In-Depth Review of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl hotel in Austria - AFAR

"A luxurious, reimagined castle hotel on the shores of Lake Fuschl blends 15th-century history with contemporary glamour after a two-year overhaul and a July 1, 2024 reopening. Housed in a former hunting lodge built in 1461, the property retains historic flourishes—vaulted ceilings, a 15th-century fireplace and ornamental moldings—alongside striking contemporary art (including an upside-down portrait by Georg Baselitz) and locally inspired decorative work by Marie Hartig. The atmosphere is equal parts stately and relaxing: a showstopping bar with antique details, a lakeside See Club with daybeds and parasols, and an emphasis on entschleunigen (conscious slowing down). Accommodation choices range from 98 hardwood-floored rooms and lake-view Junior Suites to eight historic tower rooms (including a one-bedroom Sissi Suite), three standalone chalets with private saunas, and a four-bedroom Kaiser Franz Joseph House with a private butler; thoughtful touches include nightly turndown stories, Mozart Kugeln, a Sissi-shaped turndown cookie, and a four-seasons mini-bar armoire painted by Marie Hartig stocked with local spirits from the Farthofer Distillery. Dining leans regional and refined: a lively Seeterrasse for breakfast (poached eggs with cured Lake Fuschl salmon trout) and casual fare, a Vinothek/Terrace for local wine and charcuterie, and a gourmet Schloss Restaurant where the chef spotlights nearby producers with items such as caviar from Salzburg, mountain prawns, black pudding, seared Croatian Ikejime seabass and an obligatory Salzburger Nockerl dessert. Activities and wellness are central: kayaks, paddleboards and piloted boat cruises on the crystal-clear lake, guided foraging walks with a local herbalist, rock climbing and hiking, plus a 16,000‑sq‑ft Asaya Spa with indoor/outdoor pools (a sliding wall to a heated infinity pool), eight treatment rooms, saunas, steam bath, Biogena wellness programming, and results-driven facials and massages. Service is polished and personal—a 300-person staff in bespoke uniforms, a clef d’or concierge who doubles as a regional guide—and the hotel is positioned for culture-seeking travelers visiting Salzburg while remaining accessible (most grounds are paved and there is a wheelchair-accessible room, though the historic tower lacks elevator access). From $650." - Mary Winston Nicklin