Finnhütte am Kapitelsberg

We'd hoped for a few days in the Harz Mountains, with fairly low expectations for the accommodation. After a roughly 4.5-hour drive, we had to hunt for the access road. The narrow, very steep track up to the cabin looked like a grassy country lane and was hard to spot, though we eventually found it. The bumpy climb brought us to the top, where turning the vehicle around looked like a challenge. We set that aside and tried to get settled. Before taking the luggage in, we looked around. The terrace and surrounding area were neglected, but we accepted that, since we planned to spend most of our time exploring and maybe have a glass of wine outside in the evening. The cabin quickly put an end to that optimism. We hadn't expected a high standard, but did expect basic cleanliness. Instead, there were cobwebs, thick dust, and mold in the refrigerator. It was uninhabitable. We called the number on the booking confirmation. A woman with a friendly voice, but who sounded unsurprised to us, said she'd try to find somewhere else, though Ascension Day weekend would make that unlikely. That's how it went. Neither the rental agent nor we managed to find another place. We had to drive nearly 300 kilometers home because of this truly filthy, uninhabitable Finnish-style cabin in Wernigerode, and our break never happened. Even the rental agent admitted staying overnight wasn't possible, yet we didn't get the full advance rent back. Add in the fuel, motorway stress, and wasted vacation day, and it was all expense with no benefit.