From Warsaw to the Bieszczady Mountains for peace and landscapes

Marta warned us before our conversation that it might be difficult to connect because they have poor coverage, but in the end we managed. Despite the fact that she created LAS together with her husband, today we talked only the two of us, because as she says, they speak with one voice and see many things in a similar way. A few years ago, they fulfilled the dream of probably many a city dweller - they dropped everything and moved to the Bieszczady Mountains to create a place there that they had always missed. This is how LAS - Lokum Absolutnie Spokojne was created, i.e. two intimate cottages hidden in the heart of the mountains.

For lack of la(s)ku

When they came to the Bieszczady Mountains as a couple, they missed a place where they could be alone. At that time, the only available accommodation was in agritourism farms (with single beds and uncomfortable mattresses), which have their own atmosphere, but do not provide a sense of isolation and comfort. In addition, it was around that time that the boom in small houses (so-called tiny-houses), which conquered our tourism market a few years later. When asked if they consider themselves pioneers of this type of tourism in Poland, Marta laughs and says that they only they wanted to create a place where they themselves would like to come. And so, half out of need, half from the heart, they created LAS in Chmiel, or Absolutely Peaceful Place.

And so, 6 years ago, they packed up their Warsaw lives and came here, to Chmiel. For two years, they ran a small shop, saving money for their dream houses, until finally, four years ago, they built the first one on the San River — LisiLas, and a year ago SowiLas appeared. They really wanted the space they create to be friendly and open. Marta herself says that there are no prohibitions or orders, and they only ask guests to respect their work and the surrounding Nature. According to her, it is the little things that “create the atmosphere and the work”. Laughing, she adds that she was always irritated by the lack of salt or sugar in the rented houses. “Well, in Las, there is everything and you don’t have to take anything with you,” she explains.

It used to be…

Marta also observes how, over the course of these many years, the Bieszczady Mountains have changed from a haven of wilderness and endless forests into a tourist destination for many. Like everything, it has its good and bad sides, the former often less visible. There are concerns about trampling the Bieszczady Mountains (already not very high mountains), about destroying their wilderness and irreversibly changing the landscape of this part of Poland. The need for places like the one created by Marta and Michał is well illustrated by the LAS calendar — cottages are available only on Aloha Camp, and year by year the holiday dates disappear faster.

Talking about the changing Bieszczady Mountains, we couldn't help but mention the already iconic Chata Wędrowca, which recently changed owners after several decades. Fortunately, the new owner reportedly bought the recipe for giant pancake, but Marta hasn't been there yet to assess whether the taste has remained the same. (If you haven't heard of the giant pancake, we recommend googling it).

Under the open sky

The atmosphere of wilderness (although Marta calls it romantic) can be felt from the very beginning, when we enter the forest to reach the place. It gets even better when it turns out that you can't reach the cottages by car - you have to leave it and walk a few hundred meters on foot. But absolute peace compensates us for all the difficulties of getting here. Right by the river, in the heart of the mountains, there are two cozy cottages - one for two and the other for four, both fully equipped. If you dream of a walk during which you won't meet anyone (well, maybe apart from forest animals), Marta and Michał are here to help and will certainly recommend a few places not yet discovered by others.

Advice at the end

Finally, I asked Marta if, after several years of running cottages and hosting Guests, she had any advice for novice Hosts. There was silence on the line, and I wondered if we had lost signal, but after a moment she replied:do them as if you were doing them for yourself - with soul”. To create unique places that exude positive energy and make Guests want to come back.