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chateau herálec 5* luxury chateau | czechia - a fairytale wellness escape
'step back in time & relive the lifestyle of czech nobility'
our time at chateau herelec 5* luxury hotel & wellness resort was truly a one of wonder & excitement. from the moment the gates to the chateau open you are transported back in time, over four centuries to the era of czech nobility.
this gem of a luxury hotel must be one of the finest places to stay in central europe, if not the world. we spent a few days here so let's see what we got up to.
experience
luxury hotels are all about the experience they offer to guests & here they go above & beyond exceeding every expectation.
arriving to reception with a glass of wine & a freshly picked rose was a nice touch while waiting to check-in.
one of the first things that you will notice is the sheer grandeur of this place from the frescos on the ceiling to the vastness of the communal areas, when we arrived i remember taking a walk around just to take in the classical beauty especially the stained glass windows in the chapel. yes, you can get married here & i couldn't think of a more perfect place for a ceremony.
one of the more interesting features of the hotel is the mercedes convertible that is free for guests to use. there are many beautiful local villages & towns that are close by. meandering through the winding country roads was an exhalating experience.
presidential suite
we stayed in one of the most beautiful rooms that the chateau had to offer. walking into the suite you are hit by the sheer scale of it, three times the size of our apartment. the ceilings are adorned with yet more frescos & beautiful furniture complemented the main seating area that welcomed us with fresh fruit from their orchard & handmade chocolate.
moving on past the living area there is a separate room with a huge four poster bed where a pillow menu awaits, yes this is truly a 5* experience. choose which pillow suits you best & the staff will make sure it's there for your entire stay, not to mention the chocolates on the bedside table every evening. as you can imagine we slept well here.
now we come to the best feature of the room, the bathroom. step through the double glass doors into the largest bathroom i have ever seen. housed in the tower this vast space has; his & her basins, colossal arched windows & a free standing bath with views out to the english park. a few candles can make for a truly romantic experience.
on to the english park..... surrounding the chateau is a mature park with beautiful trees. an oak tree lays in front of the chateau due to a storm a few years back, instead of removing it they have cut benches for guests to sit & enjoy the surrounding nature. as you walk through the park the sound of the birds is deafening, especially in the morning. we took a walk in the evening as the sun went down taking the time to jump on the tree swing, there is always time to be a kid.
food
now normally i don't talk so much about the food in places i stay but here the food was at such an elevated level it deserves to have its own section, so here it is.
why am i raving about the food? well, it's quite simple here it's all about quality, creativity & it's also sourced locally.
one morning we woke early to the glimmer of the morning sun & chirping of the birds. 8am breakfast is served but this is no ordinary hotel breakfast it was by far the best experiential breakfast i have had the pleasure of enjoying. sitting outside in the courtyard the à la carte breakfast menu has an extensive array of hot & cold items to choose from, all locally sourced where possible. we spent hours here enjoying the local flavors from the trout gravlax to the salami selection & freshly made pancakes with homemade jams.
one night we visited the restaurant to try the evening menu & while there is a limited selection for a vegetarian, meat lovers will be heaven. we had the duck confit & pan seared trout both where immaculately presented & melted in the mouth. at around ($20) for a main dish, it's a bargain for the quality & service you receive.
wellness & spa
by now you're wondering what is there to do while staying here. my advice is to do extraordinarily little. the L'Occitane spa offer the chance to escape the perils of modern life.
we spent time in the swimming pool & saunas under the ancient arches in the basement of the chateau. on the last evening we also booked the jacuzzi that is in the tower of the chateau it was a positively relaxing experience. they also offer an array of massages all with L'Occitane products. a well-equipped gym was very welcomed after stuffing myself at breakfast.
final thoughts...
to my naivety we didn't think a place of this caliber existed in czechia. this place has opened my eyes to the quality of lodgings that can be found in central europe. we had an amazing time here & some truly unforgettable experiences. i would recommend that if you have a few days to spare while visiting prague then this place should be top of your list.
book direct here
money
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country travel tips
atm: most banks offer free withdrawals. deny the on-screen conversion.
sim card: vodafone is the best data provider. 3GB is ($30) for 30 days.
transport: rental car is needed to visit the chateau.
taxi: uber? use promo: carlm5078ue for free ride.
accommodation: get ($20) off your first booking.com reservation here