A surprising concept in a surprising place - that is one way to introduce Resort Český les, created by the family investment group FKCG, a. s., owned by Ondřej and Jindřich Karhan, who built this gem for the most demanding of guests in the very place where their family roots lie.
If we wanted to show a fine example of how a successful business can do good for the community around it, here is one. The Karhan family did not take on this hotel project to expand their business activities, but above all to support the region around Český les and to bring tourism and attention to this beautiful natural area. And the guests they compete for are not just any guests, but the most demanding ones. That makes us value their effort all the more, and the result too, which our editorial team had the chance to see with our own eyes.
The resort is made up of two buildings: Aparthotel Železná and Boutique Apartments Železná. The second of them opened only this year. It complements the main hotel and widens the range of accommodation. It holds just eight generously proportioned rooms with a rustic yet elegant interior inspired by the muted, earthy tones of the surrounding countryside. Behind the architecture of this new addition in the Czech-German borderland stands, as with Aparthotel Železná, Barbora Mluvková's Konceptual studio, which this time also wove elements of the Chodsko landscape and motifs from Jirásek's poems into the design; the individual apartments are named after them - V mechu (In the Moss), V kapradí (In the Ferns), Na křídlech (On Wings), U potoka (By the Brook), Na stromě (In the Tree), Na jezeře (On the Lake), Na vrcholcích (On the Summits) and V oblacích (In the Clouds). The last of these suites takes up the entire attic of a former First Republic village school and offers, among other things, a free-standing bathtub beneath the exposed original beams.
The resort's culinary side is in the hands of the relaxed Hvozd restaurant, led by head chef Martin Šiling, whom foodies may know from the outstanding Prague fine dining venue V Zátiší. Martin's carefully considered menu draws on local tradition and the bounty of the Chodsko forests, the waters of the Železný pond and the produce of nearby farmers. Two dishes shine on the permanent menu: the svíčková sauce with venison and Carlsbad dumpling, and the air-dried saddle of venison with salad leaves, mushroom coulis and mushroom demi-glace. Those two alone will bring you back, even if it means pulling off the motorway on your way to Germany. The Hvozd culinary portfolio is rounded off by the Kotelna bar, focused on whisky and champagne. Its list features champagne from the Maison de Venoge, which is truly one of a kind and a lovely surprise in the middle of nature, at what feels like the end of the world, where you would hardly expect such treasures. And a glass of this French gem with a view of the beautiful Český les is something you will not experience anywhere else.
Finally, do not overlook the hotel wellness area, whose design is every bit as striking as the rest of the hotel. It offers a sauna, a steam room, even a Kneipp walk and, of course, a relaxation zone where you can unwind after a stroll through the surrounding countryside or a demanding day on the bike. The cycling trails around here are famous, and it is no coincidence that most guests come precisely for them.
It has to be said that the owners took on a bold project, but looking back on the whole stay, we can confirm they have plenty to be proud of. If you are looking for a reset from work stress and want to eat and drink as well as in the best fine dining restaurants in Prague while you are at it, you have come to the right place.
