WOW - Wonderful, Outstanding, Worth-it

Guest: Cory (California)
Date of Stay: 08/16/11 Review Submitted: 08/24/11

As the title suggests, we loved our adventure in this overwhelmingly lovely place. The pictures did not do justice to the place. The very second my sisters entered the house, they immediately transformed to little kids giddily exploring the place. Even though we were tired from our trip, they seem to recover instantaneously and got in the vacation spirit. I was worried about feeling uncomfortable and that it would take a while to get the settled in feeling but we immediately felt right at home. It was the little touches as one reviewer said. Almost all the things you need are already here. I usually cook at home and feel that it would still be a chore during our vacation but you know what? I enjoyed cooking in the state of the art kitchen. I could cook all day. I get up so early in the morning feeling energized and would prepare breakfast and wait for the sun to come up in the kitchen. I love that you have a lot of room in the ref, freezer, pantry, cabinets, etc. The pool was just the right size and everyone had a pathway leading to it. At night, we loved stargazing while barbecuing for dinner. We had marshmallows, etc and ate outside where you have a couple of patio sets (no need for squeezing in, there's room for everyone). I love the dining area, has a picnic feel to it with a very long bench. What else? The breathtaking first view of the master suite. And this leads to the outdoor hot tub/jacuzzi (so romantic). All the rooms had their robes, etc. handy. As I said plenty of room for everyone as there is a entertainment area in the basement, another TV in the living room so no fighting over the channels. Every single picture we took was so gorgeous. The landscaping (boulders, etc.) and big trees all contributed to some frame worthy pictures. We are planning on another vacation right in this very home and would probably do so regularly. Every single minute felt so tranquil that it felt that we had a very long vacation but in the end made us want to stay longer. Need I say more? There are plenty more but there is not enough room to encapsulate our great experience in this lodge. We are going to be your loyal repeat customers for a long time.

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

Perfect for Family Gatherings

Guest: Tina (Nolensville, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/17/11 Review Submitted: 07/19/11

The Lodge was just an amazing and beautiful place to stay for any type of large gathering. We had 12 people in our party and the house accomodated us very comfortably with room to spare. The kitchen was so well laid out 4-5 people could work in it and not be in each other's way. The landscaping was beautiful, the pool was so inviting after a day in Yosemite and the gas fire pit was an awesome way to unwind and enjoy the quiet evenings in the mountains. As gorgeous as the photos are on this website, they still do not do the house justice. The gift basket with coffee, fruit, cookies etc. and the fresh flowers when we arrived at the home were just the icing on the cake. The owners made the trip planning extremely easy and were very responsive and helpful in answering all our questions. We can't thank you enough for sharing your little piece of paradise. We highly recommend this home and would most definitely come back on our next trip to Yosemite.

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

A Little Slice of Heaven

Guest: Janis W. (San Gabriel, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/04/11 Review Submitted: 04/15/11

Although much of the same has already been said, we had such a wonderful vacation that we had to also chime in. The Lodge was everything we asked for and more for our extended family of 11. We have stayed in several large rental homes and this ranks right up there as one of our all time favorites!! Our family has very specific needs including bed/bedroom requirements all of which the Lodge met perfectly. From the moment you arrive, you are immediately immersed in the surrounding tranquility and amazing viewscapes. The inside is clean and well-maintained with an open layout which was perfect for our family to gather together, but also plenty of space in other parts of the house to spread out. The decor is very clean, nicely done and makes a warm, welcoming atmosphere. It was great to have the downstairs TV room ~ didn't hear the kids once! And the laundry room is quite spacious and great to have access to. The kitchen has two refrigerators, a 6-burner stove, two sinks, and plenty of counter space so easy to feed a large group as we did a lot of cooking and baking. The first part of our week was warm enough to go for walks around the property which the kids couldn't wait to explore. There's even a basketball hoop, but best to bring your own basketball. It was especially nice to sit out on the porch for meals and do smores in the fire pit. The second part of our week became much cooler, and to our delight, we received an unexpected, but sufficient amount of snow for the kids to play in. We had one visit by a couple of deers ~ Tally said around dusk or early morning if you are really quiet you could see more animals. Unfortunately, don't think the kids were quiet enough. The location is convenient to Mariposa and Oakhurst (both small, quaint but friendly towns), plus Yosemite Valley which is a really nice, scenic drive along the Merced River. We would definitely love to come back and recommend if you're looking for a place to relax and unwind. We had such an amazing time that we stayed an extra night because no one wanted to leave! One tip if you aren't used to the Dish TV system be sure to follow the instructions on how to turn on the TV, DVD and audio system (to hear music outside on the porch, nice touch by the way). The Mariposa TV folks are really nice and helpful though. Tally was terrific, responsive, and delivers what is promised in the photos and description ~ a truly wonderful vacation home!

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

Can't go wrong! The Lodge is a perfect gathering place for family and friends

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/09/11 Review Submitted: 02/13/11

I confirm what all the other reviewers have written and HIGHLY recommend The Lodge. The house is laid out perfectly, spacious enough for a large gathering but somehow intimate enough to make us all feel at home. Boy did i get brownie points for finding this "Lodge". Everyone couldn't stop talking about how spectacular it is, how perfect the ambiance is, and how we all can't wait to come back. What a perfect gem in a wonderful surrounding. The trip to Yosemite was short and easily doable. But don't overplan your time, the Lodge is the perfect place to hang out. There are enough ways to keep the active people engaged and enough home and views for the people that just want to relax. The fresh flowers on arrival were a great touch. Did I mention that the house was laid out very intelligently? There was space for everyone and everyone's rooms made them feel special - the views incredible and perfect down to the last detail. And then there's the kitchen, lots of fun times cooking but not being in each other's way. Again, we all want to meet the architect because everything makes sense. Plan ahead, stock up before you get here - there are two refrigerators, a humid drawer, a freezer drawer, a wine cooler, and a pantry that made us all JEALOUS. There was definitely more room than we needed, but boy did we enjoy every bit of it. I just realized I've said nothing about how clean the place is. I manage vacation rentals and it is my job to scrutinze and look for things that got missed. And I must say, very little in this house was missed. The cobweb in the far corner and a little dust on a few unused items was to be expected in a house this size. As I reread that, I want to erase it because there is nothing bad I can say about this place. Please don't miss what I'm saying. The house wasn't "immaculate", but I am an incredibly hard critic when it comes to cleaning and if their cleaning crew ever move to Hawai'i, I've got a job for them. It is the cleanest place I've rented and I was very comfortable here. Thanks again for having such a perfect place for us to have spent time together as a family. I don't want to go home, but we will definitely be back.

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

Amazing!!!

Guest: Cali005 (Playa del Rey, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/08/10 Review Submitted: 10/14/10

This is without a doubt the most relaxing place ever! Everything is just as described and better. the owners are helpful and delightful to work with to make all the arrangements. We have already recommended this property to several friends and we have also booked another long weekend in a couple weeks! Can't wait to get back to the "Lodge"!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.

Exceptional property - highly recommend!

Guest: kingsley (Palo Alto, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

Just returned from an amazing week visiting Yellowstone and Bass Lake. This incredible home was the hub for my family's adventures. It's a secluded, mountain top home that was much more than we could have hoped for. It was spacious with 4 large bedrooms that were spaced far enough away so everyone had their own area (two of the bedrooms had lofts that the kids loved) as well as a large downstairs media room. The kitchen is also large with first class appliances and opens to a dining area/family room that made the space the gathering spot for the length of our stay. There is also a great porch that wraps around the back of the entire house overlooking the mountains with wonderful breeze in the evening. We made ample use of the pool that was warm, inviting & safe (fenced so we could keep it closed and not worry about the kids). The home and grounds were immaculate and they even had luxurious bath robes for us to use. It is centrally located to both Yellowstone and Bass Lake. In fact, we went to Yellowstone using both the South & East entrances on separate day trips and the drive was very manageable (i.e. not very long and not too curvy). I prefer the South entrance since you get to drive along the Merced river but both directions are worth exploring. Mariposa is the closest town but Oakhurst is also less than 15 miles away. Oakhurst has a two large chain grocery stores just to give you an idea of the size (wish i would have looked that up before hitting Costco :-) Bass Lake wasn't in the initial planning for the trip, but once we realized we were so close, we rented a boat and spent a day on the water. In short, if you are considering this home, i would heartily recommend it and i'm sure you and your family will be just as excited and enthralled by it as we were.

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

Fabulous Place

Guest: T from San Fran (San Francisco)
Date of Stay: 04/02/10 Review Submitted: 04/21/10

We had a wonderful week end at the ranch. It is a fabulous place. I have spent 30 years in the hospitality & hotel business and have stayed at hundreds of venues, most are luxurious, all are pretentious. Your ranch is just perfect. The understated attention to details is just great. One can be at home, and far away at once. We hope to be back this summer. Tu

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

Guest: Selena McKinney (Fair Oaks, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/05/10 Review Submitted: 01/05/10

We had 4 families stay here and we were all comfortable. It's a big, but cozy house. Wonderfully equipped kitchen, comfy beds and lovely setting. Winter was nice, but we hope to go back in the summer.

Recommended for:

Guest: Ashima (Fremont.Ca)
Date of Stay: 08/11/09 Review Submitted: 08/11/09

It was one of the best vacation for us. The house was just perfect! Very beautiful setting, we were 4 families with kids. The owner took care of every small detail, the beds were super comfy, the kitchen was state of the art. Will love to come back to this house every year.

Recommended for:

Guest: Erin37 (Bay Area, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/26/09 Review Submitted: 07/26/09

My 2 sisters and I looked high an low for a perfect spot for our families and 90 yr old grandmother! We were so pleased with The Lodge! The pool was the perfect temp - everyone enjoyed thier own space! We had 8 kids and 6 adults - and no one felt crowed! Very peaceful - We all loved it!

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