Ferienhaus Käte

What a shame. We spent many holidays in German and overseas vacation homes and apartments, and have rarely had cause to complain. When something did go wrong, it was usually dealt with promptly. Käte was clearly prepared and furnished with care, so it’s a pity that the attention wasn’t kept up. We booked the holiday home from March 18th to 25th, 2024. On arrival we were pleased by the charming, apparently lovingly renovated cottage in a central but quiet part of Friedrichstadt. That first impression didn’t last. We phoned the owner right away about cleanliness, and a cleaner came and improved things at least partly. The owner didn’t apologize. The kitchen was well equipped but didn’t feel clean. The bread basket, table and chair cushions, and cutlery drawers were full of crumbs. The cooktop, faucets, coffee maker, and other surfaces also hadn’t been cleaned well. There was a bad smell, especially when we opened the fridge. It was dirty, with moldy vegetable peelings and a rotten half-onion in the door. The stench was unbearable, and it seemed the cleaners hadn’t cleaned the fridge in a long time. The toilets had only been cleaned on the surface, with scuff marks and hairs on the seat. We were glad we’d brought our own bedding. The mattress protectors were badly stained, so we gave them to the cleaners and bought fleece blankets locally in a hurry. Dust bunnies and cobwebs in some corners and the state of the ceiling lights were almost overlooked next to the other problems. Late that afternoon we found that, despite having booked a place with Wi-Fi, there was no internet connection. I’m an architect and rely on communication and research while on vacation. There was a router and password, and logging in worked, but there was no connection. We tried repeatedly to reach the landlord using two mobile numbers, left voicemail messages, and asked for immediate help. We got no response. There wasn’t even an address listed anywhere. The next day the upstairs shower could only be used briefly, with time between uses, or water would flood the bathroom and maybe other rooms. It took more than five minutes to drain. The shower had a good slope, luckily, but would have overflowed otherwise. The landlord again didn’t return our calls, so I cleaned the drain myself. It was blocked by hair and a handful of grout chips. Apparently it hadn’t been cleaned before, which makes you wonder how no one noticed. There was no information folder for the building, and no landlord address or contact person for a problem or emergency such as damage or a power or heating outage if the landlord didn’t answer the phone.

We felt completely at ease in Käte’s holiday home. It’s tastefully furnished and central, while still being very quiet, and the amenities are perfect in every way. A place where you can leave everyday life behind and settle into your vacation. I can wholeheartedly recommend it! Martin K.

Dear Birte, My sister and I left today with mixed feelings. I’ve stayed in plenty of houses and apartments as a longtime Friedrichstadt resident, so I feel I can say this: fantastic! The house has been renovated beautifully and with such care, and it has that hygge feeling. It’s exactly the sort of place I want in Friedrichstadt. The furnishings were beyond what I expected, and the small details impressed me. We were out so much that we never lit the wood-burning stove, but I’m sure the next guests will enjoy the wood. I’d highly recommend it. Though should I? It might be fully booked all the time, and then we won’t be able to get another reservation. 😉 Best wishes, Claudia

My sister and I spent a weekend at the Käte holiday home a little over a week ago, and it was absolutely charming. The photos are lovely, and a few updates have made the cottage even nicer. There’s now a bench in the small garden instead of the usual garden chairs, and the master bedroom has patterned wallpaper with silver flowers that makes the already tasteful room feel more inviting. It was clean, cozy, superbly equipped, and clearly put together with care. I had a small accident and broke something; we followed the instructions and reported it before leaving, and it was handled without any fuss. I’m still thrilled about our short break, especially the accommodation. I can easily picture coming back with my husband and our two children. Our eldest would love having her own little kingdom upstairs, and our son would enjoy looking at the night sky through the skylight from his bed.