Balatoncsicsó Vacations from $744

The apartment itself is great —clean, beautifully furnished, and ideally located right by the Slovenian border for further exploring. Plus, the price is very fair and the complimentary breakfast treat basket was a wonderful energy boost in the morning! However, the check-in process was a bit of a thriller. At 3pm (official check in time) I still hadn’t received any check-in details. Communication through the Hotels.com app failed, so I had to call the host directly. That’s when I found out about an unmentioned tourist tax that I needed to pay online immediately via a link. If I hadn't taken the initiative to call, I’m not sure we would have gotten in at all! Arriving late at night after a concert made it even more adventurous. Finding the key safe and the right apartment in the dark without a property layout or parking map felt a bit like an escape room challenge. Once inside, we mostly slept well, but here is a quick tip for the host: while the windows have great blackout curtains, the front door has a glass pane with no coverage. As someone who needs absolute darkness to sleep, that bright morning light coming through the door was a bit of a party pooper. It’s an easy fix, though! Overall, a great place with a few communication and lighting hiccups. Just be proactive before you arrive, and you’ll have a lovely stay!