The Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten is a luxury hotel located on the Neuer Jungfernstieg in Hamburg, Germany. It is recognized as one of the top hotels in the world. The hotel has received numerous national and international awards and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World alliance.
During an auction on February 24, 1897, Friedrich Haerlin bought the small and inconspicuous building with just 11 rooms and 3 bathrooms on the west side of the Inner Alster. Haerlin transformed the building into a luxury hotel, naming it the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. In 1905, an extension of the hotel was opened which made it a grand hotel with 57 rooms. In 1911, additional property was acquired in the neighborhood, creating a total of 140 bedrooms and 50 bathrooms.
As a result of World War I, the “Haus Neuer Jungfernstieg Nr. 14” was seized by the High Command of Coastal Defence in 1915. The hotel was poorly maintained during this time period. Haerlin’s three sons were assigned to fight at the front. Two of his sons, Otto and Wilhelm, died in Flanders while his third son, Fritz, survived the war. During the German Revolution of 1918 – 1919 mutinous sailors shelled the Alster Pavilion. The revolutionary Supreme Marine Council took over the hotel until March 1919. The poorly maintained and damaged hotel had to be completely re-renovated. In 1919 the Haerlin Restaurant was opened, followed by the Art Deco styled Jahreszeiten Grill in 1925.
In 1928, all of the guest rooms were upgraded and a 5th floor observation balcony was built. In addition to this, the renovation of the characteristic green copper roof was completed. In 1932, the founder’s son, Fritz Haerlin, took over the hotel at Neuer Jungfernstieg. During the 1930s, like his father, Fritz invested in distinctive restaurants and bars and opened the Biedermeier-style Café Condi and the Jahreszeiten Keller, since 1998 known as Doc Cheng’s. During World War II, the hotel was only slightly damaged by bomb attacks. After the end of the war, the hotel served as headquarters of the British 7th Armoured Division until 1952. On April 4, 1952, the hotel’s reopening took place. In 1966, the hotel became a member of The Leading Hotels of the World alliance. In 1989, the hotel’s owners decided to sell the business. Max Grundig and Jürgen Schneider were interested in buying the properties. The hotel was sold by the Haerlin heirs for 215 million Deutsche Mark to the Japanese Aoki Corporation, which resold the business to Raffles International Limited on July 31, 1997.
On April 30, 2007, the hotel was the first property to belong to the Canadian hotel group Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. During the period 2007-2010, the hotel was renovated for around 25 million euros. In February 2013, the family-owned retail chain Dohle acquired the hotel. The daily management remained with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. According to media reporting, it is said that Dohle paid around 35 million euros. Dohle also led the modernization of 156 guest rooms, restaurants, and spa facilities. Over the past decade, the hotel restaurant Haerlin has received many Michelin Guide awards and since 2010, under the management of Christoph Rüffer, has received two Michelin stars.
