Mühlentor Hotel & Restaurant
A bridge between tradition and modern hospitality
Rooted in tradition since 1898. Shaped for today.
On the site where our hotel stands today, the historic Mühlentor once marked the entrance to the city. A gateway through which merchants, travellers and guests arrived in Bad Kreuznach. This idea of arrival and welcoming guests from near and far continues to shape our values today. Mühlentor Hotel & Restaurant connects past and present, traditional hospitality and contemporary comfort.
The Mühlentor Today
A house for those who value quality time
Today, the Mühlentor feels like a home away from home. Our 3-star superior hotel combines genuine hospitality with the calm of a place shaped and cared for over generations. Here, local regulars meet leisure and business travellers, all drawn by the same things: an attentive team, a cozy, modern atmosphere and a place where enjoying the present moment truly matters, set in one of Germany’s most diverse wine regions.
Our Philosophy
What drives the Mühlentor
What matters most to us is how your stay feels: personal, rooted in our love for the region and shaped by a genuine joy in welcoming guests. This is reflected in our values.
Genuine hospitality
At the Mühlentor, we care deeply about making you feel welcome from the very first moment. We value personal conversations, short paths and thoughtful gestures that show you are not just a guest, but genuinely welcome.
Rooted in tradition and the region
Our home region shapes everything we stand for, from local wines and regional products to personal recommendations for favourite places in and around Bad Kreuznach. This invites you to truly immerse yourself in the region, its wines, the city and the spirit of the Nahe region.
A sense of calm you can rely on
The Mühlentor is a place where calm feels dependable. From carefully prepared rooms to a team that looks after the details, everything is in place so you can arrive, breathe and enjoy the moment.
Our Story
The Mühlentor through the ages
On the site of today’s Mühlentor Hotel & Restaurant, people have been stopping by for centuries to trade, share stories and celebrate. A brief overview of key moments in the history of the house:
Where Faust may once have enjoyed a glass of wine
Standing beside what was once an actual gate – the Mühlentor – and the square beyond, the house occupied an ideal location for merchants, traders, mill owners and their customers. Coachmen would stop here, tend to their horses and then treat themselves to a Remis, a half glass of wine served from the carriage shed. It is quite possible that Johann Sabellicus Faust, who lived nearby and served as headmaster of the local grammar school, stopped by from time to time as well.
A new beginning on old foundations
At the end of the 19th century, the original building was rebuilt by the Lauermann family. On the ground floor, the wine tavern Gasthaus zum Goldenen Wagen opened as a tribute to the former stagecoach station that once stood in front of the house.
Despite its favourable location, the business did not develop as hoped, and the inn closed its doors in 1911.
From inn to administrative building
After the First World War, a local branch of the employment office temporarily moved into the building. Later, Dresdner Bank took over the property and used it as a branch office until 1941. While the function of the building changed over time, the address itself remained a constant part of life in the city.
A return to hospitality
In 1942, Fuchs Brewery purchased the building, restored it as a place of hospitality and reopened it under the name Zum Mühlentor. In the 1950s, the house was remodelled. In later years, the inn was shaped by its tenant, football icon Adam Schmitt.
During this period, the Mühlentor became a lively meeting place for locals, sports enthusiasts and visitors to the city.
From inn to hotel
In 1966, master butcher Kurt Hilgert acquired the building. From 1968, he and his family ran the restaurant together. In 1970, the first guest rooms were created in the main house, followed in 1974 by the first guesthouse opposite, overlooking the mill pond.
In 1981, the main house was expanded to include additional double rooms and a lift, laying the foundation for the hotel as it exists today.
Expansion by the mill pond
Following severe flooding, the second guesthouse Am Mühlenteich was built in 1998. Many of its rooms offer uninterrupted views of the Bridge Houses, one of Bad Kreuznach’s most recognisable landmarks.
In 1994, the family suffered a personal loss with the passing of Hartmut Hilgert. In 2000, Frank Hilgert took over the Mühlentor, modernising both the kitchen and the rooms. In 2010, the restaurant, including its outdoor dining area, was comprehensively renewed.
Where modernity meets tradition
From 2020 onwards, the main building and the neighbouring property underwent extensive redevelopment. Thirty-two new rooms were created, along with a lobby and bar, restaurant, breakfast area and co-working space. Clear architectural lines and calm corridors now blend seamlessly with the building’s long-standing history.
In 2023, the 180° Creative Space was added, offering a dedicated setting for workshops and meetings. Since 2025, the Mühlentor has been carried forward by a regional group of investors led by Mattes Unternehmensgruppe. Frank Hilgert and Stephanie Hilgert remain familiar faces and key points of contact, supported by Jennifer Schirra as Hotel Director.
The Team
The people behind the Mühlentor
At the Mühlentor, it is not just about rooms, cuisine and service, but above all about the people. Many of our team members have been part of the house for years, shaping its atmosphere with their personality, craftsmanship and genuine joy in welcoming guests.
Get to know the teams who turn a stay at the Mühlentor into more than just a night away.
Heart & Soul
Our Kitchen
Frank Hilgert
Frank Hilgert has shaped the cuisine at the Mühlentor as Head Chef for decades, bringing experience, passion and the highest standards of quality to every dish. His culinary career includes work in several renowned kitchens, among them time spent with Johann Lafer, Helmut Thieltges and Joachim Wissler in Michelin-starred gastronomy.
Fun fact: Between the ages of nine and fourteen, Frank’s favourite meal consisted almost exclusively of schnitzel with paprika sauce.
Fabian Ruben Kern
Fabian Ruben Kern has been supporting our kitchen team with dedication and enthusiasm for more than 15 years. Driven by new techniques and fresh ideas, he has worked closely with Frank for many years and plays a key role in organisation, quality and execution.
Favourite dish: Goulash with potato dumplings and cucumber salad
Alex Vinogradovs
Alex Vinogradovs has been part of the team for three years, bringing fresh energy to the kitchen. He is closely involved in developing new creations in the area of patisserie and desserts, where he has discovered his true passion. At the same time, he is deeply committed to traditional craftsmanship, whether shaping thousands of ravioli by hand or refining classic techniques.
Alex supports the team across all areas of the kitchen, ensuring smooth workflows through dedication and a clear overview. Clean working practices, high-quality ingredients and a respectful team culture are especially important to him.
Favourite dish: Potato dumplings filled with braised onions and sour cream
Janine Walkowski
Janine Walkowski has been a dedicated presence at the garde-manger station for 12 years and is a true cornerstone of our kitchen team. She is responsible for salads, starters and desserts, ensuring that everything is perfectly prepared and runs smoothly. When it comes to plating, Janine loves working with colour and detail. Her great sense of humour and creativity have made her an indispensable part of the team for many years.
Favourite dish: Chicken with basil cream sauce and ribbon pasta
Benedict Barth
Benedict Barth is part of our kitchen team and brings a great deal of passion to his work. With high standards of quality, he ensures fresh, high-quality dishes and smooth processes behind the scenes. Regional ingredients and their careful preparation are particularly important to him.
Benedict completed his training under Frank Hilgert before gaining valuable experience in various establishments and later bringing new ideas and impulses back to the Mühlentor. His communicative nature and experience in live cooking are a real asset to our team and are equally appreciated by our guests. At events in particular, he can often be found at the live-cooking station, delighting guests with his skill, charm and natural way of engaging with people.
Heart & Soul
Our Management
Hotel Director
Jenny Schirra
As Hotel Director, Jenny Schirra leads the Mühlentor with passion, clarity and an uncompromising commitment to quality and service. She is the central point of contact for both guests and team members, ensuring that all areas of the house work together seamlessly.
Jenny is a host through and through. She is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations, regardless of how busy things may be. On any given day, she can be found supporting the kitchen, present on the hotel floors, in the office or in conversation with guests. She approaches every challenge with a solution-focused mindset, because for her, mindset is everything.
Her motto: “All for one, one for all.”
Digitalisation & Process Management
Jana Hofstetter
Jana Hofstätter is responsible for optimising internal workflows and consistently driving digitalisation across hotel and restaurant operations. Her clear focus is always on the idea of hospitality: the guest journey should be as simple, intuitive and enjoyable as possible.
With extensive expertise, she has developed a sophisticated system that goes far beyond traditional hotel software. Guests can check in digitally before arrival, share preferences, book additional services or personalise their stay, from reserving a table in the restaurant to ordering flowers with a personal message or arranging a dog bed for their four-legged companion.
This allows our guests to arrive relaxed at any time, without waiting, while giving our on-site team more time for what truly matters: personal, individual guest care.
Fun fact: She answers more questions in a day than Google.
Assistance & Design
Isabel Beck
Isabel Beck supports the management team with foresight, structure and creativity. As an assistant, she is an integral part of hotel and hospitality operations. In addition, she is responsible for the look and feel of the spaces, as well as the planning and delivery of events. With a keen sense for atmosphere, she ensures that both guests and team members feel equally at ease.
Her particular strength lies in the rare combination of highly organised work and creative problem-solving. She identifies potential, applies her wide-ranging skills with precision and is an indispensable support to Jenny and the entire team.
Her humour, open-mindedness and warm smile help bring a positive perspective even to challenging situations – and together, we “simply save the world”.
Fun fact: She instantly knows when a room is still missing that certain something.
Heart & Soul
Rezeption & Guest Relations
Steffi Hilgert
Steffi Hilgert has been part of the Mühlentor for more than 25 years. Her deep connection to the house and the region is felt the moment you step through the door. She lives hospitality with genuine conviction and shares this passion with her colleagues every day. With her positive, warm manner and a great deal of sensitivity, Steffi looks after our guests individually, personally and wholeheartedly. This is exactly what makes her an indispensable pillar of our house.
Together, the reception team forms a well-coordinated and attentive unit, ensuring that guests feel well looked after at all times. Professionalism, helpfulness and a genuine willingness to listen define_toggle their daily work at reception.
Heart & Soul
Our Service Team
Our service team ensures that our guests feel genuinely well looked after and truly welcome every day. With attentiveness, expertise and a welcoming smile, they take care of our guests’ well-being. For them, great service means listening closely, recognising wishes and responding quickly, individually and with warmth.
Day after day, they give their all to delight our guests and invite them into the world of culinary enjoyment shaped by the Nahe region. Whether offering the perfect wine recommendation or helping to choose a dessert, the team knows the menu and products inside out, creating moments of enjoyment that stay with you.
With passion, authenticity and genuine hospitality, our service team is at work in the restaurant seven days a week, always with one goal in mind: to make every visit something special.
Heart & Soul
Our Housekeeping
Our housekeeping team ensures that our guests feel completely at ease in clean, well-cared-for and welcoming spaces at any time. With a keen eye for detail, great care and high standards of quality, they create a pleasant and harmonious atmosphere throughout the entire house.
Reliability, discretion and a sense of order are at the heart of their work. Every movement is precise, every detail matters – always with the aim of making every guest feel at home from the very first moment. For them, creating clean, well-ordered rooms is not just part of the job, but a true passion you can feel the moment you enter.
Working quietly in the background, they make an indispensable contribution to the comfort and well-being of our guests – and this is exactly what makes them such an essential part of our team.
Careers
Would you like to join our team?
At the Mühlentor, you will work alongside people who truly live and love hospitality – in the kitchen, service, housekeeping, office and at reception. As a recognised training establishment, we pass on our knowledge to young talents and support them on their journey in the hotel and hospitality industry.
Whether you are looking to start an apprenticeship, join us as a part-time team member or bring your experience as a skilled professional to a place where passion and craftsmanship matter, you will find a strong sense of team spirit, reliability and a shared joy in creating special moments for our guests.
Apply now and become part of the Mühlentor.
