Calm. Expanse. Inspiration.
Interview with Helko Riedinger, Managing Director of Camp Reinsehlen Hotel GmbH
Nestled in the Lüneburg Heath, surrounded by the largest dry grassland in northern Germany, is the Camp Reinsehlen Hotel in Schneverdingen – a place with a turbulent history and a distinctive character. Where once military aircraft took off and the Dalai Lama preached, meetings, workshops, and retreats now take place in soothing tranquility. Helko Riedinger, Managing Director of Camp Reinsehlen Hotel GmbH, has been running the hotel for 15 years. In a conversation with Wirtschaftsforum, he talks about inspiration through silence, nature, expanse, and what brought the Queen to this place.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Riedinger, you have been the managing director of Hotel Camp Reinsehlen for 15 years. What path led you here?
Helko Riedinger: I am a classically trained hotel specialist, later studied international hotel management in Hamburg, and worked a lot abroad, including on ships. Ultimately, however, my family brought me back to the Lüneburg Heath, where I started my training. Since 2010, I have been here at Camp Reinsehlen – and I am very pleased to be.
Wirtschaftsforum: Camp Reinsehlen has an extraordinary history. Could you summarize it briefly?
Helko Riedinger: Yes, it's really special. Originally, this was a military airfield, later one of the largest refugee camps in Germany, then a British-Canadian base. Even the Queen was here once for a parade. After the withdrawal, the area was completely re-naturalized. In 1998, a major event with the Dalai Lama was held here. This led to the idea of building a hotel. The hotel opened in 1999 with 27 rooms. Today we have 91 rooms and 13 meeting rooms.
Wirtschaftsforum: The hotel is located in the middle of a nature reserve. How does this shape your daily life?
Helko Riedinger: Sustainability is not a marketing topic for us, but part of our DNA. From the beginning, the hotel was consciously integrated into the landscape. We have always lived this idea – in ecological, social, and economic terms. Our property borders directly on a protected dry grassland area, where rare birds such as the skylark breed. From April to October, no one is allowed to enter the area. We take this very seriously.
Wirtschaftsforum: Who are your guests?
Helko Riedinger: About two-thirds of our business is events, such as seminars, workshops, or retreats. We specialize in intensive formats, where people can concentrate on their work, personal development, or creative thinking. The tranquility and vastness of the place support this enormously. The other third are individual travelers – we affectionately call them 'seekers of peace and nature lovers'. These are people who want to switch off and wind down, maybe just read a book quietly or simply cycle through the heath.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you differentiate yourself from traditional holiday hotels?
Helko Riedinger: We are not a wellness hotel in the usual sense. We do not offer massages or large spa areas. Instead, we offer saunas, steam baths, plenty of nature, and genuine well-being, a kind of wellbeing amidst the heath. Our guests can rent bicycles, take carriage rides, or book yoga classes. Everything is possible, nothing is compulsory. What particularly distinguishes us, in short, is nature, tranquility, and expansiveness. Or, as our slogan goes: Calm Pole. Thought Center. Nature Space. This combination makes us unique – and it is palpable as soon as you are here.
Wirtschaftsforum: Crises and the coronavirus era have changed a lot. What about you?
Helko Riedinger: Definitely. We have learned to diversify and not be too dependent on individual customers. During the coronavirus era, individual travel business suddenly became our lifeline. Conversely, today the conferencing sector contributes significantly again. This mix makes us resilient. With bookings, there are now two extremes: Some book very early, others increasingly at the last minute. Overall, planning has become more difficult. Nevertheless, with our special offer focusing on nature, vastness, and tranquility, we still have a solid lead time. About 50 to 60% of our bookings are made more than half a year in advance.
Wirtschaftsforum: What plans do you have for the future?
Helko Riedinger: We want to develop the hotel further without changing its soul. The focus is on quality and authenticity. We emphasize personal service over standardization and aim to enhance our guests' experience even further, with additional quiet zones and new design ideas. There are no concrete building projects at the moment, but many concepts are already in the drawer.
Wirtschaftsforum: A personal question to conclude: What is particularly important to you as an entrepreneur?
Helko Riedinger: Clearly our employees. Without them, no hotel can function. We have about 80 employees from many countries, many of whom are trainees. For them, we rent apartments, help with administrative processes, with the bank – everything necessary to ensure they settle in well. We are not talking about benefits here, but about genuine appreciation. If employees feel good, the guests feel it too. For me, that is the foundation of our success.