There are places so magical that they can engage in a conversation with you. The beautiful Ottmanngut is one of those places. Ottmanngut is located in the spa town of Merano, in the region of Northern Italy called Südtirol, and its history dates back to 1290. We had the pleasure of speaking with its owner, Martin Kirchlechner, whose family has owned the house for generations.

Why did you decide to open a bed and breakfast?

I did not actually decide to open it. We simply decided to renovate the family house. At the time, my grandmother was 82 years old and could not manage the house by herself anymore. Our original plan was to renovate the house and then hire someone to take care of it. However, the renovations took almost two years instead of the planned six months, during which we became intimately acquainted with every inch of the house. After putting in so much effort, I couldn’t just hand it over to someone else. This is how my dream of having a bed and breakfast came true.

What was the most challenging element of the renovation?

The house had not been touched since the 1950s or 1960s, and like many other houses from this era, there had been work done that wasn’t particularly good. Our main focus was on revitalizing the house and restoring some of the original features. We discovered the old wooden floors beneath the linoleum and opened the entrance from the breakfast room to the orangery. At the same time, we wanted to modernize the house a little bit, as before our renovation there was only one bathroom per floor and no heating. Right from the beginning, my father knew exactly where he wanted to place the family furniture and hang paintings, so we didn’t really cooperate with any designers or architects.

What sets Ottmanngut apart?

I believe, one of the significant differences is that Ottmanngut is our family house – it always has been and still is. As a result, the interior features antique family furniture. Our family is constantly somewhere nearby, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring everything is to our liking and that we feel comfortable and at home here. Many of our guests share that they sense this atmosphere, feeling as though they are entering a welcoming family house.

If you had to choose, what is your favorite aspect of the house?

Without a doubt: our breakfast. Since 2014, we have taken a unique approach to our breakfast offerings. We create a three-course breakfast menu that changes daily, and we bring it directly to your table. This approach gives us the opportunity to stay true to ourselves, using almost only seasonal ingredients, sourced from mostly organic farmers in the area. It also allows us to reduce food waste to a minimum. Moreover, it provides us with the freedom to experiment and be creative.

Can happiness be found in a weekend getaway that feels like home?

Absolutely! We often emphasize the feeling of being at home. However, it shouldn’t replicate one’s own home, where the laundry basket is full and the dishwasher is waiting to be put in order. But it should have a warm and inviting ambience of a home.

How would you characterise your guests?

For the most part, our guests understand what it means to run a house in the manner we do. They treat everything and everyone with respect. Yet, the most delightful moments occur when guests arrive, and an immediate connection is established. It's like being on the same page right from the start.

When choosing a place for your own travels, what matters most to you?

Several things need to align for that overall feeling. I consider the sourcing of food, how it is produced and where it comes from. I check if the place seems to have cozy spots to read and relax. As well as getting to know, who my hosts are. Also, I am interested in how they treat the environment.

What is the one thing that you want your guests to leave with?

I hope that they leave with this ultimate feeling – the one you have after spending a great evening with interesting people, sharing delicious food and good drinks. When you’ve had great conversations, and it leaves you with a blend of happiness, tranquility, and newfound knowledge.

Ottmanngut is… an authentic place that allowed us to be ourselves, we don’t change for our guests. We embrace ourselves.

Upon entering, what is the most likely sight or scent you will see or smell…

You are likely to spot one of our three turtles and catch the aroma of lemon blossoms.

When in Merano, you can’t miss… the panoramic Tappeinerweg walking path above the town, slow strolls along the river promenades and a dining experience at restaurant Meteo. Exploring the Steinachviertel, the old historic town center, is also a must.

Andrea Juckem is a writer and co-creator of the bi-lingual online magazine NIKA (which means niche in English). She has always been attracted to people's stories and communication but it was not until recently that she decided to put it all in words that have an impact: Andrea now uses her (Czech and English) writing to express emotions and share meaningful thoughts and stories.

It has been a year now since my family and I relocated to Wales. Apart from a few holidays as a child, this country was unknown to us before we moved.

Throughout our first year we have spent time getting to know the local area, which has been encouraged by our regular drive to my daughters school, 9 miles from our home.

Being our first owned home we’ve also been on the lookout for thrifted household items to upcycle and add some character to our new home. Facebook Marketplace has been our friend this past year.

But aside from finding some beautiful second hand pieces of furniture, my expeditions to locate the properties where these items are located have sometimes been challenging and eye opening to say the least.

I have been taken down dirt tracks, up very steep and narrow one lane roads, along the edges of high up hills and through some questionably sized puddles that verged more on the side of small ponds.

Some of this has been partly my own choosing, some have been unavoidable to reach the villages of where these must have items are located and some have been by mistake. Word of warning, if you ever find yourself driving in Wales using a satnav, always check out the route before just opting to follow the shortest route available (it will usually find a very off course track to take you there).

But whilst my driving expeditions to find items to fill my home have been a highly amusing topic of conversation at dinner time for our family, they have also given me a profound insight into life itself and provide an ideal representation of what it feels like to take an alternative path in life, something I know a lot about.

For most of my life it’s felt as if most of my choices and opinions have gone against the grain of general society. From our parenting choices, choosing an alternative form of education for our children, our diet and lifestyle choices and now even in my business.

I wouldn’t say I purposely choose to ignore societal norms, I just simply chose to find alternative choices that at their core make me feel good, that align with my inner values and desires.

But this hasn’t always been an easy road.

Plagued with doubt, fear and insecurities about the path itself and my ability to navigate the path. Like the backroads I’ve been driving along here in Wales, there have been times when I’ve wanted to turn back. Is this furniture really worth it, I’ve asked myself. Do I have the driving skills needed to make it down this road? Were all the same questions I asked in doubt whilst driving along my alternative life path.

But even though these roads can sometimes be thrilling, sometimes terrifying, what is always certain is the breathtaking scenery I encounter along the journey.

The spectacular panoramic views, the hidden gems of nature which seem only visible to those willing to find them. I’ve seen babbling brocks, gushing waterfalls and hills that seem to roll for miles, usually without anyone else in the world present, except sometimes my daughters.

What I’ve come to learn about these roads in Wales and it is true as well in life, is that the backroads are quiet, they are only for the ones daring enough to look for an alternative route. For those willing to question whether there is another road they can take.

They aren’t for the faint of heart. You don’t always know what the road ahead will uncover, a sharp turn, a steep hill or a beautiful clear track. You just have to trust in yourself as you drive the road.

You have to be willing to go off the main road every once in a while, to forgo the standard route if you want to experience the beauty that comes with the alternative path.

This is true in relationships, in business, in any aspect of life. Choosing to follow the path of your heart, the path your soul wants and knows you should follow. Sounds like something that should be easy but quite often it’s the rockiest path you’ll ever go down.

Like the Buddha transcending on his journey to enlightenment, he was faced with his own inner demons, his limiting beliefs, his doubt and fears. He was presented with a choice each and every time, do I turn back or move forward?

And although it may seem that following your soul's path can feel lonely sometimes, what I’ve actually found over the years, is the stronger my own inner belief has become. The belief that taking an alternative route isn’t only right for me but can actually lead me where I want to go faster and yield a more exciting and abundant journey along the way. The more I have attracted, into my reality, stories of others who have done the same and very successfully.

They have felt like that comforting sign post you see when you’ve been travelling down a bumpy unmarked road for a while, wondering whether you made the right turn. That sign that reassures you that your intended destination is not far away, that all this time and through all the doubt and fear you have always been travelling on the path your soul intended you to. You aren’t lost but instead found.

Following a soul led life path doesn’t mean you always travel the backroads. I still use the motorways on the road and in life. But don’t be afraid to take the backroads when you feel called to.

Although it may seem scary at first, that inner calling is never wrong and the more you take the leap of faith the stronger your belief comes in trusting your inner voice and guidance.

Josephine Snowling is a writer, teacher and entrepreneur who shares her own personal truth, understanding and insight of how this reality works and how you can learn to come home to yourself so that you may consciously manifest the life you desire.

Images via Unsplash

HEITER SPOT: Ottmanngut – a place so beautiful that it will carry a conversation with you

What is it like to take an alternative path in life?