We must admit that, when learning about the Croatian mountain lodge, our thoughts wandered to Vlad the Impaler. Then we remembered that happened in Transylvania, not Croatia. Besides a civil war twenty-some years ago, Croatia is much safer. And not quite as intimidating.
But just as we’re getting our confidence back we learn that this is called Black Lodge. Yeah, nothing sinister-sounding about that.
The compact mountain lodge sits high atop nature, overlooking forests and mountains and other scary night stuff. It was designed by architect Tomislav Soldo with expansive windows to take advantage of the view. The exterior is composed of Siberian larch cladding painted with black tar. Larch is timber. Black tar is intimidation overkill, but maybe it’s just our fear of forests and mountains and solitude talking. Others live for that stuff. Shutters shut out the night and whatever’s looking in.
The interior is light and modern and charming and so not black tar. Or Black Lodge. It features an open layout with white walls, soaring ceilings, light wooden flooring, a contemporary kitchen, wood-burning fireplace and soothing lighting. The bedroom is at mezzanine level, like a yuppie dorm, or at least the kind in the movies.
The interior teaches us not to judge a house by its cover. Or its Croatian mountaintop location. There are no vampires roaming the lonely woods here. Just a warm and comforting little black lodge that commands its mountain and offers tranquil views of nature. Now settle down.