Cozy, great vacation spot

Guest: KM (Brooklyn, NY)
Date of Stay: 08/14/10 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

Our family (myself, my husband, and our 2 young children) stayed here for a week in August, 2010. We had a wonderful vacation. We found the cottage to be cozy, very clean, and well stocked. My daughters loved being so close to the lake, and also enjoyed the video library--we would grill and then watch a movie just about every night. We found the owners to be very responsive and friendly in all of our comunications, we hope to return this summer.

Owner response:Thanks, KM. We always enjoy sharing our cottage. So glad you had a good time. Appreciate your thoughtfulness to write the review. Deirdre

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children.

Wonderful vacation home

Guest: PaulG (NYC)
Date of Stay: 07/31/10 Review Submitted: 09/02/10

My wife, myself, and our 3 year old son stayed at this house from July 31-August 14 2010. We found it to be a perfect sized vacation house for us. Upon arrival we found the house was well cleaned from top to bottom. It was nicely furnished, there really wasn't anything missing, even the kitchen cabinet had a good deal of basic ingredients. The children's bedroom was small but nice and also had a trundle bed. The master bedroom was larger with a desk. Both rooms had good air conditioners. We spent a great deal of time on the screened in porch which also acts as a mudroom. The bathroom is simple but nice. Note that there is no bathtub, only a shower. That was not a problem but we didn't realize that ahead of time so my 3 year old took his first showers there! We spent a good deal of time in the living room where my son spread out his cars from end to end. We loved the grill and tried to use it as often as possible. The new washer & dryer were in the basement along with lawn chairs and boating/fishing supplies. With a 3 year old we also spent a good amount of time at the lake. Do note that there are two very steep inclines on the way down to the lake. It is walkable (or if you're 3, runnable) It was not a challenge to bring the inflatable boat down to the lake. The location is a bit off the beaten path, but that's what we were hoping for. The neighbors we met by the house and at the lake were all very friendly. It was about 10 minutes to Stockbridge and 7-10 into Great Barrington, 25-30 minutes to Jacob's Pillow. As other reviews have suggested there was plenty to do. There is a children's playground/baseball/basketball courts a short drive away behind Monterrey City Hall, about a 10 minute drive. We found the owner to be highly responsive by email both before and during our vacation time always answering questions and addressing our concerns. Overall we were very happy with the house and we are strongly considering making plans to rent there again in 2011.

Owner response:Thanks, Paul. We're glad you and the family enjoyed your vacation.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

good place to vacation

Guest: duke (manhattan, new york, NY USA)
Date of Stay: 07/11/09 Review Submitted: 08/22/10

The cabin is located wonderfully - up a mountain (providing cool breezes in the summer), on a (swimmable) lake, in the Berkshires which offers wonderful cultural opportunities (Tanglewood, Jacob's Pillow, theater, etal). The description is accurate - a cabin which is a perfect size, kept immaculately, and the owners, as well as their caretaker, are very responsive. I would recommend this comfortable and homey place which has all the neccesities for daily living.

Owner response:Leta - you're welcome back anytime. Thanks.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+, families with young children.

Great place to get away from it all

Guest: Jeff (Paramus, NJ)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/20/10

My wife and I rented this cottage for two weeks this July. We had a terrific time. It's close enough to Great Barrington (5 miles/15 minutes by car), yet tucked away in very quiet woods a three-minute walk from the lake, in which I swam every day. (Most days I spotted rabbits on my way to the lake. One night, we saw an owl nearby.) When we arrived, the house was clean and well-stocked, including condiments, toiletries, etc. It offered plenty of amenities, including satellite Tv, a DVD player, and wireless DSL which performed almost flawlessly for 14 days. The main bedroom is comfortable; its window A/C (we had some hot weather) was adequate for that room, but didn't cool the rest of the house. One of my favorite routines was eating breakfast on the screened-in porch, while reading or web surfing. There's no cell or 3G coverage in the house, or for a radius of about a mile around it, which can be a blessing if you want quiet--or frustrate you if you're a workaholic. Everything was in working order. The bathroom's toilet needed a bit of maintenance. When we contacted the owners, they responded quickly and had a local person attend to the problem the same day. Otherwise, we had little need to bother them. (They did later ship me, to NJ, a shirt that I apparently left behind). The cottage's listing was accurate (we had made a visit in winter to check out the place in person). We would recommend this property to friends and relatives. And we are seriously considering renting it again when we next vacation in the Berkshires. Nearby favorites: In Great Barrington, Martin's is great for breakfast, Babalouie's Sourdough Pizza is wonderful (even for veteran New Yorkers). And don't miss Robyn's Candy Store. Tanglewood/Lenox is a 25-30 minute drive, but that's OK if you leave plenty of time before a concert and park at the Lion's Gate entrance off 183. You can get to the Berkshire Theater Festival in Stockbridge in 20 minutes. Oh yeah: Chez Nous, a spectacular French restaurant, is 20 minutes away in Lee.

Owner response:Many thanks, Jeff, Hannah. You're welcome back anytime. Deirdre

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Great place to get away from it all

Guest: Jeff (Paramus, NJ)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/17/10

My wife and I rented this cottage for two weeks this July. We had a terrific time. It's close enough to Great Barrington (5 miles/15 minutes by car), yet tucked away in very quiet woods a three-minute walk from the lake, in which I swam every day. (Most days I spotted rabbits on my way to the lake. One night, we saw an owl nearby.) When we arrived, the house was clean and well-stocked, including condiments, toiletries, etc. It offered plenty of amenities, including satellite Tv, a DVD player, and wireless DSL which performed almost flawlessly for 14 days. The main bedroom is comfortable; its window A/C (we had some hot weather) was adequate for that room, but didn't cool the rest of the house. One of my favorite routines was eating breakfast on the screened-in porch, while reading or web surfing. There's no cell or 3G coverage in the house, or for a radius of about a mile around it, which can be a blessing if you want quiet--or frustrate you if you're a workaholic. Everything was in working order. The bathroom's toilet needed a bit of maintenance. When we contacted the owners, they responded quickly and had a local person attend to the problem the same day. Otherwise, we had little need to bother them. (They did later ship me, to NJ, a shirt that I apparently left behind). The cottage's listing was accurate (we had made a visit in winter to check out the place in person). We would recommend this property to friends and relatives. And we are seriously considering renting it again when we next vacation in the Berkshires. Nearby favorites: In Great Barrington, Martin's is great for breakfast, Babalouie's Sourdough Pizza is wonderful (even for veteran New Yorkers). And don't miss Robyn's Candy Store. Tanglewood/Lenox is a 25-30 minute drive, but that's OK if you leave plenty of time before a concert and park at the Lion's Gate entrance off 183. You can get to the Berkshire Theater Festival in Stockbridge in 20 minutes. Oh yeah: Chez Nous, a spectacular French restaurant, is 20 minutes away in Lee.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Our home between homes

Guest: Ken (Great Barrington, MA)
Date of Stay: 09/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/14/10

My family and I spent the entire month of September 2009 in Deirdre and Ira's cottage after we sold and moved out of our old house but before we closed on a house in Great Barrington. It was a great way to ease the pain of moving. The cottage was clean and well stocked when we arrived. The washer and dryer were brand new. Internet access (with wifi) worked, and I pulled out the table in the master bedroom to make a little office for myself. My two kids slept in the smaller bedroom, my wife and I slept in the master bedroom, and my niece slept on a pullout couch in the living room. As September got colder, we used the gas fireplace a few times at night for heat, and it was more than sufficient. We ate most of our meals in the screened-in porch, and even managed to have a small dinner party there. The neighbors were very nice and took us out for boat rides a few times. The location is great: just a short walk to the water, lots of hiking nearby. It's about 10 minutes to downtown Great Barrington, but we were spending most of our free time playing on the lake or hiking. We managed to finish off the countertop above the dishwasher (steam separated the formica) while we were there, but Deirdre assured us it needed fixing before we got there and that it wasn't our fault. Deirdre is very easy to deal with. We met Deirdre and Ira at the cottage a few days before we moved in. She called a few times while we were there to make sure everything was okay. Everything else was done through email. I'm not sure I could be so accommodating and flexible if I had people staying in my house. Right up to the end of the month we were not sure if the closing would go through, and Deirdre told us not to worry, we could rent the cottage for October if we needed it. Cell phones don't work anywhere near Lake Buel, but I plugged my IP phone into Ira's DSL modem and was able to use my own phone number. Besides hiking, biking, and playing in the water, I found that--without a house to take care of--I had some extra time for baking. And Deirdre had the kitchen stocked with all the things I wouldn't have ever remembered to buy: baking powder, walnuts, chocolate chips. While we were there we made cookies, roasted a turkey, barbecued. It was just supposed to be a temporary rental, but it turned into a really nice working vacation. Our first friends here in Great Barrington are the neighbors we met at Lake Buel.

Owner response:Our guests are always the best. Glad we were able to help while you waited for your new home in Great Barrington.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Cottage was dirty & owner ignored regarding same.

Guest: Carole (27 Kalmia Way, Centerville, Ma 02632)
Date of Stay: 06/30/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

The pictures on the site looked like the cottage was in pristine and clean condition. Can you imagine our dismay as we opened the door to an awful odor of mustiness and animal smells? It got worse. The toilet was black inside, the floor in the bedroom not swept and the area carpets literally filled with black dog hair. The blinds and other areas were filled with dirt and dust from not cleaning for a long time. The toiled only flushed occasionally, and only part of the cottage was air conditioned, so that the kitchen and living room and dining areas were quite uncomfortable. Discussions with the owner via email were unsatisfactory. She had been attentive, particularly about schedule of payments and amounts. The house is really in Marlborough, Ma., soTanglewood and other activities in the Lenox area were around 16 miles each way. We were hoping to find a rental to return to each year, but this will not be the case. Dates of stay: June 30-August 14, 2010.

Owner response:During the six years we've rented our summer home to guests - fully rented every year with people from all over the US and Europe - with much repeat business, we have never had a complaint - it's a cozy, 60 year old restored cottage in the woods - with beautiful access to the lake and artistic venues. The first guest of season may find the house smells musty because it's been closed for a long period of time. We generally open it in early May and winterize in late October. In May we clean the cottage and lock up until first guest arrives. The guest used the house nine days of 14 before we ever heard from her. Then it was non-stop complaints. Basically, we think she wanted her cleaning fee back and we did not respond to that request. I'll accept the bad review on the blinds because I did not pull them down and wash them, and perhaps my husband missed some dog hair on the throw rugs (which we'll remove in the future); the toilet is fully operational and unlike other vacation homes, we leave house stocked with supplies and staples that this guest failed to appreciate. The house is a half-mile over the boundary from Great Barrington & New Marlborough and mail is delivered via Great Barrington. Guests usually find it very convenient to Tanglewood, and other regional entertainment. The guests since this one have already indicated their desire to return and their delight in the house and location. As for the toilet, it sat unused for four weeks and I should have had the cleaners go in to refresh the bathroom; a ring around a toilet is common for sitting water. I'll make sure it gets cleaned the morning before first guests arrive next year and that windows are opened (house is cleaned by two very competent women on the Saturday that guests move out and I put the blinds on their list and they're clean). We doubt that even if the blinds and toilet were clean that this guest would have been happy. We learned from the next guest that the toilet was filling slowly. Three hours later the plumber installed a new flow valve. We do respond in a timely fashion when people communicate. We are sorry this guest waited so long to share her concerns. It was unfortunate for both of us.

Recommended for: