History of the hotel
It was built in 1872 as the Grandhotel Royal on Koblenzer Strasse, since re-named Adenauerallee, by a well-known architect from Bonn named Ermekeil. In its heyday it was the leading hotel on the banks of the Rhine and was run as a joint-stock company.
In the early 20th century, the Grandhotel Royal hosted the sons of all the German noble families, who came to study at the university in Bonn; Princess Victoria was among the most celebrated guests of that era.
In 1902 W.O. König, formerly of the Domhotel in Cologne, acquired the majority of shares and took over the management of the hotel. During this time the German emperor resided in the hotel’s royal chambers upon a visit to Bonn.
During and after the First World War, nobility and foreign guests stayed away from Bonn and Germany, and the hotel experienced financial difficulties.
During the Second World War, the Hotel Royal was turned into a hospital, and the building was totally destroyed in an air raid on the night of October 18, 1944.
From 1947 to 1956, the building on Koblenzer Street 7 housed the Petit Hotel Royal, a more modest version of the pre-war institution. The Petit Hotel Royal provided the catering for the festivities commemorating the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in the rooms of the Museum König and the subsequent gala reception in Brühl Palace.
The building that currently houses the Hotel Königshof was built in 1955-1956, and the hotel re-opened in November 1956 by hosting the president of Italy upon his state visit to Bonn. From then on, the Königshof was the leading hotel in Bonn and the venue for all events, receptions and state visits in the following years. Until 1971 all events hosted by the office of the federal chancellor were conducted by the Königshof. After 1971 many state dinners were still hosted by the federal government in the imposing ballrooms that were built in 1969. The guest lists featured such illustrious personages as the Shah of Persia, the King of Greece, Queen Elizabeth of England, US presidents Kennedy, Nixon, Reagan, and many others.
Since January 2003, the Hotel Königshof has been operated by Althoff Hotels & Residences. Other hotels run by Althoff include the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg and Schlosshotel Lerbach in Bergisch Gladbach, the Villa Viktoria in Düsseldorf, the Hotel am Schlossgarten in Stuttgart and the Villa Belrose in Saint-Tropez. The Hotel Königshof is still a four-star hotel, and is certain to remain one of Bonn’s leading addresses – not only because of its unique location in the heart of the city.
