The magical Wild Roses Guesthouse in Janice (Alternatively Through Poland)
When preparing for a trip to the Wild Roses, I didn't expect that I would be so impressed by this place! And my expectations were actually quite high. All the places that I was able to visit with the help of Slowhop before kept the bar high, but this guesthouse raised it even one step higher. I can't tell exactly whether it is due to the sunny weather, lush greenery surrounding this place, the idyllic atmosphere or its fascinating history, or maybe a mixture of all these factors at once, but I couldn't get over the feeling that it was not just me who fell for this rural aura.
Half a decade ago, it was felt by the owners who for two years carefully renovated the property, trying to keep as much of its old spirit as possible and thanks to their inquisitiveness, they discovered surprising stories related not only to the building, but also to the surrounding area. When they saw the house in Janice for the first time, they thought they had arrived at a facility from the 1930s, but the deeper they were getting into it, the older the story began to appear. It turned out that the house stood in this place already in the sixteenth century! There's at least some evidence for that. Who knows, maybe this is not the end of the story, but only a part of it?
JANICE - WHERE EXACTLY IS IT?
Janice is a tiny village located in the Lower Silesia Voivodship near Lubomierz, fifteen minutes north-west of Jelenia Gora. And just like many other magical places in Poland, there is also a picturesque road leading to it that crosses overgrown hills, through which the panorama of the Karkonosze Mountains is breaking. The best view is guaranteed by bike trips or treks, as the road is narrow: it fits only one car and despite the small traffic, you shouldn't stop on the roadside to admire the view. From sunrise to sunset you will meet grazing cows in nearby meadows, in May you will find wide dandelion fields, and in the winter you might see snow corridors like in a Norwegian village. The idyllic atmosphere makes the average dwellers rub their eyes with astonishment that somewhere not far from civilization there is something equally beautiful in its simplicity. The only thing they may wonder about is what to do to stay a little bit longer in here? In my opinion this is exactly why the Wild Roses were created.
THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN LOWER SILESIA?
Wild Roses is quite a big post-farm building divided into two parts: guest-open and private. The visitors have access to: four rooms with bathrooms on the first floor, integrated with a common area, which consists of a large dining table, kitchenette and a seating area with a sofa, rocking chair and two hammocks; and a four-person apartment on the ground floor with a private kitchen and bathroom. There is enough indoor space for 16 people!
The whole interior was decorated in a classic style of a country house. It is dominated by aged wood and brick, in which thanks to renovation, the hosts breathed the spirit of modernity. The owners have tried to leave as much of the original elements and objects from the era as possible, reusing them sometimes in an unconventional way, such as legs from the beds, from which the kitchenette was built. The most interesting artifacts of the past include a window of about two hundred years old, mounted in the inner wall of one of the rooms. Even its paint and glass are original!
The greatest magic happens at the dining table during breakfast or evening supper. It turns out then that none of the guests came to this place by accident and despite the difference in age, the arrivals usually have more in common than they might have suspected. Even introverts can't avoid integration here, if not as a speakera, they can serve as free listeners. From time to time, the host, Mrs. Magda, joins the conversations, and then the immersive stories are endless. There are also maps, books and albums on the shelves around the table - all this so that visitors can explore and find out about fascinating places on their own, and memorize and pass on some of the best stories.
However, the interior is not everything that impresses in the Wild Roses. The name didn't come from the case. Well, the most important part of this place is the garden and it is because of it that the hosts moved to Janice from Lesser Poland. Mrs. Magda is a lover of greenery, an avid breeder of flowers, herbs and other plants. She cares for every leaf and blade of grass every day, but gives free space for some areas to flourish. What does it mean? That the garden is sometimes arranged in places and wild in other places. On the one hand you will see an overgrown pond with loud frogs, on the other hand a trimmed lawn with sun loungers for guests. Harmony and inner peace are the easiest to find in such places. The best time to admire the garden in full bloom is mid-June, although each season has its charm here.
WILD ROSES AMENITIES
Each room offers:
- a private bathroom,
- towels,
- soap,
- hairdryer,
- bedding.
The kitchen includes:
- kettle,
- coffee maker,
- coffee and tea,
- electric hob,
- fridge,
- plates, mugs, glasses, glasses and cutlery.
Every morning, the hosts serve a vegetarian breakfast. It's not possible to order full-board meals, but the owners can recommend several proven restaurants nearby. Unfortunately, they are not close enough to be reached on foot. There is also no problem with reheating food, or preparing something simple in a shared kitchen.
WHAT TO DO IN WILD ROSES?
The neighbors used to knock on the forehead: "Who will want to come here? There's nothing here!", "A guesthouse in Janice will be a dud", they said...but the hosts had a completely different opinion. And as it turned out, a correct one. The guests appear not only because of the nearby attractions, which I listed down below, but most of them are satisfied with what the Wild Roses has to offer. There are bicycles, a sauna, beautiful, spacious garden with deckchairs in the grass and a pond, a place for a bonfire, and a dining table under the shelter for sharing meals outside. And if the weather is not good, you can enjoy reading and long conversations with a glass of wine in the dining room.
ATTRACTIONS NEARBY
LAKE PILCHOWICE - on the lake there is the second largest water dam in Poland and a railway bridge, from which there is a magnificent view of the lake. It is worth coming here about an hour before sunset - the lake looks beautiful then, and the sun will not be able to hide behind the trees yet.
CERAMICS MANUFACTURE IN BOLESLAWIEC - the world famous, handmade ceramics comes from BolesLawiec. This is where you can see how it is created, visit various manufactures and do the best shopping! To find the best extraordinary designs, I recommend traveling to the family-owned Cer-Raf manufactory in the village of Rakowice near Boleslawiec. Although they don't produce for an individual customer, they will gladly show you what they have in stock ;)
LWOWEK SLASKI - the regional brewery produces there the oldest beer in Poland. Unfortunately, despite several attempts, we were unable to get inside. The door was closed and nobody opened the bell. We tried the beer anyway, because it is available in any local shop in the area. It's a light lager with a hint of bitterness.
THE PRINCE'S TOWER IN SIEDLECIN - perfect for history fans: it is the best-preserved building of this type in Poland. In the old barn nearby, there is a market of regional products every Saturday, where you can buy fresh herbs, flour, cheese, etc.
LANDSCAPE PARK OF THE BOBR VALLEY - the area between Jelenia Gora and Lwowek Slaski - ideal for nature lovers, you can explore it by bike, but you have to prepare for many hills to overcome.
MINES AND COMMISSION LAKES - ask the hosts where are best ones to see and how to find them. We drove to the lake near Klopotnica - maybe it was not breathtaking, but we were all alone there.
SZKLARSKA POREBA - in the winter you will get to the ski slopes in half an hour, and in the summer you can visit the Szklarki and Kamienczyk waterfalls.
HOW TO BOOK ACCOMMODATION IN DZIKIE ROZE GUESTHOUSE?
You can do it through the official website HERE (website is only in Polish).
Or through the SLOWHOP portal.
Price per person per night is PLN 120 (30 EUR) including breakfast. Accommodation can be booked for a minimum of two nights.
In the summer you have to book accommodation for a minimum of six nights. The price per person is then PLN 720 (180 EUR).
IS IT WORTH VISITING THE WILD ROSES?
I don't think I have to convince anyone anymore ;) If you like the idyllic atmosphere, country houses, peace, silence and nature, and all this given on a sophisticated, elegant tray, you will definitely fell in love with Wild Roses guesthouse. Janice is a great base for exploring Lower Silesia or getting to know the Karkonosze Mountains. You can also not move from the property and admire the sunrise and sunset in a beautiful garden full of not so wild roses.