Just a short walk from Strasbourg Cathedral, beside the Ill River,
an inner courtyard seems to slow the pace of the city. Woodwork, galleries, stained glass, attic rooms and old façades create an atmosphere that does not need to be staged. It simply carries the marks of time. The Cour du Corbeau, a 4-star hotel and part of the Stay Collection hotel group, is one of those places where accommodation becomes a direct encounter with history.
This story is told by Elena, from Stay Collection, the hotel group to which the property belongs. She presents the Cour du Corbeau as a hotel whose heritage is not an added feature, but the foundation of the guest experience. Here, the journey begins inside the building, before travellers even step out into Strasbourg.
The story of the Cour du Corbeau goes back to the early 16th century. At that time, it was an Alsatian inn in the heart of the city. For more than three centuries, it welcomed travellers, including several historic figures. Guests associated with the inn include Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, Marshal Turenne, Mozart, the Duke of Bavaria, Swedish General Gustav Horn and the Duke of Chevreuse.
Some visitors left written traces of their stay
In 1852, the Ott Frères glassworks moved into part of the buildings. This new chapter helped preserve the character of the site for almost 130 years. The Cour du Corbeau was listed as a historic monument in 1930, but after the glassworks left in 1982, the property was abandoned for a time. Its role as a place of welcome could have disappeared. Instead, it was restored and brought back to life.
Renovation work began in 2007 and lasted two years. The owners and architects approached the project with careful attention to the building’s history. The goal was not to turn the old inn into a decorative hotel setting, but to revive its original character. The façades were restored, carved wooden balusters were brought back, and the historic inscription of the property, engraved in the wood, was uncovered. On May 1, 2009, the Cour du Corbeau reopened.
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Today, its rooms and suites combine contemporary comfort with historic detail
Large windows, woodwork, stained glass, attic spaces, private gardens, galleries and the inner courtyard all contribute to the experience. The hotel encourages travellers to slow down, notice details and feel the depth of a building that has crossed several centuries.
For Elena, this attention to history reflects the wider Stay Collection approach. In the group’s hotels, heritage is not erased by standardised design. It becomes part of the hospitality experience. Guests are not only staying in a character hotel in Strasbourg; they are entering a former inn, carefully restored and adapted to the expectations of international travellers.
The Cour du Corbeau welcomes leisure guests, couples on a romantic stay, families and business travellers. Each guest connects with the place differently. Some will remember the immediate proximity to the cathedral. Others will remember the calm of the courtyard. Others will notice the details visible at each turn: a gallery, a beam, a window, a perspective or an old trace preserved in the wood.
The hotel is also part of a broader vision for Stay Collection
At the Cour du Corbeau, the charm does not come from theatrical staging. It comes from continuity between the building’s past and its current use. For a tailor-made journey in Alsace, the hotel offers a meaningful way to understand Strasbourg: through built heritage, local hospitality and the quiet experience of staying in a place that has welcomed travellers for centuries.
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