On my visits around the country, when I had to cover Transylvania and Moldova in the same road, I used to go to Transylvania first, then to Moldova via the Bicaz Gorge. I like the area, although it is a bit crowded in summer, but the grandeur of the Bicaz Gorge manages to impress me every time. On the way out of Gheorgheni I noticed, on the right side as you walk towards the Red Lake, 7 wooden houses in a pleasant and restful green space. It seemed to me to be a good place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Once I even stopped to find out more, the advertisement on the road presenting the place as Pension 7 Flowers. I couldn't find anyone, just a contact phone number and as I was in a hurry, I left it for another time.
Some time ago we were media partners of a event organised by Naturalpaint Gheorgheni. And so the opportunity arose to stay at the 7 Flowers guesthouse. We hoped to have some time to enjoy the quietness offered by its location outside the city. There was no time for lazing around, but we could still enjoy evenings spent by the fireplace and mornings with milky light and "deafening" silence broken from time to time by the cows' cows' tickling or dogs' barking, heard only as a whisper from afar.
Pension 7 Flowers, a place for those who love tranquility, independence and friendly rustic
To check in at 7 Flowers you have to call first. You will be answered by Zsuzsanna, a kind and discreet hostess, who will tell you about the accommodation possibilities, welcome you if you decide to stay, and leave once she has introduced you to the place and you have settled in, but not before telling you that you can call her at any time. Because here you have everything you need and you can manage on your own. Whether it's the room or the apartment, you have a kitchen so you can prepare your own meals with total independence. And you don't have to carry "wagons" of food from home, because you have a supermarket within a 5-minute drive.
The 7 flowers are actually 7 wooden houses named after wild flowers - Gentian, Cow's Buttercup, Bulbous, Borage, Soft Grass, Poplar Beard or Midnight. Four of them have 2 apartments, in mirror image, with a common hallway with fireplace, and the other 3 houses have 3 rooms with private bathrooms and a generous common living room with long table and wooden peasant chairs, fireplace and American kitchen (open, in the same space as the living room). The apartments have a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room with exit to the terrace. They can be occupied by 1, 2, 3 or 4 people, with a sofa bed in the living room.
The 3-bedroom houses - 3 in number - are suitable for a getaway with friends. Entrance to the rooms is from a spacious shared hallway, not directly from the living room. So if some decide to continue the party in the living room, others can sleep peacefully in their rooms without being disturbed. The living room has a generous dining table and fireplace, with large windows and exit to the terrace. From the terrace - where you have a table and a peasant bench - you can see the natural and wild surroundings, seemingly untouched by the sprawl of progress. Yet in every cottage there is internet access, TV, hot and cold running water, heating, electric cooker. It's a rustic space with the improvements of civilisation, so you can enjoy the wood, the smell of freshly mown grass and the smell of wood fires without sacrificing the benefits of modern life. It's what I - a city-born buccaneer, but with childhood and holidays spent in the country, who knows what a straw mattress, gas lamp and the smell of lime and fresh clay mean - call rustic friendly. 😊
Two days where we only regretted not having time to stay longer
Unfortunately for us, the time we spent at 7 Flowers Guesthouse was very short. We arrived in Gheorgheni with a lot of work to do in the 2 days of the workshop, but we could still enjoy a pălinca on the terrace, the fireplace and the perfectly quiet mornings. From the living room where we slept we had access to the terrace through double glass doors. The terrace is high, so there is no possibility of field animals entering the house. In the morning I woke up to a milky light. It was the first really cold days since early October, and the mornings were foggy. I went out on the terrace and in the distance, in the hills, I could hear cows baying and dogs barking. That's all! It was unreal beautiful, with clouds of mist beginning to rise and sunlight streaming through. How I wished I could wake up a few more mornings like this!
The cold weather gave us the opportunity to enjoy the fireplace. A very interesting one, pellet-fired, connected to the thermostat. When it was burning brightly it had a flickering flame and a sparkling trumpet of sparks, and when the desired temperature was reached, the fire almost disappeared. But all you had to do was open the door to the terrace 2-3 times and the fire reappeared and with it, the magic sparks.
The place is neat and I was very surprised to learn that it has been in operation for 11 years. I found out that the owners have as their main business building wooden houses so everything is well maintained and repaired immediately when needed. In addition, the owners are among those who prefer environmentally friendly wood finishing options and selectively recycle. You'll find a written request in the kitchen to separate household scraps from other waste. Household waste is composted and used as a natural fertiliser.
Area Attractions
Indeed, it's a place to drive to. Otherwise, it's difficult to get around and have a stay without deprivation, at least from my point of view. The car will, however, also help you get to Red Lake, just 26 km away. It is a natural dam lake, also known as Ghilcoș Lake, formed in 1837 at the foot of the Hășmașul Mare Mountain, near the Bicaz Gorge. It was formed by the displacement of a clay mass on the north-western slope of Mount Ghilcoș. Soon after the valley was filled in, the fir forest was flooded and the trees petrified, giving a unique picture. The surrounding area has a pleasant climate, with an average annual temperature of 8°C, above the average of 6°C for intramontane depressions. The valley is sheltered from winds, the air is clean and rich in natural aerosols, and the surroundings offer excellent conditions for rapid natural regeneration.
Another attraction is the Șugău Cave. It is located in the Giurgeului Mountains, being developed in a lens of crystalline limestone with dolomitic intrusions, with a layer of 10 km long, 2 km wide and height that can exceed 200 m in some places. The cave is 1021 m long and can be visited from Gheorgheni on the DN 12 or from Voșlobeni commune.
You can easily reach the Bicaz Gorge or visit the town of Miercurea Ciuc, just 56 km away. Or you can use the days just to rest or have fun with friends, as I have been meaning to do soon.
If you get to the 7 Flowers guesthouse, let me know! I'd love to hear your impressions.
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It looks nice, but it's very close to the DN12...