Story: Destination delight

Thousands of shards of glass, each polished by nature, glisten as they float above the colourful seating, wooden tables and old metal. Claude Wingenfelder, a native of Switzerland, combed the beaches for glass and put the fragments together by hand to make the gigantic chandeliers. The one-of-a-kind precious items are now suspended beneath crane rails dating back to Imperial Germany at the hotel named ‘Das James’. A traveller sits in their light, enjoying a teatime cake from the hotel’s own patisserie and letting her eyes wander around the so-called living room. Relics from the past have been stylishly mixed here with modern design and laid-back comfort.

It is hard to believe that torpedoes were once maintained and repaired in this building. ‘I have been familiar with the naval base in Flensburg since my childhood, because my father was an officer here,’ reports Jan Pinno. Even back then, he was fascinated by the huge industrial hall with the high ceilings. ‘When I was walking around the torpedo school a few years back with my business partner Stephan Johannsen, it quickly became apparent that a really special atmosphere could be created here,’ explains the hotel manager, before adding: ‘It goes without saying that it is also a dream location, being so close to the vibrant old town and the yacht harbour.’

The renovation work began in 2017. A total of 81 individual guest rooms were created in the listed building. A harmonious extension provides room for a generous spa with rooftop pool, fitness area and conference rooms. At the heart of the hotel is the almost 100-year-old 20 × 40-metre workshop, housing the living room, bar, open-plan kitchen and restaurants.

Sonja Korb from the Hamburg-based architect firm Korb explains: ‘We used the historical neo-Gothic brick building as the basis for the interior design. The lattice windows were painstakingly restored and the space-defining rails beneath the ceiling were integrated into the overall concept. We contrasted old fuse boxes, water valves and pipework with modern elements in the space. Curtains, platforms and partially transparent walls were used to create different usage areas, cosy niches and places of retreat without sacrificing the open feel of the space.’

One-off designs, accomplished style clashes and plenty of spaces where guests can relax and feel at home – ‘Das James’ is undoubtedly a place where something new can be discovered every time. The same also goes for the culinary offering. ‘We not only kept quality in mind when designing the hotel, but also when creating our food and drink concept,’ explains Jan Pinno. Accordingly, the team built around head chef Quirin Brundobler not only use a range of regional and seasonal ingredients in the dishes, but also a lot of home-grown produce from the hotel’s own farm. ‘The home-grown approach has its price, but it cannot be beaten in terms of freshness and sustainability.’ Pinno and Brundobler both agree on this point. The food concept is transparent for the guests. They can visit the James Farm, see the animal welfare standards for themselves and buy produce from the farm shop. Maybe even a tasty souvenir of a lovely holiday.