Cottage Comfort at the Marta Guesthouse, a Unique Tallinn Hotel

I knew long before Evgeny lit the fireplace in our room that the Marta Guesthouse was a unique Tallinn hotel. On their website, you can find plenty to suggest that this is not your typical hotel stay. It wasn’t until getting to know the owners and how the Marta Guesthouse came to be, did I realize just how special this unique Tallinn hotel really is.

Unique Beginnings

Sitting in the brand-new Marta Guesthouse Café, owner and daydreamer Mai-Liis is beaming. She is excited to share how her unique Tallinn hotel came to be, and rightfully so. You see the Marta Guesthouse was never intended to become the charming character home it is today, at least not without a saviour. “It’s as if the home wanted to be saved,” she says after explaining the chain of events leading her to own the property outright. The small home was once carved up into several apartments. Mai-Liis bought one with the vision of owning all the units and turning it into a guesthouse. With a mix of drunks, shut-ins, and a crazy cat lady in the attic, this dream appeared to be just that. Not one to give up, Mai-Liis persevered. After years of inquiring one tenant finally sold. With the property falling apart and no one willing to fix it, the rest followed suit with the last sale closing in 2008. This meant Mai-Liis was able to secure finances before (like minutes) the financial crash and before it was too late. Talk about timing.

The small home was once carved up into several apartments. Mai-Liis bought one with the vision of owning all the units and turning it into a guesthouse. With a mix of drunks, shut-ins, and a crazy cat lady in the attic, this dream appeared to be just that. Not one to give up, Mai-Liis persevered. After years of inquiring one tenant finally sold. With the property falling apart and no one willing to fix it, the rest followed suit with the last sale closing in 2008. This meant Mai-Liis was able to secure finances before (like minutes) the financial crash and before it was too late. Talk about timing.

Bringing the Country to the City

Mai-Liis’s dream for restoring this rundown traditional home began in the country. She recalled summers spent at her grandmother’s in southern Estonia and thought, why not here? This began years of restoration and hard work.

Now I have met a few people on my travels that have followed this path but I can say none have been as dedicated and determined as Mai-Liis. Not only did she wait out her neighbours, but she also went back to school to study culture and restoration and with a little help and support from her friend, she truly made this dream a reality.

This commitment is pretty incredible… and it shows

Cottage Living

Today, this very unique Tallinn hotel consists of 5 rooms + 2 chambers that range from rustic to cosy attic hideouts. The Marta Guesthouse is the type of unique Tallinn hotel that makes you want to stay in and curl up by the fire with the book… or write one.

Throughout the Marta Guesthouse, you will find rooms that pay homage to some of the gifted guests that have stayed there. There is a Philosopher’s Room and a Musician’s Room named after former guests. There is also a Writer’s Room where a German author spent weeks while he finished a book. It’s also the room I got to stay in so hopefully some of that creativity rubs off!

Mai-Liis’s culture and restoration studies have paid off. This unique Tallinn hotel is packed with warm charm with plenty of evidence from the character home’s past. Original windows, wood-burning stoves, and tattered wallpaper blend seamlessly with modern comforts. The Marta Guesthouse is truly an inviting gem with staff that make you feel cosy and at home. When he wasn’t repairing a room, or baking a cake, the always smiling Evgeny was there to help out with directions and suggestions. Somehow his broken English made this unique Tallinn hotel that much more perfect.

In the city

Of course, if you want to enjoy the laid-back cottage life that is the Marta Guesthouse, you are free to do so. Otherwise, the old town is only a short three tram stops away making this unique Tallinn hotel the perfect blend of both worlds.

What say you?
Thoughts on this Unique Tallinn Hotel?
Let’s hear it!

For more reviews from Europe and beyond see HERE.

— The Marta Guesthouse on Facebook —

Although I was provided a complimentary stay at the Marta Guesthouse
through a partnership with Visit Tallinn, the experience, opinions, and cottage living was my own.