Along Germany's southernmost Borders

The 17th century palace, now open to the public, has played an important role in numerous historic events. The small, family-run hotel next door prides itself on its 23 indi­vid­u­ally designed bedrooms and friendly service. Bicycles are loaned for free, for example, and tickets for the local public trans­porta­tion system for the ride downtown can be purchased at the recep­tion desk. In spite of the quiet loca­tion, Germany`s largest beer garden is just minutes away. The hotel staff will gladly provide restau­rant recom­men­da­tions and assist with the planning of local activ­i­ties. Indeed, the little inn was recently named a Service Hotel by the travel website Venere.

The prop­erty is situ­ated in the middle of a picturesque park near the histor­ical centre of Salzburg. Since 2008 the hotel has been restored to its former glory and is open to the public for the first time as a hotel. Numerous photos recall the former inhab­i­tants of the villa, creating a family charm. The former bedrooms are now stylish and indi­vid­u­ally furnished guest rooms. In the dining room you start the day with a rich Breakfast, which you can finish later with a glass of wine on the large terrace or in the cosy salon.

In the 15th century the stalls of Emperor Maxi­m­ilian I (known as the Knightstood on the site. The stalls were replaced by a patri­cian villa in the 17th century that has now served as an inn for nearly 500 years. Since its recent resto­ra­tion the hotel has been awarded a 4-star rating. No two rooms in the building are alike, and most are deco­rated in accordance with a specific theme, such as the Sissi Room named after the Austrian Princess or the Castle Room. The area of the building that contains the hotel restau­rant was once part of a neighbouring monastery. The restau­rant, one of the best in Innsbruck, also has a proud, 500-year tradi­tion. A well­ness and massage centre is also avai­l­able to guests.

Newly arrived guests are first struck by the endless vistas of mountains, green valleys, lakes, and forests at their feet. Then comes the hotel itself, in which every room was indi­vid­u­ally and imag­ina­tively deco­rated by the owners them­selves, resulting in living quar­ters that are not mere guest rooms but dist­inct crea­tions that exude luxury, taste and comfort. Next to the hotel the ruins of Ludwig's final project still stand, within whose tranquil walls the visitor may better sense the lingering spirit of the eccentric ruler than at tourist-plagued Neuschwanstein, clearly visible in the distance. Trav­ellers who brave the narrow road leading up to the castle will be richly rewarded.

One of the primary goals during reno­va­tion was to avoid the cookie-cutter rooms that make most modern hotels so boring. As a result, each of the 25 rooms was designed sepa­rately and dedicated to a famous Euro­pean monarch. In addi­tion to the highly regarded gourmet restau­rant with three dist­inct dining rooms, a cosy lounge with deep leather chairs, an open fireplace and lake views provides a welcome place to relax. In the evening a romantic candle-light dinner can be enjoyed on the hotel terrace over­looking the lake.

The Weinstuben serves a very satisfying lunch or dinner in a conge­nial, cozy atmo­sphere. Beamed ceil­ings, wooden tables, white linen, and contented chatter set the mood for the charming restau­rant. It is a popular place to dine in the marvelous medieval town of Freiburg. In addi­tion to the restau­rant, there are 26 guest­rooms, found either directly above the Weinstube or in the neigh­boring building. All have been refurbished and are very attrac­tive.

After admiring the view guests can begin to admire their tempo­rary home away from home: every room and every piece of furni­ture in it were exclu­sively designed by a Floren­tine archi­tect with an eye to balance and harmony. All items of furni­ture were handmade by local craftsmen. While thor­oughly modern, the inte­rior decor was designed to recap­ture the late 18th century spirit of Romanticism, when Heidelberg was Germany's philo­soph­ical and literary centre. The noble simplicity of the 18th century building's white exte­rior gives the impres­sion of a private resi­dence rather than a hotel. Downtown Heidelberg is just a few minutes' walk away across the famous Old Bridge.

Today the modern, luxury hotel is owned once again by the town of Oberwesel and has been managed by the Hüttl family since 1957. It offers 20 elegant, indi­vid­u­ally furnished rooms and two suites with four-poster beds and balconies facing the Rhine River. Guests can stroll through the surrounding forests, meadows and vine­yards or just relax and enjoy the one-of-a-kind views.