Residenz Velich — Hotel in Apetlon

This “Residenz” is a new and highly aspirational venture for the Velich family which is already well known for its quality wines. ||||Accommodation is spread across a number of houses on a large green site with an outdoor heated swimming pool. There is ample shaded parking space and the grounds are shared with a number of ducks and chickens. In this idyllic setting, a short walk from the village of Apetlon and a short drive from the lake at Illmitz (swimming and ferry to Mörbisch), the modern, spacious rooms afford a real feeling of tranquillity and relaxation. ||||This is work in progress and the family are obviously aiming at high quality. At this stage they are obviously still struggling with their software and check in was a bit long-winded as they did not seem able to access the details of my booking - and gave my mother in law the impression that I had forgotten her name! But it was all very friendly and charming and we felt welcomed. These problems also meant that they had no record of my payment to the agency and this certainly made the checkout less friendly than it should have been. I did receive an automated email a few day later thanking me for my visit, hoping I had had a nice trip home etc. but this is not really a substitute for good customer relations on the day and a very sharp contrast to the way we left a south Burgenland hotel a couple of weeks earlier (see my review). ||||The rooms are designed to look bright and spacious even at the expense of being a bit spartan. The large bathroom seemed wasted where the vacant space could have contained a bathtub and/or bidet and a better shower – with effective drainage (the rain shower floods the floor) and somewhere to put the soap or shampoo. Minimalism can look good but isn’t always very practical. It is good to have a small sink in the WC, but there was only one piece of soap for three sinks and two persons. Our very damp towels were not changed. There was only one (very wet!) shower mat. ||||In the bedroom, the “seating area” of our "junior suite" contained only one seat and the desk space had no chair. There was a divan bed (not a sofa bed). The room did not in fact have air conditioning but an underfloor climate control system which we did not find very effective. I am sure that when set properly in advance it would be fine but we didn’t feel it coped with the 30+ temperatures and there is no fast cooling. The old windows are fine but there are no fly screens. However once the teething problems are addressed and the settings are right I am sure the underfloor system will be good – and better than having a jet of cold air in your face from a dusty old air con outlet! My booking gave me access to the “Executive Lounge” – I have no idea where or what that is. It seemed to be another software blip. The free Wifi was also not entirely straightforward. It seemed impossible to enter the password but then worked without it! ||||Breakfast is a buffet with good quality produce open to self-service (and I am afraid to flies – none of the food is covered). The staff are simply lovely; friendly but prompt and efficient. Eggs come to order – and I had speciality blue eggs with a deep and tasty yolk. The coffee is well above the usual hotel breakfast coffee standard – and there are high quality teas on offer. Breakfasting on the terrace we were visited by two inquisitive and friendly domestic fowl. ||||There is an exclusive restaurant on site overseen with obvious enthusiasm by the young son of the owners. We were travelling with my mother in law and planned a birthday dinner on our first night. Unfortunately it was not possible to get details of the menu (there is no a la Carte and no choice) in advance so we did not dine in. But it looked busy. Judging from the quality of the breakfast cheese and meat I would guess the dining option will be very good. There was a menu in our room the second day - a set menu at €65 per person but we had already made other arrangements. There are a number of options in the village where we were frankly surprised by how warm the welcome was and how enthusiastic the staff. ||||Overall, yes very lovely, and very pastoral, some wonderful young staff too. Given the prices I wonder if they need to be quite so parsimonious with the bathroom items, and whether the offer of a welcome drink might have been a nice touch. There is no complementary water in the rooms and no fruit other than the fruit salad at breakfast. ||||Yes I would recommend it and commend the owners for their initiative. It is not an easy time for new ventures and we ought to support any good alternatives to corporate hotels. Sadly family-run often these days means amateur and family run down; Residenz Velich is clearly on the way up. If they listen to guest feedback and not only to unalloyed praise then I am sure it will go from strength...

The Residenz was undoubtedly a discovery for us and we will definitely return. It scores in particular on its excellent taste in interior design (including impressive pieces of art on the wall) and the lush garden with a large heated pool. Owner/staff are extraordinarily friendly and we really felt like being in a rather special place. Rooms are spacious with high-quality beds (never to be underestimated!). The restaurant is inviting, offers a rich breakfast (room for improvement: add genuine natural cereals and cut back on the Kellogs standards) and a delicious dinner in style - weather permitting on the terrace. I would suggest though to get some choice into the menu (at least for the main course); after all, there is a lake nearby and there should be plenty of fish available. Finally, a price of € 60-65 for a four-course dinner with two vegetarian starters and a piece of cake for dessert is asking quite a lot and could be reassessed. This notwithstanding, Residenz Velich is an outstanding boutique hotel worth visiting. It will remain on our short list of...

That was really fantastic experience! Very kind owners, amazing hospitality and, for sure, food and wine! Mr. Velich has one of the most comprehensive collection of Burgundy and Austrian wines; he knows a lot about wines and, what is the most valuable, on pairing wine and food! The dinner was unforgettable it was look and felt like being at a Michelin star restaurant... Highly recommend to visit the place and enjoy a dinner with...