Monastic-SPA

The chalet’s setting is lovely, surrounded by green hills and trees, with no other hotels around. We had a two-level place by the forest, and the terrace upstairs had a great view. That was about all I liked. I’d planned to work there for a week, and was told by phone the WiFi would be fine for online calls. It didn’t work in the houses, and there was no 4G or cell coverage either. The rooms were dirty, with hair and dust on the floor, a dirty bathroom, and a bad smell, though the bed clothes seemed new. The bathroom sink was clogged, and nobody fixed it despite several requests. It was also hot indoors without AC. Breakfast was included, but amounted to one egg and a few small pieces of vegetables, with no bread. There were no stores nearby, even a short drive away, so bring groceries if you need extras. Getting there meant 13 km on a gravel off-road track. It wasn’t worth the money or close to what I expected, so we left the next day.

We were there with work colleagues. There’s fresh air, pretty views, and it’s quiet, apart from drunk neighbors. Getting there involves about 1 km off-road, and we had some trouble with the showers in the rooms. You can give it a try, though. That’s just my opinion, and I’d rate it 3 stars.

Getting there was the hardest part of our stay. As a foreigner, I had no mobile data, and even the local 4G SIM we got didn’t work, so we had to navigate offline from the Poland-Ukraine border. We hit endless potholes, then got sent off road through the forest. After rain, the route turned nasty: even in a capable 4x4, we ended up in half a meter of mud, sliding sideways as we tried to crawl out. We eventually turned back and found a semi-open road to the resort. In anything less than a proper off-roader, you could end up needing new suspension or axles. Even city 4x4s would struggle. The nearest shop is 3 km away, but roads in this part of Ukraine are mostly potholes, then rocks, with very little smooth road. If you’re not used to them, that 3 km can feel like 10, and you’ll want to keep under 10 mph unless you have a sturdy vehicle. By the time we arrived, the restaurant had closed, so we drove back 3 km for bread and meats to eat. That was a shame. Once there, the resort felt like a nice escape from the internet, TV, and online networking. We were on a week-long trip to Poland when my other half’s family surprised us by booking and driving us here. I only stayed one night and didn’t have time to explore everything, but I had a great time. The place looked and felt lovely on arrival, a bit like a smaller Center Parcs for UK readers. You can choose a small one-room log cabin apartment with a double bed, TV, sofa, shower room, sink, and toilet, or a standalone log house. We had three one-room apartments, and they weren’t equipped consistently. One had a bed and fridge, while another had a king-size bed, sofa, TV, and dining facilities. The restaurant’s breakfast menu had plenty to choose from, from omelette to pierogi and fried cheesecakes, my favorite. Prices seemed very low, maybe because I’m used to UK restaurant prices. There are hot tubs, a jacuzzi, a swimming pool, saunas, seating areas, toilets, and the main restaurant. I can’t say much about using those facilities because I didn’t have time. The views are lovely and the site is peaceful, with a few local homes on the horizon. It really feels like you’re away from civilization, which makes it easy to relax and switch off.

If you’re into birds, this is a lovely spot. I counted six woodpecker species while having my coffee.