Hotel Schloss Pichlarn
“Was this the Austria of my dreams? ”
We had a long drive to our next stop, the Hotel Schloss Pichlarn, a 5-star castle hotel in the heart of Styria, a mountainous region in southern Austria renowned for its wine, spas and castles.
Pichlarn offers all of the above in abundance! The 1000-year-old castle has been transformed into a sumptuous 5-star hotel with the finest local fayre and wine, not to mention its Elysian spa. Tall mountains overlooked a steaming outdoor pool. Was this the Austria of my dreams? To top it all, it was surrounded by a gorgeous 18-hole golf course. My pipe dream just got better!
Pichlarn is perfectly situated below the Grimming mountain range.
The castle dates back to the 11th century. The course has only been here since the early 1970s but it’s very well established. This is holiday golf to be sure, hilly at times, often tree-lined with small greens and gnarly rough to compensate for the lack of length.
The Grimming stands out from the rest of the Dachstein Range, one of the few ultra-prominent mountains of the Alps.
The rest of the golf course looks across wonderful pastoral land.
The castle and hotel have an interesting history. It served as a holiday residence for Pope Pius II.
It was Fritz Ries, in the early 1970s who converted the castle into a luxury hotel and golf course. German politicians chose it for meetings due to its secluded privacy.
In January 2021, Salzburg hotelier Georg Imlauer incorporated the 5-star facilities into the Imlauer Hotels and Restaurants group, which includes three hotels and restaurants in Salzburg and two hotels in Vienna.
There are extensive practice facilities so Pichlarn is the perfect place to base yourself for a day or two’s relaxation, taking in the comfort of this delightful hotel with all the fabulous fresh air along with a casual round or two to sharpen up your game!
This was getting seriously close to the Alpine vision of my dreams. Plus it had an 18-hole golf course. What more could a dreamer ask for?
And, of course, that outdoor spa with its stunning mountain views!
