Schloss Arenfels

The birdsong in the morning and evening was lovely, and the building and setting are scenic. It’s also handy for hiking: you can buy wine and food to take along in a cooler backpack, and borrow wine glasses. The concept is appealing, but the service let it down. There’s no reception for check-in. After we were shooed away from the front door, where we’d briefly stopped to unload bags, someone eventually came to give us a room key. Arranging breakfast through the suggested WhatsApp number took five attempts by call and message. We got an answer too late and missed breakfast on our first morning. Our request for a cot was initially forgotten, and when we reported that the shower had virtually no water pressure, our first three requests to have it checked were ignored before it was fixed. Getting to the second floor meant tackling lots of stairs with heavy luggage, and there’s no lift. We didn’t feel welcome at all. It seemed as though offering accommodation was an afterthought or a nuisance. Maybe they should stick to events.

For my birthday, I spent one night in the Fürstensuite, and it was such a lovely experience. The suite is huge, with lots of little details and plenty of the very old decor still in place. It also had the best view of the castle. The bath was a great extra, and the hostess was super friendly.

John was a fantastic host and went out of his way to meet our needs. We spent three nights in the Garden Suite at Arenfels Castle with our kids, who were thrilled to sleep in a castle. We loved the atmosphere, the scenery, and the nearby attractions. We’d highly recommend staying here. I only wish we’d visited on a weekend so we could have taken the full tour.

We chose Schloss Arenfels for our wedding and are so glad we did. They clearly have loads of experience with weddings, and sometimes hold more than one in a day. If you’re interested, you may need to book quickly. The setting is beautiful, with lots of great spots for photos. Some of our family had come from the USA and were excited to stay in and visit a real castle. We planned an outdoor wedding, but the package included an indoor backup in case of bad weather. We ended up using it, and it was just as beautiful as the outdoor spot. Having that option included meant we didn’t have to arrange or worry about anything extra. We stayed in the Fuerstensuite, a very large room that felt a bit too grand for us, but was still fun to experience for our wedding. Our family stayed in other castle rooms and seemed to enjoy them too. For such a big, old building, we were impressed by how clean it was and how well the heating worked. The service was incredible throughout. Before the wedding, a castle representative worked with us and our planner to explain what was possible and make sure the space and equipment we needed were covered. She also arranged lunch for the day. If I remember right, the castle’s tables, chairs, chair covers, plates, and cutlery were available at no extra cost. Staff took care of the microphones and speakers all day, worked the bar, and served drinks at the tables. Everyone was wonderful and did a great job. They also cleared away our decorations, which we’d thought we’d have to handle ourselves early the next morning. We were really grateful for that.