A decade ago, Anne played a key role in establishing SALON, a glossy magazine dedicated to exquisite interior design, travel, culture, and culinary delights. When the German publishing house Gruner + Jahr decided to discontinue it, Anne and her husband took over and have now been publishing it independently since July 2023. Their small company operates from a charming old marzipan factory in Hamburg, where they meticulously produce four stunning issues each year.
Here at Pretty Hôtels, we admire their work and often notice parallels to the hotels we feature – places that value tradition and prefer dinners at cozy parlors over generic hotel restaurants. So, we sat down with Anne for a lovely chat.
Why do you believe a printed magazine can still be successful, even though major publishers are increasingly moving away from it and shifting to digital?
When the magazine portfolio of the Hamburg-based publishing house Gruner + Jahr was set to be streamlined, it quickly became clear to me that I wanted to continue SALON. I had built the magazine with so much passion, and we all produce it with immense dedication and conviction. SALON is a small, handcrafted publication. Every story we create speaks to the mind, the heart, and the soul. It’s also about atmosphere, about capturing the essence of things. Our readers appreciate to immerse in a magazine like ours with a lot of time and calm – the digital content we consume is way too fast for stories like ours.
By the way, our target audience spends so much of their workday in front of screens. In their free time, they actively seek to reduce the hours spent on digital devices. A printed magazine offers the perfect opportunity to disconnect and focus on something truly meaningful.
Absolutely. Let’s go back in time a bit. Your career started in fashion journalism…
Yes, I moved to Munich to study and attended the school of journalism. I studied art history, politics, and communication sciences and completed my degree in Paris at the Sorbonne. My thesis focused on “Fashion Journalism in Germany and France.” That led to my first job at a newspaper in the style department. After that, I moved to Hamburg to join Brigitte, a monthly women’s magazine, where I spent ten years as a fashion editor, eventually becoming head of the fashion department.
And then the story at SALON began?
When I was pregnant with my fourth child, I naturally wondered how I was going to let the team at Brigitte know that I wasn’t planning to completely step away. I think the publisher already had an idea that I was pretty tough (laughs). After my daughter was born, still during my parental leave, I was offered the opportunity to launch SALON within the same publishing house, Gruner + Jahr. (Side note: SALON was published by the same company as Brigitte).
What was your main idea for the magazine?
At the time, beauty was already everywhere on the internet. Digitalization was in full swing, with Pinterest and Instagram offering an endless stream of inspiration – things you once only found in magazines. Yet, magazine shelves were still crowded. SALON is, in that sense, a post-digital product. As someone who is very visually driven and reacts strongly to aesthetics, I wanted to create a magazine that personally gave me butterflies. In this way, SALON is somewhat old-fashioned, but it’s also modern because it includes elements that many other magazines have lost over time.
What would be a typical SALON story?
What’s missing is freedom, individuality, kitsch, and romance. People are interested in people, so we portray a lot of individuals who serve as vehicles for the stories we tell. For example, in the column “Traveling with…”, we feature outstanding chefs. The chef themselves is already an exciting story, but the places they love to visit add another layer. And if they happen to be very good-looking, they couldn’t be more perfect for SALON.
You have four children. What do you look for in a hotel when traveling as a family?
It’s fantastic when kids can move around, for example, when there’s plenty of nature to explore or a great pool. For many years, we regularly rented large holiday homes in Umbria with other families. While you still need to keep an eye on young children, it’s wonderful when everyone is able swim – it makes things more relaxing for adults.
If you are staying in a hotel with children, I’d recommend the Bachmair Weissach at Lake Tegernsee. But we also love smaller hotels, like the Albergo Rocciamelone in Italy. At the end of the village road, the façade of this hotel suddenly appears, almost like a Wes Anderson film set. It’s completely preserved in its original Art Nouveau style. The rooms are simple but lovely, with solid wood furniture. The bathrooms are a bit dated, but it’s incredibly affordable – almost like a hostel. The location is so remote that the kids can run around without any borders. Our kids spent days building a dam in a mountain stream and were happy.
Do you have a favorite hotel in the north?
I love the Hornbækhus in the Danish seaside town of Hornbæk, near Copenhagen, especially its sister property Villa Strand. It’s one of those old wooden seaside hotels where you feel like you’re staying with friends. Guests eat together in the evenings, and sometimes there’s even singing. You walk in and find yourself right in the kitchen. The Villa Strand is a separate building directly by the dunes and offers family rooms. It’s a white house with paned windows and a thatched roof – absolutely charming.
Do you prefer family-run hotels?
Yes, they often have a more personal touch, and that’s exactly what we value at SALON. We primarily feature unique hotels that offer a special experience.
In your spring issue, you always present the 50 most beautiful new hotels. What are the selection criteria?
The hotels must fit the idea of SALON and be true discoveries. Similar to Pretty Hôtels, these are places you’d enthusiastically recommend to your closest friends. We aim for a good mix and also include affordable options, such as the Austrian ski hotel Madrisa, where you can book a double room starting at €120. Of course, we also feature more expensive hotels, but they must have a story to tell, like the Marbella Club. Many of the hotels we recommend have a special magic – they let you feel like part of a long tradition of travelers.
Do you have an absolute favorite hotel?
There are so many! (laughs) The Svinkløv Badehotel in Denmark is one of my absolute favorites. It’s one of the country’s most traditional seaside hotels, very simple yet beautiful. It’s so popular that it’s hard to get a room. What I love about it is how it reduces life to the essentials. It’s all about being present in the moment, which is something we’re all seeking right now. The rooms are basic, without TVs, but the food is excellent. And every morning, you can jump into the North Sea.
What about restaurants? Cuisine plays an important role in SALON.
I like the newly renovated Grill at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg – it’s a classic. It’s a great spot for lunch, and my favorite dish is the smoked eel with herb scrambled eggs. For current tips in Hamburg, I personally follow two well-informed Instagram accounts: Franziska Heinemann-Schulte (@tastehamburg) and Julian Ruffner.
How important is interior design to you?
Very important – it’s often a dealbreaker for me. I dislike “instant décor” with knock-off designer furniture that lacks quality and feels dated after just a few years. Such spaces feel sterile and inauthentic. I prefer older hotels with furniture that has grown with the place, even if it’s a bit worn. I have no problem with that – it adds character and warmth to the space.
The subtitle of SALON is “Magazine for Hospitality.” What makes a good host?
Good hosting means giving the guest your attention, making them feel welcome, and ensuring they’re at ease. It’s about approaching the guest openly without being intrusive. Our columnist Denis Scheck has written an excellent piece on service in gastronomy, which we’ll publish in the Spring 2025 issue. In it, he cites the motto of the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain: “We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.” It’s all about meeting on equal footing.
Where are you heading on your next trip?
To the Hotel Regina in Mürren. It’s a historic hotel in Switzerland that was saved by its loyal guests. We’ve previously featured it in SALON. Mürren is a wonderful little ski resort in Switzerland, and I’m very much looking forward to it.
Thank you, dear Anne.
PS: The South Tyrol special edition of SALON has just been released – a whole issue dedicated to one of Italy’s most beautiful regions. It’s packed with fascinating people, the best hotels (of course, including many Pretty Hôtels members), and especially great restaurants. You can order it at www.salon-magazin.de.
©Pretty Hôtels
