"We had the chance to spend a week at the Carpathian Log Home over the holidays and here we are, almost a month later, still thinking fondly of our time spent there. Our stay got off to a bit of an "adventurous" start, which we werent exactly planning on but we really cant hold anyone but mother nature resposible for it. A severe winter storm had just hit the area prior to our arrival and it had been snowing for several days in a row. Even though that made for an absolute fairytale white Christmas, it also meant that our car wasnt going to be able to make it safely up the hill through several feet of fresh powder snow so we ended up parking about 100 yards away, at the bottom of the hill. Not a deal breaker and, seeing what was waiting for us at the top of the hill, it was definitely worth the minor inconvenience! The owners kindly offered to help with our luggage, which was appreciated. The villas setting is breathtaking and it was oh, so quiet! All you could hear were the tree branches creaking, heavy with snow.
Inside, there was a fire already roaring in the fireplace and the house felt toasty warm. Cant beat that on a 10° below Fahrenheit day!
Another nice surprise was the welcome basket provided, which was chock-full of local goodies (traditional Romanian sweet bread "cozonac", sausages, cheese wrapped in pine bark, wine, fresh fruit). The owners had even brought in a freshly cut Christmas tree for us to decorate! They really have thought of everything and it showed in the little details throughout the whole house. Always appreciated and sometimes hard to find.
We stayed in the master bedroom and its a lovely room, comfortable & tastefully decorated, with great views (as are all of the other bedrooms, from what we could see). The bed was REALLY comfy, we had some of the best nights of sleep while there and Im very particular about my bed! Also, everything seemed to be in pristine condition and spotless clean, which is also a major point in my book.
We didnt do much cooking at home but, for those who would be so inclined, the kitchen was equipped with pretty much everything one would need in order to have a feast. There are also plenty of good restaurants to choose from in the area, some even within walking distance. We loved wrapping up the nights curled up in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine. And the sauna & jacuzzi were a real treat after a long, cold day on the ski slopes.
The owners themselves were an absolute pleasure to deal with and they went our of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. Our only regret is that we couldnt stay longer! Now we can dream about the next time we will, hopefully, be able to return to the CLH."
M. White, California