New-generation Miele commercial washing machines in permanent use

21 rooms, haute cuisine in the panorama restaurant and a spa for guests: the team from the 'Burg Windeck' hotel in the Rhine valley near Bühl has its work cut out. Nevertheless, the tenant hotelier Rolf Fischer sees to the laundry himself - between 15 and 20 times a day. In autumn 2016, he opted for a new commercial washing machine – once again, a Miele, of course.

The old machine had previously been decommissioned after many years of faithful service. Fischer's choice fell on a model called 'Performance Plus' which has been on the market for just less than a year. And, as they say, nomen est omen: The new machine makes light work of 11 kg of laundry per cycle, and features numerous special programmes which the hotelier makes regular use of: 'This applies above all to kitchen linen as items often smell of fat and grease'. Programmes for mops and Turkish towelling have also proved their worth. 'Next, I'll be putting our curtains through the 'Curtains' programme'. 

For guests who come to relax and escape everyday life in the shadow of a medieval castle, relaxation often starts by donning a fluffy bathing gown. Turkish towelling from the spa is now washed in Miele's Mark II patented honeycomb drum in the 'Eco Speed' programme. Both stand for particularly thorough wetting and drenching of laundry, with no less than 500 l of water raining down onto laundry – even though the cycle only uses a nominal 30 l. Fischer expects consumption costs to drop long-term.

Besides that, things are a lot quieter in the hotel's on-premise laundry where a Miele heat-pump dryer now stands. 'The new machine is significantly quieter than the old one', claims the hotel owner. The secret behind this is a combination of additional shock absorbers and a patented system comprising two independent sets of suspension springs which noticeably reduce vibration during spinning. A patented door catch which can be opened and closed at the touch of a single finger genuinely simplifies everyday work.

The guests in the hotel and restaurant are often oblivious to just how much modern technology contributes to their wellbeing throughout their stay. The entire property was meticulously converted and renovated several years ago, paying great attention to detail. The rooms are furnished country-style – with a canopy over the bed thrown in for good measure – and local cuisine is served in the inner bailey. On a good day, visibility from the terrace stretches as far as the Vosges and the minster in Strasbourg. The hotel location and ambience brings cheer to the hotelier: 'Our glorious setting makes a stay at our hotel an unforgettable experience. That sense of being lord of the castle brings guest back for more'.

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Company profile: Miele is the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products. This line-up is augmented by dishwashers, washer-extractors and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Business Unit Professional). The Miele company, founded in 1899, has eight production plants in Germany as well as one plant each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China and Romania. 2016/17 turnover amounted to approx. EUR 3.93 bn with sales outside Germany accounting for 70%. Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries. The Miele company, now in the fourth generation of family ownership, employs a workforce of around 19,500, 10,900 thereof in Germany. The company headquarters are located in Gütersloh/Westphalia, Germany.