This history dates back to 1890 when a school was built in Stara Wieś. Nobody was surprised by it back then, it was the usual thing: the adults were happy, the kids not really. Certainly, no one was as impressed as we were when almost 120 years later we explored this part of Masuria and rubbed our eyes with surprise that in the east of Poland we found a geographical hybrid of the Bieszczady and Low Beskids. We decided to stay here.
If someone asked us about the speciality of the establishment, it would probably be a kitchen, full of local ingredients, inspired by culinary expeditions and the knowledge of our daughter Ola, obtained in France. We would mention active life on the Dylewskie Hills, full of adventures not only in summer but also in winter. At the end, we would add that we are trying to be fair towards the people who work with us and local farmers from whom we buy local goods.
Stara Szkoła is a place for greedy, good people. Those who eat a handful of grapes, laugh out loud at long dinners, are curious about their human lives, care for others, ask if there are more buns and want to go hiking in the same place and swim in the lake. And then they can talk about it for a long time. We listen with curiosity ...
The Old School is a well-preserved pension. We used its potential by giving guests 5 unique bedrooms. The following rooms are available: Żeglarski, Ptasi, Szkolny, Zielnik, Rycerski. Each of them has its own bathroom. The rooms are double rooms, although most allow for 2 + 1 settings. Two rooms have annexes for a child.
We spend our time in a large classroom, which for the needs of the guesthouse received a beautiful, large table ordered from a local carpenter and became a dining room.
Cool evenings end with a fireplace and a movie screening, and the selection is three-digit.
The Old School stands in the kitchen. The tastes are different, probably the closest to us to the French countryside, but not only. We travel a lot in terms of food. We taste, test, and then enter it into the menu. Just like this year, linseed wafers. Swedish or more Scandinavian trends have opened our eyes to local fish, widely underestimated or even avoided, such as bream, tench, crucian. Stays in London in Israeli restaurants inspired us to try local lamb dishes. However, several workshops with prof. Łukasz Łuczaj gave us knowledge about wild edible plants (cabbage rolls in coltsfoot leaves, scrambled eggs with yarrow, sorrel cream soup, nettle, plantain, tansy cakes, etc.)
All this is part of the unpredictable menu in our home, which is made of what is currently available, mature and the best.
Every day we serve breakfasts included in the price, dinners on request.
The Dylewo Hills should be distinguished as a separate natural wonder. Spring and summer are unique here, fall is stunning, and we like winter the most. We focus on recreational sports, but we have a sporting spirit, especially when it comes to cross-country skiing. Jacek is a PZN ski instructor, one of the few Worldloppet Masters in Poland, and soon probably the second Global, that is someone who has run all 20 most important ski marathons in the world. Including the famous Vasaloppet at 90 km, the murderous Birkebeiner in Norway with a 17 km ascent at the beginning of the 54 km route, or the exotic Kangoroo Hoppet in Australia.
In summer, we canoe, in particular, we recommend the Elbląg Canal with its ramps and locks, unique on a global scale.
Next to it is also Grunwald with its fields and the reconstruction of the battle and one of the best ethnographic open-air museums in Poland in Olsztynek.
So:
- we have probably 30 sets and there is a place to run and from whom to learn
- the neighborhood is teeming with history - take a walk along the trail of Prussian habitats and pre-war cemeteries, during the evening sessions we go back in time and tell local legends, such as the one about the French lake ...
- Góra Dylewska is the queen of our area. You don't have to be a professional hiker and the views are amazing.
-We spend hot days by the lake or canoeing
-We earn kilometers discovering new and new bicycle routes
- We visit Irena Eris Spa for massages and swimming pools.
But if you don't want to, you don't need anything. There are hammocks in the garden and lemonade on the terrace. The winters are extremely harsh here, so we invite you to tea with electricity in front of the fireplace.
What’s there for children?
We have a playground. In addition, two tree houses connected by a secured gangway, a swing, sandbox and slides.
For older children, we have 4 bikes (including one hybrid), five hammocks and 31 pairs of cross-country skis with boots, roller skis and a snowmobile for skiing.
What’s there for employees?
School classrooms have a positive connotation for many people, but after the renovation of our building, working in our cozy spaces no longer resembles a daily duty. In the common area there is a large table for 6-8 people and two smaller tables for two. On the veranda it is possible to set up to 6 tables exactly for the needs of our working guests. In this part, the hosts can also provide silence, which is why it is an ideal place for meetings or online conferences (there is a router installed here).
Each room has a work table.
