Help Us Finish Miliza House: A Handbuilt Straw-Bale Eco-Guesthouse

We are asking for your support to help us complete the final phases—the exterior natural plastering and the upper-floor guest suites—of Miliza House, an organic agritourism bed and breakfast built entirely from straw bales and wood.

Our Story & Vision: From Traditional Craftsmanship to a Green Future

Roots and our Path to Petriș

Our project’s story began long before we laid the foundation stone of our guesthouse. My husband, Alin—the dreamer and master builder behind this project—originally moved from Romania to Hungary in search of a better life. He spent 16 years working in the construction industry there, eventually founding his own successful company. Alin learned the true foundations of the trade from old-school master builders, developing a deep respect for natural materials like wood and stone, and mastering traditional techniques from structural foundations to roofing.

I arrived in Hungary from Ukraine in 1992 with my mother. Life eventually brought Alin and me together, and we built our family there.

The Magic of Petriș: Where Hard Work Felt Like Rejuvenation

Although our lives were based in Hungary, we spent every free weekend, holiday, and summer vacation back in Romania—specifically in the village of Petriș, nestled at the foot of the Zaránd Mountains. Our "rest" usually consisted of working tirelessly with our own two hands to renovate and beautify my grandparents' old home.

Even though it was hard physical labor, it never felt exhausting. This was the only place in the world where we could sleep with absolute peace and depth. It was here that our profound love for heritage homes and nature was born. We learned sustainability in practice: we don’t throw furniture away; we rethink, restore, and refurbish everything to protect the environment from unnecessary waste.

A New Chapter for Our Daughters

After nearly 17 years, Alin grew weary of the modern construction industry's copy-paste templates. He was tired of building cold, perfectly straight brick walls while staring constantly at a spirit level. He wanted to create something truly unique, organic, and lasting. Seeing the immense potential in rural agritourism, we made a life-changing decision in the summer of 2016: we moved back to Romania permanently to provide our daughters, Liza and Milli, with a more beautiful, peaceful, and nature-connected future.

We founded our family business, Miliza Neo Tourism—named after our two daughters—and began building our dream milestone by milestone.

Our Journey So Far

9

The Walipini Greenhouse

2017

We built an earth-sheltered, underground Walipini greenhouse. This allows us to grow seasonal, organic cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, onions, garlic, and lettuce directly for our guests' plates.

Wellness and Nature

2018

We opened our therapeutic microclimate salt room and infrared sauna area for complete guest relaxation, and designed a cozy fishpond in the garden.

The 'Little House' Opening

2019

We opened our first fully operational eco-guesthouse. Built entirely from straw bales and wood, it comfortably accommodates 4 to 5 people.

The Natural Stone Pool

2020

Designed and hand-built by Alin, this unique stone pool features an integrated wood-burning stove, making it usable all year round.

Local Gastronomy Point Certification

2022

We officially received our certification as a Local Gastronomy Point (Punct de Gastronomie Locală), allowing us to serve authentic meals prepared from our garden and unique regional recipes (blending Romanian, Hungarian, and Ukrainian traditions).

The Țest (Traditional Bell Oven)

2023

Alin hand-built a traditional clay bell oven (țest) for our Gastronomy Point, allowing us to bake authentic, rustic bread and slow-cooked delicacies.

Inside Our Artisanal Realm

Every single corner of our property has been crafted by hand, filled with upcycled elements, creative art, and architectural ingenuity.

1. The Operational "Little House"

Our first straw-bale cottage is already fully open and hosting guests. It serves as living proof of our eco-philosophy:

• Lacquered Newspaper Wallpaper: Instead of traditional wallpaper, I covered the living room corner with very old newspapers, carefully sealed with lacquer to create a cozy, nostalgic retro atmosphere.
• The Bookshelf Staircase: Alin designed an ingenious wooden staircase where the structural steps double as a massive, built-in library bookshelf.
• Handmade Mosaic Bathrooms: We bought a single wholesale pallet of random leftover tile fragments from a hardware store. I hand-laid these pieces to form unique mosaic walls, even embedding real beach stones and seashells into the shower wall.
• The "Fishy" Washbasin: The bathroom sink is supported by a raw rustic log, and the basin itself is made from a clay flower pot. Inside the pot, our daughter Liza hand-painted tiny fish, which we then waterproofed with resin.

2. The Community Terrace & Summer Kitchen

Built from scratch by Alin on what used to be empty farmland, this is the energetic heart of our culinary experiences.

• The Oven Kingdom: Features a traditional brick domed oven that doubles as a smokehouse for our homemade bacon and sausages, an authentic wood-burning cooktop (sparhelt), and a dedicated pastry oven.
• Upcycled Barrel Furniture: The summer kitchen features a custom concrete-poured counter topped with tiles. The terrace is decorated with a cupboard repurposed from an old wooden barrel, matching barrel café tables, and heavy log dining sets.
• Hand-Stamped Concrete Floors: Alin poured the concrete terrace floor section by section, using custom stencils to create a beautiful faux-stone pattern.

3. The Yard & Playground

To completely eliminate mud and rain puddles, we raised the entire ground level of our expansive yard. It features a safe trampoline, a slide, and a custom rope course. It is also home to the "Elf House"—a fairy-tale playhouse Alin originally built for our daughters in Hungary when they were toddlers, which we transported across borders to welcome our youngest guests.

Our Project Goal: The "Four Seasons" Guesthouse

Our ultimate dream has always been the completion of the "Big Guesthouse," structurally known as the Miliza Agro-Guesthouse of the Four Seasons.

The story of this main building is a journey of continuous dedication: its foundations were originally dug and poured in the Spring of 2017. Since then, year after year, we have been continuously building, expanding, and perfecting it entirely with our own hands to bring it to the beautiful state you see in the attached photos.

The completed building will feature four independent apartments, each structurally and aesthetically themed around one of the seasons.

The Autumn Apartment (Lower Level) – COMPLETED!

The ground floor is already finished and showcases our signature organic style:

• Log Furnishings: A massive, raw log bed frame with integrated nightstands and custom lighting crafted from naturally hollowed-out tree trunks.
• The Storytelling Wardrobe: An antique wardrobe lined internally with vintage newspapers and outfitted with hangers hand-painted with autumn motifs.
• Digital Detox Zone: You won't find a modern flat screen here; instead, a museum-quality, vintage Tisza television set rests on the cabinet. The curtain rods are held up by small deer antlers.
• Pressed Leaf Walls: The bedroom plaster is decorated with the real imprints of autumn and grape leaves collected by our daughters and pressed in storybooks.
• The Kitchen & Dining Space: Features an antique serving cabinet whose missing wood carvings Alin painstakingly recast using custom silicone molds. The modern kitchen cabinets were repainted green and detailed with wheat-stalk stencils to reflect our straw-bale building philosophy. The entire lower level features a hand-laid marble mosaic floor.

The Upper Level (Spring, Summer, & Winter Suites) – WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

While the heavy structure is standing and the base interior plastering is done, we need your financial support to cross the finish line.

Your contributions will fund:

1. Exterior Natural Plastering: Completing the specialized multi-layer breathable lime and clay plastering required to permanently protect the straw-bale core from weather and moisture.
2. Interior Partitions: Constructing the framework and insulation for the upper floor layout.
3. Completing Three Guest Apartments: Building out two large family suites with private balconies (themed for Spring and Summer), one double room, and a cozy children's room.
4. Artisanal Interiors: Creating custom furniture, handcrafted root-wood vanities, and purchasing large-scale custom wallpapers featuring the local seasonal landscapes captured by Petriș’s own regional photographer.

The Team Behind the Dream

• Alin, The Master Builder: The structural heart and hands of the project. With over 16 years of professional building experience, he translates green building concepts into solid, beautiful, and safe physical realities.
• His Partner (Hostess & Manager): After living in Hungary for 25 years and working with a colorful background spanning acting, pharmacy assistance, and a professional qualification as a Wellness and Spa Manager, I handle guest relations, property styling, and therapeutic wellness experiences.

Media Recognition & Trust

Our hard work has caught the attention of major national and international broadcasting crews:

• Pro TV (Summer 2023): One of Romania's leading television networks invited us to feature our Local Gastronomy Point on a national culinary program.
• Euronews Romania (May 2026): Recommended directly by the Arad County Tourism Promotion Center, Euronews selected Miliza House to represent the region's unique sustainable gastronomy alongside historic landmarks like Solymosi Castle. Our dedicated episode is scheduled to air this coming August 2026!

The Guest Experience: Become a Farmer

A vacation at Miliza House goes far beyond passive relaxation. We invite our guests to step directly into the rhythms of authentic countryside life:

• Harvesting & Canning: Hand-pick your own organic breakfast tomatoes directly from the Walipini greenhouse. Learn from Alin how to fire up the heavy brick oven to bake your own hand-kneaded bread under the țest. Depending on the season, join us in cooking large batches of traditional jams or smoky, mouthwatering zakuszka spread.
• Homestead Chore Experiences: Help us feed the heritage chickens in the morning. If you visit during the hay season, try your hand at managing the pastures using anything from a modern brushcutter to a traditional hand scythe.
• Neighboring Farm Adventures: Thanks to our close relationship with our local farming neighbors, guests can join afternoon goat herding programs, help tend to the cattle, or even participate in traditional, community-wide spring sheep shearing.

Location & Surrounding Attractions

Miliza House is located on the boundary of Arad and Hunedoara counties, making it an ideal base for exploring Western Romania.

Destination / Attraction

Distance from Property

Key Highlights

Comarnic Hill & Piros-patak

20 meters

Panoramic village views, hiking trails, and a crystal-clear creek running right past our street.

Salbek Castle (Petriș)

Immediate Neighbor

A historic estate currently being restored into a 5-star wellness resort. Hosts the annual Sânziene Festival and the Salbek Opera Festival.

Obârșia Village

Neighboring Village

Guided electric bicycle (e-bike) tours organized in partnership with our close friend's local project.

Roșia Nouă

Nearby

Home to ancient, beautifully preserved traditional Romanian wooden churches and a local wood-fired pizzeria.

Săvârșin Royal Estate

18 km

The official country residence of the Romanian Royal Family. Features a stunning English park, a royal tea house, and King Michael's vintage auto museum.

Vața de Jos Thermal Spa

~30 mins (via new route)

A newly modernized, therapeutic thermal resort. Thanks to an active County Council infrastructure project, a direct asphalt mountain road is being built through the forest from Cota Zero, bypassing the massive old detour through Brad and getting you over the mountain ridge in under half an hour.

Lipova & Maria Radna

~50 km

Famous historical town featuring the renowned Maria Radna monastery and international pilgrimage site.

Gurasada Park

Nearby

An action-packed family adventure and experiential park.

Join us in building Romania’s premier independent, straw-bale agritourism destination. Every contribution brings us closer to opening our upper floor and sharing this natural sanctuary with the world.