How to Rent a Czech Cottage

Having a weekend cottage seems to be as much a part of the Czech national identity as good beer and dumplings. The origin of this tradition goes back to the 1920s. At that time, it was a means for those with money to relax and enjoy a short getaway from the city. The custom spread in the 60s because it was an antidote to the dreariness of life in the panelák estates. One chatař told me it was his protest to life under the former regime. Irrespective of which explanation you believe, the point is that quaint accommodation out of the big smoke of the city is not to hard to find in this country.

First of all some terminology, what we English speakers think of as a cottage has two words in Czech. They are ‘chalupa’ or ‘chata’. The difference according to Martina Lžičařová, editor-in-chief of the magazine Chatař & Chlalupář, is that the former are “traditional folk constructions in a village, often renovated wall-face. They can be built from wood, stone as well as brick.” The latter is “a small cottage, usually made of wood. Most chatas were built in the 60s and 70s of the last century, when there was a shortage of building material on the market in (sic) the Czech Republic, considering the socialist system.” These cottages are also often found in settlements dedicated to such recreational living.

Chata Tours, a mediating agency, is a good place to start if you’re not so familiar with summer cottages or the Czech Republic. Their website is in English and there you will find prices and terms and conditions. They rate the cottages from one to four, four being the best. Under each description are icons about pets, garden size, parking, proximity of the woods, swimming pools, supermarkets and restaurants among others. Placing your cursor on these will tell you how far these facilities are or, in the case of pets, whether you can bring them. They even run a photo competition, information about which can be found under General Terms. You can search for cottages based on regions, or you can click on the type of holiday you want (options listed on the left in green) and they will display a suitable cottage. The most intriguing of the buttons is ‘Unusual Stayings.’ They also list cottages in Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.