Sitting like a mammoth, canary-yellow wedding cake at the tip of Lake Woerth in south-central Austria, the newly renovated Schloss Velden is anything but your typical lakeside hotel. Originally built in the late 16th century as a “lustschloss,” or private countryside castle for a local aristocrat, the property was developed centuries later into a summer hotel. European royalty and the uppermost tier of its famous and wealthy flocked to the town of Velden for its active sporting and boating scene. The region was dubbed the Austrian Riviera — most likely a marketing slogan, but one fully backed up by warm aqua waters and crisp, fresh air.

By the 1990s, the hotel had fallen into disuse, shut its doors for good, and became better known for a cameo appearance of its exterior in the opening credits of a popular German TV show. The area saw tourism drop steeply after the closing of its premiere hotel — in spite of its easy proximity to cities like Vienna, Milan and Munich.

More than a decade later, Horst Schulze, founder of the Ritz-Carlton chain and creator of the Capella brand, saw the opportunity for a revival, and rechristened the Schloss Velden as the first member of his luxury Capella hotel chain. Sitting directly beside one of the region’s most pristine glacial lakes, warmed by hot underground springs in the summer, and ringed by the toothy majesty of the Alps and their abundant ski resorts, the location alone is enough to draw modern-day visitors. But the hotel and its staff are what really make the Velden area ready for its return to the spotlight.

Schulze treated the forgotten old beauty to a sumptuous renovation that has left it feeling still regal, but warm and bright instead of dark and dusty. A sleek new U-shaped wing designed by Viennese architects Jabornegg & Pálffy rings the gardens behind the historic castle. While staying in the historic castle has its appeal — especially in suites with lake views or in made-for-a-princess bedrooms set within the turrets — the layouts are sometimes unusual due to landmark guidelines that restricted renovations. The new wing, meanwhile, feels just as rich as the historic castle. It’s modern and clean, but incorporates integrating design elements from the venerated castle; meanwhile, the windows afford magnificent views of the gardens and the castle itself.

At 106 rooms and suites, the hotel is large enough to give guests some privacy, but small enough that precise attention can be paid to individual needs by a very genuine staff. Before guests fly to Austria, a personal assistant calls to determine preferences and interests, helping plan activities during visits and arranging every last detail. A request for hiking, golf and spa services and the desire to sample local gastronomic specialties will be greeted upon arrival with a packet of directions and hiking maps to the most majestic local vistas, along with a hand-written welcome note inscribed inside an Austrian cookbook. Tee times at one of Velden’s most verdant and bucolic courses will be prearranged, as will spa visits. Upon arrival, there is nothing to do but enjoy.

Visits to the serene, Espa-designed Auriga Spa (try the signature Full Moon or Waning Moon 150-minute massage treatments for the ultimate in relaxation or detoxification) could take up a few full afternoons. In summer, though, don’t miss a few afternoons at the private beach club, directly on the water, which offers day cabins and service from the bar and lakeside Seespitz restaurant. Tee times at one of the nine courses that ring the lake are easy to obtain, and a driver will gladly escort your across the water to Klagenfurt for a day of high-end shopping or gallery-hopping. In winter, drivers are on hand to escort guests to the six ski areas that sit within a few miles. Whatever the season, come nightfall, the local casino, an easy walk from the Schloss Velden, buzzes with winners cleaning up at the roulette tables.

Then there is the food. At the Schloss Velden’s signature restaurant, the Schlossstern, the amuse bouche — a four-way preparation of goose as tortelloni, terrine, prosciutto and mousse — served on a recent night gave diners a rich glimpse of the seven-course prix fixe meal to come. The chef, 32-year-old German-native Silvio Nickol, spent seven years in the kitchen of Schwarzwaldstube, in the Black Forest, with Harald Wohlfart, generally considered Germany’s best chef.

Nickol’s menu here is heavy on game birds and various derivations of livers, with impressive selections of local cheeses and handmade chocolates wheeled out on towering trolleys. Highlights of the chef’s menu this fall included polenta with fried quail egg and generous layer of shaved Scorzini truffles, and grilled French pigeon with sautéed porcinis and Rouennaise. The wine list is vast, and showcases those from Austria, Germany and France. Flocks of white-gloved young servers are unobtrusive and offer a pleasant juxtaposition to the mostly traditional décor, grand windows and silk wall coverings.

The genuine concern for guests’ happiness continues even post-visit: Forgotten coats were tied with ribbons and FedExed immediately, along with a note from the manager and a wooden keepsake box outfitted with sleek bottles of Carinthian Pfau liqueur and Austrian chocolate brandy-cream bars. Many hotels pay lip service to personalized attention and pampering, but few elevate service to the art form that it is at the Schloss Velden.

Rooms and suites from $500.00 to $5,275.00. 877-247-6699; schlossveldencapella.com.