Goryanka

The rooms each have their own bathroom, and there’s a pool and a gazebo with a barbecue. Still, the rooms were only cleaned superficially: we found plenty of cobwebs and dirty dishes, so we had to clean up after moving in. Some toilets were poorly secured, some bathroom doors wouldn’t close, not every room had a hairdryer, a lamp was broken, and the refrigerator barely worked. Getting there is difficult, and the owners live in one of the rental houses, so expect them to keep an eye on what you do. The views are lovely, as they are around this area, and Mount Makowitsa is nearby. But the price is high: two nights used to cost 8,000, and with extras ours went over 10,000. Pool use costs extra, by the hour or for the whole stay if you’re there at least two days. Payments are cash only, apart from a deposit, since the owners don’t operate as a sole proprietorship. There’s just one barbecue, and you have to buy firewood from the owners. You may have to wait for another group to finish, and both the gazebo and barbecue are off limits after 11 p.m., which the owners remind you about repeatedly. The houses aren’t all lockable from inside, so if you get unlucky with neighbors, drunk guests could cause unpleasant situations. That’s a particular concern for families with children. Recently stayed here. For the same money, I think you can find a better place.

The rooms weren’t cleaned well: there were cobwebs, dirty dishes, and no gel, shampoo, or hairdryer in the bathroom. Toilets were poorly secured, not every door closed, the refrigerator barely worked and left food warm, and one room had a broken lamp. The pool was cleaned only in the morning, so there was a lot of rubbish in it by afternoon. They say it’s heated, but it wasn’t. Payments are cash only because the owners don’t have a sole proprietorship. On the plus side, the place is near Makovitsa Mountain and has lovely views. The curfew starts after 11 p.m., though, and you pay extra for everything. It’s hard to get there, and shops are far away. The older owners want to know and control everything.

There are a few useful things here: each room has its own bathroom and shower, parking is decent, and there’s a pool, though the claim that it’s heated is false. The interior itself is quite pleasant, despite the dirt. I found the kitchen furniture, dishes, and dish towels really dirty. Bring your own sponges and cloths. There were spiders and cobwebs in the rooms, and while the bedding may have been clean, the blankets on top definitely weren’t. That’s not acceptable hygiene. The owners can enter the house at any time without asking, and even looked in our windows. We came for a vacation and felt like we were in barracks, with our every move watched. They forbid any activity after 11 p.m., even if it’s quiet, and justify it by saying curfew starts at midnight. Nearly everything costs extra, and they seem to try to cheat you. Film any existing damage before you move in, since it may not be fixed and they may later charge each guest for the same broken item. There are no shops nearby. The views are ordinary village scenery, nothing special. They don’t have a sole proprietorship, so card payment isn’t possible. I have serious questions about that for the owners and tax office. I can’t recommend this place.

We were promised a pool and a bathhouse, but neither was available. They said the frame pool had recently been removed, yet didn’t tell us before we arrived and had assured us everything was there. The photo shows where the pool was supposed to be. We weren’t the only ones this happened to. The toilet was very wobbly and falling apart. It took ages to adjust the shower to get the water we wanted. The fridge barely cooled anything, and they charged 100 UAH to borrow an iron. They work without a sole proprietorship, so you can’t pay by card. The owner forgets what you’ve paid: even after paying the day before, she may say the amount was wrong and ask for more. She also makes assumptions about your job and income. They scold guests over their “language,” even when people are simply speaking to each other as they prefer. The curfew here starts at 11 p.m., although it’s midnight across Ukraine. If you want to relax with music or sit and talk, this isn’t the place. There are swings and gazebos, but you’re apparently not meant to spend time there. If you haven’t finished cooking the meat, be ready to be yelled at to go to bed. They say not to bother anyone because it’s private property, but then what’s the point of the curfew? They greet you with a smile and see you off with reproaches and discontent. The prices aren’t worth being told every few minutes what else you have to pay for. We couldn’t get a discount for what was missing despite it being promised. The response was, “Have you seen what housing costs in Yaremche?” It costs less than this place. They should have treated us like people and fairly lowered the price for the difference, but they didn’t think that was necessary. I wouldn’t go back.