Steeped in history: the “Les Haras” royal stud farm was built along Strasbourg's medieval city wall in the middle of the 18th century. Today, the building is a 4-star premium hotel. Inspired by the history of the prestigious building, Parisian designer-architect duo Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku created a modern ambience with an authentic flair.

The reuse of historical materials gives the rooms a particularly natural appeal: “Les Haras” was classified as a historical monument in 1922. Beams, wood and bricks were individually checked to see whether they could be reused. The former dressage arena has been transformed into a peaceful park and 55 elegant hotel rooms created along one of the sides of the inner courtyard. When furnishing the rooms, the two French creative professionals adopted discreet elements from horse breeding. Light parquet, clear forms and a simple room structure dominate. Heavy oak floors or freestanding beds with headboards and footboards made of thick saddle leather add the finishing touch to the interior. The bathrooms bear the Duravit signature. The Bacino surface-mounted washbasin was inspired by an archaic form: the design is based on the silhouette of the classical washing bowl. The original solid contour has been softened so that Bacino becomes an elegant part of the bathroom.

The former stud farm’s stables are now home to the brasserie of Alsace-born gourmet chef Marc Haeberline; it spans an area of more than 800 m² and has a 13-metre high, open roof truss. Guests sit in the upper of two floors, in the former hay loft. There are more tables on the ground floor, where 32 fine stallions were once housed.