Weeping willow @ Gravenbruch, our first day in Frankfurt am Main

weeping willow

We’re staying at the beautiful and luxurious five-star Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch Frankfurt for 4D/3N before we head on to Paris. The 13 hour flight here (yeah, it’s a direct flight with Lufthansa) was perfect – we arrived at 6:40 am and the hotel kindly allowed us to check-in early.

nils

I’ve stayed with Kempinski before at the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski in Dresden and the service is always spot on. This is Nils, who helped smooth the check-in process after a long flight and got us adapters for the room (forgot to bring mine). The rooms are all connected with free WiFi and even has built in adapters and USB chargers on the main desk (for those who factor this into their decision making process).

kempinski gravenbruch

The view out of the room is amazing too! The hotel is in Neu-Isenburg so it’s conveniently just 15 minutes from both Fraport (Frankfurt Airport) *and* Frankfurt am Main (the city center itself). It’s surrounded by a beautiful forest – the road leading here was lined with trees and my better half thought it was a little like a horror movie while I thought it was tranquil haha – and the hotel even has their own lake!

breakfast

It’s a Sunday today and I’ve been to Germany before so don’t expect shops and such to be open. The Germans really do like their quiet Sundays so unless it’s a special Open Sunday (which occurs every 3 months or so), the shops remains closed, even convenience stores. However, attractions and restaurants remain open so you can still go sightseeing.

esstisch

We just had a lazy Sunday breakfast at EssTisch and I mentioned on Instagram that the OJ is the best I’ve ever had! It’s undiluted and has no added sugar, freshly squeezed and just a treat to drink.

juices

They also have small bottles of other juices, our favorite is the Italian blood orange juice (which also happens to be the hotel soap scent, hmm…)

milk

There’s 1.5%, 3.5% and lactose-free milk in these cute little milkmaid style dispensers too!

eggs

You can order your eggs here but our waitress actually came over to our table to get our order and sent it over too, can really get used to this five-star service.

bread

The selection of bread is staggering too, and I also found my favorite German bread! I first had this aboard a Lufthansa Business Class flight two years ago when I came here (it’s also served in their Economy Class) and loved it so much – the burnt flavor of the outside combined with the chewiness and dense-airy dough makes for very good eating.

loaf

I told my dear that and we both stacked out bread baskets full. #carboverload

soft boiled

You can also grab a 6-minute egg (we call it soft-boiled) or a hard-boiled egg from the buffet…

cheese ham

…as well as a variety of cured hams, cold cuts and cheese.

cereal

I’ve always thought this was how people ate back in the days when there’s no refrigeration – the grapes are to provide a burst of moisture when you eat bread with the cured ham, it works really well. Oh, and I took this mild looking fromage that looks innocuous and innocent and when I touched it, I thought someone who just got lost in the forest for 90 days staggered in and TOOK OFF HIS SHOES. (!!!)

cold platter

Seriously, it was *that* bad and this is coming from someone who loves cheese. Naturally, I made my dear smell it and tried to get her to eat it too (she didn’t). It was the worst smelling cheese I’ve ever come across and this ain’t my first rodeo. I wonder what it’s called. It’s also very delicious and I finished the quarter-wedge of cheese I took, much to the amazement of my better half.

forest

Anyway, we’re gearing for an early start tomorrow so it’s bedtime! I’ll update more next time, have a good week ahead everyone!

flowers

Promotional consideration:
Lufthansa sponsored my return tickets to Frankfurt. They have a direct non-stop flight five times a week from Kuala Lumpur-Frankfurt. The tickets are reasonably priced too, starting at RM 3,300. It’s cheaper if you book early though – I paid RM 2,421 for my girlfriend’s ticket via their booking number. I saw it for RM 2,221 as their special promotional online fare (don’t need to pay the Ticket Booking Fee for web) on Lufthansa’s website.

Kempinski Hotels is a luxury hotel chain that has specially outfitted hotels throughout Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. They’ve been hoteliers since 1897 and they specialize in luxury holiday resorts, business and spa hotels around the world. Every Kempinski Hotel is unique, designed for guests who value five star holidays and luxury getaways. The 4D/3N Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch stay is courtesy of the group.

Posted: 9:33 pm Frankfurt time (GMT +2) on 6th April – one day behind! 😀

Updates on our 10 day vacation through Germany and France:
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https://www.facebook.com/SixthSealcom

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24 thoughts on “Weeping willow @ Gravenbruch, our first day in Frankfurt am Main”

  1. Oooo…nice tree, makes such a pleasant view…and wow!!! That’s the receptionist? He sure is handsome.

    Breakfast is provided? Gosh!!! I don’t think I’m so dainty – I would not be able to eat soft-boiled egg in a cup like that. Can’t do without a saucer…and dark soy sauce. 😀

    Reply
    • Yeah, the Kempinski Hotel here is awesome! 🙂

      I love how each different one has a unique character – the previous one I stayed in at Dresden is next to a real palace and incorporates some of it while the one over here is smack dab in the middle of a forest. It’s a really nice place!

      Yup, breakfast was provided, but we won’t go for it today since we’re heading out to the local market to eat! Cheers!

      Reply
  2. Is that a willow tree ? The hotel sure looks good and quiet. I like peaceful surroundings with a nice garden. Oh the breads … I can go and wallop as many I can, it’s so healthy and looks damn delicious.

    Reply
    • Yeah, it’s a weeping willow! 🙂

      I love the surroundings at the Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch Frankfurt too, it’s different from the one I’ve stayed in while I was in Dresden (which was beside a real, actual palace and one wing is part of it). President Obama stayed at the one in Dresden too, which is an interesting fact.

      The bread over here is awesome!

      Reply
  3. TOOOO too beautiful!!! i’m so jealous you get to travel.

    i’ve heard in passing that the smellier the cheese, the better it’d taste? don’t know if that’s true but i think blue cheese smells RANK and it’s probably not the worse one out there, is it? lol. i’m fond of cheese but not a hardcore lover, i don’t think. i discovered brie for the first time two years ago(!!) so i don’t think i qualify for an “expert.” lol.

    willow trees are so so beautiful. i told the boy friend that i definitely want one grown in the garden when we finally, actually, properly get a house (‘:

    rc: dessert plates are from an establishment called DipDip. not sure if you’ve caught on but apparently, it’s all the rage. lol. it’s a chocolate house so everything’s lavishly doused in chocolate— dark, milk and white! they have two branches that i know of: one on telawi and one in the curve. i personally prefer the one in the curve (better service, i feel) but both are always superduper packed!!! give it a go, if you haven’t already (:

    Reply
    • The funny thing was, this is worst than any blue cheese I’ve ever had! 🙂

      I’ve never had the maggot-infused cheese in Italy (Sicily?) though, so that would probably be KING in terms of rank-ing. (pun intended).

      Brie is a pretty mild cheese though, some sharp cheddar cheeses are a lot more intense but I like all kinds of cheese.

      Cool! I’ve never head of the place before, so it’s like a chocolate fondue place? Sounds like something we’ll both love!

      BTW, I love willow trees too, but I wonder if they’ll grow in our climate. Cheers!

      Reply
  4. You are having a lovely trip and marvelous time! I have been checking online for my bookings to London too and almost concluded that I should take Air France which flies direct KL-Paris at around RM2500+… From there I could hop into a 2 hour train ride to London after some sightseeing in Paris. If I fly to London via Middle Eastern planes, it could be over RM3300 with stop over and then cost me the same to take trains to visit Paris. That means i should land in Frankfurt, Paris or even Amsterdam instead, to visit London. So will Lufthansa wanna sponsor me too??? (Muka Tembok Questions)… LOL

    Kempinski Hotels is a great chain of luxury chains! I have seen them with my eyes! Enjoy your trip.

    Reply
    • We’re going to Paris too! 🙂

      It’s not sponsored though, only my KL-Frankfurt return flight was sponsored (paid for my gf) and all our other trips are out of our *OWN* pocket.

      I booked the direct 5 hour Frankfurt-Paris ICE train, it costs 158 Euro for the two of us, that’s 2nd class tickets though. It’s just another 2 hours to London from Paris, if that’s where you want to go.

      Haha! I’m not sure, Lufthansa didn’t sponsor a +1, which a lot of other airlines would do, and it was my birthday and I didn’t get an upgrade (which a lot of other Star Alliance airlines would do upon booking too) but you can try though.

      Needless to say, everything else (transportation, accommodation except the 4D/3N, food, etc comes out of our own expenses so I REALLY saved up for this trip).

      However, it’s good to have at least my tickets sponsored and the 4D/3N stay at Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch Frankfurt is delightful! I seriously would recommend staying at a Kempinski Hotel for anyone who wants luxury service and unique hotels! It’s my second time in one and I’ve always been satisfied at the five-star treatment.

      Reply
    • Thanks Vickie! 🙂

      The weather is pretty good in Frankfurt right about now. It’s springtime!

      Yup, been having a great breakfast every morning at Kempinski!

      Reply
    • Thanks Kathy! 🙂

      We’re actually in Paris now! Just came and checked into our apartment opposite the museum.

      Got some food (very cheap here) and am about to cook! The apartment I got has a full kitchen, it’s exactly like a Parisan apartment that the locals stay in…in fact, it *is* an apartment with the rooms let out for short stays.

      Reply
    • It’s awesome! 🙂

      It’s not really a soft boiled egg, more like a 6-minute egg, slightly harder than we make it but with a runny yolk still.

      Cheers Grace!

      Reply
    • It’s super comfortable! I love the Kempinski hotel bed! 🙂

      We’re living in an apartment in France now, not quite the same as a hotel bed, but at least there’s a kitchen.

      I miss the breakfast at the hotel though – at least we don’t have to wash up. Haha!

      Reply
    • Haha! The people there also drank a lot of the juices! 🙂

      Their orange juice was awesome too, am craving for it right now! I also liked their rye bread, there’s a brand called Wasa that we saw in the shops too – it’s so good, I had it for breakfast today, just like that.

      The Light & Crispy Wasa is the best!

      Reply

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