Schönburg Castle Hotel

Schönburg Castle Hotel, near Frankfurt, Germany, is a ruggedly beautiful fortress overlooking the River Rhine and the medieval town of Oberwesel, Rhineland. It is conveniently located near the city and within easy reach of many other castles and historical sites in a region which has long been one of Germany and Europe’s most important. Expect the very best in service and comfort with a carefully preserved medieval atmosphere throughout.

The excellent restaurant and the Knight’s Hall dining room deserve a particular mention, as do the private gardens; follow their various winding paths and there is something to discover around every corner; gorgeous flower beds, old style swings, snug mini cottages, secret hideaways, giant chess boards and various statues and art installations.

THE ACCOMMODATION:

The interiors of the castle are thoroughly elegant and careful interior design throughout serves to enhance the atmosphere of a property so rich in history. You can choose between 25 different B&B rooms and suites, all of which have a balcony or terrace with views over the Rhine or the surrounding vineyards, and suitably romantic vintage style beds.

There are also seating areas and soft furnishings in all the rooms, plus study desks and en-suite bathrooms where the style and attention to detail continues. Each room also has cable TV and a mini bar, plus there is WiFi throughout the castle.

Internally there is much to explore, the splendid Knight’s Hall of course where lunch and dinner are served, a well stocked library/reading room with an open fire, winding staircases, endless corridors and hidden nooks and crannies with views through lead paned windows out on the River Rhine.

The breakfast is fabulous with a great array of choice, and the Knight’s Hall restaurant is open every day except Mondays for lunch and dinner, plus as hotel guests you can order various snacks and refreshments throughout the day, every day.

THE LOCATION:

The castle towers over the town of Oberwesel in the heart of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, also known as the Rhine Gorge, a 65 kilometer section of the river that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002 due to its unique history, culture and geology. Due to its immense importance as an industrial and agricultural region too, and even more so as a trading route, it has long been one of Europe’s most coveted areas and has bore witness to countless great battles and rivalries over the centuries.

The guardians of this section of the river and of the town of Oberwesel were of course the Schönburgs and the town itself has always been strongly associated with both the castle and the family. It is a pretty town, just on the banks of the river, and has many of its medieval buildings still intact. You’ll find it a very pleasant place for stroll with quite a few good shops, restaurants and cafes.

This part of Germany is also quite famous for its wine. Even in the immediate area surrounding the castle you will see acres of vineyards. Tours can be arranged from the castle hotel to some of the best ones around plus wine tasting and basically the full package of Rhineland wine tourism. You’ll also find the hotel restaurant has an excellent selection of both local and international wines to be enjoyed.

The castle is quite conveniently located being about a half an hour from Mainz. It’s near to Frankfurt and Mannheim too (just over an hour), and a bit farther again from Bonn and Cologne to the north.

SOME HISTORY:

Very much dominating the medieval, and very pretty, town of Oberwesel in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, Schönburg Castle has a history going back a thousand years. From the 12th Century it was owned by the Duke of Schönburg who amongst other streams of income made quite a fortune taxing traders as they used the Rhine to move goods between various parts of what is now Germany and Central and Northern Europe.

The Schönburgs remained in residence for centuries with possibly the most notable member of the family being Friedrich von Schönburg a famous military man who served in many famous battles throughout Europe and as a general for the French, the Prussians and the Portuguese, as well as for Prince William of Orange in many battles in Britain and Ireland including the infamous Battle of the Boyne in 1690 where he was to lose his life.

During the Palatinate Heritage war of 1689 the castle was burned to the ground and remained in ruins for over two hundred years until an American businessman by the very appropriate name of Rhinelander bought it and set about its restoration. The castle remained in the Rhinelander family until 1950 when it was sold to Oberwesel town council. They were then to rent it to the Hüttl family whose long term lease is still intact and it is the Hüttls who are now in their third generation at the Castle and the proud owners of what is today one of the best castle hotels in Germany.