Discover the Heart of Germany: Experience Life in a Charming Single-Family Home near Cologne, Surrounded by Castles, Palaces, and Scenic Rivers!
Translated from Deutsch
House • Gummersbach Germany
6 Guests
4 Bedrooms
5 Beds
2 Bathrooms
2 Car spaces
Primary home
Exchange types accepted
Simultaneous
Non-Simultaneous
Non-Reciprocal & Globe
Hospitality
Statistics
Listed January 2019
Views 10672
General overview
This member has chosen to hide this section from Non-Premium members.
Features
Washer
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Coffee machine
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
Air conditioning
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
First aid kit
Wheelchair accessible
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Fireplace
Home cinema
Toys
Gym
Sauna
BBQ
Pool
Hot tub
Balcony
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Kosher home
Meat-free kitchen
Gated community
EV Home Charger
Bikes
Camping gear
Kayak
Tennis court
Standup paddleboard
Travel Styles
Long term
Weekend
Adventure
Family
Relaxing
City
Village
Water
Culture
Hiking
Cycling
Accessibility
Accessible stairways
House rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Allergens
Cat free
Dog free
Smoke free
Low allergen
Dates of Availability
This member has chosen to hide this section from Non-Premium members.
Neighbourhood
Our house is on a hill near a large forest area. The immediate neighborhood is very quiet. There are 3 supermarkets very close by (10 minutes walk and maybe 3 or 4 minutes by car). We also have a bus stop and train station very close by.
Just a 6-minute walk away is the great restaurant "Mühlenhelle" - an excellent gourmet restaurant - and many other restaurants that you can reach by car in Gummersbach (8-10 minutes away).
You must have seen this video:
https://youtu.be/K7fRIESb5SA
In the neighborhood (everything around us that you can reach in about 15-20 minutes and under):
- Nature playground and a huge forest for walking and cycling
- Movie theater
- Shopping mall
- Railway Museum (5 minutes away)
- Wildlife park and pony rides
- Stalactite cave
- locks (many)
- Dams (to go swimming)
- Swimming center
-Zoo
- an old brewery
- hiking trails
- Bike lanes (also a bike lane)
- Open-air museum
- several golf courses ( http://www.gc-luederich.de/ )
(http://www.gc-schloss-auel.de/golfanlage)
(http://www.golfcluboberberg.de/)
- Skatepark Wiehl (10 minutes by car)
A little more drive to go:
- Skihalle Neuss (skiing) (http://www.allrounder.de/) (50 minutes by car)
- Bouldering Hall Wuppertal ( http://bouldercafe-wuppertal.de/boulderhalle/ ) (50
minutes by car)
This exchange was originally planned for the summer of COVID. While we were all disappointed to cancel, we stayed in communication for 3 years and made it happen! The home is very nice and welcoming, with a stunning view. It is nicely located for trips to Koln, the Rhine, Amsterdam, and more. We appreciated the thorough home manual with many suggestions for fun things to do in the area - many of which we enjoyed. The hens were also fun to feed and care for - we miss seeing them every day. Communication before, during, and after was great. Hopefully our paths cross with the Dissman family in the future.
Denise’s house and inviting hospitality caught my attention from a post on Facebook and l kept thinking of both. Denise is as warm as she sounds, generously preparing their house for us despite of her birthday celebration and packing of the whole family. The house is perfect 🤩 and with a wonderful location. We felt so much at home ❤️ We enjoyed taking care of the chickens, drinking great coffee at the terrace while taking in the view and exploring the area. Thank you for letting us stay, we look forward to welcoming you in Denmark.
Magical! That's the best way I can describe this exchange as well as this family in one word. This is what home exchange is all about...here are all the reasons:
1. It started when another exchange of ours cancelled. I had carefully researched that one to find a place where we could have some very low-key, relaxed family time while one of us recovered from a medical procedure. We had guests staying at our place and had to figure something out. The fairly last minute cancellation was one day before Denise posted on PLU offering her home as a hospitality stay for someone who wanted to care for their chickens. Perfect! So generous and the timing was meant to be!
2. It was terrible weather in Europe and it rained every day. And this exchange was so lovely, it didn't even matter! The Dissman home is so warm. We loved their chickens. There are gigantic windows (the photos don't even do it justice) with gorgeous views of the hills. Their wood burning stove is so very cozy. They have board games and a poker set that we ended up playing daily, the best walk in shower, an awesome bean-to-cup coffee machine, and a huge Samsung the Frame TV. There was nothing more we could have wanted.
3. Every wall is filled with beautiful things, especially Denise's own paintings. Truly, it felt like every inch of this place was oozing with the life and love of this family. We didn't meet in person and yet by the end, they felt like good (old) friends and I know when we meet it will feel like a reunion.
4. Their town of Gummersbach has never been on our radar and I can't imagine we would have ever had the opportunity to go there without Denise's suggestion. This exchange gave us the chance to explore a region that is so pretty in fall and is so close to so many cities (Cologne, Bonn, Dusseldorf, etc), but really nice on its own also. Frank even got us tickets to a handball match that was so exciting, we were screaming in the stands. Pretty sure we were the only tourists in Gummersbach that weekend - not many other ways that one can experience this without exchanging.
5. Denise has put together the most comprehensive and insightful home manual I have ever seen, and I say this after 20+ years of home exchanging... It has about 50 pages of EVERYTHING you could want - restaurants, activities, detailed day trips, city favorites, shops, German ways of living - there was nothing she didn't help us with. There was even a comprehensive guide to home exchanging and a huge promo for PLU in case they have guests who aren't on the site yet :)
I am probably taking up all the space on the PLU reviews page so will round this off, even though there is so much more I can say. But the last point is that Denise, Frank and their kids are some of the warmest and kindest people we have met and we are so grateful to have stayed here! If you get the chance to go there, take it!
Such a fantastic house and location!!! Can highly recommend. Denise and Frank are such kind people. I was able to learn so many helpful tips to do in my own home. Their PLU handbook was awesome.
Hope to meet Denise , Frank and family again in the future!!
Thank you very much for the opportunity to have our first home exchange experience with you. We felt welcome and really comfortable. The view from the living room over the valley is unique and we fell in love with the area. Thank you also for the lovely communication, so that we always had the feeling that we could get in touch without "disturbing" you on your journey. Those were really great Easters that we will remember for a long time. <3
We were the lucky ones to be able to use Denise and Frank's place in Gummersbach. The house is perfect for couples and families. The view from the house (into the valley) is magnificent.
Until now we have not met live, but that surely change in the future.
Communication with Denise was easy going and warm hearted.
We felt very welcome and it was fun to take care of the hens.
Denise does the most possible for you to make your stay perfect.
We can highly recommend them to exchange with.
Thanks again Denise and Frank.
Thank you so much Ruud and Marloes! The hens already miss you ❤️! We hope to meet you in the future!!
Denise, Frank, and their boys took great care of our home, and our 2 kitties. We returned to a clean and tidy home. Denise went above and beyond and washed all of the sheets and Frank mowed our lawn. We would not hesitate to have them in our home again.
Mike and I are so happy we shared our home with the Dissman family! (Denise, Frank, Eli, Milo and Toni) They were the perfect guests, leaving it spotless and ready for our return. Communication was easy and we would welcome them back anytime.
What was the absolute best was our being able to meet them in person! That doesn't always happen due to schedules but it felt like the perfect way to end a PLU stay and we now feel like we can call them our friends from Germany!
Dear Denise and family, it was a pleasure to meet you and share our beach house with you. You have a wonderful family with 3 fabulous boys, curios, adventurous and very polite. I am impressed at what experienced travelers you are, each person only one small carry on suitcase, that is hardcore 💪🏻. I am happy to have facilitated your family trip to NYC, the fabulous, busy, artsy, inspiring and exhausting metropolis that it is. The contrast to the beach could not be more extreme and interesting. We hope our paths will cross again and welcome you back anytime, safe travels and stay adventurous, your family is an inspiration , Astrid
Everything was great. The house was left neat and spotlessly clean. Very nice contact - gladly again.
Dear Katherine, Jerry, Milo, and Henry,
Thank you so much for allowing us to be guests in your home. We had a wonderful time in Chicago, and thanks to you, we got to know and enjoy a quieter suburb. We had all wanted to make this exchange happen for so long, but COVID kept us from doing so for a long time. We stayed in touch the entire time and held on to each other—how nice. We already miss your two sweet cats, Luna and Niko. During our stay with you, we enjoyed jogging on Prairiefad, visiting the car show in Lombard, exploring the many nearby playgrounds, and taking day trips to Chicago by car or train.
Chicago is a stunning city and we felt in love immediately! We sure hope to come back one day!
It was lovely to meet you in person just before your departure, and thank you for your beautiful and generous welcome gift, which will always serve as a tangible memory and have a special place in our home. Thank you for always being there to help us with any questions! We wish you many wonderful moments with your kids and many beautiful travels!
Warm regards,
Your friends from Germany,
Frank, Denise, Levi, Milo, and Toni
Katherine and Jerry, along with their two sons Henry and Milo, were guests in our home while we spent our time at their home near Chicago. They took good care of our home and our chickens during their stay. We hope they enjoyed their time here as much as we did. Our home means a lot to us, and we are delighted when others can create beautiful memories here. Communication with them was always friendly, and we are grateful to call them our friends.
Dear friends, you are always welcome in our home! We wish you nothing but the best for the future!
We had the pleasure of staying at Eileen and Mike’s apartment for 5 days! Communication with Eileen was warm and easy from the start. We spent 5 wonderful days in their home. The apartment is very well equipped with everything you need!
It is beautifully located – first-rate! With views of the Chicago River, Lake Michigan, and Navy Pier, we even enjoyed the fireworks from the living room. Eileen was always available and provided us with great and valuable tips to explore the surroundings. We especially enjoyed the coffee at the nearby Paris Baguette.
Thanks to the central location, we could explore the city entirely on foot and return in the evenings to Eileen and Mike’s lovely apartment, where we couldn’t get enough of the breathtaking view! On our last day, we had the pleasure of meeting them in person, which was a great joy. Thank you for your hospitality, Eileen and Mike! We hopefully can return one day!
Mike and I are so happy that the Dissman family (Denise, Frank, Eli, Milo and Toni) enjoyed Chicago and our home! They were the perfect guests, leaving it spotless and ready for our return. Communication was easy and we would welcome them back anytime.
What was the absolute best was our being able to meet them in person! That doesn't always happen due to schedules but it felt like the perfect way to end a PLU stay and we now feel like we can call them our friends from Germany!
"Hosting Trine and her family was an absolute delight! From the moment we connected, communication was friendly and effortless. They treated our home with such care and even took wonderful care of our chickens, leaving everything in impeccable condition. We highly recommend swapping with this lovely family and hope to meet them in person someday. Our experience couldn't have been better, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share our home with such fantastic guests!" We wish them all the best for the future!!
Dear Jessika, dear Drew, dear boys! What a shame that we haven't been able to meet in person yet. And despite everything, you have become good friends to us. How wonderful is that? This is the real home swap feeling! Open your doors, open your heart! And wonderful things happen. Jessika and her family spent a few days in our home. It was an exchange of hospitality. Contact was always friendly and quick and the family took good care of our chickens and our home. We really hope that we can meet in person in the future and can recommend an exchange with this great family to everyone! Thank you for really everything!
We cannot thank Barbara and her wonderful friend Mary enough. They took wonderful care of our home while we were away, taking good care of the plants, lovingly caring for our chickens and doing way more than we could have ever expected. Unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to meet in person, but we're happy to catch up. We did have a really fun and memorable exchange over messages though. We can definitely recommend Barbara and Mary as guests and wish them all the best for the future!
Dear Denise and Frank,
We thoroughly enjoyed your home and location and still laugh at our WhatsApp exchanges with all our “how to operate” instructions.
Thank you again for this generous Hospitality exchange and remember you are always welcome to stay at Mary’s house in Texas or my home in California. I hope there will another PLU lunch meetup in the future so we can fly over and meet you all.
Kind regards,
Barbara
Dear Annika, dear Martin! Thank you for being our guests!
Annika and Martin gained their first home exchange experience with us. They were wonderful guests, looking after our home and our chickens. Communication was always friendly, quick and easy. When we came back from our trip, our house was in pristine condition! We can recommend an exchange with Annika and Martin with a very clear conscience and wish them both all the best for their future!
Dear Astrid, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the opportunity to spend a very special time for us as a family in your beautiful beach house. It has always been a great wish for us as a family to travel to NY together - and you made it possible for us. The Beachhouse is in a fantastic location about 1 hour from Manhattan. We really enjoyed feeling the tranquility at the Beachhouse in the evening after a day in the city. We definitely could have spent a lot more time there. Astrid is a wonderful person and a great hostess. We could reach her at any time and she helped us with great tips. The house is very tastefully furnished and has everything you need. We loved the proximity to the water and the walks on the beach that came with it. We wish Astrid and her family all the best for the future and thank them from the bottom of our hearts for this opportunity!
Dear Denise and family, it was a pleasure to meet you and share our beach house with you. You have a wonderful family with 3 fabulous boys, curios, adventurous and very polite. I am impressed at what experienced travelers you are, each person only one small carry on suitcase, that is hardcore 💪🏻. I am happy to have facilitated your family trip to NYC, the fabulous, busy, artsy, inspiring and exhausting metropolis that it is. The contrast to the beach could not be more extreme and interesting. We hope our paths will cross again and welcome you back anytime, safe travels and stay adventurous, your family is an inspiration , Astrid
We had Ruud and Marloes at our home while visiting Greece. Our home was in perfect condition upon our return. They also took wonderful care of our chickens and tended to our plants. We are infinitely grateful to them! The contact before and during our trip was always friendly and uncomplicated. Unfortunately we haven't been able to get to know them personally, but we hope to be able to do so in the future. We can recommend an exchange with the two without reservations.
Thanks for everything Ruud and Marloes!
We had a wonderful long Weekend in Adelsheim. Dagmar and Mirko have a wonderful Home and we really enjoyed our Time there. The House is clean, and has a modern Style. Our Kids enjoyed the Toys and swimming in the Pond, which is a big Highlight. We felt welcome from the first Minute of our Stay and had a very good Communication with Dagmar and Mirko all the Time. We really recommend a Swap with this nice Family!
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