Five places on Usedom
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Holiday planning stands and falls with the choice of the right accommodation. So you don't just look forward to the place to be explored, as in this article to that Travel destination Usedom island, but also a comfortable bed to sleep in and relax, if necessary a gastronomic offer, well-being activities as well as nature experiences and activities followed by cozy evenings. The accommodation thus becomes a place of retreat for a certain period of time. Guests can enjoy various benefits such as their own charging station for e-cars or a direct view of the sea. In any case, the temporary home serves as a starting point for various excursions on the island. Once the right accommodation has been found, the anticipation of the upcoming holiday increases and individual travel planning can begin.
I was able to discover five different accommodations in five different places on Usedom. They are different in their way - from manor houses to holiday homes and houseboats to hotels - and follow just as individual sustainability strategies. It was very inspiring for me to get to know the great places, but above all the people behind them. Depending on whether it is an ecological new building in which sustainability has been considered and integrated holistically from the outset, or traditional hotels in which environmental considerations only developed later, for example through extensive renovations. Finding out the intentions behind the accommodation and understanding what they do for conscious tourism is just as much a part of a sustainable holiday as the environmentally friendly journey or a regional tasting.
1. Holiday homes STRANDWEISS & STRANDGRAU in Zinnowitz
The holiday homes STRANDWEISS & STRANDGRAU together form a house with two holiday homes. They are centrally located in Zinnowitz, one of the first places along the route of the Usedomer Bäderbahn in the northwest of the island. The wooden houses 2020 were planned by the two hosts and architects Ulrike and Carsten Gerasch. The sustainable construction could be realized in just ten months with the competent support of around 20 construction companies from the region.
Whoever enters the modern houses recognizes that people with a sense of aesthetics and practicality designed and furnished them. The furnishings play with different materials, mainly wood, but steel and wool are also used. Indirect light accompanies the stay in the holiday homes. A practical kitchen in graphite gray with a slate worktop invites you to self-sufficiency. Guests can enjoy the prepared food together in the open kitchen at the large oak table or on the directly adjacent terrace, with sun and rain protection. In the large living area, exciting island days can be ended perfectly, in winter even by the fireplace. A special highlight are the in-house saunas and the spa bathtubs, which offer a luxurious wellness experience.
Ecological, energy-efficient new building
The ecological new building relies on the durable building material wood, the more CO2 binds than it emits. It was very important to the two hosts to use a material that has a convincing climate balance, because efficient construction determined the entire construction project. In addition to the timber frame construction, windows and doors were used that are Cradle to Cradle®-certified and can later be separated into individual parts and reused. A carpenter based in Zinnowitz, who used oiled solid oak wood, was allowed to manufacture all the wooden components, the stairs and all the wooden furniture. During the construction, life after the rental was also considered, because wood can later be easily recycled. But until then, its room atmosphere ensures that guests have a pleasant stay. Designer furniture and lamps round off the appearance.
During the rental period, the holiday homes have energy-efficient building technology. Although there was a gas connection, the hosts decided against it and made the investment to install a heat pump. There is a photovoltaic system on the roof, which is supported by green electricity if necessary. A decentralized heat exchanger heats the water in a particularly energy-efficient manner. The holiday homes are insulated with wood fiber boards and cellulose. In front of the two holiday homes there is a wall box for convenient charging of the guests' e-cars.
2. Floating suites on the Krumminer Wiek with a natural harbor
The floating suites of the natural harbor Krummin consist of four houseboats. The port is located in the northwest of the island of Usedom on the Krumminer Wiek, surrounded by reeds, plants, water animals and various species of birds. The suites each offer direct access to nature, idyll and tranquility via the terrace. The two-storey houses are between 42 and 62 square meters and have a spacious living/sleeping area with its own kitchen and fireplace. The wellness area with a free-standing bathtub, shower and infrared sauna skilfully rounds off the experience on the water. The large window areas allow plenty of daylight to fall in, allowing for a unique view of the surrounding unspoilt nature. In bad weather, guests can make themselves comfortable in front of the crackling fireplace with a glass of their own house wine. The furnishings are puristic and of very high quality.
In 2017, the floating suites were built from the natural materials of wood and thatch/reed. The construction of the houseboats and the port with its own restaurant took place exclusively in cooperation with regional companies in order to keep the distances as short as possible and thus the CO2- Minimize emissions. The employees personally welcome the guests, present excursion destinations and hand over a welcome package, which consists of homemade herbal salt, jam and quince liqueur, among other things.
Surrounded by untouched nature and water
Sustainability starts here before you even stay: guests are offered a free shuttle service if they arrive at the property by train. There are also several e-charging stations in the parking lot. The hosts try to get the guests excited about the different aspects of the environment: from the conscious change of linen to the appropriate waste separation. But it goes even further: In the restaurant at Naturhafen Krummin, guests can enjoy regional ingredients from selected partner companies in creatively prepared dishes with a view of the harbor and the water. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are also offered.
The area can then be explored on rental bikes. A special focus is on the numerous natural activities around the accommodation, which is centrally located on the island and thus enables tours in all directions. The heart project "Usedom Pur" offers visitors the opportunity to get to know the authentic and at the same time natural Usedom in different ways - from guided or individual kayak, electric boat or sailing tours to stand-up paddling.
3. Ostseehotel Ahlbeck on the beach promenade
Sustainability has been a main focus for the SEETELHOTELS for a long time. Even if this is a continuous process, the challenge for the various hotels, holiday apartments and villas is to implement sustainability equally. Two hotels were awarded the GreenSign certificate at the end of 2021. The certification process showed the hotel group how social, ecological and economic sustainability can be integrated. This must now be implemented holistically and successively for the other hotels.
The SEETELHOTELS place a special focus on social sustainability, i.e. the employees, from the employees to the management level. Because only if the staff themselves understand what it means to be an environmentally friendly hotel can the intentions be communicated to the outside world. Various training courses on the topics of avoiding food waste, conserving water, saving energy and avoiding waste play a central role here. Since then there has also been at least one vegan dish on the menu. In addition, employees should be made aware of the role that sustainability can play in their private lives. The management of the SEETELHOTELS attaches particular importance to the health of its employees. Internal challenges take place in a playful way: for example, whoever cycles the most kilometers to work receives a prize.
The more than 130-year-old 4-star Ostseehotel Ahlbeck sees itself as a mediator of sustainability for its guests. The GreenSign certification allows employees and guests to talk about sustainability. Tips are given for environmentally friendly movement on the island, as well as for separating waste in the individual rooms. Products from the island are deliberately and preferably used in the spa area. The hotel is located directly on the beach promenade and attracts attention from afar with its historic facade. During the corona pandemic, the 70 rooms were renovated and improved roof insulation with recyclable insulation materials was installed.
One of the SEETELHOTELS is a children's resort in Trassenheide, which opened in 2021 with a new concept: guests should be brought closer to the preservation of nature, for example through hikes with the forester and educational trails created for this purpose. In addition to its own herb garden, there is a pool in which the water is recycled. The hotel group also works closely with the SUCCOW Foundation together, of which the managing director of SEETELHOTELS, Rolf Seelige-Steinhoff, is a member of the board of trustees. The foundation is committed to nature, moorland and climate protection.
4. Manor house Neuendorf
In 2002, Claus-Christoph Ziegler, landscape gardener and architect, fulfilled his dream of owning a house and property in Neuendorf, the place he was already drawn to at the beginning of his career. At first, the people of Neuendorf observed and only appreciated over the years what Mr. Ziegler preserved and cultivated for the village in terms of traditional buildings and original ideas.
The history of the manor house dates back to 1820, when the Freiherr von Lepel family built the oak timbered house. Over the years, but especially since Claus-Christoph Ziegler and his team took over the manor house in the early 2000s, it was renovated in line with the preservation order and ecologically. The special thing, apart from the use of sustainable materials such as wood, clay and hemp, is that old black-and-white pictures served as templates. This allowed the half-timbered pattern, the facade and window shutters to be reproduced in detail - partly with existing materials such as old bricks. Some of the furniture, cupboard constructions and doors have been preserved from the different eras of the manor house and some of them have also been faithfully reconstructed in other places, so that the authentic atmosphere of the old manor house can be felt in all rooms. Elements can also be found in the newer buildings.
Each of the 17 holiday apartments has its own kitchen for self-sufficiency, although larger groups can also cook in a communal kitchen. The manor house complex can accommodate up to 70 guests, which is often used for various celebrations such as weddings or birthdays. The complex is designed to be particularly child-friendly: a wall surrounds the property, which was painstakingly built over six years by a bricklayer from the island, true to old patterns. This not only delimits the facility, but also offers a safe space for children to play in a traffic-calmed zone.
Today the Gutshaus Neuendorf acts as a "village in the village" with various buildings, a volleyball court and large lawns. But that's not all: the Ziegler family has many forward-looking plans. A sauna and an outdoor pool are planned for their guests. The first 22 linden trees have been planted and will form a blossoming avenue in the future. Various local fruits grow on our own orchard meadows. For example, guests can be offered delicious organic apple juices with 100% fruit content every year.
5. Forest house Damerow
The 4-star Hotel Forsthaus Damerow, managed by the Gerdt family, has been welcoming its guests since 1991. Over the years, many of them have become real regulars who keep coming back to the hotel. The hotel, which is completely surrounded by nature, has been awarded the GreenSign certificate. The Forsthaus Damerow belongs to Meeressterne GmbH, which operates other hotels on Usedom and has embarked on a long-term path to sustainability for the hotel group.
The hotel is located in the middle of a pine forest and at the same time on the narrowest part of the island of Usedom. Fortunately, the forester's house remained intact during the flood disasters of the 19th century. With direct access to the backwaters, the hotel also offers canoe tours. At the same time, the hotel is within walking distance to the Baltic Sea resort of Koserow.
The hotel is bordered by a spacious lawn that is used in a variety of ways: on the one hand for events such as the annual children's festival and on the other hand there is a discarded wagon on the lawn where employees have set up an upcycling workshop. Discarded sheets and curtains are turned into pillowcases and the like, new furniture is made from old boards and vases are made from bottles. So they get a second life, so to speak, and remain in the forest house. The lawn is also used by guests for numerous sporting activities such as archery. Right next to the lawn there is an enclosure, which is the new home of four goats, who have been living on the Forsthaus site since 2021.
But guests can also relax in the hotel itself: in the hotel's own indoor pool and in the wellness area with a Finnish sauna. The TAO wellness area offers numerous massages and various treatments such as Shiatsu and Reiki, as well as herbal vital cosmetics. Some of the 68 rooms of the Forsthaus Damerow are traditionally and rustically furnished, while the new building is equipped with modern farmhouse furniture. The Forsthaus deliberately tries to maintain something that has become a tradition over the years and exudes a certain charm, while at the same time keeping its finger on the pulse of the times. This also means that new holiday homes made of wood are being planned. Electric cars can be charged in the forester's lodge, and sustainable energy generation via solar and geothermal energy is in use. And as befits a forest lodge, the hotel offers local game and fish dishes in combination with regional vegetables and organic food in its regional, fresh cuisine. The in-house beekeeping with around 60.000 bees provides the guests with delicious, natural honey.
© Strandweiss & Strandgrau E-Auto, MarTiem Photography, © Naturhafen Krummin GmbH, © Seetel Hotel GmbH & Co. Betriebs KG
Cecile Meier
Cécile is a freelance author and sustainability strategist. She enjoys traveling to the fullest: getting to know different cultures, listening to other languages and discovering new things either by the sea or in a (big) city always fascinates her. The stories and intentions of the Good Travel hosts are particularly important to her.
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