When darkness falls early, people draw closer. For many families, the months between November and March are when everyone can finally make it: for a mother’s seventieth birthday, a reunion of brothers and sisters with their children and grandchildren, or the wedding anniversary that has been waiting far too long to be celebrated. At Gut Stohrerhof in Riederau on Lake Ammersee, a celebration like this finds its setting: a farmhouse built around 1770, with a Stube, a masonry stove and room for up to 15 guests, all sleeping under one roof.
Why winter is the time
In summer a family soon scatters, some down at the lake, others out on their bikes. In winter you stay together. The day begins with a long breakfast, the afternoon belongs to a walk and the evening to the table. A long weekend is often enough for conversations not only to be started, but finished.
The quieter season has a practical side, too. From mid-October to mid-December and from early January to the end of April, the minimum stay is just two nights, so a celebration fits neatly between Friday and Sunday. You will see the price for your dates straight away in the calendar.
A house for three generations
Whether you book the Main House for up to 11 guests or the Entire Estate for up to 15, you always have the place to yourselves. No other guests pass through your rooms, and nobody has to keep the noise down when the toasts get louder.
In the Entire Estate, six sleeping areas are spread over three levels. Anyone who would rather avoid the stairs can sleep on the ground floor, for instance in the Garden Room with its own access to the garden. On the first floor are the master bedroom with dressing room and the living room with fireplace, along with the large bathroom and its freestanding tub by the fire. Up under the roof, the penthouse has its own entrance, two bathrooms and its own kitchen, ideal for those who like to stay up late or sleep in. A travel cot and a high chair are available on request.
Two kitchens mean the children’s breakfast and the preparations for the celebration dinner never get in each other’s way. And if the youngest want to watch a film while the grown-ups linger at the table, the Entire Estate has two large smart TVs, one in the first-floor living room and one in the penthouse.
One table for everyone
The heart of every celebration on the estate is the farmhouse Stube: 28 square metres with a masonry stove and a traditional holy corner. The table, made from the old floorboards, can be extended, and with a side table all your guests, up to 15, sit together at one long table. There is no children’s table for the grandchildren, and no far end where only half the party hears what is being said.
What is served is up to you. Some families cook together, in the kitchen right next to the Stube with its oven, raclette and waffle iron. Others have the celebration dinner brought in by a local caterer; we are happy to put you in touch. Later in the evening the 1962 jukebox plays, and the little schnapps cabinet set into the wall is as much a part of the Stube as the stove.
A moment of quiet
Some celebrations call for a still moment. The Maria Hilf estate chapel, built in 1796 in Baroque style from tuff blocks, stands on the property and holds 20 to 25 people. For a short service on a golden wedding anniversary, a blessing or a few words on a milestone birthday, it can be hired in return for a contribution towards its upkeep. You bring your own clergy or celebrant.
The chapel is the third-oldest building in Riederau. For the village’s 900th anniversary it was carefully restored this year, so that it can be preserved as a cultural monument.
A walk down to the lake
Between breakfast and dinner, some fresh air does everyone good, each generation at its own pace. From the estate it is 500 metres to the steamer pier in Riederau, where you look across the lake to Andechs Abbey. If you would like to go further, it is about five minutes by car to the Marienmünster in Dießen, or to the Schacky-Park with its tea house and monopteros on the southern edge of the town.
Opposite the estate is a bakery with the café “Kehre 23”, handy for fresh rolls in the morning.
Planning your family celebration
- More than 11 guests? Book the Entire Estate, with Main House and penthouse for up to 15 people.
- If some guests are joining only for the party and not staying overnight, please use the event enquiry.
- If you would like to use the chapel, mention it in your enquiry straight away.
- Check available dates early, especially for weekends in January and February.
We would be delighted to welcome your family to Gut Stohrerhof, whether for a milestone birthday, an anniversary or simply because it is time to get together again. Have a look in the calendar to see which dates are free, or read more about what else is possible for celebrations on the estate. If you have any questions about planning, we are always happy to help in person.
