The Landgut Stober is not only a hotel, but also a conference and event location – and all this at a historical location of sustainability. The theme here is not an “add on”, but an integral part of all activities and this is, of course, reflected in the renovation and extension of the hotel
Landgut Stober was first mentioned in historical documents as early as 1173 and today it is the only remaining agricultural and industrially operated model estate in Germany. As early as 1840, a company social system was introduced – in 2012 the idea of sustainability was revived and became a cornerstone of the company’s philosophy. Today’s estate was created from a ruin with the help of a lot of passion, commitment and a large investment.
Modern sustainability at Landgut Stober
The hotel is housed in a monumentally protected building and the sense of history can still be felt in many places. In 2000 the Berlin entrepreneur Michael Stober, a former art photographer who was also active in the renovation of old buildings for years, acquired the estate and saved it from decay. He was actually looking for a home for himself, but when he saw the dilapidated estate for the first time, he could see something that no one else thought was possible: “You could say I had a vision,” the hotel owner says. “I stood here and felt it.”
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Whether it’s the surplus electricity from their own photovoltaic system, the woodchip heating, the 12.5 ha of forest, or the operation of all 200 toilets with rainwater – the host family and the entire team make no compromises. You’ll notice this as soon as you enter your room or suite: They have been electro-smog reduced, there are Fairtrade bed linen and textiles as well as cosmetics, metal-free beds from COCO-MAT which are made of natural materials, and edible carpets made of corn – which we haven’t tried yet 😉
Sustainability and public welfare-oriented action always includes a journey, and therefore, internal and external processes are constantly being questioned. “A lot of things don’t cost any money at all, just brain power,” Michael Stober insists and lists some examples including the hotel’s “no-waste-policy” with electronic billing or other information exchanges and the use of bulk containers for the restaurant. “Sustainability is feasible for every company, the first step is the hardest.”
Read more: The Economy for the Common Good: Mankind and nature before profit
Energy self-sufficient for the future
At present, an almost-completed hotel extension to a total of 300 rooms is on the agenda, a long-planned and particularly innovative project. In cooperation with many experts, a completely energy self-sufficient hotel is to be realised this spring. True energy self-sufficiency means that there is no need to draw from the grid or feed into it. Landgut Stober will instead store the energy they produce and will soon operate completely without any supply from external network operators. We are curious and are already looking forward to our next holiday in the Havelland!
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