A Fairytale Stay at this Gorgeous Castle Hotel

We visited Schloss Fuschl over 10 years ago and fell in love with it. Sadly, we were only there for one night  and when we left we vowed three things: First:  We would definitely return  Second:  We would try to stay for at least 3 days and Third: We would book one of their amazing Lake Houses.

We have been fortunate to stay at many wonderful hotels over the years, but there is no doubt Schloss Fuschl ranks with the best of them.  It is a truly magical property, staffed by a top notch team and located in a gorgeous setting-right on the lake surrounded by pine covered hills and mountains.

The hotel is located in the small municipality known as Hof bei Salzburg near the little town of Fuschl am See. It  sits on a peninsula that juts out over the emerald colored Fuschl. If it looks like something out of a fairy tale it’s because it actually started life as a castle and hunting lodge way back in 1461. Since then it has hosted many luminaries (there is a fascinating history of the hotel in the little onsite museum).  Before we visited the first time we wondered if the hotel would be overly formal or stuffy, but the vibe is understated luxury with an emphasis on peace and relaxation.

After a pleasant train ride from Vienna we were met by the hotel driver at the station. Driving up the private road to the hotel we were struck again by the beautiful surroundings. We arrived near the 3 PM check in time and our Lake House was ready for us.  Check in took place at a seated desk and was smooth and easy and included champagne (always a great start)  The very friendly FDC described the hotel’s features, explained that breakfast for 4 people was included in our rate, prearranged for a late check out and had the driver take us down the road to our Lake House.

There were four adults in our party- my husband and myself and my cousin and his husband.  We decided it would be more fun to share one cottage than book 2 separate rooms. On our prior visit to the hotel we had enjoyed our room on our prior point stay but this time we wanted something special. Since my cousin lives in Austria we don’t get many chances to visit, and we considered this a family reunion.

We were traveling during the first week of May during the work week, and the hotel was not very crowded. This is a rare occurance and we savored it. The hotel was already filling up with weekend guests when we checked out on Friday so we really lucked out with our timing. 

On our prior visit the hotel had been kind enough to let us a view a vacant lake cottage, but ours was even nicer than we had remembered it. I would definitely include it in one of our top rooms ever.  There are a total of 6 Lake Cottages or Seehäusl as the hotel calls them- four 1 Bedrooms and two 2 Bedrooms.  Only one of the other cottages was occupied during our stay, so we had the lakefront to ourselves.

The two bedroom felt even more spacious than its 1400 square feet.  On the first level was a comfortable living room with a fireplace and panoramic views of the lake, a 4 seat dining table, a kitchenette with a stove top, sink, microwave, coffee maker and a fridge/mini bar with complimentary beer, juice, water, soft drinks and red bull (restocked daily), a guest bath, and the second master bedroom with a large closet and full bath with separate shower and tub.  The living room had doors which opened out to a private lake view terrace with an outside dining area for 4.

On the second level was a larger master bedroom with its own private deck and 2 person dining table, with a large walk in closet, and a spacious bath with walk in shower, tub, and sauna.

We were impressed by all of the small touches: gorgeous fresh flowers throughout the house and a nice welcome gift of champagne, fresh fruit and the Schloss Fuschl Torte (which we all agreed was better than Sacher or Imperial)

Throughout our stay we all noted the consistently wonderful service.  Every staff member, from drivers to reception to dining staff and housekeepers was friendly and helpful and truly made us feel welcome at the property. We really had the feeling that the staff loved their jobs. Several times different people told us how lucky they were to live in such an idyllic place.

The Housekeepers were some of the most conscientious and detailed we have ever had at any hotel. On the day we took a walk around the lake my husband stayed at the cottage and was surprised when they spent 2 hours refreshing the house taking care of every little detail.

Restaurant and Bar with Original Castle Entrance

The breakfast buffet at the Schloss Fuschl is rather legendary.  Not only is it a sumptuous spread with ample selections of fresh and delicious food, but the lakeside setting is magnificent.  They had eggs cooked to order, wonderful meats and cheeses, fresh fruit and juices, cereals, pastries, yoghurt and breads. They had made to order coffees and champagne.  It is served from 7 to 11 daily.

On our first night at the hotel we opted to dine at the hotel’s Schloss Restaurant and it was a great decision. The cuisine is Austrian/ French and almost all of the food was locally sourced-  fresh lake fish from the hotel’s fishery, fresh local vegetables, cheese from Abersee and Austrian wines. We just happened to be visiting during Bärlauch (wild garlic- literally bear leek) and Spargel  (asparagus) season.  Austrians (and Swiss and Germans) love their Bärlauch and Spargel.  They put the delicious garlic in everything.  We had garlic butter and mayonnaise and it really was delicious. And the asparagus you get in this region is so much more delicious than anything we get at home. We had the most lovely cream of asparagus soup and fresh white and green asparagus. Between the delicious food and wines we had a typically European dinner that stretched to over 3 hours.  We really had a wonderful time.  Although the service was excellent it was relaxed and comfortable. 

After dinner we decided to have a nightcap in the bar.  The bar honors its former hunting lodge status, with a roaring open fireplace, comfortable leather seating and requisite Hirschgeweih on the walls. We really enjoyed relaxing there after dinner.

The hotel also has 24 hour room service.

My husband and I never went to the pool or spa but my cousin did and loved it. Schloss Fuschl has an indoor heated pool, sauna, whirlpool, steam room, as well as massage therapy.  On the lake, the hotel has a private jetty for sunbathing and swimming, a 9 hole golf course, Cigar Lounge, small museum,  gift shop, and a their own Fishery and Pub. There is also a tiny little chapel on the hill called the Diana after the goddess of the hunt. And a bonus for art lovers- in the public spaces and rooms the hotel has 150 works of Old Masters from the 17th to the 19th century.

Schloss Fuschl is located in an ideal location, on the lake surrounded by lush forests and hillsides. On our second day we decided to take the boat that goes across Fuschl Lake but the afternoon boat was cancelled. On a whim we decided to hike the path around the lake to the little town of Fuschl (about 4 miles).  We were so happy we did. The walk was absolutely beautiful.  Most of the hike was in the deep woods with breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains. We hiked past old farmhouses, fields and wildflowers reveling in the clean alpine air. The scenery changed as we approached the little town of Fuschl. Across the road was the impressive Red Bull headquarters with its bull statues in front.  Fuschl itself was charming and their Maypole was still up. We stopped at a café for drinks and then decided to take the bus back to the hotel since we saw one was coming in 5 minutes.  What a surprise the little local bus was. In the US it would have been a private luxury bus- brand new and pristine with large windows to view the scenery.  In 10 minutes we were back at the hotel.  As a note the same bus goes all of the way to Salzburg for anyone wanting a day trip there. (Salzburg is about 12 miles away)

That evening we decided to venture out to find some local cuisine.  One of the receptionists at the hotel told us of her favorite spot  (and sure enough we spotted her there that evening).  We arranged for the hotel car to take us to the little town of St. Gilgen, near the Wolfgangsee for an authentic Austrian meal at Batzenhäusl.  We were the only non locals in the restaurant which might have been a little intimidating if we weren’t with two German speakers, but the food was fantastic and we had a wonderful time.

Our trip to Schloss Fuschl was a perfect getaway.  And this was on a vacation where we batted 1000 with some of the best stays we’ve ever had.  All four of the Starwood Hotels we visited came through for us (Schloss Fuschl, W Verbier, Hotel President Wilson and Le Meridien Vienna)  Schloss Fuschl is a really magical property which I highly recommend. The combination of relaxed, casual luxury, understated but exceptional service and natural beauty make this one of our favorite hotels in the world.