Ferienidyll am Großen Wentowsee

The caretaker was the one bright spot. He was kind and helpful, brought us deck chairs and cushions after the neighbors left, and came over promptly once the owner told him we'd complained to Novasol. He treated the mold with cleaner and really tried to sort it out. The apartment itself was a letdown for the price. The bedroom with the single bed had heavy mold, and there was nasal mucus, blood and blue paint smeared on the walls, ceiling and curtains. The bathroom was moldy too, with no soap. The kitchen only had enough dishes and utensils for four, so washing up or running a half-full dishwasher after every meal was unavoidable. There was no deep ladle, the pots were too small, and all we had for washing up was a thin cloth and one tea towel, with no sponges or extras. For cleaning, there was just a broom. The photos gave the impression there were only two neighboring apartments. In fact there are two terraced houses with four apartments each, plus an annex with two more. Everyone shares a small garden. The place is noisy, and the supposedly private, dark entrance hall is shared by four apartments. The garden isn't fenced, so it doesn't work well for dogs. A sign says dogs must be leashed throughout the property, while the owner's four dogs roam freely on her grounds. They got aggressive toward our dog and ran along the fence, and the owner told us to keep ours on a leash at all times. There was also hedge trimming for several days, an excavator crossing our garden to reach the owner's property, and constant rooster calls, hens clucking and dogs barking. The owner lives right next door in a manor house with a tidy garden, which is quite a contrast with the holiday complex. We had trouble reaching her when we arrived: she wasn't there, and it took several calls before we got through. She seemed irritated when we needed help checking in. We reported the extensive mold as soon as we arrived, but all she said was that she'd send someone. The caretaker only came on day four, after we had complained again through Novasol. The owner then showed up in person on day five, after Novasol had refunded us. She was rude and brazen, demanding cash for charges that weren't in the booking, €90 for final cleaning and €10 per night for our dog. When we refused, she said she was generously waiving the dog fee but still insisted on the cleaning charge. We refused that too, and she threatened to request our bank details through Novasol. She never apologized for the mold or any of the other trouble. The surrounding countryside is lovely, but we wouldn't book this place again. The owner was disrespectful, and apart from the caretaker there wasn't a positive part of the stay.