Alte Schule Brandenburg

As they say in German, “the fox and the hare say good night to each other here,” and you can listen to them doing it while sitting by the firepit in the garden and gazing at the stars. The small village of Sechzehneichen in Brandenburg has fewer than 70 inhabitants – hardly any people, but all the more nature. All around are fields, forests, and lakes, birdsong instead of traffic noises – everything a harried city dweller could wish for. The seclusion is one reason people like to come to the Alte Schule Brandenburg. The other is the lovingly restored old schoolhouse itself. Host Corinna likes to travel and has gathered many impressions and mementos on her journeys. She was particularly inspired by the beach house feeling in California and Australia, and she returned to Brandenburg from her journeys around the world with a suitcase full of laid-back. Muted, natural tones and materials soften the bright, open floorplan, ensuring a relaxed and creative atmosphere. Corinna likes to share, and that's how it feels here – like you’re at your best friend's house. She rolled up her sleeves for the renovation, and called in friends and family for help. She put a lot of thought into every little corner and you can see that in the many loving details and sometimes unusual renovation decisions, like the raw plaster walls in the bedroom. It exudes Berlin retro-charm, but let's face it, it looks like a painting when you're lying in bed, letting your thoughts run free, staring at the wall and being delightfully useless. With its new design, the building also got a new purpose – the concentration and lessons of the schoolroom gave way to daydreams and playtime. The house has room for 9 people in 4 bedrooms, perfect for the extended family or a bunch of friends. Children are welcome – they love the wonderfully large garden with wildflower meadow. And the chickens, by the way, are named for the fowl in the popular Pettson and Findus children’s books: Mathilda, Henni and Caruso. You can watch them peacefully pecking at seeds for hours on end. On the list of to-dos is also picking flowers, drinking coffee, counting clouds. A day of such sweet idleness goes by amazingly fast, and then it’s evening again, time once more for the firepit in the garden. And shhh, there it is again: "Good night, rabbit." "Sleep tight, fox!"

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The personal and creative style in the house and the many clever decoration choices
• The many vintage pieces, such as the lovingly refurbished family heirlooms
• A real mid-summer night's dream: on warm summer nights the LCD projector can be set up in the garden for some open-air cinema, complete with popcorn from the firepit.
• The wildflower garden with a firepit for roasting hot dogs or marshmallows, and lots of space to let off steam!
• There is a piano in the house and it’s not just for show–feel free to tickle the ivories!
• The boho-style yoga loft in in the attic: soft carpets and mats, blocks, belts & blankets are available; but beware, in winter it’s pretty cold.
• "Freistunde" is the fitting name of the rowing boat that can be found in the boathouse by the lake.
• Even better than a guestbook: when it’s time to leave, probably with a heavy heart, you can leave a Post-It with a "word of the day" in an old Webster Dictionary.
• We really feel at home here!

GOOD TO KNOW:

• Groups are explicitly welcome – for a bachelorette party, maybe? The hostess will even organize a creative program.
• Baby beds are available on request.
• You can book the whole house (for up to nine guests) or two separate flats: the "Teacher's Flat" with three bedrooms or the "Classroom" with one bedroom and one sofa bed.
• The barn is a treasure chest: we found a barbecue grill, deck chairs, paddles for the stand-up paddleboard, outdoor games....
• The whole house is heated only with wood and coal – super cozy, but it also means that it only gets warm after someone has fetched wood from the barn and lit the fire in the stove.
• The hostess has a "green heart": the house is equipped with wax cloths instead of foil, eco-cleaning supplies and refillable cosmetics; a charging station for e-cars was added recently, and most of the furniture has been lovingly upcycled.
• In ten minutes by car you can reach the Untersee; in the boat house there’s a rowboat for the guests.
• Tip from the hostess: visit the Insl – a beer garden on a small island with fairy lights, pennants and really good food.
• A trip to the Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide is always worthwhile for hiking, walking or biking tours – especially in late summer you’ll want to make sure to bring your camera to catch the breathtakingly beautiful purple glow!
• On request you can book a barrel sauna; wood, towels and different oils are provided.
• The trip takes about 1.5 hours from Berlin, about 2 hours from Hamburg.

Photos: Silvia Last, allesundlicht