Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great house for a weekend away

Guest: Number 7 (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 04/13/12 Review Submitted: 04/19/12

I rented this house for a weekend away with 8 friends and we were very happy with it. All of the amenities were as described by the owner and everything was very clean. The house is well maintained and in a great location. Grocery shopping and downtown Elkhorn, WI, are about 15 minutes south of the house. I would definitely recommend this place for a weekend on the lake or a longer stay, especially in the summer when swimming and boating would be an option.

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

Moms/Daughters Bachlorette Party

Guest: Lakehouse Girls (Carol Stream, IL)
Date of Stay: 03/23/12 Review Submitted: 04/24/12

We all had a Great & Memorable time! The house was fantastic! Very clean. Great rebonding with our college daughters. The girls wanted the dorm style bedroom downstairs and the Moms were glad to take the mainfloor bedrooms. The open living room/kitchen is great for game playing, dancing and making favorite dinners. The view is fantastic - weather permittted us to go down to beach/dock and hang out awhile. Spent a day in Lake Geneva and back to the house for drinks and more games. The lower level was next to area conquer with the pool table, soccer table, ping pong & beer pong (water only). I think we took the girls by surprise by outlasting them through the weekend. Will have no problem coming back. Been looking at the pictures over & over. I definitely believe that this weekend will remain in our hearts for a very long time!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Fantastic Time.

Guest: Brandon N.
Date of Stay: 10/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/02/11

When we began our search for a property, our goal was to give my mother, for her 62nd birthday, the family get-together she'd talked of wanting for years. My cousin's wedding brought us all in from the East Coast and the West Coast, and so it seemed like the right time to make it happen. We found this property to be everything we'd hoped it to be. ... Peaceful, cozy, clean, well-maintained, great for entertaining, and as my mother summarized it, "heavenly." Every possible accommodation was present. (There was even high-speed wifi, which was a surprise and relief to a few of us!) I can attest to the fact that there are definitely some good attractions in the area, at least for the younger kids. Among us, we had three toddlers, and they enjoyed riding on the paddle boats. Also, there's an apple and pumpkin orchard a few miles away, which they enjoyed, as well as a petting zoo one town over. We enjoyed our time there so much that the family all left town with intentions and hopes that we consider making this a yearly tradition. If you're looking for relaxation and comfort, you certainly can't go wrong with this property. - BN

Recommended for:

Great Family Escape

Guest: Happy Grandparents (Rochester, MN)
Date of Stay: 07/17/11 Review Submitted: 08/04/11

A great place for a multi-generation vacation! The sandy beach is great for little ones, and the fact that you have to descend the stairway on the hill to the beach adds insurance that they won't run to the water without adult supervision. Restaurants and stores are close when you want them, but you feel far away from "regular" life. The house has plenty of room and just about everything you could possibly need. Arranging to rent the speedboat and driver was a highlight of the week too - very fun, and not having to worry about driving was a real plus.

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway.

Girls Weekend

Guest: Helen (Milford, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 09/17/10 Review Submitted: 09/26/10

What a fabulous home! It was more lovely than the pictures. My high school girlfriends get together once a year for a weekend and we have been doing this for 35 years. Sometimes we stay at our own homes and sometimes we rent. This has been the best rental ever! We needed nothing. Since all of us come from different states it was so nice not to have to drag bedding and towels and kitchen things with us. The weather even was nice for mid September. Took the paddle boat out and even went swimming. We were so busy that we never played ping/pong but it was nice having the game room just in case. We would rent this property again!

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

Kids Lake Vacation

Guest: Appraiser (South Suburbs)
Date of Stay: 07/28/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

My family truly enjoy this wonderful lake house destination. It has a wonderful beach and a great dock for my three little one's to fish from. My 6 year old caught a Bluegill, she was very excited. The house itself was great, the lower level is a great family enviroment with a Pin Pon table, pool table and a great place to play games. Cathy's house was wonderful and we look forward to returning next year.

Recommended for:Families with young children

Heaven on Earth

Guest: "The Girls" (Libertyville, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/24/10 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

This house is perfect for any group, any size! We had a girls weekend and had a blast. We got up each morning, had coffee on the deck, went for a walk, fished off the dock, and then spent time on the pontoon boat. As if that wasn't enough we would come back, have a cocktail and make dinner. The deck was once again perfect for eating and watching the sunset over the incredibly peaceful lake. Once the sun went down we made a fire in the fire pit to wind down the day. The house, the beach, the weather - it was all perfect. Cathy does a great job showing the house as it is and taking great care of it. I hope we can make our trip an annual event!

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners.

Grandma's 65th B-day family vacation-Elgin, Il

Guest: Sue (Elgin, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 07/07/10 Review Submitted: 07/16/10

We left our computers and video games at home and had a most wonderful family vacation here at this comfortable family home. Everything was there for us - all we needed to do was supply our food and drink. Two year old granddaughters wouldn't leave the lake and the sandy beach. Nine year old grandson fished and tubed till he was exhausted. We even managed to fit in some horseback riding nearby. The nightly fire in the huge fire pit brought out lots of stories from the past and the toasted marshmallows made our evenings perfect. The two decks provided wonderful views of sunsets that we will remember forever. Don't hesitate to plan a great vacation here at a real home away from home.

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

Wonderful Weekend

Guest: Kim (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Date of Stay: 06/25/10 Review Submitted: 07/08/10

We spent a wonderful long weekend at this property. Our party consisted of a multi-generational family and this property was great for all ages. The owner accurately represents this lovely vacation property and maintains it very well. The children enjoyed the beach and the paddle boats while the older crowd spent afternoons on the lovely upper deck. The photos provided accurately portray the home and its beautiful yard. We really had a great time and the only draw back was we didn't stay long enough! The owner is very helpful and eager to make sure your stay is comfortable and enjoyable.

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

Wonderful Home Away From Home

Guest: nance (rochester,mn)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10 Review Submitted: 07/01/10

Everything about our stay here was absolutely a treat. The home is beautiful and has all of the amenities desired by those who love the idea of a lake but do not like roughing it! We rented the boat for a beautiful day last Thursday and the owner's son was our gracious captain. He drove where we desired and also gave us a history of the lake and a grand tour of the beautiful homes surrounding. We spent hours playing at a popular sandbar.All ages had a blast from our 70plus parents to our adult children and their kids. We weren't all there at the same time but even if we all had been, the house is huge and the yard amazing. You can catch fish right off of the dock! Our night at the firepit was memorable. We experienced two huge storms during the late hours of night and woke up to sunshine, birds singing and a few chipmunks frolicking but the lake was beautiful and we felt sheltered by the huge oaks surrounding the property. Its a very quiet bay during the week and we felt we had it all to ourselves which was so fun!!!!! We never went out to dinner as the kitchen is fully stocked to make great meals, the grocery store in Elkhorn loved us, the small country store that was even closer loved us even more!!! Our meals on the deck were like being at a 4 star restaurant in paradise. Thanks to the family for renting their home. We were sad our week ended!

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

Great golf retreat

Guest: Michael (Peoria IL)
Date of Stay: 06/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/06/10

7 buddies and I stayed here for 3 nights. We chose this rental due to the fact they have 8 beds and it is a lakefront property. Geneva National was a 20 minute drive away. The upper and lower decks were perfect for us. We hope to stay here again. It's perfect for any kind of golf retreat.

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

Perfect Getaway for any Occasion

Guest: BHash (Bradenton, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/28/10 Review Submitted: 06/10/10

Whether you are looking for a quick weekend getaway or a week or month long vacation, this is the perfect place. You literally just have to bring clothes and food, and the rest is there for you to use! Great golfing in the area and my brother caught a huge Tarp off the dock (Well, almost - it broke the line!) We stayed at Cathy's home for Memorial Day Weekend and we will always remember the good times. Highly Recommend!

Recommended for:Families with young children

Great place to stay

Guest: Knoxite (Galesburg, IL)
Date of Stay: 05/21/10 Review Submitted: 05/25/10

My family stayed at the house this past weekend from Friday through Monday. Luckily, the weather was wonderful. We used the paddle boats quite a bit and fished from them and from the dock. Cathy was great to work with and made sure everything was okay right from the minute we got there. I would definitely recommend this house.

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

FANTASTIC!!!!

Guest: MJJM (Chicago Ridge)
Date of Stay: 05/07/10 Review Submitted: 05/11/10

We had a wonderful Mothers Day weekend at Cathy's house. Cathy was wonderful to work with. We definitely hope to return very soon!!

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

wisconsin getaway

Guest: wwt (winnetka, IL)
Date of Stay: 03/26/10 Review Submitted: 05/07/10

I stayed in the house in March and at that time of year the views of the lake from the house were great. We had a great time at the hugh fire pit at night. The neighborhood is really nice and great for walks. The house was very clean, the hardwood floors were fantastic and the women we rented from was very friendly and helpful.

Recommended for:Families with young children, pet owners.

Weekend Getaway perfect for families

Guest: Family w. kids (Wheeling, IL)
Date of Stay: 09/19/09 Review Submitted: 10/05/09

We stayed for a weekend at this home with 9 adults and 4 kids and it was so much fun! We really never had a boring moment, and enjoyed the game tables, dorm style basement sleeping arrangements, fireplaces, newly remodeled bathrooms, roasting marshmallows, bbq's, and lounging on the decks! The home was very clean, the fishing was plentiful, and it felt very spacious. The home was very cozy, kid friendly, and our kids could not stop commenting about how much they wanted to move in there for good! We drove 20 mins to get to Lake Geneva where we spent a few hours one day. We created some beautiful family memories there and hope to come back again soon.

Owner response:Beautiful memories is what life is all about! Send me some pictures to put in the huge "picture frame"!

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

Absolutely Wonderful

Guest: Dad Loves it (Chicago,IL)
Date of Stay: 08/17/09 Review Submitted: 08/24/09

While sipping a glass of wine one night; my wife and I seated on the top deck, we could see the big dipper constellation framed within the leaves of the trees and thought, "Worth it!" We were relaxing while our 10 kids were enjoying anything from shooting pool, playing ping pong or fousball, we could hear an occasional yeah!! from the those playing the board game Risk in the lower level. While still others were down roasting marshmellows at the fire pit. My oldest daughter just got engaged, so I think she and her fiance were down at the lake star gazing, or gazing into each other's eyes. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day of water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, snorkeling, fishing, hangin out, and a delicious bbq. We rented the boat and the driver that come with the house for the day. Julie was our driver. She was personable, professional, and very helpful. The first group out took a nice tour around the lake where Julie grew up, and pointed out some fabulous houses, and gave us a history of the lake. When I went wakeboarding, she was very patient and helpful. We went skydiving for a day. The Milwaukee Sky Knights were just 15 minutes away and we had a blast! The kids loved the dormroom style sleeping in the basement. The ac cooled everything down right away on that warm muggy night, and everyone had a great sleep that night. If you have a large family, and want a place that has everything, you can't loose with the Barnard House.

Owner response:I am going to add the sky diving for things to do! But not for me! It truely is "Heaven For All Ages".

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Fabulous vacation

Guest: Dad Loves it (Chicago,IL)
Date of Stay: 08/17/09 Review Submitted: 08/22/09

One night my wife and I were relaxing to a glass of wine on the top deck of the Barnard House. We were enjoying a beautiful night sky with a view of the big dipper framed by the surrounding trees. It was especially nice and relaxing because the kids were in the basement playing pool, and playing Risk, some were playing ping pong or fousball, some were chillin out to a movie on the big screen. Others were having fun down by the fire pit, or some were star gazing down by the lake. It was the perfect end to a wonderful day of water skiing, fishing, snorkeling, games, hangin out, and a great BBQ. We rented a boat and driver available with the house and enjoyed a day of water skiing, wake boarding, and tubing. Our driver, Julie, was personable, professional, and very helpful. Our first group went out on the boat early in the morning for a tour of the lake. Since Julie grew up on the lake, she pointed out some very beautiful architecture, and gave us a great history of the lake. We also went skydiving at Milwaukee Skydiving in East Troy, about 20 minutes away. We were all first timers and they were very helpful. What a blast! The house was very comfortable, and the kids loved the dorm room style sleeping in the basement. We highly reccomend the Barnard house for a fun filled relaxing vacation.

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

A Perfect Place

Guest: Little (West Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/08/09 Review Submitted: 08/18/09

Stayed for 7 days with family of 15 coming and going, tubing, fishing and sitting by a bonfire in the evening. I spent an afternoon sitting in a chair near the lake knitting, with my grand daughter and her grandfather fishing by the shore. A pontoon went by and a woman called to me, "you're in a perfect place". We all think it is a great house and would recommend it highly. Thanks Cathy for sharing your beautiful home.

Owner response:Darlene there from Aug. 8-19th It is "Heaven for all ages!" Glad you agree! Kids sure get a kick out of catching the blue gill etc. Sandy bottom- walk in, largest private beach on the lake. Very friendly people on the lake- relaxing, sunning, living and loving!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway.

Guest: E. Miller (Chicago, Il)
Date of Stay: 08/03/09 Review Submitted: 08/03/09

The house is wonderful!! It's exactly what is displayed and described. Great games, the beach, the boat, the whole nine. Highly recommended, I'd come back every summer. Thanks Cathy!

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Smelly house, not good for swimming

Guest: C and family (Mount Prospect, IL)
Date of Stay: 08/01/09 Review Submitted: 08/19/09

My family stayed here for a week and were not very happy with it. The lower level of the house has a very strong musty, damp odor, despite the dehumidifier running constantly. The beds are very lumpy and uncomfortable. The deck chairs are not comfortable. The house is on an inlet of the lake, and the water is full of vegetation and lily pads. It was not an ideal swimming area. The house is 2 doors down from a neighborhood boat dock, and so many boats went by us, at such a close range, that the kids floaties were covered with a gas-like residue. The walk down to the water is very long (as you can see in the pics) and halfway down there is an overwhelming sewage smell. This was constant for the entire week, and the kids tried to hold their breath the whole way down. Also very important to know is the owner is very particular about her hardwood floors and will deduct a hefty amount from your deposit for any scratches. We thought we were very diligent, no shoes worn in the house, and we swept every night, but she felt that my mom's walker (with rubber bottoms) did serious damage to her floor. The property looked clean on the surface, but there was tons of cobwebs and dust. That combined with the smell downstairs made us concerned about the cleanliness. Overall, I would not recommend this property.

Owner response:My whole goal, as a landlord, is that everyone, has an awesome time. So it is important that my home is clean and has all the amenities I say it does. First class accommodations! The cleaning lady and house manager called me that the new floors are scratched everywhere. I knew it was an accident but there is major damage none the less. The pictures speak a 1000 words. I had the carpets cleaned before arrival which I do every month so it is fresh. No one has ever mentioned a musty odor. The odor outside was due to someone removing the cap to the septic tank outside. That will be replaced this week. Until now, I have never had complaints about anything. You and your husband said you had a great time until I asked for compensation. Please note that the 17 groups that stayed the weeks before and the week after gave rave reviews. I take pride in providing renters the best!

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Guest: Patricia and Jim (Caledonia, WI)
Date of Stay: 07/18/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/09

Our family gathering of 13 (including 4 kids) from 5 different states for a week in this fabulous lake house was incredible. We never felt crowded -- even at dinner time. The furniture and beds were comfortable and seating was plentiful inside and out. The kitchen was well stocked with dishes, utensils and pots and pans. We enjoyed the kitchen so much that we never even went out to eat! We brought our boat and kayaks so adding those to the paddle boats there, gave everyone something to do on this quiet, cove. The game room activities and the board games were such fun for all ages. You will thank Cathy like we did for renting her home to us.

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Guest: Sean Mc1 (Northbrook, IL)
Date of Stay: 07/09/09 Review Submitted: 07/08/09

After reading all the other comments, I was confident that this was the perfect place for our extended family vaction. After dealing with Ctahy and staying a week in the house, the only downfall was that we had to leave when the time was up! The weather was unseasonably cool for July so we had a few days indoors. The game room was great for entertaining 4 kids aged 13-8 and several grown up kids. The private beach and dock were great for the kids to fish, swim, and the adults to relax. Being that the hoiuse is in a no wake zone made it great for the kids swimmng and for parking my boat without worrying about it banging up against the dock. We had a total of 10 in our party, everyone had a bed, and there was still beds left over. We will be booking again for next year.

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Guest: Katie41 (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 06/23/09 Review Submitted: 06/23/09

This place is gorgeous and it worked out perfectly for our gathering. The fire pit was great and the foosball table added a touch of competition to party. Cathy's daughter Julie drove the boat for our gathering and she was extremely nice and very helpful. Many people commented how she was so relaxed and didn’t pressure us to do anything we didn’t want to do. She was like one of the girls. Overall, we had an awesome time! I would recommend this place to anybody.

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Lauderdale Lakes - very nice!

Guest: 40th Group (Bolingbrook, IL)
Date of Stay: 06/21/09 Review Submitted: 07/01/09

We had a great time! House was very accomodating from the bed rooms to the gameroom, eating area, double decks and everything in between. Would definitely reccommend to friends and family. We will rent again in the future, Thanks Cathy

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

Guest: Brad14 (Champaign, IL.)
Date of Stay: 06/16/09 Review Submitted: 06/16/09

I stayed at this home with a group of guys a few weekends back. We had a great time as it had everything we needed. It was large for sleeping arrangements, had a couple of decks to hang out, a beautiful private beach/view, and had a great game room in the basement for passing the time. It is also close to a golf course called Evergreen Golf Club that was a fun, well kept course if you like to golf. The owner of the home Cathy was very easy to work with as well if you have any questions or problems she will answer them right away.

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Guest: Tim33 (Bartlett, IL )
Date of Stay: 06/02/09 Review Submitted: 06/02/09

What a great house. The location was great, the Lauderdale Lakes are beautiful. Cathy was great to work with, I would highly recommend this house to anyone looking to get away for a week or a weekend. The ammenities are first class and the everything was better than advertised.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/29/08

Great vacation home. We had 8 guys on a golf trip and the place suited us very well. I would recommend this propety whole-heartedly.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/12/08

We were 8 women getting together for our annual reunion and first words out of everyone's mouth as we walked in -- this is fabulous! We each had our own bed, which was a big plus. The house was clean, well equipped, and we hated leaving. Thank you, Cathy.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/08 Review Submitted: 08/25/08

This was a wonderful place for a weekend golf getaway. We had a group of 11, and the house was perfect. It was spacious and had all necessary accommodations plus games galore! A number of excellent golf courses are within 10 to 25 minutes away. (We played the excellent Hawk's View near Lake Geneva and the charming local Lauderdale Lakes course.) Plus, the beach and pier are an excellent place to sit, chat and have a drink with friends as the sun sets.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/08 Review Submitted: 08/11/08

Stayed for 5 days, Kathy is great and had a wonderful time celebrating our 50th anniversary with our 4 adult children and 6 grandchildren. Tubing and Boating for 2 days on Green Lake. House is very comfortable and game room is a big +.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Don & Mary (Peoria,IL )
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/29/08

My family (8 adults) spent 4th of July week here and had a great time: relaxing and fishing on the beach, cooking out on the deck and gathering around the fire pit in the evening. The game room is great and the accomodations are first class.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/27/08

Great Vacation home… the views and sunsets from the two outdoor decks are incredible. Very well done remodeled upstairs bath! We all had a Great Time thanks Kathy!!!

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Guest: Mike Pettyjohn
Date of Stay: 05/30/08 Review Submitted: 05/29/08

I called to see if he had any questions and he said "This home is beautiful" I called his last day and he said they had a great time and relaxed. He wants to come back next year!

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