waldhaus” which rented guest rooms for the first time in the 19th century. In 1898, its name changed to “Edelacker”. Where our large terrace now offers a view of the wine-growing town of Freyburg, there used to be a glass hall that was supplied by the in-house pastry shop. In the following 100 years, the hotel remained a popular destination. It was expanded to its current size in 1996 with a new annex. After another extensive renovation that concluded in 2018, the 4-star hotel was renamed the “Weinberghotel Edelacker”.

Edelacker itself has a long history dating back to 1170. The hotel is named after the vineyard field in front the premises and is the origin of the saying “Landgraf werde hart” (Landgrave, get tough). It refers to the so-called “Edelacker legend” which goes like this:

Landgrave Ludwig of Thuringia was a mild and gentle ruler. His nobles and knights took advantage of his soft-tempered character to oppress and abuse his subjects. One day, lost after a hunting trip, Ludwig found food and lodging at the blacksmith’s in Ruhla. There, he learned of the plight of his people. With every blow of the hammer, the blacksmith said: “Landgrave, you must get as tough as this iron! What good are you alive for the poor? Don’t you see how your councillors are tormenting the people?"

The landgrave took these words to heart and sought a way to compel obedience from his nobles. When he asked them to amend their ways, they banded together and revolted. Ludwig saw this as a breach of loyalty. As punishment, he harnessed the nobles one after the other to a plough and swung the whip while they tilled the stony ground, which has since been called “Edelacker”, which literally translates as the “noble field”.

Because Ludwig feared revenge, he took to wearing iron armour soon thereafter and was known ever since as the “Iron Landgrave”.

Photo series above: In 1921 the artist Walter Hege made a silhouette depicting the Edelacker legend in five scenes. This became the motif depicted on the back of the emergency money issued by the city of Freyburg at that time.

Our rooms

FAQ

Are dogs allowed in the hotel and in the guest rooms?

Although almost all employees are dog lovers, there are strict rules for our four-legged friends at the Weinberghotel Edelacker:

Dogs must be on a leash or in a bag on the entire hotel, or at the very least, they should calm down immediately on command.
Dogs must be trained not to bark anywhere in the hotel - at least they should be calmed down immediately on command.
Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant and breakfast room.
Overnight guests are allowed to bring their dog to their room if this has been discussed with our reception staff beforehand. Special rules apply, and we also charge an additional fee of€ 30.00 per night and dog to offset the higher cost of cleaning.

Is smoking allowed in the hotel?

The Weinberghotel Edelacker is a non-smoking hotel. Smoking and the use of e-cigarettes is prohibited in the entire building and in all rooms.

This rule does not apply on our terraces, provided that other guests do not feel disturbed. There is a smoking area at the side entrance of the hotel.

Is there a lift in the building?

In fact, the Weinberghotel Edelacker has two lifts. These can take you from the lowest terrace level to the top floor of the hotel.

There are only six rooms which cannot be accessed using the lift and can only be reached from the reception level via a short flight of stairs.

Where is the charging station for electric cars?

Guests with an electric vehicle can access our staff car park via our supplier access road. There, you will find a charging station which can charge two vehicles at the same time.

Please note that the parking spaces in front of the charging station are not regular parking spaces. You must therefore repark your vehicle in our guest car park after charging.

Please also note that our charging station must be activated at the reception desk. In other words, you cannot start the charging process until you have spoken with our reception staff.

Is the reception desk open all the time?

Yes, there is a receptionist personally available 24 hours a day, so you can check in and out easily at any time.