Bohemia’s Větrov Castle Hotel, located outside of the textile industrial city of Aš, is one of the oldest historical castles in the Czech Republic. The Old English style manor house is surrounded by 15 hectares of natural park, gardens, springs, and ponds. Aš is two and a half hours west of Prague, and only 45 minutes from Karlovy Vary, in a little sliver of the country that is surrounded by Germany on three sides.
Větrov Castle Hotel
The Větrov Castle Hotel is owned and operated by the Castle Hotel Collection, which also operates the Rubezahl Marienbad Luxury Hotel in Marienbad. The original building dates to 1856, when a local businessman designed and built a stone English manor near the city. It passed through several owners, and then underwent a three-year restoration before reopening as a boutique hotel in 2005. I recently stayed here with three other friends during our visit to the Czech Republic.
The Větrov Castle Hotel manor house is located in the Elster Mountains, near the town of Aš, which was a once-heavy textile town. Today it’s a popular destination for outdoor activities like fishing, cycling, and hiking. Nearby activities include castles, spas, and skiing. Větrov Castle Hotel provides guests with bicycles and fishing gear, so they can try their luck at one of the ponds on property.
Rooms at the Větrov Castle Hotel
There are 19 rooms and two suites at the Větrov Castle Hotel, 12 of which are in the main manor house. Eight rooms and one suite are located in a secondary building behind the castle. Rooms are furnished with comfortable beds, and sumptuous period furnishings including an armchair and dressing tables. They are decorated with rich fabrics in dark blues and golds, attractive light fixtures, and original artwork. Our double room was spacious, featuring a wide double bed, cozy armchairs, and a loveseat with an open sitting area and a flat screen television.
Rooms also come equipped with complimentary wifi, laptop safe, plush bathrobes and slippers, and luxurious amenities in the bathrooms.
Dining at the Větrov Castle Hotel
Větrov Castle Hotel has one restaurant and one cafe bar within the hotel grounds. The restaurant, which has both indoor and outdoor terrace seating, is the ideal place for a leisurely lunch or dinner. They serve a varied menu featuring traditional Czech dishes as well as local delicacies. Much of the food comes from local sources, including the trout, which is fished from the ponds within the castle grounds.
Upon our arrival at the hotel, we settled on the terrace for a late lunch. Between the four of us, we sampled the mixed green salad with local trout, chicken salad, and pork schnitzel with sauerkraut and potato salad. In the evening, we returned to the restaurant to savour some local dishes, including trout that some in our party had caught earlier that afternoon.
Breakfast is served in the same room or on the terrace during the summer. It consists of the usual eggs and sausage, charcuterie and cheeses, fruits, yogurts, cereals, and fresh breads and local pastries. Guests can also order eggs to order and specialty coffee.
At the cafe bar, located on the ground floor of the hotel, guests can savour some local Czech beers or enjoy a simple glass of wine.
What to do near the Větrov Castle Hotel
There’s plenty to do in the Western Bohemia region, from exploring the many castles to relaxing at one of the natural spring spas or playing a round of golf. In the nearby town of Frantiskovy Lazne, there are no less than twenty three spas that offer a variety of wellness programs, from simple health and beauty regimens to more advanced health treatments. The two other towns that make up Western Bohemia’s famous spa triangle are Marianske Lazne and Karlovy Vary. In the summer, guests can enjoy hiking, bicycling, or a round of golf at a local club. During the winter months, there are four ski resorts reachable in less than two hours.
Frantiskovy Lazne Frantiskovy Lazne
Some of the town and country highlights within easy reach of the Větrov Castle Hotel are the charming fairytale town of Cheb, with its Romanesque church, and the village of Novy Drahov, where visitors can learn more about traditional Czech ceramics. And there are plenty of castles and palaces in the area, from the Hrad Seeburg to the grandiose, neoclassical Zamek Kynzvart and the fairytale-esque Loket Castle.
Cheb Cheb
Click here for more things to do in the Spa towns of the Czech Republic.
The four of us really enjoyed our stay at the Větrov Castle Hotel, and would recommend both the hotel and the region as a wonderful addition to any Czech vacation itinerary. The region, which offers plenty of active and cultural things to do, is easy accessible from Prague, while the hotel is inviting and luxurious. The staff were friendly, the rooms comfortable, and the location perfect.
I was a guest at the Větrov Castle Hotel but as always, opinions are my own.