#BoHoLover: Meet Daniela of Genuss Touren @GenussTouren

We have asked Daniela Köster, the founder of Genuss Touren, to share her thoughts with us about her love for hotels, and Amberlair, of course. And before you ask, a #BohoLover is a Boutique Hotel lover… just like us!

How do you choose a hotel when you travel?

Word of mouth – recommendations from friends, family and from my partners in the tourism industry.

If you had to choose 3, which were the most special (boutique) hotels you have ever stayed at and what made them so special?

Settler’s Drift in South Africa. Strictly speaking not a boutique hotel but a boutique tented camp. It is like the “best of” various luxury camps I have stayed in before. Perfect location with unbeatable views over a valley. Huge suites with the most beautiful bathroom ever and various decks and lounges, where you can sit and soak up the scenery. The Rushmere family with their long standing experience in the industry have listened to the needs of their guests – this has paid off so well.

Settlers Drift. Photo by Daniela of Genuss Touren.

Settlers Drift. Photo by Daniela of Genuss Touren.

Riva – das Hotel am Bodensee, Lake Constance/ Germany. An art nouveau villa transformed into a designer boutique hotels. From the spectacular architecture to the arrangements of flowers, you feel the owners’ meticulous attention to detail.

Riva Hotel at Bodensee in Germany. Photo by hotel.

Hotel Louis C. Jacob in Hamburg, Germany. The people. Genuinely friendly, authentic and service orientated staff. The sense of place and history. Sitting on the same terrace that Max Liebermann painted more than 100 years ago. And not to mention the delicious Michelin star awarded cuisine.

Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. Photo by hotel.

If you had your own boutique hotel, what 3 things would you make sure existed?

• Personalized welcome notes with some delicacies from the bakery like at Schloss Elmau
• Members of staff that sense whether their guests want to be pampered – or just want to be left alone
• Uniqueness

Name 3 things you loved in hotels you stayed in before…

1. Elegant, chic and comfortable lobbies or lounges that invite you to linger. Loved the one at Fürstenhof in Celle, Germany.
2. Roof top bars like the Blue Spa Bar, Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany. Especially during full moon nights a magical place.
3. Baths with a view. I was stunned by the one at Grootbos in South Africa.

Name 3 things you wouldn’t want to experience in a hotel ever again.

1. Unfriendly stuff. You might ignore some minor faults, if the people working there are charming
2. Lack of a decent amount of vegetarian options on the menu
3. Overpriced services (transfers, minibar)

How do you feel about the Amberlair concept?

I just love the idea – the concept of involving guests right from the start. Hotels should be all about the wishes and needs of their customers.

Where are you off to next?

To Kenya – attending the Magical Kenya Travel Expo and checking out some new properties.

Daniela Köster founded the tour operator Genuss Touren in 2014 after various jobs in the tourism sector, flight attendant, product manager and CEO of a tour operator.

Her company is specialized in tailor made journeys to Africa, the Indian Ocean and hand picked countries in Europe and won the award “Best Concept”.

You can also follow her travels on her blog, Facebook and on Twitter.