Chata Malá Rennerovka

The staff were the bright spot: everyone was kind, helpful, and willing to sort things out. They were the only reason the cottage didn't feel like a complete failure, and the owner should appreciate them. The place itself is clean, but very old and run-down. One wardrobe door was missing, snow came through a closed window into the room, and the heating didn't warm things up. Without the room's direct heater we'd have been freezing. Some rooms had no hot water, and Wi-Fi didn't reach everywhere, with some rooms having no signal. Though the cottage is non-smoking, all the towels smelled of cigarette smoke. Booking communication was poor, with long waits for replies, and what was confirmed didn't match what we found on arrival. We also learned only after arriving that the sauna wasn't working. The owner is letting the cottage deteriorate instead of investing in it.

The food was a real highlight: breakfast had plenty to choose from, including good rolls and coffee, and the simple dinners were very tasty. The soups were especially delicious, though I'd skip the gnocchi. The manager handled things well and arranged whatever was needed. He was the only person serving, so he was busy, but service was always quick and smooth. The rooms were well furnished, with lots of storage and a spacious bathroom, and the hotel is cozy with lovely mountain views from both the room and restaurant. My main gripe is the Wi-Fi. The website says the whole chalet is covered, but it only reaches the ground floor and the signal there is weak, so most rooms don't really get it. Hot water also takes a while to reach the shower, which means cold water runs to waste first. I was satisfied overall and would recommend the place.

The cottage has a good setting and beautiful views, and breakfast was great. Still, I was really let down by the accommodation and can't give it more than two stars. The shower and sink water was rusty and strongly metallic. Our bed had hair and fluff all over it, so the sheets clearly weren't clean. We had emailed ahead about my wife's gluten-free diet and were told it would be taken into account, but the woman there didn't know about it. My wife ended up with no soup and got scrambled eggs instead of the burnt schnitzel. The woman tried to help, but seemed to be handling everything alone and couldn't keep up.

For the price, this is a decent compromise in a beautiful part of the Krkonoše Mountains. The dinner and breakfast buffet were good, and the manager and cook turned out to be nice once we got to know them, even if they seemed a little odd at first. It wasn't exactly amazing, though. The hut was a bit cold, and the rooms could use some work, like fixing the peeling wallpaper.