Historic Alp style cottage in an ideal location close to Vienna. A rare combination of peaceful seclusion where you can see the stars at night and wake up to birdsong in the morning, surrounded by thousands of acres of public forest land for hiking, yet only 25 minutes by car from the Vienna city limit and 10km from a train station. The space We have lovingly restored our guest cottage, and the cottage next door which is our own home, while preserving the historical features and unique character of the buildings. Our guest cottage is furnished with beloved family heirloom antiques, some over 200 years old. The cottage has wifi, a washing machine, dishwasher, fully equipped kitchen, and wood-fueled central heating but otherwise remains much as it was 100 years ago. There is no TV. The ground floor of the cottage includes the kitchen, bathroom, a sitting/dining room with a sofa bed which sleeps 2 people, and spacious sitting/dining areas on the outside porches. The upstairs has a larger bedroom with king size bed and a smaller bedroom has a single bed which can convert to double. Mattresses can also be placed on the floor in the larger bedroom for additional children. The large bedroom upstairs and the sitting/dining room downstairs each have a curtain separating them from the next room, rather than a door. Please be aware that although the beds/floor mattresses can accommodate families (maximum 8 guests including children), the rooms are small and the antique furniture takes up much of the space. As artists ourselves, we try to create living spaces that lend themselves to the creative process and a peaceful retreat atmosphere. We enjoy hosting other artists, writers, and musicians, people who appreciate nature and organic local food, international visitors wanting a quiet home base to balance a busy day in Vienna, and anyone needing a break from the hectic modern world! This tiny village of 10 cottages was originally an experimental homesteading community established by the Austrian government in 1925. We are working to restore our property with a modern twist on its origins; as a demonstration mini-farm to teach and inspire others in the direction of creative, artistic, sustainable living. We grow much of our own food, plus some to sell. The farm residents include laying hens, a horse, and 4 cats. Our location is at the end of an unpaved road, far from city traffic noise. A peaceful countryside haven within easy distance of all the attractions of Vienna has to offer, as well as historic castles, monasteries, and charming country villages. Located in the famous Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) to the west of the city, this mostly forested landscape is interspersed with idyllic green meadows dotted with wildflowers. This area is the first small foothills of the Alps, with some panoramic views of larger mountains to the south. Guest access The kitchen is stocked with many useful food items like pasta, rice, beans, tea, coffee etc. Fresh garden produce is also available for purchase most of the year. The ground floor and upstairs inside the Cottage, as well as the covered terrace/porches and lawn/garden area on the north and east side are for the private use of Cottage guests. Some areas outside the Cottage are shared access. On the Cellar level facing the street, the door marked Gwendolen's Garden is open for guests and neighbors to buy our vegetables and farm produce during the summer season. The small glasshouse in the same area is for our vegetable production, and the green cellar door is a storage area, accessed only by us. Other guests also stay in our Tiny House, located behind the Cottage on the other side of the garden fence. The car parking area and firewood/storage on the West side of the cottage are shared with us and with other guests. Other things to note This is country living, with character and quirkiness so please don't expect it to be like a city apartment! Our water comes from a historic gravity-flow spring water system. We are very fortunate to have pure natural drinking water from a protected source, but the trade-off is some variation in water pressure and occasionally a problem that takes some time to troubleshoot. The central heating system (water radiators) is wood fueled, run by either a pellet stove in the sitting room or a wood burning stove in the kitchen. Pellets and firewood for each stove are provided. Written instructions for stove operation can be found in the house info folder, and we will also demonstrate how to start a fire the first time. In winter we will heat the house ahead of time before you arrive. We are at the end of 1 km unpaved road. Snow is cleared from the road regularly in winter and most of the time is fine for 2 wheel drive cars. The unpaved road is bumpy so drive slowly and carefully, especially in cars with low ground clearance. Check-in and check-out times can be flexible if we do not have any other guests leaving/arriving the same day. Please let us know your preferred times for check-in/out. Well behaved pets may be allowed on a case by case basis; please provide info about any pets in your booking inquiry. The cottage and surroundings are not childproofed. If you have infants or young children please ask any questions before booking, and use your best judgement as to whether our cottage is suitable. If you wish to have daytime visitors at the cottage, or additional overnight guests for any part of your stay, please discuss your plans with us ahead of time.