No utility fee in a small village in Hungary – here is how

A Dutch couple built climate-neutral accommodation in a small Hungarian village in Borsod. Last year, they welcomed more than 300 guests.

The entrepreneurs’ goal was to boost tourism in Eastern Hungary

Dutch entrepreneurs Jeroen and Lennard arrived in Budapest in 2007. At first, they only planned to stay for one year, but soon after, they visited a friend in Szalonna in Borsod County and stayed. They fell in love with the landscape there and saw an opportunity in Eastern Hungary, writes Portfolio.

They looked for real estate in the Szalonna area, and finally bought a dilapidated mansion in the nearby settlement of Irota, which was renovated between 2010 and 2013. This house became completely climate neutral, and in 2016, three luxury villas for six people were built. This is how the EcoLodge, which has since been utilised for tourism purposes, was born. Their goal was to boost tourism in Eastern Hungary. In addition, they wanted to prove that not only Budapest or Lake Balaton are possible holiday desinations. Moreover, they showed that luxury and sustainability are not exclusive of each other.

Climate-neutral accomodations

The accomodations are climate-neutral. The roofs of the houses have solar panels, and rainwater is used for washing and flushing the toilet. They compost, do not spray, fire with wood, use an electric car, and the insulation of the three luxury villas and mansions was solved using old newspapers. “The construction of these houses is about 30 percent more expensive than a traditional one, but it pays for itself in a short time. With the help of solar panels, we only use one-third of the electricity and sell the other two-thirds. Thus, our operating costs are HUF zero, i.e. there are no yellow checks”, says Lennard.

Why did they choose this small Hungarian village?

Irota is a pocket village of 50 people in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County. There is no shop, post office, pub, doctor’s office, school or kindergarten in the village. However, the Dutch entreprenuers saw the potential and decided to build climate-neutral accomodations here.

The mayor of Irota, László Miklós, was happy about the coming of the Dutch men. He also knows how much untapped potential lies in the handicraft products here: several people are engaged in beekeeping, as well as growing vegetables and fruit, from which syrup, pálinka (the national spirit of Hungary) and jam are also made. “If more money and attention were given to the presentation of these good things and people, it could override the stereotypes about Borsod and the people living in Borsod”, he added.

Jeroen and Lennard have already built lots of villas. There are mostly only administrative tasks in connection with EcoLodge. Jeroen is currently writing a history book, and Lennard is researching the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on climate change. Now, they plan to go further, looking for new challenges. The three luxury villas and mansions are for sale, but they are not in a hurry because they really like what they built.

Find EcoLodge’s Facebook page HERE.