With over 100 years of fascinating history, this guesthouse conquers you at first sight. A traditional wooden fence and a skillfully carved wooden gate surround the property. The main house, with walls made of clay and a thatched reed roof, displays authentic blue doors and windows, an attic from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the village, and even a white stone cellar. As soon as you enter the courtyard, a century-old pear tree welcomes you with inviting hammocks hanging under it.
Tatiana and Zaharia Arama, both teachers by profession, had worked abroad for over ten years in the hospitality industry, before deciding to return to their native village and to create a special place for tourists who want to discover Moldovan traditions and cuisine. Inspired by the beautiful stories of rural guesthouses opened in Moldova, as well as by the impressive development of many small family wineries in the area, the current owners bought and renovated an old house in the village of Palanca (a village in the south of the country, bordering with Ukraine). Both of their children have studied abroad and majored in hospitality related fields, which made the whole family truly bond over this soulful project of bringing all the things they love most about their Moldovan heritage to the modern traveler.
“Our goal was to create a touristic destination, which would represent everything we love most about our upbringing, everything we missed when we were away from home and all the things our grandparents proudly passed on to us, while delivering a comfortable experience with all the amenities that the modern traveler might expect” says Ana Aniscenco, the owners’ daughter.
The guesthouse was opened to the public in the fall of 2019 and has 5 rooms, which can accommodate 12 people. The rooms are elegant and spacious. The property also features two covered terraces with a capacity of 60 people, a garden and a spacious courtyard. Casa Veche is a very family-oriented and pet-friendly property.
The charm of the new accommodation is complemented by rustic decor elements: antique benches, hand-made carpets, embroidered linen and other traditional household props.
"The house was in a damaged condition when we bought it. It was falling apart. Nobody cared about it. Old man Trifan, the last inhabitant of the house, had passed away years ago. He was the son of one of the older villagers - called Taras. They were taken to Siberia and none of their successors lived to inherit the property. The story of old Trifan's family is remarkably similar to the story of my husband, whose grandfather was also deported to Siberia. My husband was moved by the story of the family who lived in this place and wanted to give this household a new life. Thus, the house of old Trifan became the guesthouse Pensiunea Turistică “Casa Veche” in Palanca”, says Tatiana, the owner.
“Sustainability is one of the core values at Casa Veche. I think one can learn a lot about that as well as about being resourceful from the local villagers, who’ve been practicing it way before it became a global trend. We are committed to using only locally sourced products in our kitchen, we train and employ locals, we display and promote the products of our neighbors and we believe that this will motivate the local community to develop even more and to become a part of this experience we look forward to bringing to our guests”, says Dan Arama, the owners’ son.
Soon, an animal farm will be set up and tours will be organized to the local households (owners of bees, pigeons, rabbits, peach and apple orchards, asparagus and strawberry fields – to name just a few). Tourists will be able to tour the banks of the Dniester on bikes, that can be rented on the spot. Cooking workshops can also be organized - biscuits, pies, dumplings and sarmale (which are different from those in the north or center of Moldova).
The guesthouse has also arranged a gazebo for fishing on the Dniester.
At this bed & breakfast, guests can enjoy traditional meals from the region: rabbit, fish and duck dishes. Obviously, traditional southern food is always available: chickpeas, zeama (chicken soup), placinte (sweet and savoury stuffed flat bread) and sour cherry dumplings.
Along with the “Et Cetera” winery, “Casa Veche” is now part of the tourist hub in the south of the country, both destinations being included on the Ștefan Vodă wine tourism route.
Hotel
* Rooms SGL/DBL/TRPL: 6
* Opening hours: based on reservations
Restaurant
* Type of cuisine: National
* Restaurant halls: 2
* Total seats: <60
* Outdoor seating: yes
* Opening hours: based on reservations
* Planned special events: Christmas, New Year, Easter.
Rural experience
* Guided tours, master-classes, cooking lessons, gardening, milking animals, fishing, private parties and special events.
* Tours available in Romanian, Russian.
Amenities and other services
not available
* bike rental
Offer | Min pax in group | Standard price | |
---|---|---|---|
SGL roomStandard room, bed and breakfast, single occupancy Check in: 14.00 / Check out:12:00 Lunch/dinner will be ordered on the spot, in the restaurant by the guesthouse. Extrabed - 15 EUR |
1 |
55€standard price |
Book now |
DBL roomStandard room, bed and breakfast, double occupancy Check in: 14.00 / Check out:12:00 Lunch/dinner will be ordered on the spot, in the restaurant by the guesthouse. Extrabed - 15 EUR |
2 |
62€standard price |
Book now |
TRPL roomStandard room, bed and breakfast, 3 pax occupancy Check in: 14.00 / Check out:12:00 Lunch/dinner will be ordered on the spot, in the restaurant by the guesthouse. Extrabed - 15 EUR |
3 |
66€standard price |
Book now |
SGL room
Standard room, bed and breakfast, single occupancy Check in: 14.00 / Check out:12:00 Lunch/dinner will be ordered on the spot, in the restaurant by the guesthouse. Extrabed - 15 EUR
1
55€ standard price
DBL room
Standard room, bed and breakfast, double occupancy Check in: 14.00 / Check out:12:00 Lunch/dinner will be ordered on the spot, in the restaurant by the guesthouse. Extrabed - 15 EUR
2
62€ standard price
TRPL room
Standard room, bed and breakfast, 3 pax occupancy Check in: 14.00 / Check out:12:00 Lunch/dinner will be ordered on the spot, in the restaurant by the guesthouse. Extrabed - 15 EUR