The castles of the German and Austrian Alps are known for their fairy-tale quality. The iconic turreted silhouette in the background of the Disney logo was, in fact, modeled after Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig II’s Bavarian palace near the border of the two countries. Schloss Fuschl, located on an evergreen-ringed, emerald-hued glacial lake 20 minutes outside of Salzburg, is no exception. Constructed in 1461, the sprawling stone manse served for four centuries as a luxurious hunting lodge for the Prince-Archbishops of Salzburg, who ruled the area under the Holy Roman Empire, as well as their royal guests. After World War II, the schloss (“castle” in German) was converted into a hotel that operated mostly seasonally, from April through October, until 2022, when Rosewood Hotels & Resorts bought the property and embarked on a restoration. On July 1, Schloss Fuschl will reopen with 98 guest rooms including six stand-alone chalets. There are six restaurants and bars on-site; indoor and outdoor infinity pools; a spa with three saunas and eight treatment rooms; and access to Lake Fuschl: Fishing expeditions, boat trips and herbalist-led nature walks can be arranged. While the schloss was never home to the likes of Cinderella or Rapunzel, it did host a movie princess: Fans of midcentury cinema might recognise the place from the German-French actress Romy Schneider’s “Sisi” films — a historical trilogy about the young Elisabeth of Austria — which were shot there in the 1950s. Today, the Sisi Teesalon bears the character’s name and will offer afternoon tea service with a wide range of homemade pastries including the Schloss Fuschl Torte, a chocolate-hazelnut truffle cake first created in the house kitchen more than 30 years ago. Rates from about $695 per night, rosewoodhotels.com.
