A Taste of Old Moravia at Hotel Templ

October 12, 2007 at 9:45 AM | 0 Comments

HotelChatter Contributing Editor Tim Leffel moved on from Hungary and has made his way through the Czech Republic where he sends back his take on the country's hotel scene. Enjoy.

At one time, the town of Mikulov in the southern Czech Republic was 40 percent Jewish. After WWII, Mikulov became a ghost town. The building housing Hotel Templ was an abandoned Renaissance-era house and synagogue. It is a key part of a major rebuilding and restoration effort that has turned this castle-topped town into a tourist attraction, wine region anchor, and cycling center.

The hotel has the character of a bed and breakfast crafted with care. The 17 rooms--all different--are in the main building or the garden building with more outdoor space a few doors down. The creative rooms are named after local plants (including some grape varieties) and have hand-painted murals on the walls and ceilings. Most baths are equipped with shower stalls not meant for portly patrons, but the towel warmers are a nice touch.

Breakfast is a great spread of local sausages, cheese, fruit, and pastries. The fancier dinner menu is balanced by a great wine selection, with the aged bottles pulled from the on-site cellar, which has been there half a millenium.

The hotel is a few doors down from a bike shop that offers rentals and night storage. A five-minute walk takes you to Mikulov castle, a grand structure built by the Lichtenstein clan, who pretty much owned this part of the world for a few centuries. Even though this is the best hotel in town, you won't pay Prague prices here: rates start at 1,300 crowns for a double with breakfast (around $75) and top out at under $120 for a two-room suite.

Tags: Czech Hotel Guide / Moravia Hotels

by Tim L.

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