In addition to the Café-Brasserie, the castle boasts the “Gourmetrestaurant im Wappen-Saal,” a gourmet culinary experience in a grand hall, fit for royalty (in fact, a Royal family did stay here this past summer). There are 14 rooms and six suites with views of the acreage and lush countryside, and all the most exquisite touches afforded to the royal treatment. In my massive suite, I found the most exotic minibar selection I’ve ever seen: it even had a hand-labelled jar of gourmet gummy bears. As a queen for the night, I slept deeper than I ever have. In the morning, after selecting from a delectable and varied smorgasbord of fruit, pastries, shrimp, lox and teas, I wandered the grounds and the many halls of the manor. At the entrance, I discovered a stone statue of two dancing bears, for which I felt an immediate affinity. Upon inquiry, I learned it had been a gift from the owner of the castle to his wife, who missed her home in Berlin so much that they had the statue taken from the city as a way to establish familiarity in a foreign place. I also found out that after its bankruptcy in 1931, the mansion was repossessed and became a refugee camp and school before it was turned into a retirement home in 1955. It wasn’t until 1994 that Burg Schlitz was renovated and converted into a hotel. My sources of castle comparison are memories of Craigdarroch Castle, whose impeccable grounds I often visited in Victoria, and three castles in Dresden I had toured the week before in preparation for my temporary stay as queen (of the room) at Burg Schlitz. The latter castles I explored with a friend familiar with the
Cancel the scooter excursion. As our region’s only not-for-profit burial park, we’re in no hurry to have you here.
4673 FALAISE DRIVE VICTORIA, BC
ROBP_9432_Scooter_BLVD.indd 1
250-658-5621 ROBP.CA
2016-06-30 1:47 PM