Lake Neusiedl is fringed with charming estates that offer much more than just the famous Ruster Ausbruch, says Stephen Brook. Read his Burgenland travel guide here.
Burgenland: Where to stay, eat, shop and relax
Hotels
Hotel Ohr, Eisenstadt
Family-run hotel a few minutes’ walk from Schloss Esterházy with modern rooms, a rustic interior and a good restaurant (garden in summer) featuring a decent, reasonably priced wine list. hotelohr.at
St Martins Therme & Lodge, Frauenkirchen
Large, very modern spa with balconied rooms, restaurant, wine bar (with 60 by the glass) and a range of thermal treatments. Expensive and luxurious. stmartins.at
Hotel Birkenhof, Gols
Spacious, moderately priced hotel with a wellness centre. Child-friendly. birkenhof-gols.at
Hotel Nyikospark, Neusiedl
Perfectly located at the top of the lake, this restaurant also has modern, air-conditioned rooms. Spacious and stylish, enjoy the views onto the lake. nyikospark.at
Seewinklelhof Salzl, Illmitz
A pension with air-conditioned rooms around a pool. Moderate prices. salzl.at
Restaurants
Taubenkobel, Schützen
Run for years by the Eselböck family, this cosy but very sophisticated restaurant is the best in the Burgenland. Much produce is locally sourced, while the wine list is extensive and selected with flair. A Relais & Châteaux hotel too. Expensive, but still good value. taubenkobel.at
Mole West, Neusiedl
Modern, atmospheric bar and restaurant in a perfect location on a lakeside jetty. It offers something to suit all tastes, from bar drinks to snacks to full-scale meals, all to a high standard. A well-chosen Austrian wine list from top producers, and good breakfasts too. Moderate prices. mole-west.at
Nyikospark, Neusiedl
Town-centre restaurant with a summer terrace. Sascha Huber’s dishes are often traditional, but with a modern twist. Try Hungarian-style fish soup, pike-perch (zander) from the lake, rabbit and suckling pig. Excellent wine list. nyikospark.at
Gut Purbach, Purbach
A skilfully converted village manor is home to one of the region’s best restaurants. Chef Max Stiegl is a fan of ‘nose to tail’ eating, so lovers of offal and trotters will have a field day here. gutpurbach.at
Zur Dankbarkeit, Podersdorf
This thoroughly traditional inn offers tasty local cooking in comfortable surroundings, and in summer you can eat in the large garden behind the house. As well as wines from the owners, the Lentsch family, there is a substantial regional wine list. dankbarkeit.at
Shops
Weinwerk, Neusiedl
This shop on the main street stocks some 650 wines from more than 150 Burgenland producers. Around 30 wines are open for tasting, and you can sample them alongside simple food platters near the bar area. Upstairs there is a wide selection of regional foodstuff. weinwerk.at
Selektion Vinothek Burgenland, Eisenstadt
Across from the Schloss is a modern wine bar offering 600 wines and tasting flights organised by style. Snacks are available too. selektion-burgenland.at
Winery Visits
At the following wineries there is no need to make an appointment: Umathum, Feiler- Artinger, Wenzel, and Opitz. Appointments are advisable at Prieler (prieler.at), Gernot Heinrich (heinrich.at), Kracher (kracher.at) and Ernst Triebaumer (triebaumer.com). Moric (moric.at) can be visited by appointment only.
