Villa Maund, Protected villa in Hopfreben, Schoppernau, Austria
Villa Maund is an English country-style house set in a forest clearing surrounded by mountains and meadows, with views toward the Künzelspitze peak and alpine pastures. The building accommodates around 85 guests across multiple elegant rooms and stands somewhat isolated from the main village.
Villa Maund was built for the English banker and mountaineer Sir John Oakley Maund between 1891 and 1895, with the topping-out ceremony in 1892. The architect was William Morris, and the master carpenter was Johann Anton Strolz from Schröcken. After Maund's death in 1902, his daughter Zoe Désirée Maund inherited it and sold it in 1931 to Martin Holt for 750 pounds. From 1908, German Crown Prince William used it as a hunting lodge.
The house attracted wealthy guests from around Europe who came for hunting and relaxation, giving it a special role in the region as a gathering place for the international elite. This cosmopolitan character remains visible in its architecture and furnishings.
The house is accessible to visitors primarily through events and special occasions and sits in a forested area well connected to hiking trails. It is advisable to plan ahead since the site is private and not open for regular visits on a daily basis.
Zoe Gertraud Maund, widow of the builder, had a small power plant with a reservoir built in 1923; its generator supplied direct current to the villa for 47 years. The plant made the remote house independent of the public grid long before the Bregenzerwald was broadly electrified.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,640 contributors worldwide.