Elfenhaus

The owner was easy to reach for handing over the keys, and basics like toilet paper and coffee were provided. The house was spacious enough for our group, the area was quiet, the neighbors nearby were very friendly to the children, and our kids loved it. Still, we were shocked when we arrived. The photos suggested a large meadow, a secluded house, somewhere nice to sit outdoors, and ample parking for a group of more than ten. None of that was there. Without a meadow or access to the forest, we couldn't do the night hike or the Olympics we'd planned.

The house felt badly run-down, and the owner seems to have left many known problems unfixed. We wouldn't recommend staying here. The description and photos don't give an accurate picture of the condition, which was sometimes appalling. The listing calls it a fully equipped kitchen, but there weren't enough pots and pans for our group, and salad servers were missing. The coffee pot leaked, as older Booking.com reviews apparently mention. The kitchen drain leaked too, and the tap set to cold first ran hot, burning our youngest child's fingers. There were only three toilet rolls for 13 people over three nights. When we called Ms. Koster on Saturday evening to ask about getting more, she said it wasn't her responsibility. Two pillows were missing. Several beds were so worn out we'd rather have slept in the car. The bathroom doors didn't lock, the downstairs shower had mold around the edges, and its broken tray had a piece of plastic siliconed in place that wobbled underfoot. There was a strong mold smell. The downstairs toilet rocked because it wasn't secured to the floor. A roller shutter strap was nearly hanging off, and the dining room heater cable couldn't reach the socket. The listing describes an old Hunsrück-style half-timbered farmhouse from around 1850 with the charm of the past, and shows animals alongside the owner's hobby. Yet we couldn't access any animals. Inside, a hallway ceiling beam had been covered clumsily with PVC flooring, plastic panels were laid haphazardly, and the mismatched furniture looked salvaged from a dump or charity shop. The gazebo shown in the garden wasn't there. To us, this felt like a blatant rip-off, not a reputable holiday rental.

The place was okay for the price, though it could use some upkeep.