The Best Farm Stay in Germany: Our Travel Scout Spent a Weekend with Son Leo at Landhaus Averbeck

For a family weekend getaways we automatically choose the sea with its either calming or rough appeal, where sky and water meet and turn into one endless horizon. But this weekend, we're heading south, leave the highway behind us and dive deep into the greenery of the countryside. We’re slowing down, forests and fields pass us by, and then we see the main portal of Landhaus Averbeck whose reputation is far beyond: They call it magical.
The farm has been owned by the Averbeck family since the beginning of the 16th century and has been passed on from generation to generation. Once a traditional dairy farm, it is now a professionally managed family hotel while the authentic, down-to-earth atmosphere has been kept.

After a friendly welcome at reception we are immediately taken on a short tour of the grounds, where we get a first impression of the farm’s highlights. My son Leo immediately jumps on one of the many go-karts - the vehicles of choice for young and old guests on the extensive farm - while I gaze over the 28,000 square metres of meadows, forests and paddocks that surround the estate. I feel like I’m bathing in green and gold and don't miss the sound of the waves one bit.

Although all 34 apartments are fully booked, the atmosphere is surprisingly relaxed. The place is lively but not crowded. The tour ends at the center of the farm: We spend the night in one of the most popular cabins - or as Leo calls it during our stay, “our little cottage”. The two-storey Tiny Houses were added to the farm just a few years ago. With two separate bedrooms, they are perfect for a family of four - including a view of the fields where you can see the horses grazing in the morning mist.

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The evolution of the farm into an upscale multigenerational hotel is evident in its architecture. First, the pigsty was converted into guest rooms, and the old horse and cow stables were transformed into a swimming pool and sauna. In 2021, a heated outdoor pool was added to the farmhouse garden. Later, the old bull stable was revitalized with stunning design. This space now houses one of Landhaus Averbeck's highlights: the children’s area, featuring thoughtfully designed play spaces and a fantastically equipped workshop. At a large oak table, the childcare team invites children to craft, paint, and build, encouraging them to try new things, develop ideas, and express their creativity.

The days at Averbeck are like a never-ending adventure for Leo: In the morning, he starts by mucking out the stables, followed by a riding lesson or crafting with natural materials. The newly rebuilt kids club has many lovingly and carefully designed play areas and the fantastically equipped workroom. At a large oak table, the children are invited to try out new things, develop ideas and be creative. After lunch, the campfire is lit and while the parents have a chat, the kids play on the wooden playground or under the awning in the sandpit. In the afternoon, a heavenly cake buffet awaits us at the café in the farmhouse. Leo and I enjoy a wonderfully moist marble cake by the tiled stove before making a detour to the indoor play barn. 

After a splash in the pool and a little me-time in the sauna afterwards we have to be back at the stables: The animals are put to bed every evening, and of course all the children are allowed to lend a hand. They have to take the geese and ducks out of the pond, pour some water into the troughs for the goats, fill up the horse stables with fresh hay and, finally, say goodnight to Benny and Charly, the dwarf ponies, Hops and Huper, the mini pigs and all the other farm animals. Nostalgia resonates everywhere here, as if a long-lost treasure had been found. The days fly by and at the same time it feels as if all the clocks have stopped. For children, the feeling of boundless light-heartedness. For adult guests, a blessing in another way, because the FOMO phenomenon - the fear of missing out on all the opportunities that could possibly make one’s life better and get sick over that huge stress it causes - just doesn’t exist here. The offer is small but excellent: massage, Pilates, DIY flower wreath courses. It is absolutely relaxing to simply sit in the sun with a coffee in your hand without feeling guilty. Because mothers with small children are known to be one thing above all: tired.

In the evening, families meet up again in the restaurant. Down-to-earth, regional and seasonal food is an important part of the Averbeck philosophy. It is also self-service everywhere, there is no dress code and everyone is on first-name terms. The hosts are to be seen everywhere: Frauke Averbeck-Pennington and Ross Pennington, who created this childhood dream come to life, as well as their daughter Charlotte, who recently joined the family business and will lead the country house into the next generation. They all learned from the best in the Michelin-starred hotel industry, but have a different definition of luxury themselves: they describe the hotel as a place that wants to give the gift of unforgettable childhood memories, says the family. So it is true what they say, this is where the magic happens for curious children between the ages of 0 and 11. All they need is access to nature, plenty of space to play, one-on-one’s with the farm animals and in my son's case: a John Deere go-kart.

After he has finally fallen asleep - filled with the experiences of the day - I grab a glass of wine at the Hotel’s lounge bar with its earthy tones, elegant leather armchairs and a fantastic bar menu. The view is beautiful: from the magnificent roof terrace you can overlook the courtyard, small fairy lights above the paths bathe it in a cozy light - you could almost think it was a film set. A time-out at Averbeck usually lasts from Thursday to Sunday or Sunday to Thursday - the perfect length to experience the extensive weekly program and simply let yourself drift in between. Many of the families are here every year, the country house has long since made it into the long-term memory of their daughters and sons and has become the epitome of their childhood over the years. At the age of 3, Leo has traveled quite a lot: from breathtaking nature in Costa Rica to safari tours in South Africa and New York’s skyscrapers we have given him the most exciting impressions, and he has certainly benefited from all of them. But he has never cried so bitterly at the end of a trip as when he said goodbye to Averbeck.

As we pack up his beloved Pippi Longstocking suitcase on our last day, I can't help but think of the last chapter of the Astrid Lindgren trilogy, in which Pippi struggles with the fact that she will have to grow up one day. She swallows the infamous Krummelus pill with the words: “Dear little Krummelus, I never want to grow up”. At Landhaus Averbeck, one wishes to have taken the magic medicine before it was too late. Instead, I made a promise to Leo to come back to the place that is a little Krummelus pill itself. I want him to take his time growing up. And because the world is his oyster, I want him to always stay with both feet firmly on the muddy Averbeck ground and find great happiness in the small things in life.

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