Ramonda Serbica - Gorge View & Peacful Nature Retreat

Everything; the views, the food, the room and especially the owner. Incredible stay

I honestly have no words for how amazing this stay was. This was the last stop of our Balkan road trip, and what a perfect way to end it. I noticed that many people seem to choose this place as an overnight stop because of its location between Bulgaria and Belgrade, Novi Sad and other parts of Serbia. We also stayed for just two nights, and honestly, that was the sad part, we really wished we could have stayed longer. The hosts were warm and friendly. The grandmother doesn't speak English, but she tried her best to communicate with us using Google Translate, which I found so sweet. And she cooks amazing food! Everything was fresh, homemade and exactly what we needed after such a long road trip. The food is paid for separately, but it was absolutely worth it. The rooms are basic but perfectly comfortable for two people. And of course, there were the lovely cats, who slowly warmed up to us and made the stay even more special. The owners also treated us to their homemade brandy and wine. They have a wine cellar and even showed us around a little, which was such a lovely personal touch. They also gave us a bottle of brandy as a souvenir, which we really appreciated and will definitely remember this stay by. My husband and I absolutely loved our time here. I genuinely can't recommend this place enough. It was warm, personal, welcoming and exactly the kind of stay we needed at the end of our trip.

Nothing that I can think of.

Location, host's amiability, excellent breakfast and dinner.

I booked this property because of the excellent reviews, particularly those praising the hospitality and traditional homemade breakfast. Although it was not directly on our route and was not inexpensive, I decided to stay based on those recommendations. Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing from the very beginning.

When we arrived, a woman was waiting to check us in, but she was very reserved and provided almost no information. She did not show us the parking area, explain the room, provide Wi-Fi details, or give any introduction to the property. She simply handed us the keys and asked whether we wanted breakfast for €6 per person. We agreed, and she informed us that breakfast would be served at 8:30 sharp. The room itself was nice enough, old-fashioned but pleasant. However, there were some maintenance issues. The bathroom tap was loose and wobbly, while the wall-mounted shampoo/shower gel dispenser was almost detached and completely empty. Breakfast was served in a beautiful indoor dining area, but it was nothing like the traditional Serbian breakfast we expected based on the reviews. There was no choice of food. We were served a simple omelette, accompanied by a small platter containing inexpensive supermarket salami and a few pieces of cheese (photo). Considering the quality, variety, and affordability of local food available throughout Serbia, this breakfast felt very poor value for money and certainly not traditional. The most frustrating moment came when paying. The breakfast bill was 1,400 dinars, and I offered a 2,000-dinar note. The woman said she had no change and suggested that I go to the village supermarket to get smaller notes. Given the steep terrain and narrow roads around the property, this was highly impractical. In the end, I simply left the full 2,000 dinars and received no change. The checkout experience was equally strange. When leaving, I tried to hand the apartment keys back to the same woman, but she refused to take them and told me I should have left them in the apartment door lock because "the keys are always kept there." I then had to return to the apartment and leave them as instructed. From start to finish, the experience felt uncomfortable and unprofessional.