Château Mcely: A forest retreat in CZ

An amazing hideaway from the city rush of Prague is the picturesque central Bohemian village of Mcely. Resting upon a bluff overlooking Mcely is the five-star Chateau Mcely hotel, owned by James and Inez Cusumano. The Chateau is a perfect destination for romantic getaways, a spa break, weddings and also very welcoming to families with children. The hotel’s interior is impeccably furnished in “modern château” style, with each of its 23 rooms individually and uniquely decorated.

When we first arrived at Château Mcely, Petra Horáková, Deputy Managing Director, warmly greeted us. Welcomed into the lobby of the Château, Petra provided us with a cool damp towel and refreshing herbal/citrus drink in a champagne glass to revitalize us after our car ride from Prague. We checked into the Mark Twain suite, which had a plush king bed, separate sitting room and a view overlooking the enchanting gardens at the rear of the property. We were extremely happy about the accommodations as they set the scene for a dreamy romantic interlude. The attention to service was outstanding— waiting for us were fresh made meringue cookies and an itinerary outlining our stay.

During our visit, we were lucky enough to have had an interview with the Château owner James (Jim) Cusumano. Jim is an amazingly interesting man who has had 5 careers in his life, including; the lead singer in the 1950s band The Royal Teens, best known for the hit song “Short Shorts.” He went on to earn his doctorate and then worked as an Executive at Exxon. He then moved to Silicon Valley and started a pharmaceutical company where he became the CEO, then sold it and became a film director. The current chapter in his life is as hotelier of Château Mcely. We asked him what sparked him to turn Château Mcely into a hotel? He shared that his wife Inez initially purchased the property, which was in ruins… a place where only cats and rats were residing. In a joint effort, the couple hired artists, not architects to work together to restore the Château. When we asked about the vision/mission/future for Château Mcely, Jim explained their vision is to provide guests with a holistic experience, so people will feel better than when they arrived.

The beautiful park on the property covers five acres, offering space for croquet, badminton or tennis. We enjoyed strolling the gardens, swinging in the romantic two-person swing and lounging by the pool as we dreamily watched the surrounding trees blow in the breeze. Before dinner, we ventured out on a tandem bike (provided by the Château) into town where we happened upon an apple orchard… where we may have sampled a few.

The Château restaurant, Piano Nobile, was recognized in 2014 as the best restaurant in the country. With these accolades, we were really looking forward to a gastronomic experience.  Our culinary journey including;

• Seasonal carrot soup and salad
• Fillet of cod with roasted potatoes grenaille, dried tomatoes with capers and garlic in a white wine sauce.
• Beef fillet with batonnet grenaille potatoes in a porcini emulsion and red wine reduction.
• Homemade Italian ice cream and sorbet.
• And finally, an array of French cheeses and dried fruit.

Our taste buds rejoiced! The meal was superb. We were a bit full from dinner and asked if we could take the cheese (our second dessert) to our room to enjoy with a bottle of wine we brought from the Moravian region. As we walked the property after dinner, the staff delivered the cheese and complete table settings to our room. A wonderful touch of service!

In addition to the tantalizing restaurant, the Château is also home to the natural herbal Mcely Boutique Spa, which includes the family’s own line of pure natural skincare products. The spa also features a sauna with outdoor whirlpool, natural biotopical swimming lake, and fitness center. We unfortunately didn’t have the time to partake in the spa, but the services were certainly enticing.

When we retired to our room, the bed was turned down; foot towels laid on the floor next to the bed, and chilled bottles of water were on the nightstands. We got into the provided robes and slippers, opened up the windows to a wonderful cross breeze and lounged the rest of the night away. Divine!

Château Mcely spa, hotel and forest resort is a place where you can immerse yourself in utter splendor, and a place we can highly recommend. If you’ve ever stayed at Chateau Mcely in the Czech Republic, please leave a comment below, we’d love to hear about your experience.

Château Mcely Contact Information:

Phone: + 420 325 600 095
Address: Mcely 61, 289 36 Mcely, Czech Republic
Email: Chateau@ChateauMcely.com
Website: http://www.chateaumcely.cz/en