The 200-year-old manor house Gut Bliestorf …

Recently our friends Sabine and Rudolph invited us to their manor house Gut Bliestorf in Schleswig-Holstein. I asked in advance: “What are you celebrating?” The immediate answer was: “Life!” What a great occasion to drive back to my old homeland Schleswig-Holstein! Celebrating in the countryside usually also means staying in the countryside.  And this works particularly well at manor house Gut Bliestorf, because the von Schröders transformed the house into a charming boutique hotel in 2008. Embedded in an English landscape park, the guest experiences a 200-year-old manor house culture.

… embedded in an English landscape park

With over a century, the mansion Gut Bliestorf, which Rudolph’s grandfather Baron Johann Rudolph v. Schroeder bought in the early 20^th century, is family owned. It was built in Swiss style in 1843 by landowner and chief forester August Luis Detlev von Schrader. Later, influential families like family von Tode, von Köhler and von Wickede, who were the majors of town Lubeck, resided here. Today’s owners derive from a merchant dynasty that is rooted in Hamburg since the mid 18^th century. Nowadays, the estate operates besides conventional agriculture also a Demeter farming and a Demeter gardening center. As well as the said boutique hotel.

Winter garden and terrace of the manor house

Sabine Schröder is responsible for the special style and the harmonic ambience of manor house Gut Bliestorf. With a keen sense of materials and colors, the Baroness gave new life and breath to the manor. Since then, the snow-white mansion and the English landscape park are unique settings, also for events. The Baroness got the idea of “renting-a-mansion” in England, where she was fascinated of the concept “First Class Bed & Breakfast”: “It exited me to live in castles or mansions and feel like home.” Thus, a mansion got turned into a boutique hotel with 13 individual rooms, in which one can wonderfully celebrate and stay overnight. I tried it myself after a long party night and the celebration of life. Just lovely! BvH

Present owner, Baron Johann Rudolph v. Schröder (on the right), took over the manor house in 1974 of his father Baron Hans Rudolph v. Schröder. Today Sabine and Rudolph von Schröder inhabit the renovated foreman house, which is located opposite the mansion

View from my antiquities equipped suite – the park room …

… into the spring like garden. Morning sun included!

Sabine von Schröder has set up the rooms of the manor house with family antiques

The Baroness has a special knack for decorations …

A dreamy stay at the Manor House

… which can be found all over the house

Very classy: The breakfast room in Lavender color

Festive layd boards with matching flowers

A great location – also for weddings

The ancestor of the Schröder family guarded sternly about the guest book

Cozy chill in salon

From the salon you can enjoy the magnificent view into the park

Baroness Sabine von Schröder conceived the concept “rent-a-manor”

At the park borders a nature reserve with its old tree population, where you can watch rare water birds

The manor house Gut Bliestorf was awarded with the World Luxury Award for the best wedding destination 2016

What you can do here? Sleeping and enjoying the peace. The Bliestorfer forest also invites to long walks and bicycling tours

Contact Manor House Gut Bliestorf

www.herrenhaus-gut-bliestorf.de

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Baron Enno von Ruffin says about himself that he’s a ‘car-driving rambler’

“The baron is coming in a second”, says the friendly woman and pleases me to wait. And then he’s standing in front of me – in red cords, a for him typical cardigan, of course with a breast pocket handkerchief: Baron Enno von Ruffin falls down on his sofa in his salon. “There was a problem with the cables for the Christmas illumination”, he explains his delay whilst being a little bit out of breath. But everything is sorted now. Like always. Even after 2 a.m., when a hotel guest stands in front of his door – without a key. Then it’s Ennos mobile phone that rings.

Since 400 years, Gut Basthorst is the home for the Ruffin family

Since 35 years Enno von Ruffin is leading Gut Basthorst in Schleswig-Holstein, a 650 hectares big estate, which includes next to its agriculture a company for gardening and landscaping, as well as a hotel and gastronomy with its own Basthorst Bier. And since 400 years, Gut Basthorst is the home for the Ruffin family that originally comes from Bavaria and Meran in Tirol. This is where Enno was born. Where he was raised. He knows every corner, every tree, and every shrub. He went to the village school, pending between mornings and afternoons, because there was only one classroom. Afterwards Enno has been sent to boarding school. At this stage he was only ten years old. He couldn’t really cope with the rough world of boarding. Suddenly there were different rules. Rules, which didn’t include cigarettes, beer or girls – Enno was, as a lover of liberty, truly not a fan of these rules. “In fact I was an easy child”, says Enno and grins. “Others probably saw that differently”. So he changed the boarding schools in periodically intervals, “I have no idea how many.” His protest against the establishment, “but never against the family.”

The manor: in the former private rooms of the old Baroness – the mother of Enno von Ruffin – today the hotel resides

After school he went to Bavaria, was lieutenant for the mountain infantry, completed an agricultural apprenticeship earlier. And spent one year near Dallas, where he dealed with the American agriculture. It seemed to be fascinating and deterred at the same time. This anonymity. “There was no caregiver, nothing familiar.” Instead there were miles of fields. “This literally broadened my horizon.” Enno von Ruffin returned to Germany to his home in Schleswig-Holstein. Because it was clear; he as the male heir takes over the farm and the responsibility for the business and the therefore involved people. At just 27 years of age. He structured, modernized, rented the empty buildings to craftsmen. The former horse stable nowadays contains an inn; events take place in the barns, from dog competitions to the ‘Players Night’ – a night where the polo cup, which regularly takes place at Basthorst, is celebrated.

In the former horse stable – built in 1913 by the ancestors of the Ruffin family, the Brusselles – visitors will find a comfortable restaurant, in which German cuisine is served

Basthorst is popular for its seasonal markets. Next weekend starts this years Christmas market. Ten thousands of visitors will come to attune themselves to the Advent season with Negus and deer-sausages. And to sing Christmas songs with Vicky Leandros. In the mid 80s Enno von Ruffin gets to know the famous singer in the once legendary Hamburg nightclub ‘Insel’ (island). First he didn’t know who she is; he did one of his flippant slogans, which she skillfully parried. He introduced her to his – luckily relatively liberal – parents so that Vicky’s Greek origin or the “standardized marriage” were no obstacles. Today they are amicably seperated.

The pond of the village lies romantically in the middle of the hundreds of years old building-ensemble

35 employees and a diversity of temporary workers take care of the farm estate. “I am farmer”, says Enno von Ruffin, “I don’t want to look after chair covers.” The animal husbandry – pigs, cows, sheep, chicken with which Enno grew up – have been abolished in the 60s. Now there are horses again, because Ennos companion, the Swedish Estelle Rytterborg, is a passionate show jumper. A passion that unifies both and nearly leads to a disaster: in fast gallop Enno fell from his horse, suffers from a life-threatening breach in his lungs. “Such incisions make you humble”, he says in thoughts. Since then he doesn’t smoke anymore. “Sometimes I drink enough”, he laughs. Enno enjoys skiing in Kitzbühel during his holidays and says about himself that he’s a ‘car-driving rambler’. “I got calmer, don’t have to attend every party.” The wild times are over now.

Enno von Ruffin with companion Estelle Rytterborg

What is from true importance? The family. Of course. The children Leo, Milana and Sandra. His companion Estelle and her daughter Pauline. Friendships. Basthorst. Milana, who’s meanwhile mother of two children, is going to take over Gut Basthorst one day. Gradually, how Enno von Ruffin emphasizes. Sometimes. Because he cannot completely release: “I always have an ear on the yard.” If it’s raining inside or if the wind whips off the tiles of the roof: it will be his phone, which rings. BvH

Christmas market in Basthorst

Tip:

The Christmas market at Gut Basthorst is one of the most beautiful in North Germany. It starts on the 20th of November (except the 22nd of November) and will be open all Advent weekends: from Friday until Sunday 300 exhibitors offer handcrafts and regional specialties in harmonic atmosphere.
Friday the 27th of November Vicky Leandros is doing a Christmas benefit concert in favor of ‘Ein Herz für Kinder’ (‘a heart for children’). You can auction a VIP-Christmas Tree that will be signed by celebrities like Udo Lindenberg, H.P. Baxter, Johannes B. Kerner, and others.

About the antique secretary the coat of arms of the ancestors

“I’m a human of yard and family, this is what makes my day”, says Enno von Ruffin, who is accompanied by the two Jack Russell terriers Lion and Trouper at every step

Shopping at Gut Basthorst: in the outbuildings of the yard are several shops that invite to further shopping experiences

Over all reigns the neo-Gothic, evangelist Granit church St. Marien – with Baron Enno von Ruffin as patron

Diverse trades have been established at Gut Basthorst: a shoemaker and bassoon-maker, a glider and a felt maker …

… There’s an antiques shop and boutiques for fashion, presents as well as a distillery, a bakery and a whisky-storage

Always with Enno von Ruffin: Lion and Trouper. Sweet!

Pure nature: Gast Basthorst in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Accession at Gut Basthorst is an original ‘Holzhäuserl’ (house out of wood) from Tirol …

… marvelous lodge-feeling – for this no one has to drive to Austria

Impressions of the countryside …

… and one photo opportunity more beautiful than the other

Enno von Ruffin and me

Contact:

Gut Basthorst
Auf dem Gut 3
21493 Basthorst, Germany

www.gut-basthorst.de

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