Sykorova Chalupa

The setting is a mushroom picker’s paradise when the season comes around, and in winter the kids can sled on the nearby ski slope, which skiers no longer use. For skiing, Malá Morávka or Kopřivnice are nearby. The cottage itself is lovely, roomy, clean, and equipped for four families, with a big garden behind it in a peaceful spot. We first found this cottage five years ago and have come back every year just as excited. Communication with the owner is always excellent before the stay. We’re already looking forward to next year.

The rooms are spacious and pleasant, the beds are comfortable, and there’s a great room for storing ski boots. But the cottage has a lot of shortcomings once you look past its good first impression. The kitchen is missing basics, including a kettle, and seating is short for a place meant for 16: there’s a table for 8-10 and a couch for three. The fireplace doesn’t work and isn’t approved. The nearby ski slope has been out of operation for a long time. Though the cottage is meant for families with children, there’s no proper kids’ corner, just one small rug. Sound carries badly between the lower common room and upstairs, so it had to be very quiet downstairs once the kids went to bed. The TV is outdated and the set-top box barely gives you even standard Czech channels. The other programs are terrible, and you can’t hook up an Android box by HDMI or use your own USB drive. The table football in the large common room seemed like a great idea until we found out it costs ten crowns to play. Nobody understood that. The housekeeper was unpleasant. We left the place very tidy, but she scolded us for leaving the dishwasher running with a few breakfast cups, and made us take out the rubbish too. Arranging availability with the owner was also complicated.

We only booked a week, which now feels like the one real downside. We’ll stay longer next time and definitely return. The cottage is clean, fresh-smelling and spacious, with large rooms, TVs and comfortable beds. There’s a big garden with a pool, swing, grill and outdoor seating, plus parking for four families. The cottage sits in a quiet mountain valley, close to shops and places like Karlova Studánka, Praděd and Bílá Opava. The kitchenette had everything we needed. There’s also a playroom just off the kitchen and dining area, so the children could play while dinner was being made. Communication with the landlady and owner was smooth. They gave us useful tips for trips nearby and places to pick mushrooms. We were completely satisfied.

Sýkorka cottage is set in beautiful countryside in Rejvíz and has been newly renovated for 16 people. We especially liked the shared room joined to the kitchen; the big table had room for everyone. There’s electric heating, space for bikes, parking at the cottage, and plenty of open space around it. Sorting things out with the owner and the woman who handed over the cottage was quick and easy. Everything went well, and we all agreed it deserved a very good rating. I recommend giving it a try.