Fw. Aschbergblick Anno Dazumal

All six of us agreed at the end: we have never felt so controlled or unwelcome anywhere. We’ve rented out our own holiday home and apartments for 40 years, and have never experienced anything like this. It seems the owners expect a lot more from guests than they’re willing to put in. The home looks beautiful and cozy at first, but there were problems before we even arrived. We were asked to give exactly an hour’s notice, despite the key simply being left at the house. The parking information was misleading too. The gravel area by the house was only for loading and unloading, so we had to park in a public lot about 60 meters away. The path was steep and slippery in winter, which was especially difficult for our companions over 80. The landlord isn’t responsible for winter weather, of course, but could have been clearer about the parking. When we happened to meet the landlords, they immediately mentioned that the patio light was on instead of asking if everything was alright. The switch wasn’t labeled, so it wasn’t clear what it did, and the outside light couldn’t be seen from inside. The next morning, while we were still having breakfast, a WhatsApp message told us not to throw snowballs at the house because they contained gravel, and to clear the path. We were speechless. We said we were on vacation and still eating breakfast, and that we’d clear the path if we wanted to leave. The snowballs were loose and didn’t contain gravel. We’ve never caused damage anywhere and had no intention of doing so. The landlords later partly walked back the message, saying it came from concern for the grandmother. The owners don’t live on site, and we saw no signs of their presence, but we got the impression we were being watched. We wondered whether the neighbors, whom we’d described on arrival as fussy and envious, had been asked to keep an eye on the house almost 40 years after the GDR and the Stasi ended. Reviews of other properties owned by the landlords now raise eyebrows too. Lighting was another issue. The stairwell motion detectors were set so briefly that the steep stairs suddenly went completely dark, and the older guests regularly had to call for help. Outside, there was only one motion-activated light near the end of the path, leaving the rest pitch black. We had booked bed linen and towels but had to make the beds ourselves, then strip them again before leaving. We’d never experienced that before. There was one large bath towel per person, but only one small guest towel for all four of us. I had to hand-wash it several times because there were no replacements, which is simply unacceptable. The checklist said the house had to be handed over and left in "first-class condition," but what we found didn’t meet that expectation. The oven still had crumbs from previous guests, the pans' Teflon coating was peeling, one knife was broken and had not been replaced despite the issue being known, the kitchen drain was clogged, and the bathroom sink overflow smelled unpleasant. We cleaned regularly to keep the smell down. The underside of the wooden toilet seat had dark, unappetizing stains too. Toothpaste from previous guests was still stuck in the toothbrush holders, so we had to put them in the dishwasher. That was almost the least of our problems. There were lots of signs with rules and prohibitions, including detailed instructions about clearing snow and saving energy.

Our family had a lovely, cozy stay here. The weather was fantastic, so we could barbecue in the evenings. Highly recommended.

The four of us from the rescue service want to thank the owners again 😉👍. They took time to show us around, explain things, and share ideas for enjoying this beautiful area. Their warmth and helpfulness stood out throughout our stay. The old farmhouse has been renovated with so much care, and all the thoughtful details kept surprising us. An amazing place to stay.

We booked the whole holiday home, “Opas Zeiten” (Grandpa's Times), for our three households, and would happily return. Anyone who loves old wooden houses like we do will feel at home here. The owners renovated it themselves with real care, and the attention to detail is clear as soon as you walk in. “Anno Dazumal” (Old Times) really does suit the place.