PENSION LEUCHTENBURG

Directly in Klughammer, an idyllic village on Lake Caldaro, away from the hustle and bustle, stands Leuchtenburg Castle and has been for centuries. With a lot of flair and sensitivity, the house with private lake access is being extensively renovated without erasing the valuable traces of the past.

The Pension Leuchtenburg sees itself as a house in which many things are done differently and, above all, made more personal. The familiar and ordinary are broken. Instead of star classification and minibar, there is honest, unconventional luxury, such as freshly cooked food by chef Tanja every day, vino in the spa area, plenty of space for yourself, aperitif at sunset on the terrace and philosophizing until late into the night on the lake under the starry sky.

Hostess Kat, who has been welcoming guests here with her parents since childhood, lives with partner Jan herself in Leuchtenburg. From breakfast to dinner at the Tavolata, Kat usually personally serves what grows and thrives around Lake Caldaro. There is no shortage of choice – instead, seasonal fruit and vegetables, high-quality products from South Tyrolean farmers and the best wines, whose vines ripen under the sun just a stone’s throw away. Familiar and undisturbed, as if it were your own house on the lake, it also feels at the private lakeside property with sauna, boat and sun loungers. The dream of a house by the lake can become reality here for a holiday.

Philosophy – stylish simplicity that breaks with the usual

Leuchtenburg Castle and its hosts Kat and Jan represent a new generation of modern accommodation. The vision of the two: to create a holiday home that is different. Where less emphasis is placed on classifications and strict opening hours of the spa area and there is more room for dolce vita and the lightness of being. A house with its own character and hosts who are on the same wavelength as their guests: curious, open-minded people who are looking for something special and individual, down-to-earth luxury. To be the most expensive guesthouse in South Tyrol goes without saying with a wink and yet there is truth in the provocative slogan. Simplicity and unagitated luxury are not a contradiction, especially in a small area with only a few rooms and personal service. In terms of flair and sensitivity, the Pension Leuchtenburg is superior to large hotels.

Hosts Kat and Jan

The 33-year-old Kat, who describes herself as “feels like forever 30”, has lived in the Leuchtenburg guesthouse since her childhood. Her parents have leased the guesthouse and so it is not surprising that the relationship with the house is close. Together with her 31-year-old partner Jan, she decided to buy Leuchtenburg Castle and create something that has not yet existed on Lake Caldaro: a noble guesthouse with character. Stylish and no-frills. Authentic and honest – instead of a fake host smile and restrictive etiquette. As creative, curious, courageous and aesthetic as Kat and Jan themselves, their Leuchtenburg should also be. It is their home, because they themselves live in Leuchtenburg. Together they want to create something new, something special.

Only 12 rooms with lake view

New design within historic walls: Architect Christina Biasi von Berg, who runs the Biquadra office in Merano with her husband and has already renovated numerous well-known hotels, was thrilled when she saw the centuries-old house for the first time. Their greatest concern: to preserve the history and to combine it in the most beautiful way with modern design in keeping with the character of the two hosts. Many originals such as the historical furniture with its wonderfully coloured ornaments and the wooden floor have been largely preserved and give the house a distinctiveness. The rooms are named after wine bars around Lake Caldaro.

Best care: You eat what goes on the tavolata

The Leuchtenburg was once the supply house of the castle, which still towers over the guesthouse today. The purpose of the house seems unchanged: the best care, which begins with a breakfast served on the terrazza in the face of the lake. Dinner freshly prepared by Tanja. There is no menu. The cook gets a box of ingredients placed in front of the kitchen door every day and doesn’t know what the farmers and producers from the surrounding area deliver – the important thing is: everything is fresh, straight from the field. Quality is always in the foreground and so it is a surprise every evening what Kat serves her guests. The 33-year-old, who also completed her sommelier, serves the right wine unconventionally and easily. Sometimes a large tavolata is created from the many small tables, where all Leuchtenburg guests can be seated – as if you were visiting your extended Italian family, which you have always wanted.

Private beach with lake sauna, yoga room and vino in the spa

The 400m² lake meadow, just 99 steps from the house, is accessible 24/7. Guests will receive their own lake key directly at check-in. Bathing bags with bath towels are available in the room. Bathrobes and sauna towels are also provided. Bathing slippers are dispensed with for environmental reasons. In addition to the lake sauna and sun loungers, pedal boats and the Dicke Berta, the rowing boat of Leuchtenburg, are available. Bio sauna (55-60 degrees) by the lake, yoga room and Finnish sauna (85-90 degrees) including wine living room directly in the Leuchtenburg. If you feel like vino in the spa, you can take it out of the wine fridge at any time and make yourself comfortable in the wine living room.

How sustainability is lived in Leuchtenburg Castle

• Guests do not need a car, they can reach all the holiday highlights around Lake Caldaro on foot or by bike
• Guests can easily travel by train to Auer and will be picked up there free of charge
• Kat and Jan have a 0 km commute to work, as they live in the Leuchtenburg themselves
• No buffet and no food waste due to served breakfast and only an evening menu (which can be prepared vegan or vegetarian if desired)
• Meat is only available in moderation and only from local organic breeding
• Permaculture vegetables
• Zero-waste management in the kitchen: using products as a whole and not packaging products from small producers in the area
• Room-menities without packaging and made in South Tyrol
• No food is thrown away, everything is used and if there is anything left, the bunnies and horses of the waitress Kathrin get it
• Own water source and therefore no empties and no water transport
• There are no spittoons at the wine tasting, everything is drunk

Klughammer on Lake Caldaro, smart is those who spend their days off here

Far away from the hustle and bustle, popular places by the lake and yet directly in one of the most beautiful spots on earth. It is idyllically quiet in front of the doors of Leuchtenburg, as if the clocks were ticking a little slower – just in time for the holiday. Relaxation when arriving. And if you want, you can simply stay in the Leuchtenburg or on the 400m² Seewiese, which is only a few steps away from the house.

Editor’s Choice

Anything but ordinary. The Leuchtenburg offers are created for you, so that you always have a good reason to visit Leuchtenburg. Whether it’s SUNNYSIDE, SUMMERVIBES, WINE MONTH OCTOBER or WINTER BREAK!