Vacation Rentals by Owner

Weekend Trip to Lake Oconee

Guest: Nate (Ailey, Georgia)
Date of Stay: 05/05/12 Review Submitted: 05/06/12

My family and I rented this house for a weekend trip to Lake Oconee. The house and property were awesome. We kept the boat at the dock which was very convenient. We had no issues with anything regarding this property. There was plenty of room for the kids to run around the yard and play. The neighbors were down near the dock cleaning their boat and they are very nice people. The waterway near the dock was plenty deep enough for my 18 foot Bass Tracker. The only thing the neighbors warned me about was a stump under the water about 25 feet in front of the dock twords the lake on the same side as the dock is. I had no issues going around to make sure I didn't hit it. All around the trip was great and the kids had a blast on the lake. I would highly recommend this property to anyone who wants a nice quiet place to stay that is convenient to the lake.

Owner response:Nathan, I am glad you guys enjoyed your stay and look forward to having you back in the future. Please let me know how I can help. Thanks again! Greg

Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway.

Pet-friendly, spacious home & yard on the Lake!

Guest: Linda (Ball Ground, GA)
Date of Stay: 02/20/12 Review Submitted: 02/25/12

I had a conference at the Ritz-Carlton that coincided with an "off week" for my husband. We decided to make a family trip out of it - brought our boat & our 2 small dogs. My husband was able to enjoy fishing during the day while I was at my conference. We enjoyed having the whole family there by being able to bring our dogs. The rates are very reasonable for a 3BR/2BA house on the lake making it a nice affordable place to stay for those who would enjoy a vacation on a beautiful lake. I would also recommend a wonderful restaurant nearby on Hwy 44 north of the intersection where Old Pheonix Road crosses (at the McDonalds). It is the Silver Moon Bar & Grill - but don't look for the sign to have that name. It simply says Bar & Grill. They have been there for over 9 years and developed such a reputation for their stellar food and service that they have never had to put their name on the sign! The food is AMAZING! They truly have the best burger we have ever eaten at a restaurant - but they also have amazing prime rib, barbequed ribs, fish and chips, etc. We only stayed 4 nights - happened upon this place the first night and ate there every night! And their martinis are wonderful! This nice house affords a real opportunity to enjoy a nice area of Georgia at a price that is truly affordable!

Owner response: Linda, Thank you for the review and I will add Silver Moon to the welcome email...I also wanted to thank you for the insight on how we can make it even more enjoyable for future guests. I look forward to having you and your husband and dogs out again later this year if you can make it work. I always offer repeat guests discounts. Thanks!

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

Can't wait to rent the home for a long weekend in the Spring!!

Guest: Karen (Dallas, Ga)
Date of Stay: 12/30/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

My sons and a few friends rented the place over New Year's weekend. They loved it and have already said they wanna go back. The pictures of the home they took were awesome!! The place looks so nice. They really enjoyed the outdoor fire pit! I am looking so forward to renting in Spring and hopefully me and my boys and my daughter will rent it out for a week in the summer!! Can't wait!!

Owner response:Thank you for the feedback and we look forward to having the who family as guests sometime this summer! PLease call me anytime.

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3rd worst placeI have been

Guest: Mc5 (Griffin, GA)
Date of Stay: 09/03/11 Review Submitted: 03/08/12

Family rented for Labor Day so that son from VA in Augusta could spend time with family....What a joke. Had trouble getting in the house, cable bill hadnt been paid and couldnt watch COLLEGE football, the yard had dog poop in it because the neighbors have a sign that says no pooping in their yard. The cove is very shallow and the water was down, almost got our boat stuck, plus, you share the dock with others. We had to wait an hour one evening just to dock the boat. The owner got his CASH with a quickness but never called back---said he was out of town with no signal....I got signal for you, read between the lines!

Owner response:Cindi, It is good to hear from you and appreciate all feedback so that we can make our house a great place for families to enjoy. I am not sure why 6 months after your stay you would write such a aggressive and angry review and am concerned that it is not factual. I tried calling you even after your stay, but never received a call back. I did get the multiple messages from someone else in your party with the continued profanity. I was in the mountains on Colorado with my sister's family at her in-laws cabins. I received the messages about the DirecTV when we went into town for some supplies and called immediately. I had DirectTV out the following week to install a new dish as it had gone out of alignment in a storm apparently. To say in a public forum that I didn't pay the bill is just not true, but I understand you have a right to your opinions. You didn't have to share the dock as it is my dock and virtually every person who has stayed there likes the extra space of being able to fish and utilize my neighbors seawall so we have it arranged to where folks can utilize the full 150+ ft of dock and sea wall rather than just the 30' dock. I have a 24' inboard wakeboard boat that sits deep in the water and doesn't have an option to trim the prop and have never gotten stuck so it is difficult to imagine another boat getting close to be stuck. It is 5-6' water and GA Power monitors the lake and keeps it within 1' water level all the time, even in drought it stays constant as the pump water in from Lake Sinclair. I am sorry that my neighbor doesn't want dogs on his property and that is his right, but you are the first person to mention anything about that being a problem. It is unfortunate that you never spoke to be about your concerns and rather chose this forum 6 months later. It sounds like your issues were in summary - DirecTV (which I didn't have control of after the storm and handled right away), dog waste (first time I have ever heard anything of that nature), and the dock/water (part not true and part hard to believe). I hope you have a better stay somewhere else next time and leave our house to our family and the couple hundred people who have thoroughly enjoyed it through the years. Greg

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FABULOUS few days away from home!!!!!

Guest: Nancy (Keystone Heights, FL)
Date of Stay: 01/04/11 Review Submitted: 01/08/11

This house was a PERFECT fit for our mini vacation!!! After the craziness of Christmas and New Years it was wonderful just to relax and unwind in a very comfortable, warm and cozy house for a few days. The large yard and fire pit was a BIG bonus as the kids had a lot of room to run around and play! The kitchen was VERY nice and updated. The owner, Greg, was extremely helpful and easy to work with. (THANKS, Greg). The house was clean and everything that was advertised. We are looking forward to coming back sometime during the summer months and bringing our boat so we can enjoy the lake even more! It was a beautiful setting for our few days away from home. There were even deer roaming around the yard....a great way to start out the new year!!!! THANKS again!

Owner response:Nancy, I knew from all the times we spoke you would have a great time and really enjoy the fire and the yard. Glad the weather worked out for you too and look forward to hearing from you when you come back in the summer with the boat to enjoy the other aspects of the lake. Thanks! Greg

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

The perfect getaway!

Guest: Niels (atlanta)
Date of Stay: 10/22/10 Review Submitted: 10/28/10

My wife and I stayed here for our anniversary and it was just what the doctor ordered. Everything in the house was as advertised and there were no surprises! The backyard was open and spacious and the fire pit was a great bonus. We had such a relaxing time and were able to do everything we wanted. We will definitely come back in the summer and take advantage of all of the features the lake has to offer. While you are nestled away in the quiet cove of the lake, amenities are a short 10 minute drive away and there were plenty of options for dining and shopping. I would reccomend this place to family and friends who are looking for a nice, affordable place on the lake to relax and get away from it all. Greg was very helpful in any questions we had and provided all of the information we needed to make our stay a great one!

Owner response:Niels, Thank you for the feedback and glad you enjoyed it. We look forward to having you and your wife back again this year. Please let me know if you would like to experience the lake again during the spring/summer and I will work a great rate out for you as a repeat guest. Please let me know how I can help.

Recommended for:Pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Lakehouse!

Guest: David (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 10/13/10 Review Submitted: 11/01/10

Very easy renting process, owners are very nice people and easy to work with! The house itself is perfect for a few days away with ample bedding for a few people or for a group. Expansive backyard leading down to the dock/lake is great for both days and nights outside. Grocery and restaurants are relatively close-by and excellent in quality. We stayed for a few days/nights before heading onto Athens for a UGA game, great weekend all in all!

Owner response:Glad it worked out and look forward to having you back again in the future. Please call or email me anytime. Greg

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

A Gem! Would go back.

Guest: Kylan (South Carolina)
Date of Stay: 10/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/29/11

We loved the place! I gave it 4 stars, because for all its charm it had a couple minor quirks. The biggest one is the driveway. The drive way has a steep downhill slant and very little room to manuever around in. My only other critism would be the hot tub did not appear to have been drained and cleaned after the last use. So, we opted not to use it during our stay. All in all though, the house was great and so was the owner. We had a great time! I will certainly keep it on my list for the next time we decide to visit the lake.

Owner response:Kylan, Thanks for the feedback and I have made it a point to have the cleaners without fail make sure the hot tub is full and clean. I apologize and very glad you had a great stay. We would love to have you back sometime soon and if you please remind me I will give you an extra discount for your hassle with the hot tub last time. -Greg

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

A Good Time Was Had By All...

Guest: Tina (Americus, GA)
Date of Stay: 07/25/10 Review Submitted: 07/29/10

My family and I enjoyed this house on Lake Oconee. It was clean and had plenty of room for 5 adults and 3 dogs. The house is located on a small cove, so you don't get the view of the big water but it was quiet and peaceful. It is close enough to town for grocery shopping and we had great meals at local restaurents. The price was by far the most reasonable of any homes I looked at on VRBO in this area. The owner, Greg, is super to work with and was easy to contact by phone or e-mail before and during our visit. I was only disappointed we didn't get to stay longer!

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

OK

Guest: Susan (Atlanta, Georgia)
Date of Stay: 05/28/10 Review Submitted: 06/01/11

The house was nice but the kitchen and bathrooms were infested with ants. Had to spray and clean up constanly. Not what you want to do on Vacation!

Owner response:Susan, I feel terrible and have ordered an additional bug and ant pest control service. I would have had them come at any point while you were there as well. I wish I had known and could make it better right away that day. Please forgive me and understand that when the house was cleaned a few days earlier there was no sign of ants and the previous renters didn't have any sign of them either. Thank you for your understanding and hopefully you will consider our home at some point in the future. I will at minimum give you a free night sometime when works out on your end too.

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

Perfect...exactly what we needed and then some

Guest: Janet (St Louis)
Date of Stay: 05/09/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

Thanks for all of your help Greg! We will certainly be back next May as we talked about.

Owner response:Janet, Thanks again and if you end up coming in the fall or winter too please let me know. As we talked about the leaves changing in the fall on the lake is beautiful. We will certainly plan on May though! Greg

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

Guest: Amy Phillips1 (Tucker, Georgia)
Date of Stay: 02/09/10 Review Submitted: 02/09/10

This is a great getaway! Huge, grassy, flat backyard with gentle slope to lake. The house is very clean, comfortable, and has an open floor plan. New appliances; we had everything we needed. We had a wonderful time and Greg is great to work with!

Owner response:Thank you Amy! I told you it was a big yard and hard to picture how big and all the games that you can play out there until you see it live. Please come back anytime!

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disappointing lake house

Guest: Jennifer (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 09/04/09 Review Submitted: 07/17/10

I have rented more than 10 houses on Oconee. I am always looking for houses to rent and I continue to come across this one that I rented almost a year ago since it is advertised on many, many sites. I almost never review houses but feel that I must review this one due to the inaccuracies of the listing. This lake house does not have it's own dock. The neighbor is nice to share his dock with this homeowner. The neighbor has a very large pontoon boat which he keeps tied up at the very small shared dock. (This info was not disclosed until after the money was paid..a day before the trip.) There was not enough room to safely store my boat. The water is narrow; difficult to avoid the rocky shore. There is no view of the lake. The neighbors across the inlet were very upset at the "sharing" of this dock. We got many comments about the inappropriateness of having two boats on the small dock on very narrow water. I do not recommend this house if you have a boat..maybe a jet ski. The house is ok. I go to the lake for the lake so the house is less important to me than the dock/access to the water. However, the hot tub did not work, the screen porch was in disrepair, the tv didn't work (owner tried to rectify this.).There were dirty linens piled in one of the closets. We had a two year old with us that made handprints on the sliding door and we didn't wipe down the kitchen counterts and the owner called and complained. That has never happened to us before..we paid for the cleaning service so we didn't clean before we left. Overall, the price was right for the house. One of the cheapest on the lake. If you have a very small boat or jet ski and you don't care about shabby digs, this house may be a good fit for you. Other than that, I would pay a bit more and get a nice dock with room to sit and socialize..and a nice view with the ability to swim off the dock, etc. If you can't see the lake, can't tie your boat up safely, can't swim from the dock, what are you really getting for the cost savings?

Owner response:I apologized many times for the TV and offered to either drive a new one out that afternoon from my home Atlanta or pay for one to bepicked up at a local store. It is weird that the people who checked out the prior day said the TV worked fine for them. The hot tubhad just been found out about and the repairman was waiting on a part, but yes that is true that it was broken and I deeply apologized. The cleaning crew has been changed shortly after as I had one other person also say that didn't feel it was clean enough. I didn't complain about the condition but was trying to find the truth as the cleaners said they had never seen a home left in such condition and trying to charge me extra so I called to find out -that is all. As far as the dock setup - it is my dock and completely untrue about it being the neighbors dock. It only makes good sense to allow the neighbor and me (or renters) the full shorline of 120-150 ft to work with rather than the 35'ish ft dock. In 3 years there has only been one other dock problem and that was with someone trying to jam in 3 boats and multiple jetskis. I have renter after renter enjoy everything in the setup including the swimming at the dock as it is a more confined area and safer without boats screaming past. The neighbor across the water has only spoke to me 1 time and it was regarding 3 boats and multiple jetskis of that party so I am not sure the validity of that. 2 boats (plus the neighbor) plus a jet ski or two fit without any problem at all. I have discussed with John, the neighbor, about putting a dock / sea wall priority schedule in place but it always seems to work fine. I do my best to open my home to renters at below market price and easy to work with to allow people to enjoy a great vacation and help pay some of the bills at the house and this is how it is responded to. I have had people call me afterward to say it was the best vacation they have ever had, many families rent time and time again and other refers friends. For advertising I only use VRBO and Craigslist. I wish you well and again will again offer you an apology that you didn't enjoy your stay. Hopefully this explains to future renters the issues that occured and how they were delt with. Many people seem to truely love this house including me. Thank you very much for your time.

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Guest: Patrick39 (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 05/20/09 Review Submitted: 05/20/09

We had such a great time at the house! It's on such a great part of the lake with easy access to everything. The pics on the website don't do the house justice. We look forward to another stay soon!

Owner response:Thanks for the comments Patrick. Great talking with you and look forward to having you come back again soon. - Greg

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/06/09 Review Submitted: 05/06/09

Nice Lake home, quiet surroundings, kept clean. Great backyard for kids to play.

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Guest: cory windham (centerville, ga.)
Date of Stay: 05/06/09 Review Submitted: 05/06/09

We had a great time at the lake house. The weather was not so good,but made it that much better to have a nice place to lay our head. thanks greg

Owner response:Thanks Cory. Come back anytime!

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Guest: Beth Auer (Atlanta, GA)
Date of Stay: 05/06/09 Review Submitted: 05/06/09

This house was so much fun. It is quiet and on the lake to where you can relax and just have a great time. We went with a bunch of girlfriends, but plan to come back with the kids later this summer.

Owner response:Thanks again Beth and we hope you come back soon!

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Guest: Jen65 (GA)
Date of Stay: 03/17/09 Review Submitted: 03/17/09

The house was so much fun. We loved the gourmet kitchen and the open feel of the living area. We had a fire and relaxed. If we could find a Dunkin' Donuts nearby, we might just move in. Thanks Greg for being so accommodating!

Owner response:Hope everything is going well. Please let me know when you want to come back for a relaxing weekend.

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Guest: Roxane Bobo (Lilburn/GA)
Date of Stay: 03/17/09 Review Submitted: 03/17/09

We stayed here March 12 through March 14 and had a great time. The home was clean and had a warm welcome feeling. We hope to go again this summer. I would highly recommend this lake house and Greg was great to work with. Thank you again for sharing your lake house. May God Bless You Always!!

Owner response:Roxane, I hope your summer continues to go well and please let me know if you can make it back later this summer.

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Guest: Shantee (Brunswick, GA)
Date of Stay: 02/19/09 Review Submitted: 02/19/09

We had a girls retreat over Valentine's Day weekend. The house was fantastic! The pictures do not do justice. The homeowners were great to deal with. We hope to stay again.

Owner response:Shantee, Please let me know when you want to come back...maybe with family or even another group of friends. Thanks!

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Guest: Karen Murdock (-)
Date of Stay: 02/08/09 Review Submitted: 02/08/09

Although the weather was cold, we stayed toasty warm and enjoyed our long, relaxing anniversary weekend. The view was beautiful and the area was very quiet. For us, this was a secluded getaway, not far from home, and we do plan to be back! Thanks for sharing your little piece of heaven!

Owner response:Thank you Karen and we look forward to having you back again in the future.

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