Hotel Stadt Emmerich

The room was clean, modern, and comfortable, and we ended up having a relaxed evening there together, watching TV and laughing. That meant a lot after our restaurant choice elsewhere didn't work out. I only realized afterward that the hotel was completely closed for renovations, yet they had let us in anyway. The young man who opened the door quickly got a room ready for us and apologized for the dust and noise from the dining area renovation, which was nearly finished for the day. He said the restaurant was closed too. Its sign read “Split,” and that name touched me because my love of food and cooking comes from time near Split on the beautiful Croatian coast, where I have lovely childhood memories. This happened last year, three days before Christmas, on a grey Sunday afternoon. My car broke down near Emmerich while my two children, aged 8 and 11, and I were driving from Amsterdam to southern Germany, my hometown, to visit Grandma and the rest of our family. We'd all had very busy weeks, but were tired, happy, and excited. We were stranded and rang the bell at this hotel despite the closed door. A young man answered, clearly surprised. I must have looked desperate, because he soon invited us in. I think he said something like, “We’re not actually open, but…” All I really heard was yes. Thank you for being our sanctuary that day. This is what guest housing should be. I really hope to return one day, with love, and maybe even plan a stopover just to eat at your restaurant.