BBC Knowledge April 2017

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A fortress. A stately country manor. An ivy-covered fairytale mansion...

Austria’s castles are many and you don’t have to be a king to live in one.

In the last few decades, palaces, castles and manors across Austria have dropped

their drawbridges and opened their gates and stately residences to visitors born

without the customary royal blood, allowing them to experience life as royalty would.

Since 1450, the Schloss Fuschl, in Fuschlsee, with its enchanting and fairytale-like

atmosphere, has welcomed guests – aristocrats, archbishops, empresses, and film stars.

Romi Schneider shot her film, Sissi, here in the 1950s. The four largest suites of

the luxury hotel come with special perks – a discreet butler service, a Rolls-Royce for

the guests to drive, an award-winning gourmet restaurant to dine in, and a majestic

fin de siècle-style spa.

Another luxury hotel to spend a vacation feeling like a royal is the Schloss Velden.

Built in 1607, this beautifully-renovated castle is situated on the western shore of the

Wörthersee and is a favourite with guests with a refined taste for luxury and service.

The hotel also arranges for a helicopter ride to take guests to an opera night in Vienna

or for a romantic dinner in Venice.

Royals value their privacy and the Schloss Pipchlam fits the requirement for those

who want to vacation away from prying eyes. Set within thick walls, the 900-year-old

castle overlooking the picturesque Enns Valley has a 18-hole golf course, an Ayurveda

wellness centre, an award-winning gourmet kitchen, and historic rooms.

Around 50 of these luxurious properties in Austria are awarded the ‘Schlosshotels’

association. Each property has something unique to offer, in style, ambience, setting and

adventure. The contrast that each hotel offers is delightful – you could have a historical

escape with modern amenities such as a wellness centre and spa, a different property

to appeal to the modern traveller who likes to soak up the contemporary arts scene, and

something else completely for the luxury-seeking aesthete.

There’s a castle out there for you.

Try a castle stay for your next travel experience.

Live in a castle

Austria’s castle-hotels offer the latest

in unique travel experiences in the world

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