Auszeit

A cosy place, and then some! A sweet half-timbered house directly on a stream with its “own” waterfall in the enchanting town of Monschau. The half-timbered house is quite ancient – that is to say about 320 years old – it’s seen a lot of water flow along the Laufenbach stream during its time. Narrow and slightly crooked, it is situated snugly between the street and the water. It stands on a base of grey quarry stone, has wine-red window frames and a petrol-blue (former stable) door that provides direct access to the the stream. From the eat-in kitchen you step onto a terrace that’s been built on a quarry stone platform, a wonderfully secluded spot. With the quiet ripples of the waterfall in the background consistently emanating a sense of peace and charm, you never really want to leave this place. Plants shields the view to and from the street and instead open it to the stream. But it’s not just here that guests feel at home – inside the house itself, a listed building that underwent extensive renovations between 2018 and 2020, they’ll find the ideal opportunity to take a cosy and romantic break. This was so obvious after completion of the renovation work that the hosts Sandra and Oliver soon christened their cottage “Auszeit”, meaning “timeout”. The entire house is painted with white clay paint and there are wooden beams that are centuries old that run through it – even the original doors are still in place. Lattice windows and wooden staircases in addition to partially preserved wooden plank floors have all been carefully restored. Precision-made fixtures here and there meet with old building fabric in a cottage with high-quality furnishings. Up to six people can stay here on 120 square metres. The “Auszeit” is indeed a perfect place to take time out.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• Sooo romantic! The cosy house is located in one of the most charming little towns in the country, right next to the waterfall with a view of the water.
• The listed old building, one of the oldest houses in the village, has been renovated and restored with loving care.
• Use of natural and traditional building materials
• A sweet touch is the light strip shining a bright sunny yellow, which runs through the bedrooms. Splashes of yellow are everywhere in fact and add to the cheerful atmosphere.
• The infrared heaters are powered by green electricity.
• Guests can pick and eat the wall fruit.
• Monschau with its winding lanes through the old part of town and over 300 half-timbered houses is captivating.
• Monschau Castle, one of the most imposing castles in the Rhineland, towers high above the old town.
• A wonderful location between two nature reserves in the middle of the Eifel mountain range with lush forests, picturesque lakes and rivers, and unspoilt valleys.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• The entire cottage has five rooms, three of which are bedrooms with double beds – there are also two sofas, two bathrooms, a guest toilet and a private garden by the stream.
• The open eat-in kitchen comes with an induction stove, oven, dishwasher, coffee brewer, espresso maker, kettle, microwave and a basic supply of coffee and spices.
• Children up to three years of age are welcome and stay free of charge.
• Monschau is located right on the edge of the Eifel national park, in the midst of verdant hills; in the town itself there are a number of boutiques and galleries.
• The “Eifelsteig” (“Eifel path”) leads directly through the village and is a good starting point for hiking and biking tours.
• During the week the house must be rented for at least three nights.
• The weekend timeout lasts from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening (2.5 days).
• There’s a ten per cent discount for direct bookings.
• Guests can use the web app for information and tips