Overview
- An Israeli family seeking rooms at Hotel zum Hirschen in Lam, Bavaria received a written reply saying “there are no Jews allowed in our hotel,” a screenshot of which was posted publicly by Israel's consul general in Munich.
- Booking.com removed the hotel's listing after the complaint, blocking bookings through its platform while the company and consular officials investigated the message.
- The hotel first denied responsibility, then told investigators an employee had sent the message, apologized to the guests and offered a goodwill stay, saying staff were frustrated by repeated fraudulent bookings and phishing.
- Bavarian authorities have referred the complaint to the state's commissioner for combating antisemitism and the Central Council of Jews in Germany has called for a formal investigation to determine if legal action is appropriate.
- The episode has reputational and practical fallout for the hotel, which says it has received threats, and it highlights how online platforms can impose immediate commercial sanctions while state offices examine whether the conduct crosses into criminal or unlawful discrimination.