Hello and good day!
Stefan Kastner and Rina den Drijver – a Bavarian and a Dutch woman. Yes, you read that right. We are your hosts at the Waldgasthof Buchenhain. How did that come about? It's actually quite simple: life!
FAMILY BUSINESS FOR OVER 100 YEARS
Our Munich hotel looks back on a long family history. At the beginning of the 20th century, my great-grandfather, Anton Ley, acquired the building in the forest and received a concession to develop it into a restaurant. However, things didn't really get going until March 1912, more than 100 years ago, when my great-grandmother Lina finally received permission to operate a year-round inn. From then on, we welcomed and entertained guests at the Waldgasthof Buchenhain. And this has now been the fourth generation to do so. Being a host was, so to speak, in my blood. Even though I never imagined when I began my training that I would actually take over the Waldgasthof – my heart beats not only for hospitality but also for the Trade in antiques. Yours too? Then we look forward to your visit in our Gallery in the basement of our restaurant. There, we have all sorts of treasures on display and enjoy showing, discussing, and negotiating with admirers of old art.
THIS IS HOW IT ALL BEGAN
It was important to me to receive a solid education in the hotel industry. To improve my French for university, I went to Nice. That's where I met my now wife, Rina. We both graduated from the hotel management program in Lausanne in 1991. We then had the opportunity to work in various cities and countries, including Morocco, London, and Boston. After many years of experience abroad, we returned to Munich.
We have been jointly managing the Waldgasthof Buchenhain, our hotel in Munich, since 2011. We want our guests to not only feel at home with us, but also to feel that we are hosts with heart and soul. Hosts who deeply value their homeland, the beautiful spot here at the Waldgasthof Buchenhain. This is reflected in many areas of our hotel and restaurant.
Since September 15, 2023, our son, Calvin den Drijver, has also been enriching the team as junior manager. Calvin studied hotel management in The Hague, Netherlands, and completed a practical training program at Geisel Privathotels (Königshof). There, he gained valuable experience, including as a waiter in the wine shop and as a receptionist at the Anna Hotel. He now actively supports us at the reception and also serves as restaurant manager. It's wonderful to see him following in his parents' footsteps with renewed vigor and his passion for hospitality, helping to shape the Waldgasthof Buchenhain.
OUR KITCHEN AT THE WALDGASTHOF BUCHENHAIN
The kitchen in our Waldgasthof Buchenhain under the direction of chef Klaus Glantschnig lives from quality,
Freshness and regionality. We select local products based on conviction and ethical principles and source them from local partners. Furthermore, our carefully selected Suppliers Species-appropriate animal husbandry, short transport routes and constant quality assurance by responsible contacts in the vicinity are promoted.
…yes, that’s us!
THESE ARE OUR VALUES
In our guest rooms and our hotel in the south of Munich, you can experience our Bavarian culture firsthand. Many pieces of furniture are traditional Bavarian or antiques that I have lovingly selected. In addition to tradition and culture, we also keep up with the times. We are open to new ideas and are happy to add to them – all for the benefit of our guests.
This is how our CAMYLO Bar, where after-work cocktails are regularly served in the summer.
In the beer garden, we've not only built a stone grill to make the meat and fish taste even better, but we've also optimized our forest stage, where you can see everything from Bavarian brass bands and Schuhplattler dances to country musicians and line dancers to rock bands. We appreciate variety and always value quality. So that you, our guests, feel as comfortable at our Waldgasthof Buchenhain as we do.
Sincerely, Stefan Kastner, Rina den Drijver and Calvin den Drijver
