Awesome. When you say the castle is obscenely expensive am I looking at the right thing? Theirs say 370 CHF which is about 370 USD (470 CDN)...certainly on the expensive side but no where near what I have seen other hotels (not even the top of the line) go for in various cities around europe. Is this what you were quoted because I assume Oct rates would be similar to May rates given both a shoulder seasons.
http://www.schauenstein.ch/guestrooms/room-wasser
All you can drink brandy?! This place is starting to sound better and better.
I have to ask. Why is your wife allowed to decide if you can smoke a cigar or not? Unless you have lung cancer?
I remember I was drinking a 2L Boot of beer at the Waldhaus in Banff in front of a fire with my wife next to me. A man came over and asked if he could take a picture of my beer. I asked why he didnt just order one for himself and he said "my wife wont let me".
I felt very bad for him ;(