From 1803 to 1945, the von Kruse family ran their agricultural and forestry operations on the Neetzow manor. In 1848, the family commissioned Friedrich Hitzig, a Berlin-born student of Schinkel, to build the manor house as the family’s new ancestral seat. The estate, with its numerous farm buildings, was situated on several hectares of land and, in its heyday, was connected to six other estates. After the family was expelled and expropriated as a result of the land reform in 1945, the castle housed, among other things, a branch of the Institute of Agricultural Economics of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the GDR until German reunification. This nearly continuous use of the building has preserved impressive historical architectural elements, such as the unique rotunda in the Neo-Renaissance style. Also preserved are ornate parquet mosaic floors and impressive murals depicting hunting scenes. The combination of authentic history and timeless modernity lends the building—now operated as a hotel—a modern, sophisticated flair with a down-to-earth feel. The enchanting landscaped park surrounding the estate, featuring a small lake, is particularly characterized by its ancient monumental trees and serves as a sanctuary and home for over 30 different bird species.