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Review 2576: Eckerö Linjen, Overnasgarden

www.eckerolinjen.fi

Recommended
Review by davidx from England

hostels and chalets near Mariehamn, Finland

When

June 1995, 5 days

Location

Övernäsgården ocmprises a hostels and a number of chalets some 2km SE of Mariehamn on the main island of Åland. You can walk into the very pleasant town by a delightful woodland path with the sea close on your right and masses of wild flowers. Alternatively, it is on a bus route (not frequent) so you can drive in if you have a car.

There is a bay behind the chalets and it's possible to hire boats nearby. Scattered through the woods are numerous play places for children, including a very popular 'pirate' ship.

The chalets are far enough apart to give a fair degree of privacy.

Yes, we loved the area.

Nearby Amenities

As stated above, a 2km walk or drive into Mariehamn, not a massive town but the island capital with adequate shopping facilities and eating places of various price levels.

The House/Apartment

Historical? No. In good shape? Very. Peaceful and quiet? It was always quiet enough at night but a football/games area means you are liable to hear a bit during the day.

Numerous chalets but widely spread.

You can view the property directly: Övernäsgården.

Garden

No pool. There are chairs outside each chalet but nothing extensive.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

No problems in this area.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

The beds were perfectly comfortable. Some might consider the bedrooms spartan but they were perfectly OK for their purpose - sleep and some storage.

Kitchen

Reasonably well equipped but we tend to have one-pot meals on holiday when not eating out and I don't remember how good it would be for full meals.

Problems or Bonuses

We were mightily surprised because it was arranged by the Tourist Office and we expected a room in the hostel. We were given a chalet at no extra cost and guests in the chalets are provided with breakfast in the main hostel room.

It was also outstandingly friendly.

Agency and Representatives (and price)

Although Övernäsgården is owned by the Eckerö Shipping Line, we didn't book through them but through the Mariehamn Tourist Office where considerable trouble was taken to discover our needs and requirements.

As explained above, we paid the same price as for a double room in the hostel. I'm not certain how much this was now but it certainly seemed ultra-reasonable at the time.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

Stay again? We would and we probably will. Recommend to best friend? Yes - but not to everybody. A chalet is not the height of luxury and the appeal of Åland is not for everyone either. It's a slower way of life that fits the image of this board but it's not magnificent scenery - just delightful for those who can appreciate the peace.

Things to do in this area

We liked the Pommern restaurant in Mariehamn; some meals are pricey but with a bit of care you can have something delicious without breaking the bank. There are a number of bus services around the main island and you can use the island ferries for day trips at no cost!

There are two good museums in Mariehamn for bad weather but a sustained period of rain might find you wondering why anybody goes to Åland.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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