About Us

Welcome to Haus Rohrbach Pension. Your innkeepers, Carol and Mike Wentink, and all the staff members want you to have a pleasant stay and hope that the following information will assist you and add to your enjoyment and relaxation. Our goal is to have you experience “gemutlichkeit,” a German term meaning a place of coziness, snugness, joy, and kindness. Below you’ll find some interesting tidbits about us and the history of Haus Rohrbach Pension.

Us with Geraldine Rohrbach

Yes, this is who started it all! Whenever we had the chance to have Geraldine visit us, we always heard more good stories about the construction of Haus Rohrbach Pension and life with 12 children. Mark, Christy, and George came with Geraldine this May 2008. Sadly, Geraldine passed away on the 30th of April 2011 and now looks over us and the pension, her 34 grandchildren, and 43 great-grandchildren. Now there is a family!

Haus Rohrbach Pension’s History

The Bill and Geraldine Rohrbach family built Haus Rohrbach Pension in 1975. It was built after Bill and Geraldine and their 12 children toured Europe for over four months. It was then that Bill and Geraldine decided that they wanted to build and operate an authentic representation of “pensions” found in the alpine regions of southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The word “pension” is used in Europe for a private hotel or lodging facility with a working farm ambiance or theme. After an extensive search for the perfect setting in locations such as Enumclaw, Issaquah, and Fall City, the Rohrbach’s settled on the scenic valley of Leavenworth. They and many visitors from Europe have discovered that the Leavenworth Valley looks remarkably similar to the Bavarian Alps. The Rohrbach family had a reunion here in January of 2001, and they brought pictures and memories to share with us and helped assemble the history book of Haus Rohrbach Pension.

The previous owners, Bob and Kathryn Harrild, with several partners, purchased the inn from the Rohrbach family in 1978. Sole owners since 1984, they remodeled, improved, and added on to the main building and replaced the original small house with the beautiful new Alm Suites. In 1982, a swimming pool and an outdoor hot tub were installed. New trees, shrubs, roses, and wildflowers were added to the landscaping each year. Like most gardeners, we spend the fall and winter planning and imagining ways to make the most of the land. Within the next few years, we will be planting a garden designed by Bob and Kathryn back in 1988. The gardens will be dedicated in their name, as the Harrild Gardens, to carry on the legacy that Bob and Kathryn have created through years of hard work, dedication to true customer service, and commitment to a unique vacationing experience. We hope that your memories and good times with Bob and Kathryn continue to grow with the gardens they designed with their creative touch. But most importantly, we want to ensure the close family atmosphere that has existed at Haus Rohrbach Pension for so long prevails.

The new innkeepers, Carol and Mike Wentink, purchased Haus Rohrbach Pension from Bob and Kathryn on May 22, 2000, moved in on June 13, and re-opened for business on June 16. Mike and Carol came from Port Orchard, WA, where Carol was a homemaker successfully running a home-based scrapbooking business. Carol has continued that career with her fall and spring scrapbooking events. Mike is a graduate of the University of Washington in Nuclear Engineering and has 21 years of work experience as a civil servant at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA, and another seven years in the private industry. Like many of the guests at Haus Rohrbach Pension, Carol and Mike have also been long-time guests making the Icicle Fest weekend their yearly pilgrimage to Haus Rohrbach Pension. As new owners, Mike and Carol are devoted to continuing the family-friendly tradition of this historic inn and providing you with the most personal and traditional experience of hospitality while continually improving the service, recreation, ambiance, and estate grounds for your relaxation and enjoyment. There are several other improvements in the planning stages focused on enjoying more of the 13.5 acres that the pension encompasses and taking advantage of the breathtaking vistas of the Leavenworth Valley. Ask Carol or Mike about these plans, or if you have any suggestions of your own, share those as well. Between your visits to Haus Rohrbach Pension, visit our website throughout the year for more details and information on the planned improvements and activities during the seasons.

Now for some information on the Leavenworth area. The Upper Wenatchee and Icicle River Valleys and the surrounding mountains are similar to the Black Forest, Bavarian and Tyrolean valleys, and mountains of Europe. Our modest community decided to capitalize on this resemblance in 1967 and began the transformation that has made our area so attractive and popular. You can read about the transformation of Leavenworth in the Miracle Town book by Ted Price available in the common area for reading or available for purchase by asking Carol or Mike.

Our property was part of an original homestead. The farmhouse on the corner of Ski Hill and Ranger roads was built in the early 1900s. Our irrigation water is obtained from a spring on Tumwater Mountain and is stored in the big reservoir on the south side of the inn. Our drinking water comes from 130’ well and is clear, refreshing mountain water with just a few minerals. The pension adorns the gateway to the hiking, biking, and snowshoeing trails of Tumwater Mountain. Just behind the inn, a Forest Service road climbs all the way to the top, approximately 5 miles. It is a lovely morning hike with changing vistas of the valley below. On a clear day, you can see as far as Crescent Bar on the Columbia River near Quincy. You may also drive, but we highly recommend a four-wheel-drive vehicle or at least a car with a high wheelbase. There are several places on the hillside to spread a blanket and enjoy a spring picnic among the wildflowers. Ask us about our picnic lunch. We do need notice the evening before or at least two hours’ notice in the morning.

If you are an early riser, a morning walk or run around the Ski Hill Loop is a great way to begin your day. Go down Ranger Road to Ski Hill Drive and turn right to Pine Street. Follow Pine to Titus Road, turn left, and follow the road to complete the Loop. You can also go into town, stroll the path along the river, and walk easily around Blackbird Island. This path is a ski trail in the winter.

We will be happy to answer any questions about the surrounding area and its attractions. Brochures and guides are available in the front hall rack. You may ask for restaurant menus and recommendations from a staff member, and we are happy to make reservations for you if you wish. We hope that you, your children, and your children’s children remain or become part of the Haus Rohrbach Pension family tradition.

Sincerely,
Haus Rohrbach Pension Innkeepers, Carol and Mike, and Staff: Mica, Barbara, Oscar, and the Wildlife