Haus Marlene

We were glad the house had a kitchen, because eating out spontaneously in Zell turned out to be difficult. Most wine taverns and bars shut after 6:00 PM, and apparently you need to reserve dinner two days ahead. We hadn't known that. Cooking wasn't a problem thanks to the kitchen, but who wants to spend their whole vacation doing it? The location is very central, right by the Moselle in Zell. You can cross the street to sit outside or wander the narrow lanes without walking far. As for the house, House Marlene gets extremely noisy. Traffic from the main road, including cars and buses, roars past even at night. The house gets sun all day and stays too hot to close the windows, so you end up hearing the street constantly. The floors are uneven and creak, and sound carries from the other levels too. Outlets are hard to find, some blinds are broken and difficult or impossible to use, and the bathroom tiles are broken as well. The stairs are very steep, have no handrail, and feel like a tripping hazard. Going up and down is a real ordeal for older people, anyone with mobility problems, or families with small children. Sleeping wasn't restful either: the bunk beds and double bed were terribly hard, while the two single beds had mattresses that were far too soft. We didn't get a good night's sleep all week.