Vacation Rentals by Owner

Charming Lancaster City House - Walk to Theaters and Restaurants [#188404ha] | View Property

Lancaster
Two Bedrooms, one bath, sitting room, living room, kitchen, gardens..
$150 - $200/nt US Dollars
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Traveler Reviews (12)

• Lovely, well-located cottage

  Lovely, well-located cottage

  • Guest Emily C.
  • Date of stay 10/26/12
  • Review Submitted 11/06/12
  My family and I spent three enjoyable nights at this very attractive and well-maintained home. The house is located just a short walk from central Lancaster, making it easy to visit the Central Market, shops, and museums. We appreciated the cozy furnishings, plenty of towels, and extra bedding. We have rented several properties in various places in the US and while travelling in Europe, and this is one of the nicest at which we've stayed. The owners have supplied more than the bare minimum of "basics," from soaps to coffee and tea to a fully-stocked iPod. Communication with the owner was very easy and straight-forward, and during our visit we also had excellent communication with the individual who showed us into the house. Some reviews have mentioned the parking situation. We found it easy to call into the police department and purchase a visitor parking pass for $6. We simply had to supply the address and registration of our car and display the pass on our dashboard. We hope to return at some point and have another relaxing weekend while staying in this lovely home!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Just a Joy

  Just a Joy

  • Guest Jack J.
  • Date of stay 08/20/12
  • Review Submitted 08/27/12
  I was looking for a quiet retreat and symphony house delivered. The house itself is just charming, with its lovely rooms with the beautiful furnishings. The bed had a tempurpidic matresss that was to die for. Add to that the music library, the piano and the K-Cup coffee maker (with coffee!) and I did not want to leave. When I did, the first place was to the back yard, which is filled with impatiens. It was a great place to have a cup of coffee and read. Going out, I ventured to all the local sites. The house is convenient to all, with many being just a walk away and the rest a brief car ride. I needed to recharge and this place did the trick. Thanks so much.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Wonderful Vacation Home

  Guest comment entered by owner

  Wonderful Vacation Home

  • Guest Randy & Ann Silver Spring, MD. Diane Alex, VA
  • Date of stay 07/08/12
  • Review Submitted 07/25/12
  What a wonderful vacation home. After a hot day of shopping & sightseeing, it was a pleasure to come home to a cool & inviting house. We enjoyed the backyard and loved watering the flowers. With each day in the 100 degrees a cool drink for all at the end of the day was refreshing. We will be back. Thanks for everything,

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Wonderful Home

  Guest comment entered by owner

  Wonderful Home

  • Guest Piña, Kevin, Sandra, Liam and Emmitt
  • Date of stay 05/28/12
  • Review Submitted 06/30/12
  We had a wonderful time in Lancaster and in your beautiful home. It had everything we needed; we would definitely stay here again on a return trip.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• nice to visit, difficult to live in

  nice to visit, difficult to live in

  • Guest Ken F.
  • Date of stay 05/28/12
  • Review Submitted 06/25/12
  We stayed a week at this charming little house. As advertised it is full of older furniture and it is an old house. Also, as advertised, it is in walking distance from the central market and good restaurants. Not advertised, however, is the fact that the house is difficult to stay in. Drawers don't open or close, back door is very difficult to unlock or lock, no window coverings (this is a row house -- on the street -- bathroom windows are curtainless and you must either wake with the morning sun or cover all windows with towels). Also not advertised is the fact that the street that it is on is a major thoroughfare with 24 hour traffic just a few feet away from your bedroom. While walking in one direction takes you to the market in five or six blocks, walking in the other direction takes you to a prison and a run down neighborhood in one or two blocks. We did not walk at night. Finally, the tv service is the absolute minimum. You get about 10-12 channels some of which are shopping or cspan. The rest are duplicates. Assume 3-4 viewable channels.

  Owner response: We work hard at providing a lovely vacation experience and thus were disappointed by the last review. The house consistently has received very favorable ones, including from the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra which houses its guest artists at the house on a monthly basis in the fall, winter and spring. We do take comments seriously, however. So, we will check the drawers around the house as some of the original built-ins from the late 1800s do stick a little at times. As for the windows, the sheer curtains and the large trees in front of the windows filter the light and provide reasonable privacy but you do see the sun come in in the morning. My wife and I loved that when we lived here. That said, I understand how others may like to darken the room so we are going to put some blinds up for that purpose. As for the TV, we have basic cable from Comcast which includes a very long list of viewable channels. We did check and those all appear to be working so we are wondering if either this renter may have gotten the TV off channel 3 (which you need to receive the cable stations) or if there was a service interruption during this guest's stay. We also provide Netflix, an iPod with movies, a full music library and many books. As for the comments regarding the setting, the house is in the city and there is street and foot traffic so it will not be as quiet as a suburban home. Having lived in Philadelphia for many years, my wife and I enjoyed the muted sounds of cars and people and we found the house quite peaceful as have all of our other guests. Of course, we understand not everyone likes an urban environment. The neighborhood itself is very nice and safe. My wife and I spent many hours walking the streets, and the neighborhood is considered one of the finest in the City. Like any city, it will have beautiful blocks and then some less so. That again is the very nature of urban environments and what we think makes them so fascinating.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Charming City Cottage

  Charming City Cottage

  • Guest Elsie W.
  • Date of stay 06/10/11
  • Review Submitted 06/20/11
  We just completed a 9 day stay at this very lovely & comfortable cottage- house in the Historic Lancaster East Area of the city. This was our 2nd stay and better than ever. We enjoyed our coffee & breakfast out in the back garden filled with flowers & special plantings, trees & birds..not to mention the squirrels playing in & around the trees. It's a wonderful area to walk & to view the historic, renovated houses, & beautiful gardens. It's an excellent place to get quickly to the roads that lead out into the countryside & areas of interest. We love it there and hope to return soon.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• What a Peaceful Place

  What a Peaceful Place

  • Guest S
  • Date of stay 02/07/11
  • Review Submitted 04/05/11
  I have stayed at Symphony House on numerous occasions. Most recently in February. I must say that I have always had a very relaxing and positive experience. The cottage's ambience and location make it great for an extended weekend or longer. The local night life, the Central Market and the surrounding attractions are all easily accessible and enjoyable. BRAVO to Symphony House!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• An Unexpected Delight

  An Unexpected Delight

  • Guest Austinmuse
  • Date of stay 05/13/10
  • Review Submitted 05/17/10
  I am a professional musician that does a lot of touring worldwide and spends many nights in hotels. Therefore, having the unexpected pleasure of being able to stay for several days in a charming home like this means more than I can say. The house is in historic downtown Lancaster, and is within easy walking distance of all the attractions and restaurants. The owners, in fact, have a folder with useful information set out in terms of things to see and do, places, to eat, etc. The home itself could not be more delightful. It looks beautiful from the outside (I have a thing for dormer windows), and the inside is immaculately furnished and appointed. I am a pianist and there was even a piano for me to practice on! The living/ding area is very comfortable, but downstairs I spent most of my time in the kitchen. The owners seem to be serious purveyors of coffee, and there is a dizzying variety to choose from (I used so much that I left some money on the counter!) The bedrooms and bath upstairs were beautiful and my bed was extremely comfortable. Out back there is also a very pretty garden with a seating area, which I unfortunately did not have time to utilize. I highly recommend this house to singles, couples, or small families traveling for business or pleasure. I enjoyed my business trip to Lancaster very much, but to have this superb little "inn" to stay in was the cherry on the cake. Thank you so much!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Really Nice Weekend

  Really Nice Weekend

  • Guest Kareen B
  • Date of stay 04/29/10
  • Review Submitted 05/19/10
  The Symphony House totally delivers on a weekend getaway. Parking on the street (although plentiful) was slightly tricky on weekdays as there is a two hour limit. The convenience of being in Lancaster City meant easy access to all the surrounding sites as well as the downtown area. Be sure to swing by the Visitor's Center to get the map of local attractions. In Lancaster itself, the husband and I checked out the Central Market (within walking distance), ate at Carr's Restaurant right next door (more of a special occasion dinner place) and went to a Barnstormers game (beloved Minor League baseball team). For Pennsylvania Dutch county, we took the tour of the Amish Farm (be sure to check out the resident woodcarver there), played mini golf, ate the best Amish hand-rolled pretzels we ever had, enjoyed Smorgasbord dining style at Miller's Restaurant and so on. There was so much to do and the Symphony House was in the perfect location to enjoy everything! Bill the Owner could not have been nicer.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• We hope to return...

  We hope to return...

  • Guest newc
  • Date of stay 11/22/08
  • Review Submitted 07/21/09
  My husband and I very much enjoyed our stay at The Symphony House. It is even more quaint in person. We were greeted by the owner who showed us around and explained how things worked, even the pre-loaded ipod, we are probably the last 2 people on earth who doesn't own one. We hope to return to The Symphony house as all our family live in the area and with a 3 month old in tow and a crib on premises, the Symphony House will be our first pick. I would absolutely recommend this property, as I already have to friends and family, especially if they want a centrally located property that is just minutes from everywhere in Lancaster County.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Amazing Getaway!

  Amazing Getaway!

  • Guest Johnny V
  • Date of stay 07/25/08
  • Review Submitted 08/20/08
  I recently stayed in this wonderful Lancaster city house, and it was nothing short of spectacular. It's convenience to all the great amenities that the city and area has to offer is perfect. It is a perfect place for a weekend getaway or a weeks vacation, with all that the surronding area has to offer. The inside of the home is so inviting, with splendid nooks, cozy bedrooms, and a serene and peaceful backyard garden. The home, simply put, is Cozy. It makes for a great shopping home, being near to the fantastic Lancaster Farmer's Market, and the Outlets within 30 mins drive. It is also a fun place for some serious R & R. I enjoyed my stay at this home and would recommend it to anyone.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• Lovely getaway!

  Lovely getaway!

  • Guest veraviolet
  • Date of stay 05/14/08
  • Review Submitted 05/29/08
  This house is a wonderful place to get away! It is absolutely beautiful inside and out, and has charm to spare. It is easily within walking distance of many downtown Lancaster attractions, and within a short drive of the outlets and other tourism sites. I was so pleased to stay here!

  Recommended for: Families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 13/13