May weekend 2009

Guest: Nutmegger (Glastonbury, CT)
Date of Stay: 04/30/09 Review Submitted: 05/05/09

My wife and I stayed at the cabin the first weekend of May, 2009. We found the location and facilities to exceed our expectations. It seems like everyone on the street walks alot and we met many neighbors and felt welcome to share this special place. Our dogs appreciated the canine friendly atmosphere - little to no traffic and the pet friendly cabin. Everyone seems to pick up appropriately after their pets, and there was no evidence of abuse. We felt it was a privilege to stay in Kathy's vacation home. We made the short walk to Alburg Dunes State Park daily and look forward to returning in the fall.

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

What an awesome place!

Guest: Jon B.
Date of Stay: 12/01/11 Review Submitted: 12/10/11

If you want peace and serenity, this is the place for you! Everything you could possibly want or need for the perfect get away. And I do mean everything! There are bicycles available to use, a kayak, firewood, brand new gas grill and of course a beautiful peaceful setting. This cabin is down a nice peaceful gravel (well maintained) road and the whole time I was there I saw two cars in four days. There is a handyman on call if there are any issues. Can't beat the "customer service". I went grocery shopping on the way up. I would recommend you just pick something up for dinner and then go to the cabin and make a list of what you will need because as I said everything you need is there. There was already spices, paper towels, foil, utensils, dinnerware ect. and everything was clean. DO NOT STAY AT A HOTEL! STAY HERE! Can't be beat!

Recommended for:

Perfect Getaway!

Guest: Evelina F.
Date of Stay: 11/11/11 Review Submitted: 12/03/11

Amazing location on the lake -- beautiful view! Lovely house with a great fireplace and open living area for cooking, playing games, and spending time with friends. We had a perfect trip and the house was fully equipped with everything we needed (no water issues) and would stay there again when in the region. Thanks for a great time, in a great location!

Recommended for:

Nice but musty cabin in the woods

Guest: Steena F.
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 08/23/11

A very nice cabin in the woods, thoughtfully stocked with many supplies. However, the cabin itself was very dirty and in need of a major de-clutter. Lots of dead (and live) bugs, cobwebs, dust and dirt everywhere.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners.

GREAT PLACE! GREAT TIME!

Guest: DOGGIE VACATION (Portland, Connecticut)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/09/11

My sister and our four dogs had a delightful time at your cabin. We arrived to a clean cabin with all the items we needed. By the way, there is NO sulfur smell in the water, so your new water filter is working just fine. We found some state parts on the islands, in NY and on VT's mainland that permitted dogs and enjoyed many fun trails. The dogs thought the ferry ride back from NY was very exciting! The multiple decks and "patio by the lake" had great views of the lake and good access to the lake. What awesome sunsets on the lake! Your cabin will remain our list of cabins to return to.

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

Wonderful Week

Guest: Anne H.
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/20/11

My husband and I, along with our two dogs, recently spent a wonderful week at the cabin. We especially enjoyed the deck overlooking the lake and saw many beautiful sunsets and there were almost no bugs. Most evenings, there was a wonderful breeze off of the lake. The cabin is large with three bedrooms, and an open kitchen and living room. The kitchen was supplied with most of the essentials and we just needed to get a few groceries. We grilled on the deck most evenings. The cabin is very private (and quiet), even with neighbors on both sides of the cabin. The basement of the cabin contains 2 to 4 bikes as well as other sports equipment. When we decided to go swimming, we thought we should buy some swimming shoes. We went downstairs though and there was a range of shoes to select for swimming, as well as beach towels. The lake is wonderful to swim in. I know comments have been made about the water at the cabin. The only time we noticed it was when taking a shower. Otherwise, the water was fine. There is distilled water in the refrigerator as well. Finally, the cabin is close to Montreal (45 minutes; we left some brochures), Burlington and even Lake Placid, NY (fun shopping). Overall, a great relaxing week !

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Very Disappointing

Guest: VT visitors (CA)
Date of Stay: 06/05/11 Review Submitted: 06/14/11

It was a bad sign when we walked into the home and the smell was so overwhelming that we were convinced something had died. The smell turned out to be the water, which was so vile that we could not shower and had to leave the house when the dishwasher ran. We brushed our teeth with bottled water. Aside from this and some dingy towels, the place was OK. Nice access to the lake. But vastly overpriced for what it is. And given the water situation, it is virtually uninhabitable.

Owner response: I always feel badly when guests do not enjoy their stay at the cabin. I have been renting it for about 6 years and have gotten only about 3 or 4 complaints about the water. I've probably had over 100 renters and many have left very positive comments in my guestbook or on homeaway.com and/or emailed me as to how much they enjoyed their stay. Everyone in the area has water problems, as we are located on a peninsula with a shale base. There is no 'city' water, although our homeowners association has been trying to get that for years. I did mention to the guest that I am in the process of adding a lake water filtration system which uses UV light and carbon to purify the water, mainly because my well has run dry for each of the two summers, but that will solve the odor problem also. The equipment is in the basement but my drilling/water guys are currently busy dealing with the extreme flooding in the area. I was at the cabin a month before the guests' stay and I drank the water as well as showered with it. The 'dingy' towels are, again, due to the water's mineral content. But they are clean. New towels would be 'dingy' after the first washing. On the other hand, these guests forgot to pay on time the balance of what they owed on the rental. The guest asked me for directions within a week of their stay. I send directions when I receive the balance of what is owed. The balance is due 2 weeks before arrival, which is a generous policy compared to other rentals such as this (homes, not motel rooms). When I checked, they had not paid their balance. I then allowed them to pay through Paypal, which requires a bit more administrative work for me. In actuality, when the balance was that late, I was probably within my rights to cancel the reservation and keep the deposit, which is only 25% (again, a comparatively generous policy). The price is in line with other rentals in the area. It is on Lake Champlain. It sleeps 6 people in beds.

Recommended for:

Great getaway!

Guest: Doreen (Hoboken, NJ)
Date of Stay: 06/27/10 Review Submitted: 11/25/10

My husband and I rented this property from Kathy for almost a week this past summer. Kathy was so helpful and easy to coordinate with. The place was cozy enough for the two of us but also versatile enough for our families to fit. The kayak was great for getting out on the lake. Although, just a warning that navigating the path down to the water is not for older or less fit people. We loved the big windows that opened to the back balcony and allowed for great circulation of fresh air. We also saw a few great sunsets over the lake behind the house! Cell phone coverage was pretty good (AT&T, Sprint, and VZW all worked fairly well), but there was no cable which was great for preventing my husband and family from sitting in front of the TV all day long. The cabin location was really quiet and remote but definitely central enough to allow for us to take day trips to Montreal and Burlington. Also, the cluster of islands were great for biking (we did 3 or 4 different 20-mile rides while we were there).

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers.

Great location!

Guest: Peggy (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 09/10/10 Review Submitted: 10/22/10

My husband and I with another couple used Kathy's cabin in September, 2010. The location is beautiful! The sunsets were magnificent and sitting down by the water was very relaxing. Having a full kitchen was nice because we did not set an alarm but woke on our own, made coffee, sat outside and then had a nice breakfast vs. getting up and having to go somewhere to eat. A nice advantage! We enjoyed the peaceful and relaxing time we spent at the cabin. Although the cabin is remote there is still plenty to see and do in general vicinity. Stowe Mountain, Ben and Jerry's, Montreal are all relatively close and I recommend you take the time to see the area. Thank you Kathy.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+.

June '10 stay

Guest: Tina (Pennsylvania)
Date of Stay: 06/05/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

A friend and I stayed in Kathy's cabin in early June. The property is fantastic. The quiet of the place was peaceful. There are plenty of videos and books to enjoy during your stay. We saw a few gorgeous sunsets. Looking forward to a future stay at Kathy's place.

Owner response:Thanks, Tina! I think it's a great place, too.

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