Right beside the endless deep woods of the Český les, not far from the German border, a generously conceived resort has risen on the site of disused buildings – and it never stops surprising. Explore the mysterious landscape of the borderland along with the first-class care served up here in the stylish rooms, in the restaurant and in the underground bar.
Resort Český les came about as a labour of love for two investors and founders of the FKCG company, the father and son Karhan, who after a string of business successes decided to give part of it back to the region they come from. Through a radical reconstruction of two long-disused buildings – a former First Republic school and the original military barracks – they created in the village of Železná
near Smolov a modern complex that combines stylish accommodation, local
gastronomy, a champagne bar and wellness. All in the heart of beautiful countryside that is still unknown to the great majority of tourists.
“At the moment we offer forty-three boutique studios and apartments, and another eight are being prepared in the neighbouring building of the former school, whose renovation should be completed this year,” says Lenka Komrsková of the First Impact Communications agency, which looks after the resort's presentation. The design of the rooms was taken under the wing of Barbora Mluvková's Konceptual studio, which drew inspiration from the character of the surrounding countryside and placed great emphasis
on sustainable and local elements. Inside, you are surrounded above all by wood, metal and glass. The dominant feature of every room is a photographic wallpaper by the amateur photographer František Zvoneček.
“We wanted the look of the wallpaper
to come from someone local, like Mr Zvoneček, who has been photographing this region for a long time and captures its character perfectly. The wallpaper covers the whole wall behind the bed and some people may be surprised that although it depicts a forest, it is tinged with blue. Once you come to the resort you will see with your own eyes that in the morning mist, at daybreak or at dusk the woods really do take on these colours, which make them even more mysterious,” explains Linda Schneiderwindová, managing director of FKCG Hospitality, and she adds
that another characteristic feature of the interior is its circular motifs, intended to soften the austerity of the original barracks. In the rooms you may notice a set of round mirrors, softly shaped light fittings or railings.
Dining in a quiet retreat
Thanks to its location, the resort makes an ideal base for all kinds of stays. If you decide to explore the surroundings, head into the forests or uncover the forgotten past of this border region and its vanished villages. The area is also crossed by up to 700 kilometres of cycle trails on both the Czech and the German side, so plenty of destinations can be combined with a pleasant ride. When you come back from your outings, a welcoming wellness area awaits you, created – like the rest of the grounds – in harmony with nature.
There is a sauna, an infrared cabin, a steam room, massage therapies and a cooling plunge pool,
so recharging your batteries is easy. “We are currently developing a collaboration with the Plzeň CBD brand Cannor, which grows its ingredients barely 30 kilometres from Resort Český les. We want to use their massage oils in our wellness area, kept in glass vessels made to measure for us by the Czech glassmaker Lukáš Jabůrek,” Lenka Komrsková says of the plans ahead.
The owners took a similarly local approach when devising the concept for the resort's restaurant, which goes by the name Hvozd
and takes its inspiration from the surrounding forests. Its head chef is Martin Šiling, whom
you may know from the Prague restaurant V Zátiší and who, together with his team, devotes himself to an upgraded Czech cuisine. “In our restaurant we put the emphasis on local ingredients, so you will always know exactly where the meat you order comes from. We work with several farms, such as Čečkovice, which supplies our beef; the game comes straight from the local hunting association and the dairy products from the Údolíčko farm,” Linda Schneiderwindová says of the restaurant's direction.
The resort also includes the Srdíčko game park with red deer, fallow deer and mouflon, home to the large Železný pond. They even have their own holding ponds stocked with brook trout, so if you order fish in the restaurant you can be sure it comes straight from this pond. Besides the dishes on the menu, they often grill on a special round Ofyr grill, where the chef prepares all manner of delicacies while you enjoy the view from the terrace straight into the forest. And if you long for privacy, simply order a picnic basket at the restaurant and set off with it, perhaps into the deer park, to enjoy your meal beside the pond.
Down to the Kotelna for champagne
A day packed with experiences deserves a finale to match. Head down into the underground bar Kotelna, whose name recalls the original purpose of these rooms, and soak up an atmosphere that combines luxury with mystery. It may surprise you that this is exactly where a champagne bar with the complete Maison de Venoge selection is hidden away. The portfolio is rounded out by Czech and French wines, craft cider and the resort's own beer, brewed to measure by the Pilsen brewery Proud. “Nikl beer is a nod to the good spirit of Český les, whose task was to protect the glassmakers and woodcutters. You can have it on tap here, but we also bottle it, which makes a great souvenir,” explains Komrsková. You will find these temptations in a space inspired by history, evoked by the installations of original boiler parts that architect Barbora Mluvková chose for the bar.
Whether you come here with friends, with family or with your other half, you will find perfect facilities and a place to unwind where you can gather strength for every adventure still to come. Resort Český les is also glad to help with larger events and corporate functions. “Right at the resort there are several fully equipped, design-led conference rooms, and part of the space is open air, which is ideal for team building, but also for exhibitions,” says Lenka Komrsková, describing just how versatile the resort is. Together with this complex, the owners also founded
the Nadační fond Český les endowment fund, whose purpose is to raise the profile of the area, care for the surrounding countryside, support the development of culture and strengthen Czech-German relations.
