Vetrov Castle Hotel, a four-star property owned by the Castle Hotel Collection is one of the oldest castles in Czech Republic. Set amidst a natural Bohemian Park this boutique castle hotel is situated just outside the town of Aš which was once famous for its prominent textile industry.
The castle which was built as an Old English Style manor in 1856 was initially constructed to serve as a house for the business magnate of Aš, Mr. Jágr. After having passed through the hands of several owners, it was left almost abandoned until it was acquired by its current owner who renovated the castle hotel between 2002-2005.
Vetrov Castle Hotel Overview
This charming boutique castle hotel is surrounded by a glorious natural park spanning across 15 hectares of land, with beautiful fragrant gardens and 6 ponds.
The atmosphere you will encounter here is stunningly gorgeous, where you can enjoy nature and the feeling of pure bliss. Among some of the hotel activities which you will find at Vetrov Castle Hotel include cycling and fishing.
The hotel can provide guests with bike and gear where you can spend the afternoon cycling on the hotel grounds and beyond. My friends enjoyed a few cycling rounds around the hotel after which we decided to try our luck fishing for trout. It was indeed a fun, pond to table experience as Mansoureh and I enjoyed our freshly grilled trout for dinner. The trout that we caught ourselves, of course.
Accommodation at Vetrov Castle Hotel
There are 11 guest rooms and one suite inside the main castle building and additional 8 rooms and suite in the dependance building located just behind the castle building.
The interior decor of the guest rooms is a blend of regal blue and soft gold colour palette. Rooms are decorated with original artwork and feature patterned wall-to-wall carpeting.
Our Double Room was spacious, with a separate sitting corner that has a couch, table with two chairs, an armchair and a dressing table. Other amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, safe box, bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer and mini bar. The bathroom has a shower and full set of toiletries.
Dining at Vetrov Castle Hotel
Upon arrival at Vetrov Castle Hotel we enjoyed a relaxing lunch at the outdoor restaurant. We ordered a selection of dishes, among which were a mixed greens salad with fresh trout sourced from the hotel’s pond, chicken salad, pork schnitzel served with potato salad and sauerkraut salad.
There is also an indoor dining area where you can enjoy a selection of classic Czech dishes, however we opted to sit outside since it was summer and the weather was beautiful.
In the evening we also had dinner at the hotel. Mansoureh and I enjoyed our freshly caught trout while Todd and Chrysoula opted for meat dishes. We topped our dinner with pancakes served with fresh whipped cream and berry sauce.
Breakfast buffer consisted of fresh fruits, cereals, baked goods, a selection of cold cuts and cheeses as well as eggs made to order.
Day trips from Vetrov Castle Hotel
Vetrov Castle Hotel is located quite close to the German border therefore guests can actually visit the nearby Germany. The whole region has many wonderful towns which make for fantastic day trip opportunities both in the summer and winter months. During the winter several ski resorts operate in the surrounding areas, located a short drive from the hotel. The most popular is located in Marianske Lazne.
Kostel Sv.Mikuláše in Cheb
The town of Cheb is located approximately a 30 minute drive from the hotel. This town had an important strategic location and between 1938 until 1945 it was annexed to Germany. Some of the things to see in Cheb are the castle which was built in the 12th century, and now is mostly in ruins, the Chapel of St Erhard and Ursula which has both Romanesque and Gothic styles, the Špalíček which is a group of houses standing on the Market Place since the 13th century.
The complex of eleven houses dating back to the late-Gothic period are set right in the heart of Cheb.
Cheb is closely located to the three famous spa towns, of Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad), Marianské Lázně (Marienbad) and Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad) which make up the West Bohemian Spa Triangle.
The Františkovy Lázně historic center has been under the monumental protection since 1992 and is nominated to be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. During the 19th century numerous aristocrats from Russia made Františkovy Lázně their favourite resort and it was one of the first peat pulp baths in Europe.
Here you will find mostly neoclassical and Belle Époque buildings, glorious parks with numerous springs a bathhouses.
Karlovy Vary is located just a little less than an hour’s drive from Vetrov Castle Hotel. The town is named after Charles IV, the King of Bohemia who founded the city in 1370.
It is world-famous for its hot springs. There are 13 main springs and 300 smaller springs. I have visited Karlovy Vary both in summer and winter. It does get more busy during the summer months.
The town is also known for the production of the famous Czech liquor Becherovka, there is a museum located right inside the town and for the Moser Glass.
Karlovy Vary
The third town is Marianske Lazne which is also the location of the Castle Hotel Collection’s second property Rubezahl Marienbad Luxury Historical Castle Hotel & Golf (read my review here).
This charming spa-town is surrounded by vast green mountains, gorgeous parks and noble houses, most of which date to the Golden Era (second half of 19th century).
One of the most popular European Spa destinations, Marianske Lazne was the favorite place of noble guests such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom (the Royal Golf Club of Marianske Lazne is named in his honour), Emperor Franz Joseph, among many others.
This part of Czech Republic is quite charming and I recommend that you spend a few days exploring the area of the West Bohemian Spa Triangle. Even if you prefer not to rent a car, all the towns are connected via the railway.
Have you been to West Bohemia? Which town did you like best?
