Fuchsheisl

The Fuchsnheisl and its garden felt so cozy, and the kids loved them just as much as we did. It was a wonderful place to properly unwind, and the hosts made us feel incredibly welcome. We had everything we needed. For me, it was a dream vacation and exactly the kind of break I imagine. I can absolutely recommend it, a real hidden gem!

The large garden is ideal for families, with loads of room for children to play and run around. We also loved having breakfast in the garden seating area. On hot days we made plenty of use of the pool, and there’s a fire pit for evening bonfires, though the weather meant we didn’t use it. The cottage was clean, comfortable, and just the right size, with a lot of care put into its furnishings. The hosts were friendly and discreet. It’s a very quiet, idyllic spot.

The garden is the strongest part of the stay. It’s beautifully landscaped, very private, and just as pictured. But the pallet furniture needs better sanding and more cushioning. Skin contact with the rough seats left us with small wood splinters. The organic waste bin also smelled so bad, apparently from dog feces, that we couldn’t use it. We found the house much colder than expected and had to switch on the pellet heating in mid-June, despite summer temperatures outside. The bedroom furniture was functional but smelled unpleasant, so we didn’t use it. Some furnishings and decorations felt more like flea market finds from past decades than charming antiques. The bathroom is new and well kept, though we had to put a towel down as a barrier to stop the shower from overflowing. The pool can be heated, as described, but its pump only runs for a few hours each day. Even with strong sun, the two solar panels and limited pump time didn’t warm the water, and there’s no cover to retain heat or keep debris out. The man who greeted us said he’d return to check the pool and pump. We contacted the Bacherl family to arrange a suitable time, but he never came back. The arrival process was frustrating. Check-in is only from 4:00 PM, then there’s an unnecessary briefing and several pages of contract and house rules to get through. Sending those ahead would make things much easier. The rules explain in detail how to air the house, but it clearly hadn’t been ventilated before we arrived, and the air was cold and stale. We also only learned on site that dogs can’t be left alone in the holiday home. That would limit our freedom to go out, and leaving a dog in a car in 30-degree heat while we spent two hours at the summer toboggan run wasn’t an option. It’s unacceptable to put “By booking the holiday apartment, we assume that the house rules are accepted” in the rules without telling guests before or during booking. If I know the terms then, I can decide whether to book. After all the paperwork, we also weren’t given a receipt, which left a bad taste. At key handover, they repeatedly said it was “absolutely no problem” if we wanted to leave earlier on departure day. Yet the rules say the house has to be vacated by 10 a.m., and when we said that was very early for us and asked about leaving later, our concern was ignored. I could have done without hearing the sad, dramatic story about the previous owner. The account of her 20 years in a persistent vegetative state, and how bad the house smelled when her last shopping items were found and disposed of after 25 years, really dampened the start of our vacation. The Fuchsheisl is presented online as more modern than it felt in person. The photos are accurate as far as they go, but don’t show everything.

We had a dog with us and made good use of the large fenced garden. The apartment also has a grill, outdoor terrace, trampoline, and even a pool. The village is tiny, so for groceries or bread you’ll need to drive 6km to the next town. It’s a beautiful apartment with everything you need, and I’d recommend it anytime.