VillaZone.com > > Starosedlsky Hradek - Czech castle for rent near Prague

The StarosedlskyHradek (Old Castle) is situated on a lakeshore in the picturesque rusticsetting of Central Bohemia just an hour's drive away from Prague, the historicand architectural jewel of Europe. Built originally in the 14th century, thecastle has been rebuilt twice throughout its history and in its presentappearance the complex exists since 1669. The castle has had several changes ofowners and at different times belonged to the local aristocracy, the CatholicJesuit society (which used the castle as their summer residence) and awell-known Austrian aristocratic family of Schwarzenbergs. The early baroquestyle has left its touch on the external appearance of the castle as well as onits structure such as the meter-thick walls, massive oak beams and archceilings. The castle basement is suitable for wine storage. All the furnitureis handmade from mahogany. In 1999 the castle underwent a complexreconstruction and was turned into a luxury hotel and spa. It served in thatcapacity for several years during which it played host to eleven weddings, twoperiod dramas and one royal hunt. 

The castle is located in a low hill district neara tiny village whose residents are mainly occupied with agriculture. The regionis free from factories and has a mild climate with moderate summer and wintertemperatures. The lake was created in the 15th century to be used for fishbreeding, and is still used for these purposes today – it’s inhabited by a vastquantity of carps. Guests of the castle are welcome to fish and swim in thelake; there are pathways leading from the castle down to and along the shore; alittle boat is also available for those who want to explore this beautiful lakefurther. The forest on the waterfront is inhabited by deer, boars and wildgoats; hunting is permitted in season. When it was still used as a hotel, thecastle was rented out completely for 13-14 weekends a year by aristocraticfamilies from Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland that used it as theirbase for hunting in the nearby forests. 

One hour's drive from Prague and all the culturalsplendours it has to offer, the castle is also five minutes away from Pribram,the center of historic Bohemia and home to a famous cathedral and pilgrimagesite. Numerous music festivals are held there during the summer, the childrenwill enjoy its knight tournaments and the adults can nip down to the BrezniceCastle Brewery. 

Located in the yard of the castle is a sereneJapanese garden with a small pond and streams. The castle grounds also includea 15th century chapel of Holy Trinity, which holds religious services for theresidents of the village. During the 1999 reconstruction an ancient hoard hasbeen recovered containing paintings and other religious items some of which areon display at the castle. 

The castle's attractions include: home cinema,snooker room, fully-equipped chef-grade kitchen, a highly decorated bar area,two saunas with dipping pools, a large tub equipped for therapeutic bodymassage, a fitness centre and a photo-therapy light bed. 

Since the castle used to be a luxury hotel, we areused to accommodating many requests. If you have something specific in mind(horse riding lessons, an evening out in Prague opera, a romantic hot airballoon ride or a knight tournament held on the castle grounds) please let usknow in advance and we'll do our best to make it happen.

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

• 20 bedrooms – sleeps maximum 39
• 20 full baths, 3 half baths, 6 rooms are with baths, the  rest are with showers
• 14 rooms with king-sized beds
• 5 rooms with separate single beds
• 1 room with single bed

Kitchen & dining

• Two large dining rooms, one overlooking the lake
• Rustic-themed bar
• Fully equipped chef-grade kitchen suitable for catering to a large number of people
• Club house

Housekeeping

• Washing Machine
• Laundry Room
• Maid's quarters
• Maid's bathroom

Electronic appliances

• Telephone
• Satellite TV
• High speed internet
• Fax
• DVD Player
• VCR
• Stereo/CD Player
• Home theater
• Computer

Outside

• 15^th century chapel
• Japanese garden with a small pond and stream
• Floor chess set
• Lake with carp – guests can fish and swim in it
• Forest with deer, boars and wild goats – guests can  hunt in season
• Well
• Terrace
• Parking space for 15 cars, uncovered
• Lake waterfront
• Lake view
• Garden view
• Sunrise/sunset views
• Sunny and shaded areas
• Large open gathering space
• Touring bikes
• Fishing equipment
• Water craft (non-motorized)
• Grill

Inside

• Hunting trophies decorating the hallways
• Various medieval decorations on walls – shields, swords, etc.
• Snooker room
• Fitness centre with steppers, treadmills, sets of weight-lifting devices and a table tennis
• Huge functioning fireplace
• Smaller functioning fireplace in the snooker room
• Large tub equipped for therapeutic body massage
• Two saunas with small dipping pools: a large one for 5-6 people with a 6m pool and a small family sized sauna for 2-3 people with a 3m pool
• Photo-therapy light bed

Miscellaneous

• Pet friendly
• Total seclusion/privacy
• Gated community
• Alarm system
• Security gate
• 24 hour contact person
• Proximity to family activities

• Security guard
• Private transportation
• Concierge
• Maid/housekeeping: on call, daily or live-in
• Chef: on call, daily or live-in
• Babysitting
• Secretary
• Interpreter