KEMPINSKI MUNICH’S NEW CIGAR LOUNGE

[El Presidente]

 

 

 

 

SMOKE ‘EM IF YOU’VE GOT ‘EM AT KEMPINSKI MUNICH’S NEW CIGAR LOUNGE

 

MICHELE SPONAGLE

Senior editor

 

https://www.hotel-addict.com/2018/10/03/smoke-em-if-youve-got-em-at-kempinski-munichs-new-cigar-lounge/

It’s no secret that cigar smoking has become a thing with celebrities from Kanye West to Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Craig among its fans. Their love of the stogie leads them to purchase super expensive humidors and to build cigar collections sourced worldwide. Will they make travel plans based on their hobby? You betcha. At least that is what the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich is banking on.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich

The luxurious property with 160 years of history behind it has just opened a fancy cigar lounge that it hopes will attract both local and international cigar lovers. Designed by interior designer Colin Finnegan, the space taps into a gentleman’s club aesthetic with leather armchairs sitting in front of a Louis XVI fireplace. Regular guests can have their own private humidors—with a minimum yearly rental fee of 3,000 Euros—for storing their favorite puffs.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich

Those puffs will come courtesy of cigar partner Max Zechbauer, Munich’s most esteemed supplier of cigars and the oldest cigar shop in Germany. It carries more than 450 selections from prestigious names like Davidoff, Cohiba, Arturo Fuente and Daniel Marshall 24 Karat Gold Cigars, plus other rarities.

The lounge is an exclusive space with room for just 20 smokers. The good news for them is that it is accessible around the clock to accommodate their puffing needs. The Kempinski Munich is less than a minute from the original Zechbauer München cigar shop, the exclusive supplier to the Royal Bavarian court and 14 other royal courts across Europe.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich

If you’re would-be royalty, you may want to book the Kempinski’s posh Ludwig Suite, complete with Jacuzzi, two bedrooms, leather floors, living room, dining room and private kitchen. Its 24/7 butler service will come in handy when you want someone to go fetch your cigars and you’re too busy having a steam in your in-room sauna.

 

 

[RDB]

I used to smoke in the somewhat less exclusive but nonetheless nice cigar lounge at the Kempinski in Cairo. Amazing view of the city and the Nile. Cheap as chips. Incidentally Cairo is positively awash with fake Cohiba Sublimes, mostly happily blooming to death in little glass topped 'humidors'.  

[Derboesekoenig]

3k Euros a year for a humidor???? My god, that is more expensive than any place I found in Kuwait or Dubai. Name is Hotel 4 years time? Does that signify anything?

[Nino]

18 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said:

3k Euros a year for a humidor???? My god, that is more expensive than any place I found in Kuwait or Dubai. Name is Hotel 4 years time? Does that signify anything?

That is a very modest amount for Munich - try renting an apartment there and let your tears flow ... ?

Yeah, it signifies  that while you have a German nick, your German is nothing to write home about - the name means Four Seasons Kempinski.

 

[Derboesekoenig]

18 minutes ago, nino said:

That is a very modest amount for Munich - try renting an apartment there and let your tears flow ... ?
 
Yeah, it signifies  that while you have a German nick, your German is nothing to write home about - the name means Four Seasons Kempinski.

 

Hahaha yes, I'd not had my coffee yet. Entschuldigen Sie

[Lotusguy]

Cool - I’ll be in Munich next month for work - will check it out (along with the new LCDH Munich).

Thanks for the info.

[patrickamory]

Still worth checking out? I'm going to be in Munich next month.

Also, any other Munich recommendations please! For eating/drinking/whatever.

[El Hoze]

Old thread, but I chuckled at Nino’s post. RIP Nino. 

I am sure there are members here far more knowledgeable on Munich than I am but I travel there relatively frequently for work. You could list the best wurst places all day, I’d throw out Wirsthaus Maximilian as my favorite. I’m a big fan of Helles/lagers but Augustiner is probably my favorite beer hall if I had to pick, there are a bunch of Augustiners. The one near Klosterwirt is great.

One of my favorite hotels in the world is the Mandarin Oriental Munich, which sits adjacent to the Hofbrauhaus, many of the rooms overlook the courtyard where people start drinking beer and partying first thing in the morning. It is fantastic. An oddball recommendation is that there is a Matsuhisa restaurant inside the Mandarin Oriental, a high end Japanese/sushi place. I usually find that after eating German/European food for days on end having really good sushi absolutely hits the spot!

Not applicable for winter but the English Garden is wonderful in warmer weather. There’s an icy cold stream applicably called the “Eisbock” (ice brook) that runs through it at a rapid pace, you can jump in and it whisks you down until you grab a rope to get out. I absolutely hate cold water but it is fun. Good way to work off some beers and weiswurst. 

Munich is one of my favorite European cities. Hope this helps! 

[patrickamory]

Thank you! Made a reservation at Wirsthaus Maximilian.

[MrBirdman]

On 2/10/2023 at 8:25 AM, El Hoze said:

One of my favorite hotels in the world is the Mandarin Oriental Munich, which sits adjacent to the Hofbrauhaus,

Easily one of the best hotels I've ever stayed at, and maybe the single best experience. Everything about it was perfect - rooms, the service, the location, everything. Was there for the opening of Oktoberfest 2010 and the spread they laid out for breakfast that morning was a sight to behold. Our room wasn't quite ready when we arrived - without hesitation they insisted we enjoy drinks and food in the lounge on the house while we waited. And to be clear, we had arrived three hours before check-in. Then after a liter or two of Oktoberfest brew at the Hofbrauhaus, it's only a few stumbles to the hotel, where the electric blinds can turn day into night. 

Their only boo boo was entirely forgivable and sign of the service - I was travelling with a childhood friend, and we shared a room since Oktoberfest rates are already through the roof and the only unbooked rooms were suites. Completely unprompted, the staff used one of those wood burning tools to create a momento for our stay. It had our names entwined and hearts on it. 

[El Hoze]

2 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

It had our names entwined and hearts on it. 

That is a great story. I’ve stayed there probably two dozen nights over the years, it is an impressive operation. And then stick it next to the Hofbrauhaus (I’m a big beer guy) and it is truly one of my favorite places! Cheers (and go Eagles)! 

[patrickamory]

Still no thoughts on the Kempinski lounge? I'm going to check it out... they say no reservations necessary. I'll report back!

[patrickamory]

Nice spot in a beautiful hotel. It's located up the steps off the lobby bar and to the right. The law doesn't permit you to order alcohol from inside the lounge, so get your drinks in the bar and bring them in.

The lounge is extremely comfortable with a lovely fireplace and paintings. It is pretty cosy, with seating for about 6 parties in groups from two to six people. I had a nice Reyes (forgot to look at date / box code, €32), and my smoking companion chose a Davidoff Signature.

The selection of CCs is limited - just Cohibas and Trinidads. Siglos II and III, Robustos, Reyes, and Vigias. The guy told me they they are having the same trouble as everywhere else sourcing Cuban production. Beyond that they had Plasencias, Davidoff, their own (Zechbauer München) branded cigars from Costa Rica, and a few others.

The drinking selection on the other hand is very good. I just had a Knob Creek, but my friend drank a Rochelt quince (Quitte) eau de vie which was spectacular and quite hard to find. We also had some Bavarian spätburgunder, which I vastly preferred to the Austrian wines I have drunk from the same varietal.

Overall a really pleasant evening - would return.

[patrickamory]

More notes on Munich, a really friendly and fun town:

- LCDH, located dead center. Decent stock on Cohiba, HdM, RyJ, Jose Piedra, Montecristo. I bought some Mille Fleurs, Flor Extrafina, and Deputes.

- Wirtshaus Maximilian - thank you @El Hoze - warm neighborhood Augustiner Brähaus / restaurant. Styrian-style fried chicken with potato salad and sauerkraut, pounded pork loin with cheese noodles. Liter of Helles; glasses of Riesling, Zweigelt, and red Pfalz. All delicious.

- Trader Vic's - at the Bayerischer Hof hotel. One of the oldest locations still extant now that London has closed. The decor is off the chain and completely not updated for modern sensibilities . Huge, room after room of carvings, suspended canoes, wicker cosiness and hand-hewn tables. Mai Tais, Suffering Bastard, Kmaihna, and a Honi-Honi with crab rangoon, and barbecue ribs cooked at a gigantic grill in the middle of the restaurant.

- Hofbräuhaus. Right when we got in at 10:30 on Friday night. Oom-pah band playing, everyone from any conceivable walk of life drinking liters of (really superb) lager with pretzels, people really do dress in dirndls and lederhosen, and there were huge teams who "own" various tables wearing matching outfits and going crazy banging on the long wooden tables and singing along. 

- Görreshof Wirtshaus - off the beaten track in a residential area, another beer hall with excellent lunch (btw in these places you just sit where you want, don't wait to be seated. Also, pay in cash and add a tip, it's very un-European in this way). Recommended for schnitzel which was good but not as good as Vienna, but mouthwatering salad (with mustard and vinegar), Nürnberg sausage with beer sauce,  Bavarian mustard, and fermented red cabbage. Also excellent warm potato salad with a vinegary mustard sauce. Liters of Helles (Augustiner) and bottled Pils.

We also hit the Lenbachhaus for a pretty incredible show on the Munich expressionists (Kandinsky, von Jawlensky, Münter, Franz Marc), and did the entire Residenz-Museum (baroque ornate, but much of it rebuilt after bombing). Various coffees & drinks, great food markets, etc. Cool city.

[Çnote]

On 3/5/2023 at 5:01 AM, patrickamory said:

Rochelt

Mind blowing stuff