Lake Plön lies majestically between Hamburg and the Baltic Sea, framed by green forests and castles. Driving to Nehmten, you first pass a stone bearing a coat of arms, a first for us, since we have never featured a place that is practically its own municipality: Gut Nehmten is in Nehmten. It is an impressive country estate with several houses and lots of meadows, fields and even more forest.

The estate sits right on the lake, like something out of a film: horses grazing in a paddock, and an avenue of trees leading to a huge white manor house.

We meet Sophie, the charming co-owner, who shows us around her vacation homes. They all sit right by the water, each with its own terrace or garden, and with plenty of history: the estate’s roots go back more than 600 years, and it has been in the family since 1768.

Pretty Hotels: Gut Nehmten (Image 4) — A textbook pretty place: the Seehaus and the Backhaus sit right on the lake.

Let’s be frank: if you get the chance to spend a week here, take it. The vacation homes are absolute gems, unlike anything we have seen, with front-row seats on the lake.

The Cottages

Sophie rents out two vacation houses, the Backhaus and the Seehaus, plus two apartments in the former dairy, the Meierei:

The Backhaus

90 square meters (about 970 square feet), three bedrooms, sleeps up to five or six. It sits right on the lake, so in the morning you just walk out the door for a swim, then have breakfast on the terrace overlooking the water. The house has two floors, with one bedroom downstairs and two cozy bedrooms upstairs, one for the adults and one with single beds for children.

The Seehaus

Even closer to the water. 60 square meters, with a bedroom under the eaves, a large living area, a kitchen and a fireplace. It is meant for a couple (dogs and babies welcome). Very charming.

Meierei Cottage

Also 90 square meters, beautifully furnished and very bright, with its own children’s room and a share of the garden. Sleeps up to five.

Meierei Loft

Another 90 square meters, with a large living area and two bedrooms, perfect for four. A highlight: the terrace in the inner courtyard. You can find all the details on the apartments here.

During our visit, we found absolutely nothing to complain about. The rooms are stylish and cozy, and Sophie has exquisite taste in art.

Pretty Hotels: Gut Nehmten (Image 9) — Simply wonderful: from the terrace, you step straight into Lake Plön.

The Surroundings

In summer, the lake in front of the houses is, of course, perfect for swimming. There is a barbecue area for guests right on the water, and canoes are available to rent. You can also rent bikes in the next village and cycle around the entire lake (about an hour and a half). We also recommend hiking in the estate’s own forest, where you may spot red deer or roe deer. Plön Castle offers guided tours, and golfers will find a beautiful course 15 minutes away.

Sustainability

Gut Nehmten has gone green: electricity is generated from renewable raw materials and fed into the grid, and the waste heat is used to heat all the buildings on the estate via a local heating network.