rotel tours jakobsweg

Capsule hotels are in vogue right now. The German tour company Rotel has always been ahead of the game by providing capsule hotels on wheels since 1945.

No matter how much you enjoy staying in a five-star hotel, you will always be stationary, trapped in one district. So, to feed your sense of novelty and adventure, you decide to book yourself on a Rotel bus.

What next? Well, first, you choose your tour from hundreds of options all around the world. If the wilds of Africa are not your thing, perhaps the vast planes of central Russia are. Or maybe the frozen wilderness of the Arctic will appeal, or what about exotic Ecuador?

On the bus, you ride in passenger seats during the day and sleep in 6x6x3ft capsules at night. There is a large kitchen on board for food, but you may have to go a few days until you reach a shower as there is no one on the bus.

But who could complain about the smell of unwashed passengers when you wake up in a new and exciting location every day?

Rotel Tours

Rotel Tours is the largest bus tour in the world, based in the Bavarian town of Tittling in Germany. Their name comes from the combination of "rolling" and "hotel", which is a portmanteau (two overlapping words creating a new one).

Rotel Tours was established by Georg Höltl right at the end of World War II in 1945, but it wasn't until 1951 that the first bus took off to Switzerland. Tours went to France, Italy, and Spain in subsequent years.

Höltl's concept for Rotel was human encounters and cultural exchange enabled by a bus hotel that takes you to places. It was a fragile period for Germans to travel abroad, but it was an important mission to reconcile with the past and make way for a better, more empathic future.

Hence, the Rotel Tours soon received its nickname: "International Meeting Trips". It was a pioneering project that has been successfully transporting thousands of people to distant places in their quirky buses ever since.

Then, in 1959, the Jerusalem-bound journey started in Münich. Without using any ferries, they drove all the way to Israel through Turkey over land and made it back to Germany in 38 days.

One decade later, Rotel managed to cross the Sahara, which paved the way for even farther destinations like Mongolia, China, Laos, or Vietnam.

Their specially prepared buses offer trips to far-away destinations, taking (primarily) Europeans (the journeys start in Germany) to exotic landscapes and cultures.

While most tour companies will book you a flight and an all-inclusive hotel where you will eat continental breakfast and have no interaction with locals other than the staff, Rotel offers something very different.

It takes you on study and expedition trips, going off the beaten paths, stopping at the most unlikely places, and converging with the locals whenever possible.

Rotel has four types of vehicles:

—A 20-seater four-wheel drive bus for trips off the beaten track going to South America, Africa, and Asia —A 24-seater bus combined going around European countries —A 34-seater four-wheel drive bus with a trailer for long expeditions in South America and Southern Africa —A 36-seater bus with a Rotel trailer

All four buses have a unified Rotel cabin for overnight stays. It's similar to what you find in capsule hotels but can take you to the next undiscovered destination while you sleep.

The sleeping capsules are 6.6-foot (2 meters) long and 2.8-foot (80 cm) wide for singles and 5.6-foot (160 cm) for doubles.

The idea is fifty years old but just as brilliant today. The long time since it started indicates that the concept is a commercial success.

Today, Rotel Tours offers as many as 3,400 beds on wheels and annually logs around 600,000 overnight stays.

Rotel is a combination of a tourist bus and a hotel. Even while you are "sitting in your room," you discover parts of the world you have never seen before.

The journey will take you through winding roads, some of them so dangerous that without a professional driver, it would be too risky to take.

But every once in a while, the people onboard the bus can ask the driver to take a well-deserved stop to enjoy the cliffside panorama and relax.

Another advantage of taking a sleeper bus all over the world is it can stop at some of the most famous sights, and you can enjoy the view from the window without needing to mingle with the average tourist.

The offroad setup of the bus allows for taking routes that are not feasible for regular vehicles.

The Rotel tour will take you through rugged terrain off the beaten path.

The destinations are often far off the beaten track and wide tourist paths. You are offered considerably more comfort and safety than if you were to wander around with a tent on your back.

Guests should not expect five-star luxury at the Rotel. There is no shower, but there is a toilet on the bus. A camping kitchen can also be used while it's stationary.

The organization uses existing campsites as much as possible, but this is not always possible in remote areas. The travel organization is active in Africa, Europe, and Asia, and the destinations are often exotic and rural.

If more than 24 passengers come along, a trailer can be attached to the bus where you can stay overnight.

The typical Rotel bus travels with between 20 and 40 tourists. It usually has 22 passenger seats and 24 rooms, including one for the driver and one for the tour guide.

The bus stops as often as possible at places where you can have a shower. On certain nights, you will also have the opportunity to spend the night in a normal hotel room.

And if the bus gets in trouble, you and your fellow travelers will work as a team to get through challenging adventures.

You get your own little crawl space - about 3.3 feet (1 meter) high but with ample width - where you can spend the nights in a little more comfort than in a tent.

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And Now, the Rotel: A Rolling Hotel for the Brave Tourist

Is it a bus? Is it a hotel? Is it a mirage? Why, it’s the Rotel, of course! That’s a rolling hotel, to you and I.

The brainchild of Georg Holtl, German entrepreneur and one-time actor, Rotel had its first passengers in 1945, taking them on the short journey from Tittling to Passau. Then, in 1950, Rotel expanded to organised excursions and pilgrimages to places like Alottling and further afield, to Switzerland. Two years later, Rome would join the itinerary – tying in nicely with the boom being felt in the Italian capital post WW2, drenched in aperitivos and films stars who were flocking to Hollywood on the Tiber. Stops in France and Spain joined the roster soon after, and from 1957 Rotel was even taking its passengers on encounter trips for Pax Christi – a Catholic organisation that arose in France at the end of the second world war as a means to foster peace and reconciliation between France and Germany, and for the spiritual healing of Germans recovering from the effects of the Nazi era.

1959 saw the introduction of trailers that could be attached to the back of the buses – not a world away from the average family caravan, but not exactly the same, either.

After all, these trailers weren’t sleeping a group of four, but twenty four. To get an idea of what these trailers were like, think of the rise of Japanese capsule hotels, where your bed is your room, and then add wheels.

Throughout the sixties, Rotel expanded their horizons, taking passengers overland to India, the USA and Central America. In 1964, they journeyed through the Soviet Union, and five years later, in ’69, they managed the first successful coach crossing of the Sahara – 26 times the size of their native Germany, or to put it another way, roughly the size of the entire United States.

The seventies saw them take on Africa, Japan, and Australia, and it was around this time that Rotel began to take on the look familiar to travellers today – a quite literal hotel on wheels. Using buses that are typically customised Mercedes 0404’s, Rotels offer 24 upright seats for travelling during the day, and 26 small berths to the rear of the vehicle for the passengers to bed down in come night. Not for the claustraphobia minded individual, these ‘rooms’ are around 6 feet wide, 6 feet long, and 3 feet high – although there is the option to double-up and get twice the space. But even with the extra space, Rotels might not be for everyone.

There is, alas, a vague feel of the hospital mortuary to it, with the berths stacked up on top of each other, and the entrance and exit coming in the form of a curtain at the foot of your bed. A healthy dose of ‘love thy neighbour’ may be required. There’s also the matter of the – ahem – spa facilities. Or lack thereof. There is one toilet onboard, much like your average tour coach – but there are no showers. Instead, the tours factor in stops at local campsites along the route and use the facilities there.

So, luxury hotels these are not. But what do they offer instead?

Well, breakfast al fresco, for a start. Unlike a traditional hotel, where everyone traipses downstairs half-asleep to the dining room for orange juice and stale croissants, on board the Rotel the path from bed to breakfast is quicker, and the view is much better. A drop-down ‘camp kitchen’ allows you to eat breakfast in a new setting every morning. Lunch break in the shadow of the Taj Mahal, anyone? And that’s one of the key draws for passengers who have adopted this style of travel – the ability to be constantly on the move, with none of this checking-in and checking-out malarkey. It’s just them and the open road. Or desert. Or mountain pass.

Immersion is key when travelling onboard the Rotel. Instead of driving right on by, keeping that plane of glass between traveller and terra incognita, the Rotel makes a point of stopping and allowing passengers to interact with the locations they travel to. None more so than in Namibia, where its red bus streaking across the landscape is a familiar sight to many of the village communities whose economies are supported by locally-bought produce and donations of water, food, and clothing.

And, perhaps more than anything, trips on board the Rotel are about fostering a sense of connection not only between you and the country through which you are travelling, but between you and the person in the bunk below or above you. Not one for the solitary traveller, Rotel tours thrive on groups that want to discover a destination together. Rather sweet, isn’t it?!

Whilst Rotel can be considered as the OG of the rolling hotel world (and has the bonus of being led by qualified tour guides), they’re not the only company out there offering capsule accommodation on wheels.

The Truck Surf Hotel is a converted Merdes Actros that allows a small group of passengers (there’s 5 bedrooms onboard) to travel throughout Portugal from June to October, and Morroco from December to March in some pretty cool digs – think light wood panelling, muted fabrics and a soft nautical vibe. There’s a living space, kitchen and bathroom onboard, too.

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Last Updated on June 2, 2022 by MessyNessy

Rotel, the touring German hotel on wheels, rolls to Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel

What was that tomato-red rig breezing along Estero Boulevard?

A bus? An RV?

Nope. It’s a Rotel – a “rolling hotel.”

One of these German custom-built buses arrived Monday at the Red Coconut RV park on Fort Myers Beach, and has been drawing second looks ever since.

People assume the vehicle carries musicians, a traveling theater – "or chickens," quipped tour guide Birgit Zahn.

Such buses are a relatively rare sight in these parts. However, they provide a form of no-frills travel Rotel Tours in Tittling, Germany, introduced nearly 60 years ago, and which since has spread to remote and not-so-remote corners of the globe.

If you didn't get to see the Rotel that was in Lee County for a couple of days, here’s the 4-1-1:

This hotel-on-wheels can sleep 24 guests, a driver and a tour guide.

Guests ride in front during the day, and then move to a triple deck of berths in the rear at night.

More: City of Fort Myers, families spar in court over downtown hotel site

That sleeping experience could be a claustrophobic’s nightmare.

Single cabins measure three feet high, three feet wide – and six feet long.

Their bottom surface is all bed: You probably could prop yourself up to sitting position – unless perhaps you play center in the NBA.

Traveler Siegi Volkner, who is about 5 feet, 10 inches, finds the space manageable. Each berth has a window to the outside.

And, after a day of sightseeing, swimming in the Gulf and such, “you’re so tired in the evening. You lie down, and you sleep,” Volkner said.

Different Rotel models operate elsewhere in the world, including some with a detachable trailer of sleeping cabins that are left behind during day trips.

None of the rigs have showers; hence, campgrounds with shower-and-restroom facilities are favored destinations. Many have a single toilet aboard, although this one doesn’t.

“When we travel, we stop every two hours,” Zahn said.

The 18-day tour she's leading began in Newark, New Jersey. That's where the travelers flew in from Frankfurt, Germany.

More: Amavida developers apply hotel expertise to senior community soon to open in Fort Myers

Stops included New York City, Washington, D.C., Colonial Williamsburg and Myrtle Beach, to name a few.

The 15 guests on this tour all hail from Germany; however, Zahn has led tours that included Italians – and Germans who immigrated to Canada.

The group left the Beach for a day trip to Sanibel Island on Tuesday, and planned to visit the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers on Wednesday before heading to Miami, Key West – and then flying home.

Fran Myers, co-owner of the Red Coconut, sees the German tour group as a sign that some normalcy is returning to Southwest Florida’s lifeblood tourism and hospitality industry, which accounts for an estimated one in five jobs in Lee and Collier counties.

Fish-killing, cough-inducing red tide isn’t entirely gone from the state. However, at least for now it appears to be retreating locally.

Said Myers: “The water’s great! Our phones are ringing off the hook."

More: City of Fort Myers, families strike tentative deal to settle hotel site claims

Accros of Cars 

• Oct 18, 2023

Rotel Tours: Travel around the world by hotel bus

The German company Rotel Tours, founded in 1945 by Georg Höltl, was a pioneer in post-war tourist travel. From 1950, she began her first trips abroad. In 1959, it developed innovative tourism by introducing people to the world from the inside of specially designed hotel buses with bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. The company uses 4 different types of buses adapted for each type of trip with a passenger capacity varying between 20 and 36 people.

It was in 1969 that its circuits took on another dimension with a circuit of the discovery of the Sahara crossing Algeria from North to South. The legendary trans-Saharan expedition began on November 3, 1969 in Tunisia and ended on December 6 in Accra. The Mercedes bus with a Rotel trailer and a Unimog as escort vehicle covered more than 4000 km. The journey led through sandy deserts and up often blown slopes across the Sahara, the world's largest desert. More than once the desert has become a serious problem, but also a great experience. The lunar landscape of Hoggar, shaped by volcanic basalts, the evenings with the Tuaregs and the friendly inhabitants of the desert, the landscape of Niger, the tropical forests of Dahome, Togo and Ghana and finally the gold coast of West Africa - the trip was an unforgettable experience for the 43 participants. Georg Höltl, founder of the company Rotel Tours and initiator of this trip, personally participated and documented the extraordinary journey of the pioneers with 16 mm film.

Rotel Tours now offers tours all over the world, including: Scandinavia, the USA, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, India, the Andes, Morocco...

On the Price side, for example, a 14-day tour in Morocco with departure from Germany costs around 1,540 euros all inclusive, a 31-day tour in Peru €4,340 and a 15-day tour in Sweden €1,560.

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Holding an MBA in Tourism, boasts significant experience in the Namibian tourism sector, including tour guiding.

With over 15 years in the industry, Delphin has served in various capacities, from professional guide, trainer, operations specialist and now owner and managing director of a tourism entity. His deep-rooted passion for travel drives him to excel, evident in his meticulous attention to detail, commitment to upholding service quality without compromise and ensuring strict adherence to all contracted agreements.

Delphin’s passion for the Namibian tourism industry has motivated him to join the TASA board in 2020.

Tom loves to work with people from multicultural backgrounds. Tom has over 10 years of experience in tourism, both as a freelance and contract tour guide with well-established companies including African Eagle, Karibu Safaris and Kodiak Island. He has worked as a tour guide specifically for key French speaking markets and currently serves as General Manager Kodiak Island since 2017. Tom has joined the TASA Board in 2022, he is open-minded and very enthusiastic about learning new skills.

Ingrid & I have set up Damarana Safaris cc in 1998, specialised on the French speaking market. From expeditions & trekking tour guide to managing Director, I developed a wide and diverse knowledge on the Namibian tourism industry… Top to Bottom! During that time, I also grew a total respect for Namibia and its people, wishing the best for both. This is why I have decided to get involved with Tasa, to give back some positive energy and a serious will to develop a profitable and equitable tourism for this country, I am considering like a home today!

Mr. Ndoroma was born on 08/03/1951, a Namibian citizen and is married with four children. He is currently the Executive Chairman of Twine Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd, an investment and property development entity. Intermix Tours & Safaris Pty Ltd – Involved in various Tourism Activities – Travel and Accommodation

Came to Namibia in 1993, and he established a specialist safari company called SandyAcre Safaris in 1995. This was later merged with another owner-managed safari company called Tou Safaris to become Ultimate Safaris in 2008. He first joined the TASA Board in 1995 and went on from there to become the Fenata Executive officer, before becoming Fenata chairman and TASA vice-chairman of TASA in 2009. He re-joined the TASA Board in 2022, and was then re-elected as Fenata Chairman for a term from then until August 2024 when he will finally retire from active participation in Namibian tourism associations.

Originally coming from an entirely different profession, the tourism industry availed challenging possibilities in 1996 when starting at Trans Namibia Tours, where we discovered the endless possibilities which tourism offers. With an ever growing love for Namibia, the neighboring countries and the captivating beauty of Africa, it became more than a job, it became a lifelong passion. Since 2001, Exclusive Africa Tours & Safaris and our valued partners, gave us 22 years of product knowledge within the African Tourism & Travel industry. Till date this “passion” keeps the fire burning to put Namibia on the map, and to discover & offer exiting adventures to our valued guests. Namibia however always remains “the smile on the Face of Africa”

Born and bred Swakopmunder, returned to Namibia in 2015 to join her family-business, Namibia Tracks & Trails.  After working for various touring companies in South Africa since 1999, Wiebke now heads up the NTT team in Swakopmund.  Wiebke joined the TASA board as a co-opted member in 2020 and has been appointed the TASA secretary in 2022.

I have worked in the tourism industry for over 26 years in various sectors, including charters, hospitality, car rental, Air Namibia and Wilderness for the past 7 years now as regional travel manager, overseeing the entire reservations and office team at the “Namib Travel Shop”. I am very passionate about our country and love sharing our amazing landscapes and experiences with our guests.

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Burgund: Reisevideo von einer Reise mit Rotel Tours

Wir freuen uns sehr, dass wir auch im schwierigen Reisejahr 2021 schöne Reisen unternehmen konnten. Einmal unterwegs, gab es kaum oder keine Einschränkungen und wir konnten die Sehenswürdigkeiten in Ruhe genießen.

Besonders freuen wir uns über das schöne neue Rotel Reisevideo von Gabi Wenzel, das sie auf der Burgund-Reise im September 2021 gefilmt hat.

Zu dieser Reise mit Rotel Tours (Nr. 11):

www.rotel.de/reise-durch-burgund

Die Spuren der Vergangenheit machen aus dieser Region ein offenes Geschichtsbuch. Burgund ist kulturgeschichtliches Herzland Frankreichs und eine der großen Kulturlandschaften Europas. Es vereint hohe Kunst und Kultur, eingebettet in liebliche Landschaften. Darüber hinaus gilt Burgund auch als Land der Feinschmecker und anspruchsvoller Weintrinker. Ein Teil der Reise führt über die burgundische Weinstraße. Ein Spaziergang durch die Weinberge ist eingeplant. Wir übernachten während der ganzen Rotel Reise auf dem gleichen, ruhig gelegenen und gut ausgestatteten Campingplatz von Dijon. Die Altstadt von Dijon und ein kleiner Badesee sind zu Fuß erreichbar.

Höhepunkte dieser Rotel-Reise:

– Dijon – alte Hauptstadt Burgunds

– Romanische Architektur in den Klosterstädten:

Tournus, Cluny, Vézelay, Autun und Fontenay

– Beaune, das Herz Burgunds mit Hospiz „Hôtel Dieu“

– Spaziergang durch Weinberge und Weinprobe

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