Gästehaus Wanker

The people here are really, really friendly, and the rooms are beautiful. Breakfast was delicious, though there was quite a lot of it! I'll definitely come back sometime. Best wishes from the Harz Mountains.

The worst part of our week was feeling we had to move out of the room every morning. At check-in, I clearly asked that nobody enter during our seven-night stay. We said we'd handle the rubbish and anything else ourselves, and I was especially clear that I didn't want anyone touching or moving our belongings and clothes. I've had bad experiences before, spending half an hour searching for things, or finding things thrown away or damaged. The host, Ruth, refused and insisted on cleaning every day, including vacuuming, dusting the closets, and washing the whole bathroom. I've traveled and taken holidays for over 40 years and had never encountered this. Every morning we had to clear out, then set ourselves up again in the evening as though we were staying somewhere else. It was a huge hassle to pack and unpack daily and keep our luggage in the car all day, even though we'd booked this guesthouse for a full week. I also messaged through the booking platform on the first day, asking Ruth to tell me which days cleaning would happen so I could be sure our things wouldn't be moved, and perhaps avoid clearing the room every day. She wouldn't answer, because she wanted to enter daily. I didn't see evidence of daily cleaning. It seemed more like she wanted to make hearts, swans, and elephants from towels and bed linen. The rooms are very small. The bathroom is small and has no sink, since the sink is in the bedroom. The balcony is shared by all the rooms on the floor and has no divider. Breakfast is included, but Ruth asks at check-in what you'd like to eat each day and what time you want it served. I found it absurd to have to decide on Sunday what I wanted on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and so on. The one thing I knew was that I wanted milk in my coffee. On the first morning, the milk made the coffee curdle as soon as I poured it in, so it seemed spoiled. I didn't go down for breakfast again and made coffee in my room. Even that first morning, Ruth was so keen to chat that there wouldn't have been time to eat. I hadn't booked a guesthouse to socialize with the host or other guests. She asks personal questions that aren't her business and gives advice nobody asked for. Ruth was incredibly indiscreet and out of line. Our privacy and personal space weren't respected. One night might have been bearable, but I can't recommend staying longer. I would have preferred "big brother" surveillance to this aggressive intrusion into Ruth's personal space. I DO NOT RECOMMEND!!!

The landlady is approachable and very friendly. Our room was bright, welcoming, and very clean, and the breakfast was both generous and tasty. The location and the view were superb.

The house is well cared for, and the rooms are spotless. Breakfast has plenty of variety. The landlady is friendly and direct, and happy to answer questions. I'd definitely stay here again.