Penzión Chata Felícia

We had a group of 37, and the cottage worked for what we needed. It has two floors, and the room details are on the website. A few things didn’t work at times, but the owner was willing to sort them out. Downstairs there’s a hall with a table, four chairs, and a fireplace, along with a kitchen and a dining room for 32 people.

There was plenty of hot water, and the two refrigerators were fine, though a freezer drawer was badly needed. The oven was missing. Wifi only worked in the entrance hall, and an amplifier wouldn’t be a big investment. There were no TV remotes either. The owner seems to have fixed up the cottage when he bought it, then stopped looking after it. The chairs were messy, there were cobwebs everywhere, and the kitchen had hardly any pots and some broken mugs. The terrace door is off the dining room, but when our larger group asked for a key, the owner refused because he said it would get dirty. We were there for hiking, not drinking, and had eight active athlete children with us. From the photo, it looked like the terrace hadn’t been used in a year. The carpets smelled and seemed not to have been vacuumed in ages. We regularly go to training camps as a sports club, and know that even on a small budget, a place can offer a lot. That wasn’t the case here. It could be pleasant accommodation if the owner took an interest, kept things up, and made small improvements over time.

It’s an older cottage in a very quiet spot, so we didn’t expect luxury. The furniture was in very poor shape, with half-dilapidated beds, chairs, tables, and more, which left the place feeling bland. For me, replacing the furniture, adding flowers to the rooms, common areas, and outside in summer, clearing away cobwebs, improving the lighting, and getting rid of things that don’t work would make a real difference. The pictures and paintings look like they’ve been there for maybe two decades and could be replaced too. Those changes would give the cottage a fresh look and make people want to come back. There’s an outdoor fireplace and seating, though that could use replacing as well. It seems like an ideal place for people who spend the day on trips and sightseeing, then come back late in the afternoon or evening. I liked my stay overall and give it three stars.

The price was a real plus, and the host was lovely. There’s a kitchenette and a big dining room, so it works well for a larger group. We also had an outdoor fireplace and a stream nearby. A bit of the Tatra idyll, even if some of the furnishings are older.