Apartment

Bauernkate Klein-Thurow

Schaalsee, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

The Klein-Thurow farmer's cottage is nestled in the most beautiful natural surroundings, surrounded by numerous lakes in the Schaalsee biosphere reserve. The listed ensemble has been lovingly and detailed restored by the owners Jutta and Frank Strauss: the cottage gives a lively impression of everyday rural life in earlier times, which has been carefully brought into line with contemporary living standards. All apartments open at ground level to the garden, so that the guest basically lives in the middle of nature. Spending the night in a hay hostel is a very special experience. 

The rooms of the Kate are a successful mixture of historical furnishings with regional hand-made rural unique items. Tiled stove instead of cable TV is the motto here. The cast-iron eye-catchers are fired by the guests themselves with provided wood from the region. From the cast-iron roof windows of the cottage, the view wanders over the beautiful cottage garden, the pond, a sheep paddock over wide fields to the horizon. Perhaps the most valuable thing is not to be seen: the relaxing silence - or a background noise that is exclusively of natural origin. 

The hornbeam hedge surrounding the old cottage and the ivy-clad southern gable end serve as welcome nesting places for songbirds. In May you can listen to the evening frog concert on the jetty or watch the falling stars from the comfort of your deck chair on a clear, starry night in August. The light-flooded »Lohdiele« (as the threshing floor is also called in northern Germany) is open to all guests, here a warming fire crackles in the historic Norwegian chased oven on cool evenings. 

The Bauernkate was recognized as a “bicycle-friendly hospitality”. Cyclists are provided with detailed maps; Repair tools and standing air pump as well as secure storage space for bikes and drying space for clothes are available. 

The beautiful surroundings, ennobled by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, are ideal for all kinds of activities. The Strauss couple are happy to give tips on the best tours into the surrounding nature on foot, by bike or by canoe. The world cultural heritage sites of Lübeck and Wismar, as well as the state capital Schwerin, can be reached quickly by car, and the little-known Baltic Sea beaches in the »Klützer Winkel« are not far away. And if you are longing for the digital world, the barn has free WiFi.


Rooms + Rates

per night
Haybed / B&B (1 Person)from45 €
Haybed / B&B (2 people)from60 €
Apartmentfrom100 €

Sustainable

ArchitectureAn exact dating of the former day labourer's cottage is no longer possible, according to the monument office it was built before 1800. The owners and operators of the Bauernkate Klein-Thurow
Jutta and Frank Strauß have rebuilt the former small barn on its fieldstone foundations, directly next to the cottage, using largely regional historical building materials, and opened it in 2016.
The building material was reused from a nearby field barn. The carpenter involved in the renovation estimated the age of some of the wooden beams at over 400 years. It belonged to the former manor house in Dutzow, which was demolished in 1974 because it was too close to the German-German border. Only local craftsmen who specialise in the renovation of listed buildings were commissioned for the renovation, and regional and reused historic building materials were used, including hand-painted bricks and Bieberschwanz roof tiles, wooden beams, hand-forged long strips and bell jars. The clay comes from the regional clay pit and field stones for the courtyard paving from surrounding fields. Even the raw material for the wickerwork, which partly adorns the beds and is also used as bed edging, is harvested annually by the operators from pollarded willows in the garden.

The listed ensemble impresses with a high degree of unchanged structural features that still give a vivid impression of the rural everyday life of former day labourers. Details such as the largely preserved original room structure, the brick smoke flue in the smallest kitchen or the smokehouses bear eloquent witness to this.

The flats appear very authentic due to the radical and consistent preservation of everything worth preserving. Many regional finds were scavenged at local antique markets. Old wooden beams, clay plaster, wooden floors and historic windows, in combination with the antique tiled stoves, furniture and beds, create an extremely cosy atmosphere.

FoodEggs can be obtained from the neighboring farm, and a small surrounding sheep and goat dairy provides cheese specialties. There are also sausages typical of the region.

EnvironmentEnvironmental and resource protection play a major role for the operator. Natural building materials such as clay and reused historical building materials were used, of course the garbage is separated and the service water is recycled in a biological sewage treatment plant. Only groundwater from the deep well is used to water the garden. A photovoltaic system hidden on the flat roof of the former stable supplies the rooms with renewable electricity, and they only use green electricity. E-cars can be charged via a mobile charging station. The approx. 750 square meter natural pond has been renatured and integrated into a meadow orchard with 13 tall old types of fruit. Guests are welcome to help themselves from the ripe fruits. In addition, a large part of the property was enclosed with a traditional dry stone wall made of field stones, to the delight of amphibians and other small creatures. The hornbeam hedge surrounding the old cottage and the ivy-clad southern gable end serve as welcome nesting places for songbirds. Three at the same time trusting and frugal coarse Pomeranian sheep keep the grass short. As a member of the Förderverein Biosphäre Schaalsee eV, the operators are committed to the sustainable preservation of nature.


Characteristics

  • Quaint peasant cottage in the middle of a biosphere reserve
  • Tastefully and lovingly furnished apartments
  • "Open guest garden: Those who wish may help with the harvest in the purely organic vegetable, herb and fruit garden.
  • Ideal for numerous outdoor activities
  • Swimming in the nearby Golden and Schaalsee
  • Bike friendly accommodation
  • For nature lovers, cyclists and hikers

Apartments3 apartments + 1 room + haybedApartments with kitchenChildren welcomeWi-Fino disabled accessno PoolPets allowed

Features

  • Apartments for up to 4 people
  • Tiled stove instead of central heating
  • Hay hostel (hay bed and double bed with mattress) for 1-4 persons
  • B&B alcove for 1-2 persons
  • Bed linen and towels available
  • Free WLAN
  • Sauna (to flat "Alte Kate II")
  • Trampoline and small boccia or petanque court
  • Cargo bike for free shared use
  • Dutch bicycles for 50€/week (10€/day)

Testimonials

Wir hatten einen sehr schönen und völlig unkomplizierten Aufenthalt in der Bauernkate mit sehr, sehr netten Gastgebern. Wir wurden sehr nett beraten, was Ausflugsziele angeht und hatten eine rundum erholsamen Aufenthalt.

Elisabeth Einhaus (Good Traveller), April 2021

In Klein Thurow übernachte ich schließlich in der Bauernkate von Familie Strauß. Sie hat ein altes Bauernhaus liebevoll renoviert und eine neue Scheune mit alten Baumaterialien errichtet. Balken und Ziegel wirken, als hätte das Gästehaus mit Ferienwohnungen und Heuhostel eine lange Geschichte hinter sich. Beim Frühstück am alten Ofen mit Schafskäse aus der Klein Salitzer Milchschäferei blicke ich auf die Schafe, die vor der Tür weiden, auf die rot leuchtenden Apfelbäume und den Bauerngarten in voller Blüte. Zum Abschied verraten mir meine Vermieter noch ihr liebstes Badeplätzchen: den Steg am Goldensee in Gross Thurow.

Inga von Thomsen, geo.de, April 2021

Certificates + Awards

ADFC-Zertifzierung

Fahrradfreundlicher Gastbetrieb

Leib und Seele-Zertifizierung

Regionalmarkenpartner

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Rooms + Rates

per night
Haybed / B&B (1 Person)from45 €
Haybed / B&B (2 people)from60 €
Apartmentfrom100 €

Location + Directions

By car

The Bauernkate is only 35 km away from Lübeck, from there it takes about 40 minutes. From Hamburg it is about 1 hour 15 minutes (76 km) and from Berlin it is just under 3 hours (250 km). You will receive the exact address and directions with the booking.

With public transport

The nearest train stations are in Gadebusch and Ratzeburg. Pick-up can be organized from there.


Availability