Haus Auwitsch

This was my second stay, and I regret coming back. The accommodation is cheap and not far from Penkenbahn, but I didn't feel treated like a guest. The older woman running the place was cantankerous and grumpy, and seemed to expect guests to put up with everything. They speak only German, which made communication hard, though I managed with my basic German. Sonja, who handles email bookings for them, didn't mention that the Souterrain Apartment was actually a basement, with windows looking into a dug-out area. Our flights meant we'd arrive around 7:30 PM, even though the house rules say guests must arrive by 7:00. I emailed Sonja about the delay, and she said it was fine. When we arrived, the woman immediately said in German that we were too late and that it was unacceptable. I told her I'd written to her secretary, but she said she hadn't been informed and we should have arrived earlier. Then she showed us the basement rooms. The main boiler gets switched off at night, so the basement becomes really cold. I slept wearing a warm hat. There's no hot water at night either, and none until after 6:30 AM, so an early shower isn't possible. We'd paid a deposit of about 25%, or €400, and still had the balance to pay. The house rules in each apartment and room say payment is due the day before departure. Yet at 7:30 the next morning, an employee was already demanding the rest. I said I'd speak with Frau Kröll later and left. That evening, 20 minutes before I wrote this, I went to ask the owner for a spare pillow. She was irritated and said I already had three pillows for three guests. I explained that I needed one because my 4-year-old daughter might roll off the bed, and she eventually gave me one. Then she accused me of not paying the rental. I explained that the rules say to pay the day before departure, and it was only the second day of our seven-day stay. That's why I hadn't withdrawn the cash yet, since I wasn't due to pay for another four days. She said, “I don’t care what the house rules say! I make the rules and you better pay me tomorrow morning!” I said I could pay tomorrow evening because we wanted to go skiing in the morning. She shouted, “No, in the morning!” Somehow, we finally agreed on tomorrow evening. The rules also forbid men from peeing standing up. I hope she isn't checking.

Our room was lovely, with a balcony and a superb view. The heater wasn't working, though, and breakfast was just okay.

For the price, it's great value, and the views over town are nice. Restaurants, bars, and supermarkets are all a short walk away.

Just stayed one night. Good value, and the view from the balcony was fantastic.