An Island of Crystal-Clear Tranquillity | Hotel Ostrov ****

Perhaps you’ve often found yourself wishing you could escape somewhere into the woods and take a break from all the hustle and bustle and stress, amidst beautiful, unspoilt nature – without having to compromise on comfort, good food, personal well-being and relaxation. Such places do exist, however. And one of them is truly unique: Hotel Ostrov.

Imagine a circular valley surrounded by rock faces soaring up to the sky, a valley criss-crossed by a stream that creates a cascade of small pools and ponds. This view alone is therapeutic. In the midst of this idyllic landscape, you’ll be surprised to come across a four-star wellness hotel with outstanding cuisine – people travel dozens of kilometres just for it. There’s no mobile signal here; no one will catch up with you. However, free Wi-Fi is available, so unless you want to be, you won’t be cut off from the world.

But then again, cutting yourself off for at least a few days is so comforting and liberating. It cleanses the soul. In this somewhat magical hotel, you can simply stretch out on the bed and gaze out of the window, or sit in the cosily heated restaurant and look out through the glass wall, or perhaps swim in the pool or let yourself be gently massaged by the whirlpool whilst letting your eyes wander outside through the faintly misted glass…

There’s no mobile signal here; no one will catch up with you. However, there’s free Wi-Fi available, so unless you want to be, you won’t be cut off.

Every time, you’ll be treated to a view of wild and magnificent nature, rocky cliffs and towers, water birds alighting on the surface of the pond in mid-flight, and the sun rising above the rocky giants. It doesn’t matter at all whether it’s sweltering July or freezing January, whether the sky is azure or shrouded in mist – breathtaking scenery awaits you here at any time. Now imagine you’d like to share this experience with colleagues, or perhaps organise a company meeting, conference or team-building event here. Ostrovské won’t let you down – they have conference facilities for up to a hundred people, complete with all the necessary presentation equipment.

But let’s take a closer look at the comfort on offer. You’ll realise the moment you step inside that the rooms here truly deserve their four-star rating. You’ll sleep like a log here. And the wellness facilities? A swimming pool, a hot tub, a Finnish and steam sauna, and above all – the miraculous hands of Mr Vavruška, a massage therapist specialising in the Dorn method. And now for the real gem – one of the best restaurants far and wide, where people don’t hesitate to travel from as far afield as Ústí nad Labem or Prague just for lunch or dinner.

No wonder. It’s not just that the philosophy of the local cuisine, honed to perfection over the years, means you’ll be served outstanding dishes prepared in the spirit of modern gastronomy, yet without any need to show off or dazzle you with abstract arrangements of mini-portions or ‘cubes on a slide’. It’s also because the Ostrov Hotel is one of those places where you can return for the dishes you’ve enjoyed.

The menu here changes very little, and when it does, you can be sure it’s been done thoughtfully and after careful preparation. They specialise in slow-roasted meats, hearty sauces, homemade ice creams – often in very unconventional flavours – and imaginative, appealing desserts. Anyone who hasn’t tasted their confit beef with root vegetables, rosemary sauce and potato gratin is missing out on something significant in life.

You can also enjoy a tasting menu here, or be enchanted by dishes paired with wine, or by the unusual harmonies of exquisite chocolate with spirits and wines. Prefer a good beer? Then you’ll be in your element – they brew their own here, at the Falkenštejn Brewery in Krásná Lipa: the semi-dark Ostroff. They even have their own coffee, carefully selected from a farmer in Cameroon.

Yes, the Ostrov Hotel is an oasis of tranquillity, and you can’t go wrong if you let yourself be pampered here and literally don’t set foot outside. On the other hand, however, it would be a shame to miss out on the surrounding countryside. Just think of the breathtaking places accessible on foot – the rock formations of Volské kameny or Tiské stěny, Hercules’ Pillars on the Saxon side, the queen of Czech stone lookouts on Děčínský Sněžník, the Grenzplatte rock viewpoint… But the whole of Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland is easily accessible – for example, the stunning Bastei, Königstein Rock Fortress, the Saxon table mountains, Pravčická brána, the Kamenice Gorges…

If you’re a fan of cycling or scootering, you can enjoy the thrill of endless descents through deep forests into the Elbe Canyon, where the Elbe Trail awaits, leading you to Děčín with Thun Castle, the only Czech via ferrata in a city centre, or the charming zoo. How to get back? Perhaps by cycle bus, without having to tackle any mountain climbs. Hotel Ostrov simply offers an alternative way of life, characterised by peace and a leisurely pace. And everyone should treat themselves to this at least a few times a year.

Hotel Ostrov’s specialities are among the most sought-after gastronomic gems of northern Bohemia.