Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great Escape, Beautiful View and Awesome Hospitality!

Guest: Kami (Vancoouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 08/05/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

My friends and I (mid-twenties) stayed at this vacation rental in early August 2011. Overall, we had an amazing time. The drive up there was a little difficult and is about 30 minutes from Westbank, Kelowna. Make sure to drive during daylight hours. But the drive was well worth it. We arrived seeing 2 deers at the side of the house. Leigh and Sue were very welcoming and showed us all of the amazing features at their home including a hot tub, dining area, hammock and bbq on their amazing balcony overlooking Okanagan Lake as well as a speaker system that was heard inside the house and outside on the balcony. We used the bbq for most of our meals. The kitchen was fully stocked. At night, we used the hot tub and did some excellent stargazing seeing many shooting stars. The next day we were invited to Leigh and Sue's summer home right on the lake which was about a 10 minute drive away. They had a dock with a hammock, chairs, floaties and life jackets. It was beautiful and relaxing. The house is very well maintained and very clean. Leigh and Sue made us feel at home and were very helpful and warm. We would definitely recommend this place if you want some relaxation with family or friends. We would come back again! Thanks for everything Leigh and Sue!

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

Wonderful weekend away in a beautiful setting.

Guest: manj (calgary)
Date of Stay: 09/03/10 Review Submitted: 09/15/10

Rented the house for September long weekend. While the weather wasn't great, the hot tub was. Thanks to Leigh for ease of booking. The house, while it is a bit of a distance from the airport, is well worth the drive. One recommendation if you have motion sickness would be to go through Vernon vs the winding roads directly from Kelowna. The house is situated on a hill with spectacular views of the lake. Melted in the hammock one morning with the sun directly above. Got a good workout in the basement. The house is fully equipped with everything. Once we entered the home, we couldn't get over the huge windows showing us the beautiful view. Thanks to Leigh and Sue for letting us rent your wonderful home.

Owner response:These guests were all good friends from different parts of Canada who like to gather somewhere each year to enjoy each other's company. This year they chose our home. Their main mission this year was to visit the many wineries in this area and used our home as their base. They explored the wine country during the day then returned home to relax in the hot tub in the evenings. It was a pleasure meeting them and we certainly appreciated their effort to take care of our home.

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

Truly Amazing

Guest: Kelly (Saskatchewan)
Date of Stay: 08/20/10 Review Submitted: 08/26/10

We are two adults and two small children (ages 7 and 4) and we all very much enjoyed our stay at this home! The views were breathtaking. The atmosphere was very peaceful and quiet and we found the rustic nature and the outback feeling pleasurable. True...we felt miles away from anywhere and we LOVED it!! The owners were kind enough to invite us down to their cabin on the waterfront and had plenty of things for our kids to play with. The hot tub under the night sky and full moon was magnificent...we will likely not experience such natural beauty again anytime soon...until of course next year!! The workout room in the basement was a great bonus for us. The owners were kind and generous and we thank them for their part in our wonderful holiday. Kelly

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Disappointing Location

Guest: ca (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 08/08/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

On hot Okanagan days, it really is better to be right on the water than have an amazing view. We found the location of this cabin to be very inconvenient. The lake is too far away, and it can only be accessed by car – to walk would be very unsafe (you have to go through a sketchy neighborhood), very steep, and very long. Driving, it takes 15 minutes, NOT 5 (we timed it), and it is not an easy drive for most vehicles – normal sedans or sports cars couldn't make it. There are many deep potholes, and it is down a one-way dirt road that has two-way traffic. It's not only inconvenient to get to the lake, once you are there it's unfortunately not a private dock – the owners' trailer is a few feet away. Also, the location of the cabin is very far from the highway, on a long windy road that is only 42 km but takes over an hour to drive because of the twists, turns, and wildlife. Because of this, it is not safe to drive on this road at night so you end up feeling quite stuck. I would not book this cabin again. I felt that my space was invaded, as the owners stopped in several times unannounced. I am used to a lot more privacy when I am renting a cabin. There were many things that made me feel uncomfortable and not at home on our vacation. The master bedroom is actually a loft, and there is lots of bright sunlight coming in very early in the morning, and of course you can hear everything that is going on down on the main floor. I was woken up every morning by the phone ringing, as we were constantly answering calls for the owners and could not figure out how to turn off the ringer. Many things that we were promised ended up being taken away after we'd payed, such as the number of people going from 8 to 6, being told no ins-and–outs of guests, and being told that the cabana was not for guests – when by email we had been promised access to it as an extra bedroom. It didn't end up being a problem because the dock and cabana are so far from the cabin that it wouldn't have worked as a bedroom anyway. A big disappointment, next year I'm going for a place closer to a main road and with a private dock.

Owner response:When renting our home during the summer months we make every effort to attract and rent to mature adults.. preferably families who wish to leave the big city life and spend some time just relaxing in a comfortable home with all the amenities they have left behind in their own homes but in a quiet rural setting and to be able to spend time on the lake. It is very common to see young couples with kids (and a dog) in our home who invite grandparents to join them. These guests seem to love our place as you can see from the comments below in previous reviews. We have yet to receive a negative review until today. We will not knowingly rent to anyone under the age of 25 without an adult, parent or guardian being part of the group. This mature person must remain at the property for the entire booking. This policy is clearly stated in our listing and on our "guest rental agreement" which we require all of our renters to sign and return to us when they book our home. Surprisingly to us this particular group consisted of 6 people with 5 of them appearing to be in their early 20's. The 6th individual was an older woman (apparently the mother of one of the guests) who offered minimal guidance or supervision for the week they were in our home. We're not surprised that these younger guests were not interested in the rustic laid-back atmosphere that we offer. We had a feeling that there wasn't enough action for them (especially in the evenings) and, by their comments in their review, it seems we were right. We feel badly that they didn't have a more positive experience and certainly agree with the author of their review that the next time they rent a home, they need to choose a venue more in tune with their age and interests. It is interesting to note that these guests never indicated to us that they were unhappy with anything during their stay and most of the things this particular group found to be negative in their review are the same features that most other guests have found enjoyable. Their negative review may have been retaliatory in nature considering that we had to speak with them about violating our non-smoking policy.

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Perfect Vacation Setting

Guest: laura (Turner Valley, Alberta, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/01/10 Review Submitted: 08/13/11

We rented this beautiful home from Leigh and Sue to show our new Ecuadorian in-laws a bit of Canada while they we here for our children's wedding. We had plenty of room for the 6 of us to stay with private spaces for everyone to escape to. We also had 2 more sets of relatives from Los Angeles that we were able to find a perfect B & B for them 5 minutes away (with help from Leigh). We did all of the entertaining for all 10 here with plenty of room and we all loved the stunning views of the lake, the Mexican style decor and the well stocked kitchen for entertaining. The family all loved the hot tub although we found 34 degrees outside was a little too warm for hot tubbing for us Canadians. Leigh directed us to an easy boat launch 5 minutes from the home so we could launch our small boat and take them fishing on the Okanagan lake. My husband and I are avid hikers and found a great trail to explore a couple minutes walk from the home. We did a nice Wine tour through the Kelowna area a short hour drive away. We had an awesome time there and enjoyed every minute of it. And when we returned home and finding my email had been down and our damage deposit was in cyberspace--Leigh was very resourceful in helping us resolve the issue and didn't leave it until it was solved. Thanks again for the use of your home Leigh and Sue--we'll be back.

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

Another great stay

Guest: Erin (Calgary)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 08/01/10

My family and I have just returned from our second summer vacation at this property (with next summer's holiday already booked!). We just cannot imagine a more perfect home in a more perfect setting with more gracious hosts! This home has it all. Lots of space for grandma & grandpa to host children and grandchildren! We did lots of entertaining on the wrap around deck overlooking the lake. The lower level bedroom with it's own deck (and separate entrance) is a welcome private retreat for guests/family! A quality home with quality furnishings and the most spectacular view in the Okanagan! We also really appreciate being able to keep our boat at your lakefront access and certainly enjoyed our time on your dock on those 36 degree days! Great place for the kids to swim and play! Thank you again Sue & Leigh for your incredible hospitality - you always make us feel welcome and we know that if there is every something we need - you'll look after it! We had a wonderful holiday and can't wait to join you with the whole family again next summer. Sam's favourite souvenir from the trip are the little wooden fish you gave him! See you next year. Erin, Dennis, Belle, Evan, Sandi, Sam (and the dogs).

Owner response:This family has now been our guests for 3 summers. Initially they rented our home for one week and now come back each year for two weeks. They treat our home like it was their own Okanagan summer get away. They always bring their boat and spend lots of time cruising the lake. Great family..we always look forward to their arrival each year.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Guest: Julie and Ian falls (calgary, alberta)
Date of Stay: 10/15/09 Review Submitted: 10/15/09

leigh and sue, you have a wonderful home in a "stunning" setting. Thank you for letting us share it. A real home away from home!

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Guest: Sean and Christa
Date of Stay: 09/07/09 Review Submitted: 09/06/09

Comment left in guestbook: Thank you so very much Leigh and Sue!! We always enjoy your place and it's a perfect vacation home. We loved every minute of it!! Thanks for all your hospitality and generosity! Christa and Sean Callihoo

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Guest: Kevin and Chris
Date of Stay: 08/28/09 Review Submitted: 08/27/09

Comment left in guestbook: Leigh and Sue. We want to thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us and our two four-legged creatures. From the magnificent sunrises, glorious views, and serene sunsets, we enjoyed every moment inside your home and out! You've been great hosts and we look forward to meeting up again sometime soon. Kevin and Chris

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Guest: Duane, Stephanie, Seth, and Emma
Date of Stay: 07/19/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/09

Comment left in guestbook: Leigh and Sue: Thank you so very much for making our stay so enjoyable! You are wonderful hosts and your home was the perfect place to enjoy the Okanagan. We did many things while in the area but I think the best times were found at the "Bannister Beach"!! We hope you have a wonderful summer and thanks again for making our summer holiday the best we've had yet! Duane, Stephanie, Seth and Emma

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Guest: Ashley and Dennis
Date of Stay: 07/09/09 Review Submitted: 07/08/09

Comment left in guestbook: Thank you so much for our stay in your home. It is so beautiful and we really appreciated the use of the lake lot! We enjoyed it so much that we may come back again! You are wonderful people and I hope you get the enjoyment out of your home as much as we did. We have fallen in love with the Okanagan! Ashley and Dennis

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Guest: stephanie and Geoff Gawlinski (Calgary)
Date of Stay: 04/19/09 Review Submitted: 04/19/09

thanks for everything as you are a very thoughtful host. You are truly living in a "dream" home!! Enjoy your breathtaking view everyday. Geoff, Stephanie and Burley

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