Haus an der Südsee

There were plenty of useful kitchen items, including a kettle, coffee maker, toaster, cooking utensils, dishes, pots, pans, casserole dish, plates, and cutlery. A small starter supply of salt, pepper, oil, paper towels, coffee, tea, a kitchen towel, and a sponge would have been appreciated. On arrival, everything matched the advance email. The leather corner sofa showed some wear at the corner, and the TV was very small. We felt the sauna description was inaccurate, and could have used instructions for the fireplace. The bathroom was quite small, so taller people might prefer the toilet in the pool area.

We were told we'd have the house to ourselves, but a second, smaller apartment was separated by only a little wooden door, and we could hear every word from next door. The listing photos also didn't match the state of the house or grounds. We spent our nine days out from morning until night because we couldn't stand being inside. It was dirty and musty, with hazards around the property, from raised yard tiles and the path to the lake to taped-over, hanging electrical outlets. We made a three-page list of things that were unacceptable, disgusting, and in some cases potentially harmful to our health. Complaints were ignored, and no one contacted us after the holiday. My husband wanted to leave as soon as we arrived, but we'd paid a lot for this horror chamber, so we stayed. We have complained to the booking website because this needs to change, or perhaps the house should no longer be rented out this way.

The photos bore no resemblance to reality. The place was awful, dirty, musty, moldy, old, and dangerous. Our complaints were ignored or blamed on us and our dogs. I strongly advise against booking this house. We call it the House of Horrors now.

We had a wonderfully peaceful stay in September, and our dog had lots of room to run around. The welcome was very friendly, and we couldn't tell there were other tenants on the other side of the building. The water heater needs replacing, but otherwise we had no complaints. Five stars from us, and we'll definitely be back. T. and W.