Bethlen Estates Transylvania has unveiled its third guesthouse. The four-bedroom Corner Barn is the estate’s first guesthouse to be available to rent by the room.
Bethlen Estates is a legacy project rooted in the preservation of cultural heritage, led by the mother-and-son duo Gladys and Nikolaus Bethlen. Over the past 15 years, the family has been acquiring Saxon ruins in their ancestral village of Criş, restoring them into guesthouses in a way that respects the region’s storied history—around eight centuries after the family’s ancestors first founded the village.
Corner Barn was built over 300 years ago as a hay barn. The traditional Saxon building has original roofing, age-old tiles and exposed wooden beams. The lounge acts as a communal space for guests, complete with deep sofas, bookshelves and a traditional Transylvanian tile-oven repurposed as a log-burning fireplace. A staircase leads the way to four suites sleeping up to eight guests. The suites have king-sized beds and en-suite bathrooms. Outside, a terrace decked out with loungers is an ideal spot for morning coffee and sundowners.
At the newly opened Kitchen Barn, guests can enjoy Transylvanian fare and seasonal menus that celebrate local produce, all sourced within 15 miles of the estate. Organic fruit and vegetables are freshly picked from the Bethlen family’s farmland. Guests can also opt for a picnic to be enjoyed at a nearby alpine meadow, go truffle hunting or join the resident sommelier for a tasting in the historic wine cellars at the Count János Bethlen Manor House.
Activities include guided hikes, cycle rides, birdwatching tours and horseback rides. Guests can drive along the Transfogarasan and Transalpina Roads. Guided tours to nearby UNESCO-protected sites, ancient settlements and medieval villages are also available.
Besides the existing four-bedroom Caretaker’s House and two-bedroom Depner House, both of which are available on an exclusive use basis, the opening of the Corner Barn takes the capacity of Bethlen Estates to 20 guests. The Bethlen family is restoring several historic buildings on the estate, including the five-bedroom School House which will open in 2023.
For more information, visit www.bethlenestates.com.
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