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Hotel “Schloss Fuschl”: Sissi's (Elizabeth's) hunting lodge delights with pure luxury – even a decade after the renovation

Almost everyone knows the famous Sissi films. It is less well known is that the “Schloss Fuschl” hotel served as the backdrop for this film series. However, a good decade ago the former hunting lodge was getting long in the tooth, and had undergo a comprehensively renovation. The declared goal of the builders: To create a 5-star hotel which would offer the many prominent guests sheer luxury for years to come, which is why the planners paid special attention to the outside terraces with their 500 or so square meters, which should be able to withstand rain and snow in the long term.

Anyone who visits the “Schloss Fuschl” hotel today and takes a seat on one of the two hotel terraces will enjoy a unique view of the entire Fuschlsee. And what about the floors? The majority of visitors are amazed that they were also renovated about a decade ago, because the exclusive, colour-coordinated ceramic elements look like they were laid yesterday. The AquaDrain T + covering from Gutjahr has made a contribution to this. The drainage system stands for the best drainage values, and prevents permanent frost damage and weed growth on the coverings.

Luxury also means: enjoying peace and quiet

Since it was built in 1450, the country estate has been a place of relaxation. For 500 years, access was reserved for the privileged few. Today everyone has access to the unique ambience of the fantastically situated hotel, which belongs to the “Luxury Collection” of the ArabellaSheraton Group. According to "Condé Nast Traveler", it has become one of the 25 best resorts in Europe. During the renovation, the planners made sure that the guests can relax in peace, specifically by taking the impact noise on the terraces into consideration. This was also a reason for choosing the Gutjahr surface drainage system: It reduces impact noise by up to 33 dB, as the Wiesbaden University of Applied Sciences has determined in a study. And this topic is becoming increasingly important.

Quiet terraces

AquaDrain T+ reduces footfall noise on terraces by up to 33 dB.

Complete conversion with a high quality demand

The goal of the conversion and renovation of the listed Fuschl Castle was clear: “To become one of the most enchanting hotels in the entire Alpine region”, as General Director Wolfgang M. Grainer put it shortly after the completion of the work. The result is a hotel and catering business that also satisfies the discerning guests from politics, business and show business. This includes suites in the style of historical epochs and with original paintings by old masters as well as a 1,100 square metre spa area. The guests can take advantage of the hotel's chauffeur-driven rental cars - classic Rolls-Royces, of course - and improve their handicap on the 9-hole golf course. The castle restaurant under the management of Executive Chef Johannes Fuchs provides culinary delights. He prefers to use products from the surrounding area, such as fish from Lake Fuschl or Abersee sheep's cheese. During good weather, the guests can enjoy the specialities on the legendary lakeside terraces.

Surface drainage: protection from frost damage

For these lakeside terraces, the clients decided to use a covering that highlights the appearance of the castle façade: matching ceramic elements in gneiss-golden yellow, because the window reveals, balconies and steps are also influenced by the high-quality Untersberg light yellow marble. This natural stone, which is mined in the Salzburg region, has a long tradition as a building material in the region – since the times of the Celts and Romans.

The problem: high-quality coverings such as this are often simply laid loosely on gravel or chippings. But this can quickly become a problem. Because gravel and grit are not anti-capillary, as a study by the tBU Greven shows. If there is water on the waterproofing, such as at the overlap of the membrane joints, it migrates upwards via the construction. This results in frost damage, such as uneven coverings caused by ice pressure or permanent weed growth in the joints. That is why the high-quality covering in Schloss Fuschl was laid loosely on the AquaDrain T + surface drainage system from Gutjahr. The client was immediately impressed by the advantages,

since the system is capillary passive and ensures fast and permanent drainage of the pavement structure. In this way, it supports 100 % of the covering and a drainable cavity of 90% is created, meaning that seepage water can drain off quickly and effectively. This is also shown by an examination by the tBU Greven. In comparison to all of the most popular drainage mats for balconies and terraces, the Gutjahr system has the best drainage values. Moisture stains and frost damage are effectively prevented, as is the weed growth in the joints which is often occurs with loose laying.

The system also acts as a protective layer and filter layer. The large contact area of 66% avoids high point loads, which means that an additional protective layer on the waterproofing is not required. A special geotextile fleece with low flow resistance is also laminated onto the plastic film as a kind of filter, which prevents fouling on the waterproofing.

AquaDrain T+: No damage for 25 years

Ten years after the renovation, the terraces of Schloss Fuschl look like new. But AquaDrain T + from Gutjahr can look back on an even longer success story: The system has been in use for over 25 years. With professional installation, Gutjahr has not had a single case of damage to date.

Background: Schloss Fuschl

Built in 1450 as a hunting lodge, for a long time it was used as the summer residence of the Salzburg archbishops. Traditional records describe it as a "castle, a simple rectangular building, three-storey, with an oriel in the south, west and east, picturesquely situated on a small peninsula at the western end of the Fuschlsee". For the horses alone, the Thalgau farmers had to supply “three loads of hay and two loads of white straw” to the “manor house” every year – “rain or shine” - at least that's what the records say. The castle achieved world fame with Romy Schneider and Karlheinz Böhm as a Sissi film set in the fifties.