Vacation Rentals by Owner

Beautiful Secret!

Guest: Kim (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 01/31/12 Review Submitted: 02/11/12

My girlfriend and I spent 4 nights/5 days at this amazing cabin. With our busy schedules ie -kids, husbands, animals, home chores, jobs etc...we, adored the "breather". We were blown away (every day) by the beauty, true privacy in holler, the creek and property paths! The owners have this cabin stocked FAR beyond your average rental. They provide everything you could possibly need and a bunch of extra's. When the sun came up each morning, it would beam through the vaulted ceiling/window lighting up the entire cabin. We scouted the town, cooked great meals, went hiking, curled up/watched movies by wood stove at night, went fishing and roasted sausages over the outdoor fire pit. Beautifully decorated, very warm and inviting. We hope to bring our (jealous) husbands and dogs next time. :) ...LOVE that they allow your family pets to stay (and even have food/water bowls and dog bed) provided. The best part, the price is sooo fantastic-compared to other cabin rentals already...and even better, you aren't right beside another cabin/vacationer like most of the other rental cabins in WV. A Blessed Find! ~ Barb Helms, Virginia ~ Kim Rhys, Virginia

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Bringing in the New Year

Guest: Benjamin D.
Date of Stay: 12/31/11 Review Submitted: 01/10/12

My family and I enjoyed our stay bringing in the New Year. The views are incredible. More snow would have been nice.

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Perfect Birthday Get Away!

Guest: George F.
Date of Stay: 08/28/11 Review Submitted: 08/31/11

Our visit to Iona Cabin started out as a surprise for my wife's birthday. I would not tell her where we were going but made the slip of saying we would have to take a tram to the restaurant for her B'day dinner. So, of course, she googled all possibilities and found the Mountain Creek Restaurant at Pipestem Resort. Still I would not divulge the exact location of the cabin. But she had enough info to immediately start planning all of the sights she wanted to see in and around the Pipestem Resort area. We were only there for two nights and three days but boy did we hit all the highlights that beautiful area has to offer. And at the end of the day, we enjoyed retuning to the peace and quiet of the cabin. There was no babbling creek to listen to at night as the area has gone through a long draught and the creek was bone dry but we are not the toe-dipping types anyway. There were a few minor issues with the cabin itself but the owner was grateful that I pointed out the very small deficiencies and planned to inspect the cabin the day after our departure to correct those items. Again, nothing major and we found his description of the cabin to be very accurate. It was a perfect romantic getaway for two seniors and a birthday my wife will remember fondly.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Iona Cabin

Guest: Sherry (Charleston, WV)
Date of Stay: 05/23/11 Review Submitted: 06/02/11

Great get away. Love the creek below the cabin. The cabin was stocked with everything I needed. Beautiful scenery, quiet, and relaxing. Only heard a distant train whistle from time to time. Saw a couple of small critters which made it enjoyable also. (Fox and chipmunk). Great deck to relax and enjoy a meal on. Birds singing. This was truly a small part of God's wonderful creation. Thank you so much for letting me stay at your cabin for a few days.

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

Guest: Andy
Date of Stay: 03/20/11 Review Submitted: 03/29/11

Mr. Vinson, I wanted to take a minute to thank you for letting my boys and me use your cabin last week - we had an excellent time. The property is beautiful, the creek is amazing and the cabin is so well stocked that it feels like home from day 1. My boys are 4 and 7 years old, so they spent most of their time exploring the property and throwing rocks in the fast moving water of the creek - all of my time was spent making sure they didn't fall in! It was a nice bonding experience for all of us, a "boys trip" we kept calling it (my wife ended up not being able to join us due to work, but my brother Jeff came down for a few days in the early part of the week). My youngest's adventurous spirit really showed during the trip - without a word, he would put on his jacket, backpack full of books and just walk out the door and start hiking up the old/former driveway path to the left of the existing driveway. He would plop down on a rock and start 'reading' his books in the middle of the woods. I was able to watch him from the deck of the cabin, making sure he was ok but letting him have his solo adventure. We went to the local state parks and had them all to ourselves with beautiful mid-70's weather most days. We saw and heard all kinds of wildlife including deer, turkey, owls, frogs, salamanders, crayfish and countless bats and birds. Thank you very much for providing a safe and serene retreat for us to spend time - we appreciate it.

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Very nice cabin!

Guest: 2 happy dogs! (VA)
Date of Stay: 02/14/11 Review Submitted: 02/18/11

My husband and I brought our two dogs to this charming cabin. It was comfortable and private. We very much appreciated the relaxation time. When we walked in and saw the downstairs bedroom we were happy, then we went upstairs and saw the other bedrooms and twin beds- very nice surprise. The kitchen was well stocked with pots so we could do some light cooking. Although the water on the property is not great, the owners kindly supplied us with plenty of fresh water. The deck was very nice to view the beautiful creek below. We took short trips to Pipestem and Bluestone to spend time on the park trails. Donald was very helpful prior to our trip in making sure this would be a good location for our dogs as well. A comfortable, happy cabin at a reasonable price...we enjoyed our stay very much - thank you!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Getaway

Guest: Melissa (Cottageville, SC)
Date of Stay: 11/11/10 Review Submitted: 11/23/10

My husband and I were looking for a quiet place to just get away from it all for a few days and this was it! We had a wonderful time in this area. The cabin was so "snuggly" and had everything there that we needed. The peace and quiet was so refreshing. I would love to visit again for a longer period of time.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Loved It!!!!!

Guest: Folks (Orange Park, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 05/25/10

This is such a beautiful and relaxing place to spend time. The view of the creek is just great,you can feel the tension of city life roll away watching the water. The creek is great if you like to feet dip as I do. There is nothing like sitting by the water, dipping feet and just relaxing. We loved it there, can't wait to go back. The cabin is comfortable and cozy and we found ourselves feeling at home from the first day. Thanks for sharing your home with us. Almost forgot, our german shepherd and chihuahua loved it there as much as we did. They can't wait to go back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: the M's
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Oct 26, 08 Thank you for a lovely and comfortable stay. Your cabin is very nice and cozy. Your property is serene and quiet. The area is beautiful and would be a place we would try to return to.

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Guest: David and Margie
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

June 7-14, 08Enjoyed the week here—got to see the local sights00Sandstone Falls00R. R. Musum—Cass Railroad—Hawks Nest Park—Pipestem—New River Bridge. Played in the creek several of the noons also. Since this was vacation, I don’t cook, but there were enough choices in our day trips to get a variety. We enjoyed Kirk’s. The staff was so friendly. We live in the country , so we sove staying away from bit cities. This fit our choice to enjoy and be close enough to travel or stay in. Must say our roads at home are a little larger! Cass Railroad was a great day trip—About 3 hrs. drive—an all day event with 4 hr. train rides. Great if you love steam trains!I could have done without our 5:30 a.m. woodpecker knocking—but finally he left.Thanks for letting us enjoy your piece of heaven.

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Guest: the B's
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

July 20—27, 08We’re here from the suburbs of Chicago and thank you so much for your hospitality! The cabin was great and we enjoyed the swimmin’ hole.We have been many places, including Pipestem, Lewisburg, biking the Greebrier trail, rafting on the New River! Yesterday at Sandstone Falls, we almost lost our 20 year old son over the falls, but rescuers were able to get to him and get him out of the spot he was stuck in What a scare! We would recommend Brandon’s for dinner, and of course, the grill here worked great. Little scare this morning when a bat bit me. Be careful when you bring clothes in from drying on the deck! Had a great week anyway!

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Guest: Kit and Mary Beth
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Very beautiful weekend to be at Iona cabin—changing colors, crisp cool air, and lots of peace and quiet….Thank you for offering up your cabin as part of the Dress for Success fundraiser—otherwise, we would never have known about it. The timing of our trip was wonderful—amid all the cacophony from Wall Street disaster and character assassination of politics, we were able to sit by the creek and sit in the comfy chairs and read! This was especially nice as, in two months, we’ll welcome our first child into the world!Kit and Mary BethP. S. The backway drive to Lewisburg was wonderful! (Hinton—Alderson—Ronceverte—Lewisburg)

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Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

July 5—12, 08We gathered from Minneapolis, MN, Washington, D. C., and Austin, TX to the Iona Cabin for a family gathering. Our first evening was spent on the deck listening to the creek, watching a thousand stars—some falling, and enjoying our favorite libations—“Orgasmos.”We are amaze with the fine walks at the Tamarack, and handwork. The Coal Mine exhibit at Beckelyu. We ventured next to Gettysburg to experience and be sadden by our heritage. On the way back to Iona Cabin, we visited Monticello and thee Michie Tavern. Our next stop was to the Greenbrier, where we re-loved our days in the ‘50s at the Bunker Tour and learned of the game of Kings, falcons and hawks. We spent a day at the Pipestem, and then our last day relaxing at home. Good friends and family, wonderful sites, food and campfire at the firepit, and always the wonderful creek.We were fortunate to see deer, chipmunk, wild turkey, many birds, and wonderful wildflowers/ Our trip was short, but our memories are long.God bless all who venture here.Armin and Cindy, Billy and Sarah, Daniel and Norma

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Guest: Joanna and Bob
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

June 21—28, 08The Lord clearly directed us to this cabin, a quiet respite for the soul, time to reflect and enjoy His amazing creation. Thank you for all the thoughtful amenities, bird and animal books, binoculars, games, puzzles (we did the New River one!) phone card, drinking water, etc., etc.,!! We are so glad we came and will look back on this time with sweet memories, hiking, biking, fly fishing, swimming, reading and so much more. May the Lord bless all those who come here and may He bless you as you also I hope enjoy your own cabin and the loveliness of its surroundings.

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Guest: Doug and Carmen
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Oct 21, 08God sure knows how to paint a picture! Doug and I got married on the beach in Destin, FL. The beach is a regular 10-day get-away every year for the family. This year was an exception. Unfortunately, my husband’s parents weren’t able to make it to our wedding last year. Mt. Hope, WV is a far way for them to drive with their health issues. This year we decided to bring “my” parents to meet “his” parents. Yes, for the first time. I couldn’t have painted a more beautiful and loving visit. A loving family and a beautiful place. Iona Cabin was a perfect setting. How much closer to God could we be? Almost as if we were in a tree house here…We all enjoyed the parks in the surrounding areas—Hawk’s Nest was breath-taking; Sandstone was serene and peaceful. Thank you for letting us include Iona Cabin as a storyline in our lives; we loved it here. After my husband’s 1 year deployment, we’ll be back to see his parents….

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Guest: Jim and Brenda
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Oct. 17-22, 08We enjoyed our visit to Iona Cabin. I think we came at the perfect time! The leaves were beautiful, and “Train Days” at Hinton was very enjoyable. My husband and I made new friends (our son-in-law’s parents from Mt. Hope.) I agree with the previous guest, it was nice to get away from the political and financial situation of our U. S. A. just for a few days. Thank you for sharing your cabin sitting in the perfect place in God’s Beautiful West Virginia!

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Guest: Stuart and Karen
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Oct 08We’ve had a fantastic time here at Iona Cabin out in the woods of W. VA. We loved the quiet, the creek, the trees, the birdsong, and the train whistle!Hiniton is such a historic and interesting area—we were amazed to learn that our fellow Yorkshiremen (Yorkshire being our home county in the N. E. of England, known for coal mining and North Sea fishing) were amongst the first European settlers to this area.Bluestone Lake and Dam, New River and the Gorge, Sandstone Falls, and Pipestem and Bluestone national Parks, we did them all and enjoyed some great, if testing, hikes….

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Guest: the P's
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Sept 19, 08We had a wonderful week at Iona Cabin. It was peaceful and refreshing. Blue Rock was lovely and everyone’s been extremely friendly (even the little fish that nibble on your feet in the creek ?. We had an exceptional dinner tonight at the Mountain Creek Lodge. It was the perfect way to end a delightful week. (Owner's note: the minnow-operated skin defoliation is offered at no additional charge.)

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Guest: Cheryl
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Sept. 11—14, 08Many thanks for a much-needed “retreat in the woods.” I had a restful and enjoyable time—read 2 books, enjoyed the sounds of the birds and creek—and most importantly the “sounds of quiet”! I look forward to a return visit when I can enjoy the swimming hole! Also, I bet it will be beautiful here in a month when the leaves change!Again, thank you so much, I am ready to head back to the world (well, not really) a bit refreshed!

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Guest: Lee and Suzanne
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Sept 8—11, 08Enjoyed the peacefulness of the woods, creek and cabin. It’s nice to get away and relax—and have absolutely nothing to do. Nevertheless, there are many nice things to do in this area. We visited the Lost World Caverns in in Lewisburg, WV, and saw the John Henry statue up the road in talcott. It’s a bit remote out here, but the serenity and natural beauty make for a nice get-away from daily life. Not to sound misanthropic, but it’s really nice to just look outside the window and see all the trees and no one else around. It was a good decision to come here, and I’m glad my wife found your listing on the VRBO website. We looked at a number of different places, but this one stodd out in my mind. I liked the slogan that was used to describe this place, “Idyllic Sanctuary.” I liked the pictures and the description. I would say the place lived up to our expectations, we had and enjoyable time, and hopefully we will come back again some day. P. S. liked the books and Sirius Satellite, too. (owner note: it’s actually Dish Top 200, with Sirius music channels)

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Guest: Marty, Jeri, Stella, Eliza
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

Aug 23—29, 08Thank you for sharing your cabin with us. It was very peaceful and a nice break from our regular busy lives. Our girls loved going down by the creek. They even got to see a turtle. We took little adventures each day—all the countryside views are amazing. On the rainy days, we took the kids to an indoor pool at Pipestem. We’ve seen deer, wild turkeys, birds, (even a hummingbird), a turtle, fish, and an otter. Plus bugs, spiders, and caterpillars ?I think our girls had a good time “camping out” here and we are all happy that we enjoyed some great family time!

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Guest: Gary and Sabrina
Date of Stay: 11/05/08 Review Submitted: 11/04/08

July 27—31, 08We came here for our 7th wedding anniversary and to get away from it all. This place is great. The creek reminds me of my childhood days growing up in Cabwaylingo, esp. the swimming hole.It is so relaxing and peaceful here that I sat on the porch for hours a day just listening to the water and the birds.We went fishing at New River and Greenbrier, and Gary did pretty good. Caught 29 bass while we were here.I would definitely like to come back, esp. to walk up and down the creek and rocks again. Thanks for a great getaway!

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Guest: Suzanne and Lee
Date of Stay: 10/12/08 Review Submitted: 10/11/08

I just wanted to thank you again for allowing us to stay at your amazing Iona Cabin in Hinton, WV in early September. We had everything that we needed on the property and your cabin was such a cozy place to stay. My husband and I both agreed that was one of our best vacations we've taken in recent years. The property was pleasantly secluded. It was wonderful to wake up every morning to the sweet sounds of nature, listen to the creek gently babbling below the cabin, and know we had our own slice of natural heaven to explore. There were plenty of interesting sites to explore in the area. We ventured out to Sandstone Falls. We saw it from the birds eye view on WV Rte 20 and drove out the "River Road" to get a closer view. I would have loved to stayed there all day, reading a good book! It was unbelievably peaceful. We also visited the John Henry statue in Talcott and drove out to Lewisburg to check out the Lost World Caverns. That place is amazing. My husband had been there when he was younger and it was just as spectacular as he remembered it. We hope to be able to stay at the cabin again in the future! On our next trip, I think we're going to set aside more time to check out the state parks in the area. Thanks again for giving us this great opportunity! The break from the hustle and bustle of daily life was just what we needed. Regards, Suzanne and Lee

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Guest: Nancy112 (Virginia Beach, VA)
Date of Stay: 12/28/07 Review Submitted: 12/28/07

We had a wonderful, relaxing week in this charming log cabin. Although things were still in process we felt cozy and right at home. Thanks to the owner for sharing your lovely home with us.

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Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 10/25/07 Review Submitted: 10/24/07

This was our family Thanksgiving get-together from three states. We really enjoyed a relaxing time here. Love the region, climate, views, and accommodations. Thanks a lot. Charlie and Pam, TN, Amy and Jason, VA, Meredith and Davy, KY 10-25-07

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Guest: Rick and Deidre
Date of Stay: 10/16/07 Review Submitted: 10/15/07

We really enjoyed our stay here and was very relaxing. Too bad the creek was not running, but the view was great. Went fishin’, but didn’t have much luck at the lake, but did at the dam. Sandstone Falls was quite a sight and we had a nice hike. There was a certain deer that came around the cabin every few nights and came as close as 15 feet many times! Anyway, thanks for letting us enjoy the area and we hope to come back sometime! Rick and Deidre, Cincinnati, OH 10-16-07

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Guest: Lee/Dease
Date of Stay: 09/28/07 Review Submitted: 09/27/07

Iona Cabin is very beautiful. The setting is restful, gorgeous, and relaxing. Kirk’s was excellent choice for eating. We were entertained by chipmunks and deer! Wonderful, refreshing, worthwhile to visit here. Lee Family/Dease Family 9-28-07

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Guest: John and Diana
Date of Stay: 08/24/07 Review Submitted: 08/23/07

Thank you so much for the wonderful week we spent in your cabin, it is such a lovely place, our children had a blast. Our little 2 year old boy grew and gained great strength and our 3 year old girl played down in the creek for hours. We had wonderful barbecues and even made it down to the state fair! We will be back! Best wishes, John, Diana, Camila, Archibald, Baltimore, MD 8-24-07

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Guest: Keith, Nancy, Paul, & Kathy
Date of Stay: 08/15/07 Review Submitted: 08/14/07

Iona Cabin was a welcome respite from our hectic lives. Big Creek is a peaceful little stream, everything is as idyllic as promised. The only thing better would have been a longer stay. Brandon’s restaurant across from Pipestem Park was very nice, but we ate four times at Kirk’s, not because it was elegant, but it was reasonable, close, and so wonderfully local. There were so many things we wanted to do that we are compelled to return. Keith and Nancy, Virginia Beach, VA, Paul and Kathy, Mt. Gilead, OH 8-15-07

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Guest: Dick and Mary Ann
Date of Stay: 08/12/07 Review Submitted: 08/11/07

Thanks for sharing your spot of heaven in the woods! We went creeking, and particularly enjoyed the “spa” directly by the cabin. Beautiful land, river, and home in the woods. We also enjoyed Bluestone State Park—very close—to fish and hike. Hope to be back again! Thanks, Dick and Mary Ann , Columbus, OH 8-12-07

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Guest: Brandon and Laura
Date of Stay: 08/10/07 Review Submitted: 08/09/07

What a great retreat! We enjoyed the peace and quiet of the woods and creek. It was a wonderful week of relaxing and an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Brandon and Laura Stille, Cheshire CT 8-10-07

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Guest: Sarah, Josh, Ro, and Aaron
Date of Stay: 02/07/07 Review Submitted: 02/06/07

Thank you so much for providing this amazing break from daily life. Upon arrival, we were able to forget all stressors and enjoy the beauty around us. We encountered deer, chipmunks, squirrels, a falcon, hawks, and even a bobcat! The pristine settings provided the break from city life we were hoping for. The New River and Sandstone Falls were absolutely spectacular—and the stars at night are unforgettable. We greatly look forward to returning. Sarah, Josh, Ro, and Aaron, Cincinnati, OH, 10-7-07

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