Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful Getaway with All of the Little Things

Guest: End of Summer Getaway (Columbus, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 08/08/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

My girlfriend and I brought 6 kids (our 5 and 1 extra), to the lake as a last hurrah to summer 2011. This is the first time that most of us have been to Lake Norris and weren't sure what to expect. We drove in to a torrential downpour but by the time we got to the house, the skies had cleared & the entire week was filled with sun! We rented both the house and the boat for the week and were not disappointed with anything, the kids loved "tubing" off the boat and in jumping from the second story dock into the water. The dock itself was enough to sustain us for the week as the owners have everything you could need for a week on the water. From inflatables, to fishing poles, everything was there and readily available for us to use. The same goes for the house, so many times have we've gotten to a rental only to find the cupboards completely bare of even salt & pepper, this wasn't the case with this rental as one of the cabinets and a lazy susan was stocked with spices and whatnot. Overall, I cannot think of a thing that would be a negative, we had a great time and will be renting this house again!!! Thank-you Bill!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect getaway and great location

Guest: Big Al (Cincinnati, OH)
Date of Stay: 07/25/11 Review Submitted: 08/12/11

Everything from all the positive comments are true...This is definately a place we would return to. Home was clean and had plenty of room. The kids went nuts when they saw the lower level. A kids dream basement. Kitchen was huge. There is a very steep grade (as most homes have) to walk down to the dock but it is paved. Just a good workout for us. The dock? We are still talking about it and its location is perfect. We'll be back!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

Weekend in July

Guest: Tom (Villa Hills, KY)
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

This lake house was perfect for our group. The kitchen was large and easily accommodated all of us for meals. The house was very clean and well maintained. The dock was fantastic, situated in a nice cove with little traffic. The kids were entertained swimming in the lake around the dock as we brought our boats in and out of the cove. Thank you for letting us rent your home.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

Great Home - Great Boat Dock

Guest: Mark (Columbus OH)
Date of Stay: 06/27/11 Review Submitted: 07/04/11

This rental is the Total Package - spacious home, large kitchen, lower level with buck beds that was great for the kids, and it is furnished and decorated perfectly. The Boat Dock was a favorite with a large upper level that offered great sun and relaxation. The location of the boat dock is great - at the beginning of a cove, not on the open lake or too far down the cove. We would definitely recommend to others, and plan on coming back as soon as possible.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.

Awesome Vacation - Thanks Vogel Family!!

Guest: Gretchen (Shelburn, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 06/20/11 Review Submitted: 07/01/11

If you're looking for a great lakefront home vacation - I highly recommend this house. We just spent 4 nights there & had an awesome time. The house is exactly as described - pictures do not do it justice. There was more than enough room for our group of 12 (3 families ages 40 something - 16). The adults each had their own bedroom upstairs and kids had the basement, which let me tell you is not your typical basement - foosball, air hockey/ping pong, darts, tv room, full bathroom & walk-out deck. What honestly made this house our top pick was the dock since we were planning on spending a lot of time by the water - it was fantastic! The kids (and adults) had a blast jumping off the top & there was plenty of shade under the canopy & plenty of seating for everyone! Everything was was very clean and the house was well-maintained. I was not familiar with Norris Lake so my only 2 surprises when we arrived was the steep walkway from the house to the dock and the crazy drive from the main town to the lakehouse. BUT this applies to 90% of the houses not just this one - something to take into consideration if someone in your party has a hard time walking or if you want more entertainment than just boating on the lake. Everyone in our party (even the ocean die hards) agreed this was an awesome vacation & would love to return!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

Will NEVER be back!

Guest: Kimberly (Park Hills, Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 08/16/10 Review Submitted: 12/16/10

This was the second year we rented this property and it was very different than the previous year. We had several problems with the property. The washing machine did not work the entire week, along with several things run down. This property does NOT include a covered slip. Read your rental agreement thoroughly before renting.

Owner response:Owner response: This unfair review is from a disgruntled renter that caused damage during the rental and became belligerent when a portion of the deposit was not returned. While 3 different items were in good working order the weekend prior to their rental (I know this because we were using our house immediately prior to their rental), they denied any responsibility for the very obvious damage and became confrontational when a portion of the deposit was retained to repair the damage and replace the items broken. Furthermore, they were notified the week prior to their rental that the washing machine was inoperable, that the repair had been initiated and that parts were on order and in transit. These negative comments are unfair. I have a robust email trail showing the belligerence and irrationality of the issue as well as pictures as confirmation of the damage done. I would happily provide this as background to my contention that this review is not factually correct and unreasonably slanderous. Please note the comments this renter made the year prior to see that they are in line with each and every other review we have ever had: "The Vogel lake house was just perfect for what our family was looking for! We had all ages ranging from 2-77 years old. The house is clean, comfortable, well-decorated and perfect for kids. The paved path, which led to the nicest dock I have ever been on, was perfect for people who might not be so steady on their feet. The special bonus was how kind the Vogel family was on working with us on our last minute stay. We hope to return for many years!!!"

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We had a great time!!

Guest: Lori (Shorewood, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/02/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

We had a blast at this house! The house is tastefully decorated, very comfortable and CLEAN. The kid's room was perfect! When we weren't swimming, the kids spent all of their time in the rec room. The kitchen is big and was comfortable for all 14 of us. The lake and dock were wonderful. I am a very picky traveler, and I will definitely vist this house again!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, families with teenagers.

Nice house

Guest: Su (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 07/26/10 Review Submitted: 08/05/10

This home is laid out well for families and/or bigger groups. We had our 4 kids and 3 guests and it was a little tricky to figure out sleeping arrangements with only 3 bedrooms (it would be good to have either king beds in all the bedrooms or twin beds in the smaller 2). The kitchen and eating area is really nice to have because it accomodates a large group. Some of the animal heads that are on the walls are a little troublesome - I don't mind hunting but I don't need all those heads looking at me. The ramp to the lake is VERY steep and while we were all able to make it, it makes you think twice before you run up to the house to get something. Paper supplies were limited.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers

Lake Norris vacation @ the Vogel's.

Guest: Dave & Laurie (Denton, TX)
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

This was a new adventure for us and we all agreed we had a wonderful time at your lake house! It is spacious, so nicely decorated and full of every amenity. Cooking together was a joy in the large kitchen, and the decks perfect for our late evening talks. We all agreed with my daughter-in-law when she commented, "The on-line pictures don't do it justice."! Your home & grounds are all that it portrayed and more, exceeding our expectations! My husband & I agreed we left in better shape after the slope "workouts" -even the great grandma's ventured up & down a few times! Anything to reach the gorgeous lake and the fabulous 2-story deck for all of the fun in the water! After full days of fun in the sun everyone slept well in the comfy beds. Your neighbor came by and was helpful in giving us instructions on the boat lift which made everything so convenient. Thank you too for the Tennessee treats! We came home refreshed with lots of great memories- thank you so much! L.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers

Family Reunion

Guest: Bill (Redlands CA)
Date of Stay: 07/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

We had a family reunion with 13 family members staying at the house. We loved the house as there was room for everyone and plenty to keep everyone busy. The five grandkids and a few adults took to the boat dock right away -- especially jumping off the top deck. We had a ski boat which we tied to the dock when it wasn't in use -- which was not very often. We also rented a double deck pontoon boat for two days; however, I don't think we would rent one again. With the ski boat and the great dock, we wouldn't have needed the pontoon boat. Loved the hike from the dock to the house as it was a great way to restart an exercise program. The oldest member of the family was an 88 year old great grandmother who had no trouble climbing the walkway. We had a great time and would definitely rent this house again. Bill Vogel gave us all the information we needed and was always ready to answer our questions.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Great TN Vacation Lake Home for our family trip

Guest: Buckeye Visitors (Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/18/10 Review Submitted: 07/19/10

The house was perfect for our family getaway. We had family coming from Ohio and the Carolinas. Lake Norris is a great lake for us to meet. We really enjoyed the lake and peacefulness of the house. Owners great at making it a very welcoming place. We will have many great memories from our trip to Norris Lake. Basement is great for a group of kids and kitchen great for group meals. Master bedroom huge and very nice. The dock is great and is where we spent a lot of our time. The adirondack chairs and hammock on top of the dock were awesome. The lake house was more remote than we expected, which ended up being nice. The roads are a bit tricky (built in Nav and owners directions were very helpful). Towing a larger boat could be challenging if your not an experienced tower. The hill coming back up to the house from the lake is very steep and the dock was a little tricky to tie up our boat. They keep their boat and jet ski in the covered spots. I was able to back my boat into the dock spot with the jet ski, but it was tricker pulling in/out. We would definitely come back again!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

It is the first place we have rented that I would love to rent again.

Guest: Patti M. (Mt. Juliet, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/22/10

It is the first place we have rented that I would love to rent again. We truly enjoyed our stay. The dock is fantastic....even with the rain, I was able to sit outside under the gazebo while my family fished from the bottom level. The cove and lake are beautiful! The house was very comfortable and the game room very fun.

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Would love to rent again...

Guest: Patti M.
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/22/10

It is the first place we have rented that I would love to rent again. We truly enjoyed our stay. The dock is fantastic....even with the rain, I was able to sit outside under the gazebo while my family fished from the bottom level. The cove and lake are beautiful! The house was very comfortable and the game room very fun.

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The Vogel lake house was just perfect...

Guest: Kimberly Auberger, Park Hills, Kentucky
Date of Stay: 08/10/09 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

The Vogel lake house was just perfect for what our family was looking for! We had all ages ranging from 2-77 years old. The house is clean, comfortable, well-decorated and perfect for kids. The paved path, which led to the nicest dock I have ever been on, was perfect for people who might not be so steady on their feet. The special bonus was how kind the Vogel family was on working with us on our last minute stay. We hope to return for many years!!!

Recommended for:

Guest: Kimberly (Park Hills, Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 08/10/09 Review Submitted: 08/10/09

The Vogel lake house was just perfect for what our family was looking for! We had all ages ranging from 2-77 years old. The house is clean, comfortable, well-decorated and perfect for kids. The paved path, which led to the nicest dock I have ever been on, was perfect for people who might not be so steady on their feet. The special bonus was how kind the Vogel family was on working with us on our last minute stay. We hope to return for many years!!!

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We had another great week at the Vogel's house.

Guest: Dan Kabbes, LaGrange, KY
Date of Stay: 07/04/09 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

We had another great week at the Vogel's house. The house and dock were in great shape, the lake level was high (for summer), and the weather was perfect. We have been renting at Norris lake for about 15 years, and this house is our favorite. The house is very well equipped, and the dock is the nicest that we have used. The lake location is also very nice. I hope we can make it back next year.

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Guest: Dan Kabbes1 (LaGrange, KY)
Date of Stay: 07/04/09 Review Submitted: 07/04/09

We had another great week at the Vogel's house. The house and dock were in great shape, the lake level was high (for summer), and the weather was perfect. We have been renting at Norris lake for about 15 years, and this house is our favorite. The house is very well equipped, and the dock is the nicest that we have used. The lake location is also very nice. I hope we can make it back next year.

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We would recommend it to anyone.

Guest: Hank and Jenny, Union, KY
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

We have been going to Lake Norris for a couple of years and our stay at the Vogel's will be right up there with our best times. We went to celebrate our daughter's 20th birthday and she brought 2 of her best friends. The house not only accommodated our other kids and her friends,it promoted an atmosphere of simple enjoyment. Lounging or jumping off the dock, boat rides to any part of the lake, hanging out in the kitchen playing cards and some ping-pong games added up to a wonderful time. We felt right at home and had no trouble making ourselves comfortable in this spacious lake house. Thanks for sharing your home and for being so accommodating. We would recommend it to anyone.

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Guest: Hank and Jenny (Union, KY)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/26/09

We have been going to Lake Norris for a couple of years and our stay at the Vogel's will be right up there with our best times. We went to celebrate our daughter's 20th birthday and she brought 2 of her best friends. The house not only accommodated our other kids and her friends,it promoted an atmosphere of simple enjoyment. Lounging or jumping off the dock, boat rides to any part of the lake, hanging out in the kitchen playing cards and some ping-pong games added up to a wonderful time. We felt right at home and had no trouble making ourselves comfortable in this spacious lake house. Thanks for sharing your home and for being so accommodating. We would recommend it to anyone.

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Thanks for sharing.

Guest: Henry and Margaret Harrison, Jackson, TN
Date of Stay: 08/21/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

There really is not enough space here or time to tell you what a wonderful vacation we had at The Vogel's Norris Lakehome. The house was perfect for the six adults (parents and grandparents)upstairs, and the 8 teenagers and children in the perfect downstairs rooms. Everyone had their own private spaces and then the large kitchen, living area, and dining area accomodated all of us for our meals and family coming together. The two-story boat dock was fabulous; again all ages enjoyed the jumping, swimming, tubing (we brought our own boat)sunning, and just relaxing. The climb up the hill was tough for the grandparents, but guess what. As the week progressed, even our legs adjusted. (I felt like I was on hill at Knoxville, going to classes again.) We were overwhelmed at the well stocked kitchen, laundry facilities, and baths. The setting in the mountains was so conducive to just relaxing and resting;sitting on one of the several decks to have coffee each morning was special also. Thanks for sharing.

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Guest: Henry and Margaret Harrison (Jackson, TN. 38301)
Date of Stay: 08/21/08 Review Submitted: 08/21/08

There really is not enough space here or time to tell you what a wonderful vacation we had at The Vogel's Norris Lakehome. The house was perfect for the six adults (parents and grandparents)upstairs, and the 8 teenagers and children in the perfect downstairs rooms. Everyone had their own private spaces and then the large kitchen, living area, and dining area accomodated all of us for our meals and family coming together. The two-story boat dock was fabulous; again all ages enjoyed the jumping, swimming, tubing (we brought our own boat)sunning, and just relaxing. The climb up the hill was tough for the grandparents, but guess what. As the week progressed, even our legs adjusted. (I felt like I was on hill at Knoxville, going to classes again.) We were overwhelmed at the well stocked kitchen, laundry facilities, and baths. The setting in the mountains was so conducive to just relaxing and resting;sitting on one of the several decks to have coffee each morning was special also. Thanks for sharing.

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The best house we have rented on Norris...

Guest: Dan Kabbes, LaGrange, KY
Date of Stay: 08/17/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

The best house we have rented on Norris, and we have been coming here since 1995.This is a rental that feels like a home instead of a hotel. The kitchen/dining room easily accomodated 12 of us and is well equipped. The dock rocks! My legs are still sore from running up the steps to jump off again.... and again... It is also on a very nice cove in one of the nicest areas of the lake. One thing we did not like - we had to leave after our week was over! I hope we can make it back next year.

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Guest: Dan Kabbes (LaGrange, KY)
Date of Stay: 08/17/08 Review Submitted: 08/17/08

The best house we have rented on Norris, and we have been coming here since 1995.This is a rental that feels like a home instead of a hotel. The kitchen/dining room easily accomodated 12 of us and is well equipped. The dock rocks! My legs are still sore from running up the steps to jump off again.... and again... It is also on a very nice cove in one of the nicest areas of the lake. One thing we did not like - we had to leave after our week was over! I hope we can make it back next year.

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We would return.

Guest: Jenny Bradshaw, Harrison OH
Date of Stay: 08/08/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

We had a great time July 21-25,'08. It was our first trip to Norris Lake and we had a blast. House suited everyone and the boat dock was wonderful. The 4 teenage girls loved their bunk room. So did we! Lots of fun on the water from skiing to kayaking to tubing. We would return.

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Guest: Jenny Bradshaw (Harrison OH)
Date of Stay: 08/08/08 Review Submitted: 08/08/08

We had a great time July 21-25,'08. It was our first trip to Norris Lake and we had a blast. House suited everyone and the boat dock was wonderful. The 4 teenage girls loved their bunk room. So did we! Lots of fun on the water from skiing to kayaking to tubing. We would return.

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We will be back next summer.

Guest: Sam T. Osbourne, Louisville, KY
Date of Stay: 08/07/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

What a great place to visit! This was our second vacation at this house and lake. We loved it! The people are friendly, the lake is fun and the house is beautiful. Perfect for our family vacation. We will be back next summer.

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Guest: Sam T. Osbourne (Louisville, KY)
Date of Stay: 08/07/08 Review Submitted: 08/07/08

What a great place to visit! This was our second vacation at this house and lake. We loved it! The people are friendly, the lake is fun and the house is beautiful. Perfect for our family vacation. We will be back next summer.

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It felt like coming home.

Guest: Blake and Sherri Whitney, Greensboro, NC
Date of Stay: 07/26/08 Review Submitted: 03/01/10

This was our 2nd trip to Vogel's lake house. It felt like coming home. The layout is perfect for our family and friends. The huge kitchen and eating area allows us all to be together and the basement is great for the 4 teenage boys we had along. The location on the lake and the dock are favorites because of the beautiful cove and it's proximity to several marinas. We had a great time tubing, wakeboarding and meeting nice people on the lake. We would highly recommend the Vogel's lake house for location, customer service and comfortable beauty. Thanks again for a great vacation! Hope to work with you again next year!

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Guest: Blake and Sherri Whitney (Greensboro, NC)
Date of Stay: 07/26/08 Review Submitted: 07/26/08

July 2008 This was our 2nd trip to Vogel's lake house. It felt like coming home. The layout is perfect for our family and friends. The huge kitchen and eating area allows us all to be together and the basement is great for the 4 teenage boys we had along. The location on the lake and the dock are favorites because of the beautiful cove and it's proximity to several marinas. We had a great time tubing, wakeboarding and meeting nice people on the lake. We would highly recommend the Vogel's lake house for location, customer service and comfortable beauty. Thanks again for a great vacation! Hope to work with you again next year!

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Guest: David and Tammy Pressnell (Oak Ridge, TN)
Date of Stay: 09/05/07 Review Submitted: 09/05/07

We celebrated our daughter's sixteenth birthday at your beautiful home. It was perfect to accomodate her friends in the recreation/bunk room downstairs and the parent chaperones upstairs. The kids loved the deck on the lake and enjoyed jumping from the top. They also loved the great tubing/boating on Norris Lake. The ping pong table was also a big hit. We enjoyed that you were close to Stardust and Sequoyah boat docks. We went to each of them a couple of times for dinner/breakfast when the chaperones wanted a break from cooking. I highly recommend this rental property. The Pressnells

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/27/07 Review Submitted: 08/27/07

I recommend this property highly. The owner was great to work with and very accomodating. Plenty of room in the house, fully equipped, and great location. The two story dock was great. Only negative was the steep walk from the dock to the house. However, considering other properties at Norris, not to bad.

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Guest: Jerry Kozlowski (Plainfield, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 07/22/07 Review Submitted: 07/22/07

We truely enjoyed our week at the Vogel's Norris Lake home. The house is large and well appointed, ( we had six adults and six children ) and never felt cramped even at meal times, (huge kitchen and dining area ). The huge two level dock is ideal for spending time hanging out or swimming, the water is nearly 20ft deep at the end of the pier so jumping and diving from the top level kept the kids busy for hours at a time. The location gives you the best of both worlds. Sitting on the deck, sipping coffee in the morning you feel like your alone on an isolated lake in the Tenn. Mts. but when the mood hits you hop in your boat ( we rented a 22ft, 90hp pontoon from Whitman Marina ) and cruise one of the best lakes you have ever been on. The owner Bill Vogel went out of his way to make sure we had a great stay, he never once failed to help when we had a need ( I had to call him from the middle of the lake for directions ). If you are thinking of Norris lake you will not be dissappointed if you choose this home for you vacation. We will surely be going back.

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Guest: Kevin10 (Normal, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/21/07 Review Submitted: 07/21/07

We spent mid-week with my parents, teenage kids and a few of their friends. The house worked out great, especially the lower level bunk room for the kids. The boat dock was greatly enjoyed for swimming in the quiet cove and served as the hub for our skiing, tubing and boating activities. The Norris Lake area is beautiful.

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Guest: Mike34 (Cincinnati, OH)
Date of Stay: 07/06/07 Review Submitted: 07/06/07

Great house with perfect location! The layout of the lower level was perfect for all the kids and the location provided the perfect place for the kids to swim and for us to easily dock our boats and jet skis.

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Guest: Ira Katz (Knoxville, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/27/07 Review Submitted: 03/27/07

This is a very spacious wonderful lake house with a great boat dock.

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Guest: Dana McAlister (Knoxville, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/27/07 Review Submitted: 03/27/07

Our family spent a lovely fall weekend in this cabin and could not have been more pleased! This cabin is an ideal place to bring the family (and maybe a few friends) for a getaway. Plenty of room to spread out! The basement is very well equipped to handle all the kids with bunk beds and large play area. Two decks provide gorgeous views of pristine Norris Lake. Anyone staying here will be very pleased with their accomodations ans will surely want to return! Sincerely, Phil and Dana McALister

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Guest: david r1 (-)
Date of Stay: 03/27/07 Review Submitted: 03/26/07

very clean and comfortable, well furnished and organized, great view, highly recommended

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