Best of 2022: A winter fairy tale at Mittersill Castle
The biggest surprise, literally at the end of the year, was the Schlosshotel Mittersill, where Clark Gable played golf and the who's who of the aristocracy came together.
For seven years now, the Mittersill notary Johann Bründl, who acted as lord of the castle, has been kissing it awake from its slumber and has succeeded in turning the "old box" into a real jewel in the hotel scene around Kitzbühel. Illustrious names such as Jacky Kennedy, Coco Chanel, Jacky Onassis and Henry Ford, who all belonged to the "Sports and Shooting Club" of the then owner Baron Hobert von Pantz, are still helping to make this possible today, and you can still stay in their magnificent suites in the traditional ambience. The honeymoon suite with its painted Venetian wooden ceiling, open fireplace and historic furniture, where Queen Juliane of the Netherlands and her Prince Bernhard celebrated their honeymoon for over 6 weeks in 1937, stands out in particular. But as befits a boutique hotel, each of the 55 rooms and suites is designed differently and the ambience is a skillful mix of tradition and "modern style".
It's particularly beautiful here in autumn when the leaves are changing color all around, says Johann Bründl, but we experienced a real winter wonderland with glistening white snow on the peaks and powder snow on the slopes of the KitzSkiWelt, which is just a 10-minute drive away. On "coming home", chestnuts and mulled wine were already waiting on the terrace, a blazing fire in the fireplace and, of course, home-baked goods to snack on. Afterwards, the private sauna in the Coco Chanel Suite is just right for relaxing and you can look forward to an enjoyable evening menu from the award-winning kitchen with fine wine accompaniment and, of course, in the matching historical ambience of the various castle parlors. www.schloss-mittersill.com
