Haus Osterried

We didn't feel comfortable and ended up leaving early. The garden and pool were only accessible by request, and only while the owners were home. Otherwise, the garden was locked. When we did use the pool, there was no privacy, as the owners sat on the terrace watching. We were also expected to water the balcony plants by 9 a.m., and this was checked. We weren't allowed to leave our dog in the apartment while we went shopping. Had we known that beforehand, we would have booked somewhere else.

You're only told about the many restrictions once you arrive, and you feel monitored and controlled. The landlords, Mr. and Mrs. O., even came into our apartment without our knowledge or consent. My small security camera recorded it. I agree with the negative review. This isn't what hospitality should be.

The apartment is spacious and has plenty of amenities, including a washing machine and dryer. The owners were friendly, and local public transport is free. Bicycles and pool access can also be arranged on request.

We left that same day. After a seven-hour journey, we took a quick look around the apartment and left. The landlady gave us a long rundown of rules, which was already a surprise. Quiet hours are strictly 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., including no loud phone calls. We were told to sit on the white couch only with a blanket underneath because jeans stain badly. We were expected to go to the next street to smoke, since Schwangau is supposedly a health resort with a healing climate, though the main road right beside it makes that seem farcical. The no-smoking notice was tucked away on booking.com. Some rubbish had to be carried to the end of the street, and the rest had a very complicated disposal process. We were also meant to water the balcony flowers daily, less if it rained, and clear the cobwebs from the balcony now and then because the broom was there. Our first impression was of a prison planet. The apartment was a hygiene nightmare. There was hair around the bathroom, marks and splashes on the toilet from previous guests, and toothpaste residue and more hair in the sink. The kitchen was dusty, with splatters inside the cabinets, crumbs on the counter and in the sink, and dirty appliances. Cobwebs were all over the apartment. We didn't even want to look any further in the bedroom. We don't want to give the wrong impression: the 80s-style furniture shown in the photos was no problem for us. But vacations are supposed to be relaxing, and the number of chores and restrictions made that impossible. For over €600 a week, we expected a clean, tidy apartment, especially with a €45 final cleaning fee for the landlords to do it. When we raised the hygiene issues, the landlady didn't want to listen. There were no other places available to book, so we left that day. We count the fully paid apartment as a lesson learned, and wish we'd read the online reviews first. Others had the same experience. This isn't what hospitality should be.