Ferienhaus Menzer

The owners are very friendly and clearly try to keep the place in good shape, though it wasn’t very clean when we arrived. The setting is lovely, in a holiday park surrounded by forest and beautiful scenery. The house itself feels dated, especially the terrace: its wood is rotten, with splintered beams and screws sticking out. That seems dangerous for children.

We used to have a nice relationship with the landlady, which makes this a shame. After the holiday, we politely raised how poor the cleanliness had been. She basically said they hadn’t had time to clean or make improvements, and that cobwebs are part of nature. I live in the countryside too, so I know how cobwebs appear and how to clear them. Would she have come to clean if we’d mentioned it during our stay? That would have cost us a whole vacation day. At €100 a day, including final cleaning and our dog, I expect considerably more.

We stayed at the lovely House IXI three years ago and would book it again in a heartbeat. It’s the nicest house in the Extertal holiday park for us, thanks to its spot right by the forest and the beautiful view from the bedroom. It made for such a relaxing break. We’d wake to the treetops, hike through the woods in the afternoon, then unwind by the fireplace and in the sauna.

There are LOTS of hiking trails, and shops and attractions are an easy drive away. We were three people visiting at the start of autumn, and although it rained nearly all the time, it didn’t seem to bother anyone. The house was quiet and secluded, with a rustic, cozy feel. Every room is heated, and there’s underfloor heating, a heat pump that can cool as well, and a fireplace. The kitchen is fully equipped, and there’s a small, nice sauna. The internet can be unreliable now and then, so that’s worth knowing if it matters to you. We’d love to return.