Living abroad: Czech Republic

When Jette Boel and her husband Niels Brøchner transformed a rundown 16th-century manor house in the south of the Czech Republic into a hotel, the project took on a life of its own. Now they’re pillars of the local community

words by Camilla H Tjellesen
photography by Ben King

“We didn’t have any experience at all in the tourism business before we bought this place,” says Jette Boel of the hotel Zamek Knezice (Knezice Castle) in Petrovice, near Susice. “We’re just ensuring that things are the way we like them when we travel ourselves.” Fortunately, the guests appear to like things this way too.

Since Boel and her husband Niels Brøchner opened their lovingly restored ‘mini-castle’ in the south of the Czech Republic, business has been thriving. The couple got to know the Czech Republic thanks to Brøchner’s job as a consul, a position that introduced them to Prague and the northern part of the country. A few years ago some of their friends moved to the south. When the pair visited they found that it gave them a fresh perspective on the country.

“Most people know Prague, but not many people are familiar with the southern part of the Czech Republic and that’s a terrible shame,” says Boel. “It’s really beautiful and full of lush, magnificent scenery. It’s just so pure here.”

It was during a trip to see friends that the couple first came across the manor house, situated on the edge of the Sumava National Park (one of Europe’s largest nature reserves) in south-

west Bohemia on the Czech/German border. The property, which is set on a large estate, was originally built as a manor house in 1589 and has a fascinating history. Through the 19th and early 20th centuries it served as a summer residence for the aristocracy, then at the end of World War II it was used to house German refugees. A decade later, under Communist rule, it was turned into a nursing home and many of the beautiful original features were lost or destroyed.

“When we saw that the local council was selling the building we jumped at the chance to buy it,” Boel explains. “We worked very hard to come up with a business plan that

involved a lot of local workers and a lot of opportunities for bringing tourism to the area. And that was why we won the competitive tender.”

In 2003, after handing over DKK 1m (about ¤134,000), Boel and Brøchner became the proud owners of this historic property, which was in dire need of repair. While juggling careers in Denmark – Brøchner kept a position on the local council in their hometown of Arhus – they set about restoring Zamek Knezice to its former glory and turning it into a hotel, complete with a restaurant, bar and health centre.

“We worked with a local architect who was very good at helping us to recreate the original style of the castle. That was very important to us, and also one of the reasons why the council liked our plan so much,” says Boel. “We also used local builders. Everything had to go through an interpreter, since we don’t really speak any Czech and they didn’t speak any English.”

The couple spent DKK 9m (about ¤1.2m) and seven months on the renovation, and in June 2004 they opened the doors to their hotel. They now have eight employees, and even though they still have a base in Arhus, Denmark, Boel especially is spending more and more time at Zamek Knezice.

“At the moment, we’re mainly focussing on the Danish market,” says Boel. “We think that this is a great place for Danish people to relax and enjoy nature.” Boel now runs her own company, JB Travel & Event, which organises trips for individuals or companies to Zamek Knezice. There’s enough room at the hotel for team-building weekends and weddings, and with the beautiful Sumava National Park on the doorstep, it’s a good spot for action holidays.

The hotel might have been an exhausting project, but the energetic pair hasn’t finished yet. Boel and Brøchner are now firmly entrenched in the local Czech community.

“We’re working closely with the local council on turning an old school building into a cultural centre. There’ll be room for artists to hold exhibitions, shops selling traditional Czech crafts, a place for people to rent bikes and so on,” explains Boel.. “We’d like to help the locals make the village more attractive to tourists and get some more business here. My husband has experience on the Danish council, and we’ve really been welcomed here with open arms.”

The south of the Czech Republic may still be unknown territory for most Scandinavians, but the couple is confident it’ll soon take off as a holiday destination. When it does, Zamek Knezice certainly looks like it will be leading the way. www.knezice.dk involved a lot of local workers and a lot of opportunities for bringing tourism to the area. And that was why we won the competitive tender.”

The hotel might have been an exhausting project, but the energetic pair hasn’t finished yet. Boel and Brøchner are now firmly entrenched in the local Czech community.

tips for buying property in the czech republic

The Czech Republic is still a fairly new proposition for Scandinavians looking to buy property. On the plus side, the country is undergoing great economic growth and many Scandinavian companies are moving there, making it a good place to invest.

The property market is also flourishing, especially after the country’s entry into the EU. Still, there are a few things to remember:

It’s illegal for foreigners to own property in the Czech Republic if they aren’t resident there, but you can get around this by setting up a Czech company that legally owns the property, as Boel and Brøchner did.

It is possible, however, to buy property as an EU citizen living in the Czech Republic with an EU residence certificate.

It’s a good idea to hire a Czech lawyer who knows about the country’s property laws.

Using a Czech estate agent can also be very helpful. An increasing number of property agents offer services in English.

Here’s a list of some Czech estate agents with websites in English:
Hanex – www.hanex.cz
Identity – www.id-online.cz
Lexxus – www.lexx.cz
Maxima Reality – www.maxima.cz
Prague Reality – www.praguereality.cz
Trio Reality – www.trio-reality.cz