What we as a hotel learn from our guests

Chemnitz is not a city that finds it easy to establish itself as a tourist destination. Its past fuels mistrust, and it is often the same images of prefabricated buildings and dreary avenues that are associated with Chemnitz. Yes, those things exist too. But the rest of Chemnitz offers one thing above all else: intellectual and physical space – for ideas, for innovation, for new perspectives.

Because Chemnitz, as a city that is not staged, has one thing above all else: freedom. The freedom to develop. Our idea for Chemnitz – as Hotel catering to business and leisure travellers – is therefore simple, but far-reaching: we want to create space. For discussions, for projects, for new ideas. Space not only in the literal sense, but also in our thinking.

As a hotel that welcomes people from the worlds of business, culture, science and tourism every day, we are witnessing how perceptions of Chemnitz are changing. Our guests often give us a perspective on the city that we overlook in our everyday lives: space for growth, development and new stories.

Chemnitz is not a trend – it is a city with potential

"Chemnitz is not a pretty city – but it is an honest one. And that is precisely where its strength lies," wrote Die Zeit. It is a sentence that sticks in the mind because it articulates something that can be felt here: an awareness of what is there.

For the Ore Mountains on its doorstep, for its industrial history, for what is often overlooked between modesty and prejudice. Chemnitz can, indeed must, work on its self-confidence.

Because, to be honest, the castle grounds, the town hall, And yes, even the aesthetics of the GDR – today, they are more than just memories. They are part of a city that leaves its mark. And they deserve the courage to be shown as they are.

Chemnitz was once one of Europe's most important industrial centres. Mechanical engineering, the textile industry, automotive supply – much of this is still visible today. Not as abandoned buildings, but as part of a cityscape that embraces culture.

Empty factory buildings, wide open spaces, countless garages: none of this is a deficit, but rather an opportunity. A space for new ideas, for businesses, for culture and projects that focus not on hype and hipness, but on depth.

The art magazine Monopol also wrote: Chemnitz is a city where art does not merely decorate, but intervenes.

Because this isn't about scenery or jumping on the same old bandwagon with the same old images of pretty galleries and overly staged coffee shops. Chemnitz offers production spaces, thinking spaces, time and space. Here, you can create – not just consume. Or, as they say in the cultural and creative scene: low rent, high impact.

What remains after the Capital of Culture year – and what might be beginning?

2025 was Chemnitz European Capital of Culture. "Chemnitz is not using the title of Capital of Culture for self-promotion, but for self-reflection.", analysed Deutschlandfunk Kultur.

In fact, many of the impulses have remained: networks, new places, collaborations, projects. Above all, however, a new self-image. Not loud, but attentive. And we want to continue to work towards this – for us as Chemnitz residents who are hosts in a city that offers so many opportunities that we ourselves often no longer see.

The real opportunity now lies in not preserving what has been started as "the year we were Capital of Culture", but in thinking ahead. And this is precisely where we come in with our campaign "56 ideas for Chemnitz. 56 ideas for tomorrow”

Chemnitz as a city for business travellers, groups – and curious visitors

For many of our guests – business travellers, conference participants, groups – Chemnitz is first and foremost a practical location. Easily accessible, quiet, efficient. But often the stay becomes more: an encounter with a city that surprises – because it leaves more space than one expects.

Because that Hotel c/o56 Chemnitz is not only a host, but also an observer of this change. We offer rooms (admittedly, we too sometimes lean more towards tradition than innovation) and Conference rooms – Yes.

But we also offer space for discussions, for networking, for new perspectives. For a view of a city that is often seen more clearly from the outside than from the inside.

With the initiative “56 ideas for Chemnitz. 56 ideas for tomorrow” We gather perspectives: start-ups, local associations, art initiatives, guests – everyone is invited to share their view of Chemnitz.

And we share what we see every day: an outside perspective on a city that we, as residents of Chemnitz, often no longer really notice. Because if you want to contribute something as a host today, you have to be able to listen. And make visible what otherwise only happens on a small scale.

Our idea for Chemnitz: Listening to what our guests have to say

Chemnitz does not have a problem of having too little to offer. It has a problem of having focused for too long on what is missing – instead of what is possible.

As a hotel, we encounter these people every day. People with an open mind. People who see space where we only see gaps. And we believe: If Chemnitz wants to continue developing, it doesn't need more promises – it needs more dialogue. More impetus. More collective thinking.

That is why we are collecting voices, perspectives and small ideas with the campaign "56 ideas for Chemnitz. 56 ideas for tomorrow". And perhaps it is precisely these fragments that will shape what Chemnitz will be like tomorrow.

Because anyone travelling to Chemnitz today will not discover the past – but rather the beginning of a new chapter in history.