Like a winter fairy tale
Our top 10 castle hotels for a magical holiday.
13 October 2020
Princely, royal, luxurious? A castle hotel exudes its very own charm - especially the cold months invite you to indulge yourself to the best of your ability. What could be better suited for this than a castle in the middle of a romantic, snow-covered winter landscape? Flickering candlelight, warm and cosy wellness areas, crunching footsteps in the snow and plenty of legends - we present the ten most beautiful castle hotels in Europe!
Time for togetherness: Château d'Esclimont
St. Symphorien le Château, 28700 Saint-Symphorien, France
A castle that offers elegance and romance at its best: Château d'Esclimont was built in 1543 and designed in the Renaissance style. A place with a lot of history, which today is the perfect cozy place for those seeking tranquility and couples!
Swiss family experience: Gstaad Palace
28 Palace Street, 3780 Gstaad, Switzerland
The Gstaad Palace looks back on a long and eventful history. The traditional Swiss hotel has always stood for luxury and well-being. The restaurants serve everything from traditional Swiss cuisine to international specialities and it is not only wellness enthusiasts who feel at home in the extensive spa area. From a relaxing wellness holiday to a family holiday in Switzerland, the Gstaad Palace offers the ideal setting for your next holiday.
V.I.P. with castle character: Badrutt's Palace Hotel
Via Serlas 27, 7500 St. Moritz, Switzerland
The Badrutt's Palace Hotel has always stood for exquisite luxury, first-class service and boundless indulgence - a one-of-a-kind world-class hotel that is constantly evolving without losing sight of its historical obligations. An icon of hospitality since its opening in 1896, where the high expectations of guests are the benchmark for innovation and modernization. Every guest rightly feels like a star with V.I.P. status when they are driven in the hotel's own Rolls-Royce from the train station to the traditional Grand Hotel, where they are looked after in their suite by their personal butler.
Urban luxury: Palais Coburg
Coburg bastion 4, 1010 Vienna, Austria
34 suites, a spa, two restaurants, a garden and six wine cellars comprise the noble Schlosshotel, which has already been awarded two Michelin stars. In addition to the castle ambience, the wellness area above the rooftops of Vienna and a dreamy garden, through which a walk is definitely worthwhile, await you.
Palace for winter sports enthusiasts: Hotel Mont Cervin Palace
31 Station Road, 3920 Zermatt, Switzerland
What would Mont Cervin Palace be without the Matterhorn? Its ability to touch people has been our role model for more than 150 years. Yet the special ambience of the "Grande Dame of Zermatt" also thrives on contrast. Outside the majestic view, inside the familiar atmosphere - 5-star luxury meets cosiness. And all this in a prime location in the heart of Zermatt.
Royal wine enjoyment: Plars Castle
Mitterplars 5, 39022 Algund, Italy
A true castle, 8 rooms and 4 suites - The charming boutique hotel Schloss Plars is a real jewel and anything but ordinary. In the middle of the vineyards above Algund near Merano lies the romantic castle. It has been owned by the Theiner family for over 100 years: the hosts Irene and Andreas Theiner run Schloss Plars with passion and sensitivity. The castle hotel is run very individually. For example, the landlady prepares the highly praised breakfast with much love, which offers almost exclusively homemade delicacies. The love for wine is a gift, that is her husband's motto. The successful banker and self-taught vintner Andreas Theiner is now the third generation to run the Schloss Plars wine estate. The castle's owner himself presses the characterful white and red wines from his own vineyards. He enjoys tasting the wines of Schloss Plars with his guests and tells them everything they ever wanted to know about the cultivation and the world of South Tyrolean wines.
Fairytale 5 stars: Relais & Châteaux Hotel Schloss Seefels
Töschling 1
9212 Pörtschach am Wörthersee, Austria
At the most atmospheric address on Lake Wörthersee, at Hotel Schloss Seefels, stylish architecture, fantastic panoramic views and soothing relaxation options are combined with a southern attitude to life. Airy, harmonious, architecturally unique, the Hotel Schloss Seefels nestles on the shores of Lake Wörthersee. The flair of the Relais & Châteaux hotel is unmistakable: stylish and casual at the same time. Director Egon Haupt and his team welcome every guest like a good friend you see again after years. From practically every room, guests have a view of Lake Wörthersee and the turquoise-blue water that is so typical of Lake Wörthersee. The Felsen Spa offers relaxation and well-being for body and soul. The facility itself is quite something: built around a rock, with huge panoramic windows that offer a view of the lake. And in between, of course, you can immerse yourself in Lake Wörthersee. At guaranteed pleasant temperatures - this is ensured by the year-round heated lakeside pool, the absolute highlight of the hotel.
Exclusively for those seeking peace and quiet: Elmau Castle
In Elmau 2, 82493 Elmau, Germany
Step through the gates of this 5-star superior wellness temple and you'll never want to leave. Located next to the noble Hotel Schloss Elmau in Bavaria, the Schloss Elmau Retreat opened in 2015 as a "Luxury Spa Retreat & Cultural Hideaway". There are three spas waiting to be discovered by you. With a magnificent view of the mountains, you can relax in the adult spa "Shantigiri". In the family spa of the same name, the whole family can enjoy a wellness session together and relax in the large relaxation room with open fireplace. Infinity brine pool, Finnish sauna and brine steam bath are just some of the luxurious wellness offers of the wellness worlds. In the "Nature Spa", which is located below the castle on the crystal clear Ferchenbach, you can immerse yourself in an oasis of undisturbed tranquillity. The 25-metre-long open-air infinity pool invites you to swim in the flowing water, or take a sauna in the 95-degree Ferchenbach sauna. Stay in one of the 47 spacious suites, where warm light shines on noble wooden floors and natural materials. This will probably be the most exclusive wellness holiday of your life!
For discerning travellers: Castello di Spaltenna
Via Spaltenna 13, 53013 Gaiole in Chianti, Italy
A place where time seems to stand still: the charming Hotel Castello di Spaltenna in Gaiole in Tuscany combines Italian flair with castle ambience. Luxury, simplicity and a lot of attention to detail can be found here in every room and suite, the various restaurants allow culinary flights of fancy.
Hideaway for connoisseurs: Prielau Castle
Hofmannsthalstraße 10, 5700 Zell am See, Austria
Close to Lake Zell, Schloss Prielau is enthroned and offers its guests comfort and pure enjoyment. The three-hooded chef Andreas Mayer seduces daily with delicious culinary delights. The seven rooms and two suites offer luxurious and comfortable ambience and above all one thing - peace and privacy. For wellness enthusiasts, the castle offers everything the spa heart desires, from sauna to steam bath and massages. The hotel can also be rented privately for events and weddings, private helicopter landing pad included! Let your soul dangle in princely ambience and enjoy time for two in the romantic hideaway at the Zeller See.
Picture credits: Château d'Esclimont, Gstaad Palace, Badrutt's Palace, Palais Coburg, Hotel Mont Cervin Palace, Schloss Plars, Relais & Châteaux Hotel Schloss Seefels, Hotel Schloss Elmau Retreat, Castello di Spaltenna, Schloss Prielau
