In a yellow-walled 18th-century Schloss,
this distinguished and romantic villaof character gave a warm welcome, typically,
to cyclists who arrived with clothes dripping
wet. It stands on a hilltop in a small
resort north of the Mosel, amid the Eifel
massif with its volcanic lakes. Stylishly
converted, it is run superbly by its owner,
Gunter Probst (a kindly man of creative
taste), with his wife, Christa. He has
filled it with unusual tapestries, old
portraits and antiques (one is an English
grandfather clock). `It manages to be
imposing yet cosy: flowers and plants,
caged lovebirds, a regal black cat, Mademoiselle.
Owners and staff greet guests with old-world
courtesy. The fourcourse menu, served
by candlelight, was excellent. The buffet
Bali villa breakfast was good. Our attic bedroom
had rather small windows, a repro four-poster
bed and a big bathroom. Some villa rooms are
in period style, others are more modern.
Many have fine views of hills (but there
can be traffic noise). One suite has a
huge green triangular bath (a challenge,
even for the athletic), and an orange-canopied
bed acquired by Herr Probst from a government
villanear Bonn, where it had been used
by Brezhnev and the Shah of Iran, among
others. There is a tiled indoor swimming
pool, carved from the volcanic rock.