EmiLu

A Family Hotel with a Mission

Many city hotels are products of spreadsheets. EmiLu is a product of conviction. When the Bräutigam family acquired a rather anonymous 1960s office building in the heart of Stuttgart, they saw something others overlooked: the opportunity to create a hotel that would bring character, creativity, and energy back into the city centre. The name itself tells the story. EmiLu combines the names of daughter Emilia and mother Luise, reflecting the deeply personal nature of the project. Despite its 90 rooms and prime downtown location, EmiLu never feels corporate. It feels exactly as intended: a family-owned hotel designed by people who genuinely care about their city. Their vision was simple. Create a place where locals and visitors would want to spend time. Not just sleep.

A 1960s Building Reimagined

The original building dates from the 1960s, and rather than erase its history, the design team chose to embrace it. Original ribbed concrete ceilings remain visible. Structural elements were preserved. The building’s rhythm and proportions continue to define the guest experience. The architectural transformation by Stuttgart-based Blocher Partners carefully balanced preservation with reinvention, giving the former administrative building an entirely new identity while dramatically reducing the environmental impact of redevelopment. Today, the façade feels elegant and contemporary, while the interiors celebrate the optimism and creativity of mid-century design. It’s adaptive reuse done properly.

The Return of Mid-Century Cool

Step inside and the atmosphere immediately feels different. A bold green reception desk greets guests like a sculptural artwork. Vintage furniture sits alongside contemporary pieces. Design classics mingle with carefully sourced finds collected across Europe by owner Petra Luise Bräutigam herself. The references are unmistakably mid-century, but never nostalgic. Knoll tables. Bauhaus influences. Vitra furniture. Warm walnut parquet. Custom lighting. Rich fabrics. Unexpected colour combinations. The result feels playful, confident, and refreshingly personal. There is a sense that every piece was selected because someone genuinely loved it. Not because it appeared in a hotel catalogue.

Rooms Full of Character

One of EmiLu’s greatest strengths is its refusal to become predictable. No two rooms feel exactly alike. Across six categories, from compact city rooms to spacious suites, guests encounter bold colours, vintage-inspired furnishings, and thoughtful design details that bring personality into every stay. Some rooms embrace deep blues. Others play with energetic coral reds. Many feature walnut flooring, custom lighting, espresso machines, and views across Stuttgart’s rooftops. The upper-floor Emi Suites are particularly appealing, combining generous space with panoramic city views. The atmosphere feels somewhere between a stylish private apartment and a contemporary boutique hotel. Comfortable. Characterful. And unmistakably individual.

A Lobby Designed for Life

Many hotel lobbies feel transactional. EmiLu’s lobby feels social. Guests settle into vintage armchairs with coffee. Locals stop by for breakfast meetings. Travellers linger long after check-in. The energy is lively without becoming hectic. It’s exactly the kind of place owner Michael Bräutigam envisioned when he spoke about preserving the soul of Stuttgart’s city centre. A place where people gather naturally rather than simply pass through. And it works.

Breakfast at Fritz

Adjacent to the lobby sits Fritz, the hotel’s relaxed all-day dining space. Mornings begin with regional products, freshly prepared dishes, and excellent coffee served in a bright, welcoming atmosphere. Throughout the day the restaurant evolves into a meeting place where locals mix effortlessly with hotel guests. Like the rest of the property, Fritz avoids unnecessary complexity. Good ingredients. Good design. Good company. Sometimes that’s enough.

Lennarts Above the City

The hotel’s secret weapon sits on the sixth floor. Lennarts is less a conventional rooftop bar and more a stylish urban living room suspended above Stuttgart. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views across the city skyline and surrounding hills, while comfortable seating, thoughtful design, and a relaxed atmosphere encourage guests to linger. Whether enjoying an aperitif at sunset or hosting a private event, Lennarts captures the city’s surprisingly dynamic energy from above. It’s one of Stuttgart’s best-kept secrets.

Small Wellness, Big Impact

Hidden below ground is a compact but well-executed wellness area. A sauna. Relaxation room. Fitness space. Yoga equipment. Nothing excessive. Nothing missing. Like the rest of EmiLu, it focuses on quality rather than quantity.

Design with Heart

What makes EmiLu particularly appealing is that its design never feels performative. Many design hotels can feel like carefully staged showrooms. EmiLu feels lived in. Personal. Warm. The building’s history remains visible. The family remains involved. The city remains present. And every design decision appears rooted in genuine enthusiasm rather than trend forecasting.

The DNA Hotels Verdict

EmiLu is exactly the kind of independent city hotel DNA Hotels loves to discover. A thoughtful reinvention of a forgotten building. A celebration of mid-century design without becoming retro. A family project with a clear vision and genuine personality. In a hospitality landscape increasingly dominated by global brands and predictable concepts, EmiLu feels refreshingly individual. Stylish without trying too hard. Urban without losing warmth. And proof that even a former office building can become one of a city’s most memorable places to stay.