About Us – Our History
The Hotel Leopold has a high proportion of regular guests who enjoy the Schwabing flair and the personal atmosphere here with us.
The origins on Leopoldstraße
From around 1860 onwards, the site in Munich-Schwabing that we occupy today was home to the „Ingolstädter Hof“.
With its horse stables, coach house, small animal shed, wash house, courtyard and garden, every effort was made to cater above all to the carts and their horses, to the stable hands and traders, but also to more distinguished travellers.
The first generation
Inspired by his enthusiasm for the invention of the motor car, the foresight of Otto Lehner senior later gave rise to a large garage with a filling station stocking all the petrol brands of the day, as well as a car care hall and a shop for tyres and accessories.
The filling station became a magnet for everyone of „rank and name“ who lived in Schwabing, in Lehel, in Maxvorstadt and in Bogenhausen.
The second generation
In the mid-1920s, Otto and Magdalena Lehner acquired the property at Leopoldstraße 119 with its house and garden. Here they founded the first and, at that time, only hotel in Munich-Schwabing – and what is today the Hotel Leopold was given its present name.
The founder Magdalena Lehner was succeeded by her son Otto Lehner.
The third generation
Erna Kiefer, the niece of Magdalena Lehner, worked at the filling station and helped serve breakfast to the guests. In 1955 the Hotel Leopold was taken over by Erna and her husband Kurt Kiefer – son of Karl Kiefer, professor of fine arts. In the post-war years you could meet a great many guests who were well known, famous or simply at home in Munich-Schwabing. Ernst Hoferichter, Arthur Kutscher and Lothar Dietz, for example, whose works of art still adorn the idyllic garden among other places today.
The fourth generation
In the early 1960s the daughters Gertraud Steidle and Hannelore Memminger joined the business. At the same time the so-called garden house was built, which today accommodates most of the guest rooms.
The Hotel Leopold today in Munich-Schwabing
The house feels equally bound to tradition and committed to the ever-changing expectations of its guests. And that is now in the fifth generation.
Come and get to know our tradition-rich house in person – we look forward to welcoming you to Munich-Schwabing!
