The Idea
Hotel Karl August is not just a hotel but a vision brought to life by the Schmelzer family, well known in Nuremberg. Gerd Schmelzer, a successful local entrepreneur, cares deeply about how his city looks and develops. A few years ago, he took on a neglected site between the Old Town and the Pegnitz River that seemed destined to remain a problem area, convinced that a place only comes alive when it is filled with life.
The result is the Augustinerhof, a lively, modern urban quarter: a smart and handsome new complex with underground parking, a 120-room hotel with a small spa and pool, the French brasserie Nitz, the daytime café Pique Nique, the Bonbon ice cream bar, the Michelin-starred restaurant Tisane, the Karl August Market for young creatives, the Museum of the Future and a generous courtyard for strolling and lingering.
All of this is just 300 meters from Nuremberg’s Hauptmarkt, the main square, home every year to the world-famous Christkindlesmarkt.
It is rare to feel so relaxed in a city hotel. Part of the reason: There is no street out front, just a pedestrian passage where people stroll by. The lobby is grand, too, with a big lounge full of inviting sofas, Café Pique Nique to the left and, beyond it, the brasserie, where the coffee machine is always humming or a waiter is bustling about.
At Brasserie Nitz, we meet Omar Schmelzer, Gerd’s warm, easygoing son and, in a way, the steward of the whole project. He loves good food and beautiful design, supports creative people and artists and wants guests and locals alike to feel at home here. “With Karl August, we want to create a neighborhood,” Omar says. “That’s the DNA of the whole project. Everything should connect and make sense together.”
So if you feel like a memorable dinner with colleagues, you can simply walk over to Tisane, where everyone sits around the chef at a custom-made stone counter, Manhattan style, before retiring in style to the hotel.
The Rooms
Karl August has 120 stylish, elegant rooms. We stayed in an apartment with a small kitchenette, a dining table and a very modern bathroom, plus a balcony overlooking the Pegnitz, where the evening sun streamed in. Top marks! There is also the compact Cosy Single, at 16 to 18 square meters, ideal for business trips, and the spacious 70-square-meter (750-square-foot) Family Suite, with a freestanding tub and a fully equipped kitchen for four. Bonus points for the art in the hallways and rooms: real pieces, nothing fake.
Wellness
On the top floor is a charming spa with true design-hotel character: a small pool (4 by 10 meters, heated to 28 degrees Celsius, or 82 Fahrenheit), relaxation rooms, a gym and a sauna. Beauty treatments and massages can be booked through a partner studio next door.
Food I
In the morning, guests have two options: a quick coffee with a croissant or small bites at Café Pique Nique, or a full breakfast from the menu with table service at Nitz, which has room for all hotel guests. The seating is cozy, and soft light streams through big windows. Everything has a French touch: tiered étagères, café au lait, croissants. Later in the day, Nitz becomes a brasserie serving French classics like steak tartare, oysters and bouillabaisse.
Food II
The Michelin-starred Tisane deserves a special mention. It is just across from the hotel entrance, tucked away next to the Bonbon ice cream bar, and its entrance feels more like a nightclub’s. Inside, a huge stone, carved on-site, forms the counter. Sixteen guests sit around the open kitchen and watch the chef, René Stein, at work. What’s on the menu? Dishes like scallop with spinach and a spinach sauce refined with yuzu and brown butter, or squab with a vermouth jus, squab glaze and tortelli filled with the leg meat, in a long tasting menu. Reservations and more information here.
Ideal for
Everyone visiting Nuremberg.
Prices
Doubles from around 169 euros.
Booking & Contact
Hotel Karl August
Augustinerhof 1
D-90403 Nuremberg
Germany
T +49 911 37 67 66-0
info@karlaugust.de
