Imagine the following travel situation: It’s raining, it’s the end of a long day (on the road) and you’re on absolutely unknown terrain. Only the GPS continues to report cheerfully: “Only 20 minutes until arrival”. Somewhere in the Czech-Polish no man’s land, towards a place with the unpronounceable (beautiful?) name Kwieciszowice.
“Only few people even in Poland know exactly where that is,” our host Lukasz explains later, smiling.
But back to our journey. The rain is getting heavier, my little son is still asleep in the car, while my dad next to me continues to share cheerful travel anecdotes. Just what you need during an adventure trip like this! Earlier in the morning, we set out several hundred kilometers to the southeast, in the Czech city of Brno, then drove on to Prague, north toward Liberec and finally on narrow country roads over the border into Poland. The entire region was once German territory; the name Sudetenregion still resonates in the ears of many with memories burdened by fate.
The owners of Kwieci Guest House, Lukasz and Piotr, represent a new beginning in the truest sense of the word.
“We fled from the capital Warsaw from our stressful jobs and monotonous everyday life. It was clear to us: we wanted to live in a mountain region, in harmony with nature, and receive guests in the spirit of the Slow Travel philosophy. More well-known regions like Zakopane were out of the question for us – we knew from friends that people there can be very prejudiced. In contrast, here – a dream! We were welcomed with an openness that is unparalleled and that we still appreciate very much!”
The contract was quickly signed to turn an old school building from 1913 into a guesthouse with a total of five rooms, each for two, three or four guests. It took another two years to carefully renovate everything, “we had professionals advise us on the interior design,” Lukasz tells us with a wink.
View into the cosy kitchen and living area of Kwieci Guest House.
From the outside, the former school building is almost unrecognizable, everything has been carefully renovated.
Hosts Lukasz (left) and Piotr.
Kwieci Guest House: A base for families with great options for trips into the surroundings.
Little by little, after we have been able to shake off the long journey and make ourselves comfortable in our rooms, I begin to notice all the many loving details of our accommodation.
There is the communal kitchen, where we are allowed to make tea and coffee at any time; and where the hosts Lukasz and Piotr spoil us to sumptuous breakfast and dinner options every day (there is a hot dish for every meal).
The interior clearly bears the signature of design professionals, yet is kept simple and cozy; I especially like the “playground floor landscape” for children in the attic, the “school area with reading corner” next to our room, and of course the spacious garden with a view of the Izera Mountains. That’s the local name for the surrounding mountain landscape; I’ll tell you more about exploring them in another blog post about the castles of Lower Silesia and the hiking trip I did with my dad and my little son.
Comfort and cosiness are the prevailing themes of Kwieci Guest House …
… I really like the interior design at the intersection of traditional comfort and modern ingenuity …
… a view of our room …
… and into the garden behind the house, which is just perfect for families in the summer. I’m already thinking about coming back one day with my older son and my husband – preferably for a whole week!
Delicious food, home-made and locally sourced every day!
And not (only) cooked by employees! Lukasz and Piotr can also be seen quite often in the kitchen themselves. “We had a chef train us especially for this“, Lukasz explains proudly. Wow! From the high-end job market in the capital to being an all-round host in a real nest (Kwieciszowice has just under 100 inhabitants) is quite the step. You really have to want that, live it – and that’s exactly what we as guests feel here at every turn.
Last but not least, more and more international guests are coming: “The pandemic has given us an enormous boost,” Lukasz and Piotr continue to tell us, “all of a sudden, many Polish families got a taste for visiting the somewhat lesser-known regions of Poland. Meanwhile, we also have many German-speaking guests.”
Chapeau to so much heart and dedication, dear Lukasz, dear Piotr: With Kwieci Guest House, you have created a real place of well-being in a region of Poland that is worth every visit!
Indulgence at its best: a look at our French toast breakfast plate …
… I still dream about this specially created vegetable lasagna …
… local dessert options are also served at each dinner.
After so much fun (and food), the only thing left to do is rolling up on the couch, like my little son Levin here …!
Come straight with me to Poland and check out my latest travel video!
Next up, I’ll also share with you my trip to the city of Wroclaw and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Peace Church Swiednica – a must see if you ever travel in this part of Poland.
Below is the picture gallery of my entire trip through Poland, including the castles of Lower Silesia as well as Wroclaw:
Disclaimer: I have been invited by the Polish Tourism Board on this trip to Poland. All opinions are my own.