Villa Hügel — Attraction in Essen

I came to Villa Hügel for a walk and take beautiful photos, but guards kicked me out and were rude to me and my friend...

I am writing to express my disappointment and frustration regarding my recent experience at Villa Hügel. My friend and I visited the villa with the intention of taking some personal photos, inspired by the beautiful images we had seen on your Instagram page. We paid for entrance, adhering to the guidelines outlined on your website, which explicitly permit photography for private purposes. Your website says: „A personal souvenir photo, a short video with hill background? For private purposes, photography is of course permitted both inside the buildings and outside - but really exclusively for private purposes. The entire site, including the buildings, is a listed building due to its historical significance and architecture…“

However, our visit took a turn for the worse when a security guard approached us and demanded that we leave, citing the perceived unsuitability of our clothing and the prohibition of taking photos (I was wearing a white dress). Despite attempting to reason with the guards and seeking clarification from a manager, we were met with nothing but rudeness and dismissiveness.

What perplexes me is the inconsistency between the rules enforced during our visit and the portrayal of Villa Hügel on your Instagram page. The abundance of photos featuring various individuals and scenic landscapes, including magnolias, led us to believe that photography was not only permitted but encouraged. It is disheartening to encounter such contradictory treatment upon arrival.

I understand the need for rules and regulations, but there should be consistency in their enforcement. If photography is permitted for private purposes, as stated on your website, then it should apply to all visitors equally. The arbitrary enforcement of dress code, where you are getting kicked out just because the guard did not like your dress, and photography restrictions not only detracts from the visitor experience but also undermines the credibility of Villa Hügel as a welcoming and inclusive destination.

I urge you to address this issue promptly and ensure that all staff members are trained to uphold the stated guidelines in a respectful and equitable manner, without silly comments and insulting remarks. Additionally, I would imagine people would appreciate clarification on the specific policies regarding photography and dress code to prevent future misunderstandings.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope that appropriate measures will be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring...

If one works in a ticket office, the job that should be done is to seriously sell tickets. But I encountered a very strange thing yesterday, I bought two tickets at the entrance, but this 'rigorous' lady, only gave me some useless things, but I didn't receive the two tickets I bought tickets. The first time I came here, I thought the pile of stuff in my hand was the ticket. After driving into the park, there was no clear guidance on the whole road telling me where to park the car. After driving along the road, we went straight to the exit. The workers here are an old lady and an old gentleman. They are very unfriendly, obviously hostile and discriminatory towards Asians, they stereotyped that I don't understand German, and communicated with me impatiently. I asked them where the parking lot was and he let us go out the gate. After we parked the car outside the door, they said please show the ticket, but thanks to the "entrance strict lady", I didn't have a ticket. The 'exit unfriendly lady', after contacting her colleagues on the phone, actually asked us to drive to the entrance and get tickets before entering the park. This is unreasonable, because the consequences caused by your work mistakes should not be borne by passengers! Very bad experience, especially dissatisfied, if you can't do this job well, please take the blame and resign, and leave the opportunity to those who really...

⭐To avoid being shut out after driving over, or like us, after a long transit and much walking, check the kalendar on Villa Hügel’s own website. 🍉Click into the individual dates. The opening hours are quite irregular. ⭐Wear comfortable shoes. Much walking and much standing around to read the history on the wall made my legs leaden. In a rewarding way, sure. But very much exhausted:-) ⭐No sit-down indoor cafe on the premise. Just an outdoor food trailer. This made our visit even more physically challenging. I would’ve been okay with the trailer food and sitting outside on a bench to eat. But neither trailor food nor sitting in the chill wind was my mother-in-law’s idea of relaxation. So we stayed as long as we physically could and left for bio fuel. ⭐The place is stunning. The opulence starts only when you step in. The exterior is quite pared down. Geometry, woodwork and visual illusions make the spaces interesting. The usual symbolism of western civilizations is everywhere. ⭐Appreciation of the historic value of architectural and textual archive is not endorsement of everything the Krupp family did. Just so...