Stay the night in King Charles’ most unusual home
<p dir="ltr">Among the 450 people who live in the village of Viscri, Transylvania, one occasional resident is Prince Charles (now the newly crowned King Charles III).</p>
<p dir="ltr">In this central Romanian region, you’ll find a cottage belonging to the future King of England, who has a property portfolio spanning London’s Clarence House and Highgrove House in Gloucestershire to a farmhouse in Wales and Dolphin House in the Isles of Sicily.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Known as the Prince of Wales’ Guesthouse, the relatively humble abode can be booked by the public, except on the few days a year he stays there himself.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Charles purchased the home in 2006, as an extension of his interest in supporting Romanian tourism and traditional practices.</p>
<p dir="ltr">One room, dubbed Aunt Ida’s Room, includes a “traditional Transylvanian drawer bed” according to <a href="https://zalan.transylvaniancastle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the property’s website</a>, while another, called the Prince’s Room, comes with baroque furniture and textiles, along with a double bed and bathtub.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The property includes an additional five bedrooms that vary in size, with all rooms equipped with wardrobes, toiletries, safes, books, umbrellas, and heating through central heating and/or wood-burning ceramic stoves.</p>
<p dir="ltr">A night’s stay, including dinner and a drink on arrival, tours, transport, activities and breakfast on the day you depart, will set you back between €157 and €167 ($AUD 231-245), with all proceeds going to the Prince of Wales Foundation in Romania.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The Prince of Wales hopes that his guesthouse will encourage more people to visit Transylvania and in this way promote sustainable development,” the website reads.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“We strive to offer affordable, yet financially sustainable holidays in this authentic Transylvanian environment.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">The royal has been a frequent visitor to Romania for the past 20 years and set up his foundation in the country to support the preservation of traditional farming and highlight the importance of historic buildings.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / The Prince of Wales’s Guesthouses in Transylvania (Facebook)</em></p>
