I have been a sucker for home decor as long as I can remember. My very prime reason to choose B n Bs over any established hotel is the decor. Every individual 'home' is reminiscent of the owner's personal choice, taste and culture. And hence it's an open door for me to experience everything new first hand. So the very first criteria when we choose a home to book is its decor. The cosier, quirkier or the more different it is, it's a win win! Of course the basics have to be fulfilled: kitchen (our main concern), parking (if we are driving) and location; since cute B n Bs seem to be off the normal route. However we booked this cozy home in a tiny village in Austria, whose location was quite vague (the map in Air B n B can be quite frustrating) just because we fell in love with the beautiful host family by looking at the pictures of the trinkets in their home.
This home was our stay in Gmunden, a place near Hallstat, Austria. Austria is the land of lakes (See in German lingo) and Gmunden had the Traunsee, a wide lake. Our homestay was at a walking distance from Traunsee but it was an uphill task asking the GPS of our rented Audi A4 to take us to our destination. With a long drive beforehand and sightseeing on the way and me being 5 months pregnant, all I wanted was to slip into the warm, cozy bed. However I think we must have made around 10 rounds through that hilly town before we could land at the correct lane. Frustrated, my husband parked the car near the lake and went to locate the address on foot. It was already dark by then and pregnant me, a bit scared. Thankfully Austria is one of the safest places in Europe and we need not worry; apart from wild animals.
The houses in Gmunden have a open door policy. Our host left us a note outside the door and we made ourselves comfortable within no time. It was a beautifully done up home and I loved soaking up the small town life for two days.
We made a quick dinner and coffee in the kitchen and then left to explore the town and walk by the lake in the dark. Everyone had fallen asleep. The only thing that we were scared of were wild animals and their howling which could be heard from a distance.
Takeaways from this home:
1. Don't shy away from painting your walls in bold colours. Keep the rest of the things non printed/ monochrome/neutral.
2. You can put several small photographs in one long frame.
3. DVD's can be stacked into making a flat surface and used as tables.
Takeaways from this home:
1. Don't shy away from painting your walls in bold colours. Keep the rest of the things non printed/ monochrome/neutral.
2. You can put several small photographs in one long frame.
3. DVD's can be stacked into making a flat surface and used as tables.
4. I should start kitchen gardening in pots.
5. Thank you notes from guests could be beautifully used as trinkets.
Do you like staying in homes while travelling? Which stay has been your most remarkable experience?
