Pension Balkan

May 11-13, 2025. I booked a double room for two nights on my own, without breakfast. It was nicely furnished and attractive enough, and the bathroom was clean. The Wi-Fi was very good, and I liked the little fridge for food from home, the touch bedside lamps, and the rear entrance with outdoor seating and an ashtray. Check-out by 11 am was a plus, but check-in only from 5 pm wasn’t ideal. The curtains were too short on both sides, and the room clock above the entrance didn’t work. A couple more power outlets would help. The bin was emptied while I was out, but no fresh liner was put in, and the toilet kept running after flushing. There was no outside trash can either. A small flower arrangement might make the room feel more welcoming. A young family in the next room was very noisy, including at night, which was unpleasant. I’d have liked the owners to politely ask them to consider the other guests, so that cost a point. The TV didn’t work when I turned it on. It said to consult the instruction manual to set channels and watch programs, but there wasn’t a manual. I could have asked at reception, which I hadn’t used, and actually enjoyed the time without TV. Still, it’s inconvenient to have to ask about things to use them, and I think a TV should be standard. I can’t comment on the food, service or atmosphere at breakfast in the attached restaurant because I didn’t use it.

My medallions were excellent, but my wife’s chicken breast was so tough and overcooked that she couldn’t cut it. Even after we complained, the kitchen said the meat was fine and suggested the knife might be dull. The server brought another knife after searching through the cutlery drawer, but she couldn’t cut through it either. My wife had bad luck, but the way they handled the complaint was unacceptable. They’ve lost us as guests at both the guesthouse and restaurant. We’ve stayed there several times and eaten there often. This time there was a party in the dining room and the kitchen was clearly under pressure.

The schnitzel au four was delicious, the service was very friendly and quick, and the price felt fair. The room itself was very cold, though, and the dark, dated interior wasn’t to my taste.

We waited an hour and a half for the food, then dishes came out every ten minutes, so we couldn’t eat together. By then the table was already full, and the empty glasses and appetizer still hadn’t been cleared. The fries were hard, dry and had no salt. The leg of lamb was swimming in sauce and didn’t look appetizing. A really bad experience.