TIMELINE
The Wald Hotel Heppe
A family business through and through
The Bauer family settled in Krausenbach
Krausenbach - The name not only designates a small part of the municipality of Dammbach, where our Forest Hotel Heppe is located today. Behind the idyllic village lies a history of over 700 years, which began with a prince. More precisely, it was the Elector of Mainz, who repeatedly visited the Spessart region, especially for its excellent hunting grounds. To be well-equipped on site, he quickly settled 12 families in the Dammbach valley and surrounding areas, who had to perform serfdom services for the use of his lands during hunting. One of these families was the Weingärtner family (vintners), ancestors of the current Bauer family, who are now in their 5th generation of ownership.
“Heppenhütten” in the valley to the charcoal burning settlement and the creation of a rest stop at great-grandmother Gertraud's
Above the current Forest Hotel Heppe, there used to be a small charcoal burners' settlement, consisting of four huts, called Heppenhütten. The families living there made their living from charcoal production until around 1900, when they became impoverished as coke from the Ruhr area became cheaper than charcoal. With heavy hearts, they emigrated to the USA in search of better opportunities. The only thing that remains is the name of the associated valley, Heppeloch. Over time, only the name Heppe remained. Great-grandmother Gertraud was already well-known at that time and was affectionately called "Lochtreut" – the Gertraud from Heppenloch.
Anyone who traveled back then did so on foot and over long distances. This is how a rest stop developed in the Heppe. Gertraud served homemade cider and water to passing hikers and citizens and conjured up simple dishes from whatever the modest garden and farm could provide.
Opening of a restaurant for hikers by grandparents Josef and Maria
In 1933, it was time for further development: Josef and Maria Bauer, facing significant opposition from other innkeepers, opened a small tavern that gradually attracted more and more guests. This laid the gastronomic foundation. However, the war and the loss of her husband Josef severely hindered this progress. Faced with the choice of continuing to work in highway construction and moving away, or taking the step towards self-employment, the young married couple Günther and Lina Bauer opted for the risk of self-employment. Only with the greatest of efforts were they able to pay off their debts at that time.
The efforts of the Bauer family paid off: In 1957, their son Roland was born, who later took over the business with his wife Anne. After the birth of their daughter Marina, he passed his master's examination at the IHK Nürnberg. From then on, Anne and Roland carefully guided the business into a new era. Another great joy was the birth of their son Michael three years later. After their comprehensive education, they decided, to their parents' delight, to continue running the business. Roland Bauer served as the mayor of Dammbach for 18 years, and in line with succession planning, a partnership company (KG) was founded, transferring business shares and the management of the hotel to them at an early stage.
Not just gastronomy - this is where people want to go on holiday: inns and guesthouses are being built
Sisters Marina Müller and Michael Bauer take over the hotel business
Today her children, siblings Marina Müller (with husband Marko Müller) and Michael Bauer, run the hotel together with grandma Anne Bauer. Grandpa Roland now takes care of his own forest and the smaller jobs. The result is impressive: The hotel offers 5 suites, 9 superior rooms and 23 comfort rooms, 5 of which have been completely renovated and enlarged, as well as a large sun terrace. Home-style cooking, homemade cakes, the largest hotel swimming pool in Northern Bavaria (13 m x 8 m, with a water temperature of 30° C) and a sauna with an infrared cabin are also part of the hotel's pampering program. And all of this in the middle of the colorful nature of the Spessart – an absolutely fantastic, unique location included!
Would you like to find out more details about the creation of the hotel and experience our history-filled house live? Please visit us, we look forward to seeing you! We would be happy to inform you personally, because with us you are among friends, just like at home.
The individual building projects in the history of the Wald Hotel Heppe:
We look forward to many more years at the Wald Hotel Heppe! Your Bauer family
- 1961: 3 rooms with 2 beds each
- 1971: 6 rooms with a new dining room
- 1977: 14 guest rooms and a large swimming pool, an incredibly huge hotel swimming pool for the time at 13 m x 8 m
- 1989: 7 guest rooms, seminar room and another guest room
- 2004: Wood chip heating, which reduces the previous oil consumption from approx. 100,000 liters per year to 0
- 2012: 6 superior rooms and 5 suites, large sun terrace and 5 older existing rooms completely renovated and enlarged
- 2020: 2 Tiny Houses
- Für 2026 geplant: 10 weitere Gästezimmer, 500 Quadratmeter großer Wellnessbereich auf 3 Etagen, neuer Eingangsbereich mit Rezeption, u. v. m.
