The Place
What do you expect from a castle? This one not only has towers and fortifications, it has a dungeon complete with whipping bench, rack, and cells plus an armory and an Alchemist’s Kitchen. The public can see all this, plus the former Knights’ Hall. This is now a restaurant and boasts a splendid early 17thC stuccoed ceiling by Bartolomao Bianco, portraying scenes from Greek mythology. Concerts are held here from time to time.
The rest of the castle is for hotel guests. They enjoy the sitting rooms, one with ancestral portraits and a lovely baroque- tiled Kachelofen, another with a huge open fireplace. Even the staircase excites art enthusiasts: it is believed to be designed by Fischer von Erlach, the greatest of Viennese baroque architects.
As for bedrooms, each is different but all are furnished with antiques and are virtually suites. The atmosphere is of yester- year: no phones, no televisions, no mini- bars. On cool evenings, wood-burning stoves provide whatever warmth is needed. Some bathrooms are decidedly old- fashioned but these are in some of the most popular rooms, so guests obviously take it all as part of the experience.