High above the Rhine Valley, on the hilltop of the Petersberg one of Germany’s most unusual hotels is situated right in the middle of the oldest nature reserves, surrounded  by the forests of the Siebengebirge and nevertheless convenient for traffic: the Grandhotel Petersberg.

Erected in the style of the classical Modern, the building fits in harmoniously with the delightful scenery. The beauty of nature, the wonderful view over the Rhine Valley and the special ambience of the house have impressed many high-ranking guests from all over the world, among them Queen Elizabeth II., the Japanese emperor Akihito with empress Michiko, the Jordanian king Hussein as well as head of governments and states like e.g. Brezhnev, Gorbatschow, Clinton, Mandela, Blair, Li Peng and many other considerable personalities. The Grandhotel Petersberg attracted worldwide attention as venue of the conference of Balkans and the Afghanistan negotiations under leadership of the United Nations. International media described the hotel on the Petersberg near Bonn as " the German Camp David".

The former guesthouse of the German federal government and five star Grand Hotel is open also to you. Live and convene like a state guest. Accents are set by the elegant equipment, noble furniture and fine materials. 14 conference halls and meeting areas with the most modern technical equipment leave nothing to be desired.

Visiting the Petersberg one can not only enjoy the outstanding landscape and incomparable view over the Rhine Valley, but one can also take a „walk" into the historical past.

The plateau of the mountain was already populated around 400 B.C. There, parts of a ring embankment which originates around 100 B.C., were excavated some years ago. In the eastern part of the park,  the foundation walls of a five-aisele church, dating back to the 12th century can be visited.

In 1131, Knight Walther,an anchorite settled on the Petersberg. It was then called „Stromberg“, because of its proximity to the Rhine. About 60 years later Cistercian monks from the Eifel settled on the mountain.

The St. Peter chapel dates back to the year 1764 and was renovated in the past years, it is open for visitors daily. In the summer months (May - September), there is a service, held by the Niederdollendorf parish on every 1st Sunday of every month (10:15 a.m.).  

Also, the Stations of the Cross, dating back to the time shortly after the Thirty Years' War remained,  and in the past years they were restored. Since they are an evidence of an old religious tradition which lasted for centuries, the pilgrimage chapel and the Way of the Cross are protected as historic monuments.

In 1834, the government sold the Petersberg domain to Mr. Joseph Ludwig Mertens. His wife, Sibylle MertensSchaaffhausen, called the "Rheingräfin" ("countess of the Rhine"), a banker's daughter, established a summer residence on the mountain. She invited numerous personalities to social events, among them Ernst Moritz Arndt and August Wilhelm Schlegel.

A hotel was established for the first time in 1892. In 1912, Ferdinand Mülhens, owner of the famous Eau de Cologne, acquired the complex. in the years before the First World War, he converted and extended it into a health resort. In the 1930's it enjoyed a world-wide reputation.

After the Second World War the allied high commission took its seat on the Petersberg until 1952. On November 22, 1949 Federal Chancellor Dr. Konrad Adenauer signed the "Petersberg Agreement".

In the years 1955 to 1969, the hotel was managed by the Breidenbacher Hof of Duesseldorf and was used as a residence for high state guests, among others Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlewi and empress Soraya as well as Queen Elizabeth II.  After its closing in the year 1969 it was reopened in 1973 for a few days to give residence to the General Secretary of  the Communist Party, Leonid.

In 1978 the Federal Republic of Germany acquired the Petersberg and all buildings from the Mülhens family, in order to establish a new guesthouse for state guests. After several years of planning and extensive reconstruction, the guesthouse was opened in autumn 1990. Since then, almost all heads of state, heads of government and ministers of foreign affairs and their delegations  have been staying on the Petersberg as guests  of the Federal Government, having political discussions.