Csuka Vendégház

The place is quiet and peaceful, with a lovely setting, and dogs are allowed. The kitchens are shared, which is why I gave it four stars. The road isn’t paved: it’s gravelly, and if navigation sends you the wrong way, you’ll end up on a lot of dirt roads. Watch out for that. Coming from the other direction, most of the route is gravel, with a short sandy section.

We’ve traveled around the country for 12 years and never had a host this phlegmatic, condescending, or arrogant. Hospitality has a basic rule: “The guest is always right.” Instead, the host told us, “If you don’t like it, leave here!” We had booked five nights but left after one at this “wonderful” place. When we arrived, he tried to talk us out of paying with a SZÉP card. Later, after I emailed him about one or two things, he called two other female guests to back up his side. The women used negative words about my wife and me and tried to humiliate us, painting us as people who couldn’t get along. They had nothing to do with the points I’d raised in my email. The host also told them we hadn’t paid, though we had emails proving otherwise. Between him and the two women, the whole exchange crossed into defamation. In response to the host’s “gentlemanly” letter, here are a few earlier reviews about the claims he made about me. I hope he understands the law and the criminal liability involved in making those statements. Péter Bayer, a year ago on Google, 1/5, traveling with friends: “The host was drunk. We had to drive him to his place, and I should add he had a hard time catching up with them. He hadn’t been in touch about our arrival for hours after the last appointment. He didn’t hand over the accommodation properly, was hysterical, and showed no service attitude. After what happened, he demanded the remaining fee, so we canceled. He didn’t even apologize, just said that was it. I don’t recommend it to anyone.” Service: 1.0. Andras Magonyi, a year ago on Google, 1/5: “The host behaves in a way that’s not becoming of a host. Drunk, disrespectful. In the end, we looked for other accommodation.” Service: 1.0. Bernadett Szabó, a year ago on Google, 1/5, family: “We booked the Guesthouse through an online accommodation search site, which took the cost from my partner’s account in advance because it offered no other reservation option. Yesterday, when we arrived, we happened to find the owner there. He said we couldn’t enter, that he had no contract with the booking site and had received no money from it, either before or now. He said we could stay if we paid him directly. We didn’t, since we had confirmation of valid, prepaid accommodation, with 70 euros taken from us. He also said he didn’t know we were coming and had spoken that morning from a Budapest hotel with a family he’d promised accommodation to. After nearly a 1.5-hour trip with a two-year-old, we fortunately found somewhere else. They told us we weren’t the only ones this had happened to that day. They’d had many calls from guests and families who were turned away, including people with dogs, who had an even harder time finding somewhere new. We’re terribly disappointed, and getting the deducted money refunded may be uncertain too. The Csuka Guesthouse acted and handled things improperly.” Service: 1.0. György Márk Kis, a year ago on Google, 1/5: “We booked through Booking. A month before midsummer night, we got a message saying the owner wanted to cancel. On the phone, he said he wouldn’t let us stay for one night, even though the reservation had been made while he was contracted with Booking. For those dates, the only other dog-friendly accommodation could be booked in another town. Looking at the earlier reviews, it seems we escaped an unpleasant surprise.” Service: 1.0.

We were five friends in town for Dj Tour Fest, staying here for three nights and four days. After three days of festival, an extra hour to rest before driving home would have helped, so we asked to check out at 11 instead of 10. The hostel wouldn’t budge, and on our last day they reminded us again that checkout was at 10. He came in several times one day, so we kept running into him. While we were sitting in the garden, he watered plants without paying attention and got us wet. We were hardly around for four days, but there still wasn’t enough toilet paper, luckily we’d brought some. It could be a nice little apartment, but the hostel’s attitude really dragged down the rating.

Everything matched the description, and it really is completely dog-friendly. We went as two people with a dachshund, so it took some tolerance from the other guests. Luckily, the couples staying there with us were fine with the puppy barking now and then. It’s a good option for cyclists, and if you have a car, Abádszalók and Poroszló are both within reach. You can also walk to the free beach without trouble. I’d happily recommend it for a big family or a holiday with several generations.