Vacation Rentals by Owner

"The Bungalow" on Lilac, in Missoula, Montana

Guest: ken (Visby, Sweden, at the moment)
Date of Stay: 08/25/11 Review Submitted: 03/23/12

Great place, a cottage really, charming, two bedrooms,ditto baths, kitchen, living and dining rooms, located in a traditional young-couple-and retiree neighborhood with lots of resident of authors and poets. Quiet. Great landlords in Lane and Linda, who are kind, informed,and know all about Montana and everyone in Missoula. Have a glass of wine with them in their lovely garden or grill there yourself. Close to the University, the fishable Clark Fork (yes, in the middle of town!)and to stores, and less than a kilometer to the center of downtown, Great winter sunlight, too, and ski areas all around. Highly recommended. Lots of bars with live bands, an excellent, welcoming restaurant in Pearl's, and frequent theater performances. For remarkeble views and experiences, drive two hours east to Georgetown Lake on the Continental divide, and even beyond into the Big Hole country,or one hour north to the national Bison Range. Lane knows all about horses and ranching. A casual, friendly community halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier Park. We'll be back soon!

Owner response:Ken and Helena have become great friends, I met Helena in a common yoga practice! Always stimulating conversation to be had with our new friends.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Jill Durkee Austin, TX

Guest: Jill Durkee (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 08/16/11

I LOVE THIS PROPERTY! The yard is like an enchanted garden! I can't wait to get back to Montana to stay at "My Bungalow"!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lilac Street Bungalow

Guest: Suzanne (Hood River, OR)
Date of Stay: 08/10/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

We came to Missoula for our daughter's wedding and stayed at the bungalow for a week. Because this was a do-it-yourself wedding, we had lots of tasks that necessitated a spacious and comfortable kitchen and home. The bungalow was the perfect spot! The house stays very cool (perfect for storing all the flowers) and the kitchen was well-equipped and roomy (necessary for baking and preparing for a BBQ in the park for 70 guests). The location is quiet and close to trails in the Rattlesnake as well as an easy bike ride to the Clark Fork River and downtown. Lane was helpful and considerate. My only complaint is that we were too busy to enjoy the beautiful yard and gardens; we will be back!

Owner response:Thank you for sharing photographs of your wedding preparations, I plan to use the photo of staging the wedding flowers!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lilac Bungalow - a little slice of paradise

Guest: Michelle (San Carlos, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 03/24/12

Our family stayed in the bungalow for a month during the summer of 2011 and had a fantastic vacation. The bungalow is well suited for a family of 4 – nice kitchen/eating area, living room and spacious bedrooms. Together with the beautiful gardens outside, there is plenty of space for everyone. Our daughters (7 and 9 yrs old) spent many an afternoon upstairs reading in the rocking chairs with a mountain view, or sitting around the garden table doing crafts. Every morning they would run outside to check if the chickens had laid eggs. With the bungalow, there is a garage with room for extra “stuff” that one brings on a long vacation. We brought our bikes, but the house comes with 2 bikes for renters. The house is very close to Greenough Park - great for running, walking, or a dip in Rattlesnake Creek. We rode our bikes all over town. In the summer time there are 3 farmer’s markets spread throughout the week. We’d bicycle the short distance (<5min) to the market and load our bike racks to the brim with gorgeous cherries and veggies. Favorite Missoula activities for our family are: Break Espresso for coffee and pie, Splash Montana for a fun day swimming, horse lessons at the Flying H Ranch, hiking up Mount Jumbo, First Friday of the month when all the art stores are open in the early evening with wine and cheese, riding the Missoula Carousel over and over, and Fact & Fiction bookstore. Also great and not too far away are swimming at Frenchtown Pond, camping and swimming at Seeley Lake and not to be missed is the Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell – this is the premiere horse event in the United States and who knew it was in Montana! And yet out of all the activities, just simply enjoying the outdoors in the gorgeous gardens of Lane and Linda’s stood out as #1. Lane and Linda are gracious hosts who welcome the bungalow guests with open arms. When arriving, they showed us around the house. The hints about how to close up the house during the heat to keep the bungalow cool were great! While they gave us our space – never invading our privacy –they also invited us to join them for a glass of wine or dinner throughout our stay. It really felt like they were life long friends. We learned many green ways of living from Lane and just this week had solar panels installed at on our house in California! We look forward to visiting the bungalow, Lane and Linda, Missoula and our Missoula friends again and again in years to come.

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

Running/Hiking comfort spot

Guest: Webs (Minneapolis)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/24/11

We rented this awesome bungalow in July and it was MORE than we expected. Lane and Linda welcomed us with open arms and we instantly had new friends in the neighborhood. My wife and I spent the week in the bungalow and several of the days, we did not even have to get in our cars as the accessibility to running and hiking trails were AWESOME. The bungalow and gardens were so relaxing we cooked in every night to enjoy the beautiful gardens and enjoy the bungalow. WHAT a GEM of a place. We will be definately back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Charm, Comfort and Convenience

Guest: Rosemary and Jon (Mankato, MN)
Date of Stay: 06/26/11 Review Submitted: 07/27/11

We enjoyed our stay in The Bungalow so much. The bungalow is charming, well-maintained and is well stocked with kitchen basics as well as wonderful reading material. Lane and Linda are very welcoming-- the vase of fresh flowers on the dining table was so nice. The gardens are glorious. We felt very much at home there. The location is so convenient to local trailheads, the university and downtown. We will certainly stay there whenever possible when in Missoula. Don't miss it!

Owner response:We enjoy guests who are comfortable in Missoula and who love to explore the community.

Recommended for:Age 55+

Privacy Invasion & Double Booking

Guest: Kathy (Fountain Inn, SC)
Date of Stay: 06/13/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

While the bungalow exceeded our expectations of comfort and convenience to local attractions, there were a few issues that would have made our stay much more relaxing. The pictures of the gardens and grounds are misleading as they are quite overgrown including the grass and definitely need some TLC. Therefore, we never used the outside grill or table. The owners while giving us our privacy entered the bungalow on several occasions while we were gone, which I feel is (snooping) an invasion of privacy, and we never left anything of value in the bungalow since the owners were inside it so often. Communication with the owners was done by email only, so if we had not taken our laptop or called the owner to ask questions we would not have communicated at all, except for the notes left on the dining room table inside the bungalow while we were out sight seeing. The owners double booked our last day June 20, 2011, while all of our email and phone conversations clearly stated we would be checking out on June 21, 2011. At the time of booking through June 21, 2011, the rest of June was available, and we were not told of this double booking until the day after we had moved into the bungalow The owner stated he would grant us a minimum deduction for the inconvenience. Since the owner broke the contract, we paid the owner only for the nights we stayed in the bungalow, which excluded 2 nights we spent traveling elsewhere over the weekend, before leaving on June 20, 2011. Also the departure information clearly stated "departure at your convenience", however we received an email on the morning of June 20, 2011 that we had to vacate the bungalow by 11:00 a.m. I just didn't feel the owners were truthful to us, knowing they had other people coming in on June 20, 2011, yet not saying anything to us till we had already moved in. I feel they knew we'd find other accommodations and they'd loose money on the deal. Also the owners did emal a B&B to see if they had openings for us for the 20th, but we never got a response regarding an opening. And the owners did not want to tell the new vacationers that they double booked and put them up in a B&B for free for the first night as they'd loose that money also. Thank goodness we did find a place to stay, and regardless we did enjoy our sight seeing, and seeing friends. Would I rent this bungalow again?? Yes I would, as long as we were on a sight seeing trip, and there was a written vacationers agreement beforehand.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing.

The Perfect Spot in Missoula

Guest: C & C (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 07/16/10 Review Submitted: 01/12/11

The Bungalow is exceedingly comfortable, charming, and well located. We stayed here in July, and will never forget how magical the gardens were at the peak of their bloom. The house is generously equipped with the comforts of home, and Lane and Linda are gracious and helpful. Our young children especially adored the chickens, and the school playground within easy walking distance down the street. Wonderful access to downtown, the University, and the Rattlesnake. The Bungalow is a true gem!

Owner response:Thank you for your kind remarks - we encourage return guests to reserve their dates early in the year to avoid disappointment - we enjoy seeing families year after year, watching the children and grandchildren as they further explore the neighborhood and recreation Missoula offers.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

Relaxing

Guest: Brian and Erin (Vancouver, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/02/10 Review Submitted: 07/21/10

It would be hard to accurately describe this house, the gardens the neighborhood or the neighbors themselves (Lane and Linda, the owners). Suffice it to say all were so far above our expectations we were caught off guard. The house has been tastefully remodeled and is just the right size for a couple or small family (there were 3 adults and 1 teenager in our group) and we all had plenty of room to spread out. When the outdoors beckoned (you are, after all, in Montana) the gardens were simply a delight and a relaxing way to spend an afternoon listening to the chickens cluck away and watching the birds and bees do their work. Just about everything is within walking distance (campus, grocery store, dining, several trailheads) which made getting around very nice and really convenient. To recap, STAY HERE there really isn't any reason to look elsewhere...by the way we intend to return so try to book your trip around ours!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Renting the bungalow is like being at home in Missoula

Guest: Cheryl and Hank (Charlottesville)
Date of Stay: 05/31/10 Review Submitted: 06/26/10

We rent the bungalow whenever we stay in Missoula. It really is a "home away from home." The bungalow has special decorating touches, like Italian tile and color coordinated pottery in the fully stocked kitchen, and always fresh flowers. We love the "green" aspects as well, solar hot water and LED lights in the kitchen. Lane and Linda are wonderful hosts who have become good friends of ours over the years that we have rented the bungalow. The bungalow is very close to the center of town and also to hiking trails. Also close by is Rattlesnake Gardens, a wonderful place to get coffee or a take-away dinner to bring back to the bungalow. We highly recommend the bungalow whenever you travel to Missoula!

Owner response:We have enjoyed watching their grandchildren develop from infancy, into curious and bright young children. The extended family is always a pleasure to enjoy and to meet at the summer Missoula Farmer's Market.

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

Guest: Derek Baggerly
Date of Stay: 10/13/09 Review Submitted: 10/12/09

What a fantastic place for families! Our two daughters (8 and 3) loved the place, the kitchen is well-equipped for family cooking, and Lane and Linda were fantastic hosts. The list of great family activities is endless: hiking, farmers markets, parks (Caras and Bonner were our favorites), restaurants, kid camps (M.O.L.A.!), festivals, minor league baseball, etc. We were at the Bungalow for three weeks in July and never lacked for fun things to do, all within walking/biking distance.

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Guest: Leslie Goold (Spokane Valley, WA)
Date of Stay: 09/19/09 Review Submitted: 09/19/09

There aren't words to accurately describe how perfect this home away from home really is. The bungalow is so homey and comfortable in a quiet neighborhood. Lane and Linda are so very helpful and gracious. You will thoroughly enjoy yourself in all the Missoula area has to offer and then come home to a comfortable and peaceful bungalow. All I can say is FABULOUS! Thanks Lane and Linda for helping Aimee and I out and having your Bungalow available for us. It was truly a blessing!

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Guest: Robert Marcus (Santa Fe NM)
Date of Stay: 09/14/09 Review Submitted: 09/14/09

My wife and I drove to Montana for a school reunion. Lane & Linda Coulston's property was ideally located to all attractions in Missoula, most of which were an easy walk. The area is beautiful, with the lovely Rattlesnake River and Greenough Park offering a serene environment for rest and relaxation. We were a little nervous about using a Double Bed, but that was needless worry, as we found it to be extremely comfortable. The cottage was spotless, fully equipped, with lovely gardens and a secluded outdoor table/umbrella and chairs for our quiet lunches. We certainly plan to return!

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Guest: Jill Durkee (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 08/24/09 Review Submitted: 08/24/09

I don't want to tell everyone about "our" bungalow! This is the most wonderful place I have stayed! The bungalow is spacious (much larger than we anticipated), fully equipped and updated (GREAT BATHROOM) and kitchen with everything to make this our home away from home. We had coffee on the patio in the beautiful gardens adjoining the main residence and it was so peaceful! I don't want everyone to know about this slice of heaven we found in Missoula because then you will all want to stay here ad it will be booked up when we want it!!! Thanks Lane and Linda!

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Guest: Phillip & Alice Carr (Reeds Spring, Missouri)
Date of Stay: 03/29/09 Review Submitted: 03/29/09

My husband and I were in Missoula attending the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival--so we were there for 10 days! What a delight this little house was. The amenities and the friendly and helpful owners made this a perfect stay. The hiking right there at this mountain base is wonderful!!!

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Guest: Sam Johnson (Palo Alto)
Date of Stay: 03/24/09 Review Submitted: 03/24/09

I went to Missoula for jaw surgery and needed a place to recuperate. The bungalow was great. It was very much a home away from home. But that wasn’t the best part. Lane drove me back and forth to the doctor, since I was in no condition to drive. My recuperation went well and Lane saw to it that I was alright. The location was near downtown, but an easy ride up the canyon on the bike Lane loaned me when I was well enough to ride. Lane even rode with me and showed me the sights one day. Great host, great location and beautiful bungalow.

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Guest: Erin O'Riordain (-)
Date of Stay: 01/27/09 Review Submitted: 01/27/09

We used this bunglow for a week last winter to house a visiting lecturer from Ireland and found it to be above and beyond our expectations. It is clean, cozy, and with all the comforts of home and the location is wonderful with an easy stroll to the University of Montana and a myriad of beautiful walking trails. The owners, Lane and Linda, are friendly, courteous and conscientious and just a joy to get to know. The whole experience was a delight and we would HIGHLY recommend this bungalow to anyone. You will not do better....

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Guest: Kelly Jansen (Kaukauna WI)
Date of Stay: 01/26/09 Review Submitted: 01/26/09

My family and I LOVED staying at Lane's bungalow while visiting family in Missoula. Besides being immaculately clean and well-kept, it was also perfectly stocked with upscale items and made staying there a mini vacation within a vacation. The yard was beautiful and my children ( age 10 and 8) especially loved the irrigation ditch out front:) Close proximity to both downtown coffee shops and hiking in the wilderness made it very convenient for us. We would love to go back again. Kelly, Jason, Eleanor and ALex Jansen

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Guest: Nancy and Blake (Kensington, MD)
Date of Stay: 01/26/09 Review Submitted: 01/26/09

We were absolutely thrilled with our stay in this quaint Missoula bungalow. Everything was perfect and we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go in town and on the UM campus. Lane and Linda were the most gracious hosts, making sure we had everything we needed and more. We can't wait to go back!

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Guest: Laura King (-)
Date of Stay: 01/26/09 Review Submitted: 01/26/09

We loved our stay here. The bungalow is comfortable, with everything you could need, including a fully-equipped kitchen, spacious work (and work-out) area upstairs, and a living room for reading and relaxing. (There's also a dining nook, a bedroom, and two bathrooms.) It was more roomy than we expected and very, very pleasant. The owners were so gracious and helpful; their hospitality made our stay really exceptional. The neighborhood has a very nice community vibe, and the setting (among rivers and hills) is of course wonderful. I highly recommend this rental.

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