Vacation Rentals by Owner

INCREDIBLE!

Guest: TA (Tenn)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 07/16/11

We rented this house at the end of May, to allow our son to flyfish in the area for his high school graduation gift. This house is amazing, and you couldn't ask for a better, more private yet convenient location. My son (age 18) took photos of the house and said he wants one just like it some day! The bedding was VERY comfortable, and we loved the porch out back-great views, lovely breeze, and oh so quiet! The owner was very accomdating - great communication from start to finish. I can't recommend this place highly enough - you will NOT be disappointed if you want a quiet place to relax that's close to restaurants, etc. The town itself is very small and laid back - perfect for a relaxing getaway. If you're fishing, check out Hank Rope (lives near this town) as a guide - so helpful.

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

A great girls' weekend

Guest: Louise (New York City)
Date of Stay: 08/26/10 Review Submitted: 09/16/10

My group of friends and I had a great time at Mike's house. It was perfect for our group. Spacious, amazing setting. Morning coffee on the back deck overlooking the river was a treasure for us city girls! We found what we need (and went w/ Mike's suggestions for restaurants and such). Mike was very flexible and helpful!

Recommended for:Girls getaway

Peace and Tranquility

Guest: DBO (Connecticut)
Date of Stay: 07/16/10 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

My wife and I enjoyed our stay in Phoenicia immensely. The property was more than accomodating and quite private. We are both in our early thirties and loved that our stay allowed for us to be secluded in a very beautiful region of upstate New York. However, when we wanted some excitement, we found great exhilaration tubing down the Esophus Creek and ziplining down Hunter Mountain (within 20 min.). The property was very close to Woodstock as well where we did some nice shopping. Downtown Phoenicia also offered excellent restaurant and bar accomodations when we were tired of grilling on our own. The property offered excellent views of the local wildlife as well. We had a great time celebrating our anniversary and plan to return in the future.

Recommended for:Pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A great weekend getaway

Guest: Beloose (NYC)
Date of Stay: 03/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/24/10

My group and I had an idea to get a cabin in the Catskills for the weekend, but didn't have much time to plan ahead. I called a few places, but the owners wanted more time to prepare the house and had to turn me away. And then I called Mike. I assure you, everything you read about the ease of dealing with Mike is well deserved. He was speedy, accommodating and an overall pleasure to deal with. He offered our group an extra night at no extra charge! The house is well-maintained and is equipped with just about everything you could need. Tom and Betty (and their son Fred) were helpful in providing information about the town, places to eat, and hiking trails. Plus, Betty was kind enough to give us a cup of sugar. Our group had a great time and we look forward to our next weekend away from the city.

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

Great place in Winter or Summer!

Guest: KevinTX (Houston, TX)
Date of Stay: 03/14/10 Review Submitted: 03/23/10

We stayed 5 days last week and really enjoyed your home. The views of the mountains and the passing Esopus were excellent! We skiied two days at Hunter and snow was wonderful! Thank you so much.

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

Beatiful house and excluse private location!

Guest: ElliottNYC (US)
Date of Stay: 11/22/09 Review Submitted: 11/25/09

We've rented this house for a birthday party and few things that we were looking for were to rent a large house with an exclusive, private location, not too far and not to close to other neighbors in order not to disturb anyone while we're barbequing and playing music with a reasonable volume, so that some people can dance while others can hear each other while having a conversation. This house can easily accommodate a group of 12 people; it has 4 bedrooms plus other rooms with furniture. Very well maintained, house is located right on a waterfront with a beautiful mountains and nature on the other side of a water stream. Property is pretty large, and people can easily enjoy volleyball, soccer, football, etc…Every room had a TV, one room had an mp3 player which was something we needed to play our mp3s. There is also an internet connection, although we had to reset the power on a cable modem downstairs before it started working, once it did it was pretty fast. Very comfortable beds and linens can’t compare to a hotel, unless you’re renting a penthouse suite. Overall I would rate it a 5 out 5 and would definitely rent it again to host a party close to New York City.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great house and amazing setting!

Guest: Disappointed Renter (New York)
Date of Stay: 10/03/09 Review Submitted: 10/06/09

We stayed at Mike's house for two nights in October 2009. We were two families with 5 little kids, and everyone had a great time. The house itself is beautiful and comfortable. There was everything we needed, including linens, towels and fully stocked kitchen. The family room downstairs was great for us, as we piled kids on two full beds and they were happy to sleep, play games (available in the house), watch TV and play the piano in their own space. They also loved playing on the huge lawn outside. The house is located in a perfect spot. It's quiet and secluded, but still very close to Phoenica and Woodstock (~20 min, I think). Two creeks border the property and the hills of Catskills are all around. We enjoyed the foliage colors, but I can imagine the place is as amazing during all other seasons. There's so much to do: great hikes, kayaking, cool shops and restaurants, skiing in the winter. We'll try to be back to check all this out! Lasty, Mike is a great host, very willing to help and easy to communicate with. Thanks for the great weekend!

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

Better Than Advertised!

Guest: hikeswithdogs (south salem NY)
Date of Stay: 09/21/09 Review Submitted: 10/08/09

Everything was as promised! We had a wonderful 5 days -(my husband and I (in our 50's) and our 2 golden retrievers. Plenty of room and privacy, a great wraparound deck to relax after a long day of hiking - one day a bald eagle landed right in the back yard - what a treat! Mike was so welcoming, and suggested a great hike for us and the dogs. The bed was super comfortable, and everything you needed was in the (BIG!) house - great gas grill, and everything "worked" ! Really a pleasure - I've already recommended this vacation home to friends, and plan on returning for sure!

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

Better Than Advertised!

Guest: hikeswithdogs (south salem NY)
Date of Stay: 09/21/09 Review Submitted: 10/06/09

Great house, huge yard, and everything as promised! We stayed for 4 nights at the end of Sept-my husband and I (in our 50's) and our 2 golden retrievers. We're hikers, and Mike(so welcoming and helpful!) had some good hiking suggestions for us. The wraparound deck was a fantastic place to relax after a long day on the trails. One day a bald eagle flew down and perched on a tree very close by - what a treat! I've already recommended this house to friends, and look forward to staying here again. Very comfortable bed, gas grill a great extra. Definitely ALL the conveniences included! Big house, lots of privacy!

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

Wonderful house!

Guest: Catskills fan (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 08/30/09 Review Submitted: 11/10/09

We stayed at the house with another family (total of 4 adults and 4 kids) and had a wonderful time. The house is spacious and comfortable with lots of different areas for folks to hang out in (including a fabulous deck). The property is fabulous- a huge lawn with fire pit and access to a side creek that is wonderful for wading and rock-skimming. There is a ton to do in the area--- swimming, hiking, historic sites and lovely towns to visit. Finally, Mike was lovely to do business with! We highly recommend it!

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

Amazing Vacation Home!!

Guest: Queens Kid. (N.Y.)
Date of Stay: 07/06/09 Review Submitted: 08/05/09

From the moment we arrived at this beautiful home, my wife, bulldog and I were in heaven. This home was just as described and truly was in an amazing location. From exploring the river behind the property, shopping, dining, horseback riding, mini-golf, nearby swimming.....(all things too many to list) up to the last night just enjoying the countless stars.... we enjoyed our stay deeply. Perfect spot for anyone looking to get away from the city. Mike, Tom and Betty were all a pleasure to deal with. We cannot wait to go back next year. Thanks for all Mike.

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

4th of July Weekend was Perfect

Guest: Denise12 (Astoria, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/02/09 Review Submitted: 07/15/09

We came up here with 8 adults and 1 baby. It was a long 4th of July weekend and I looked everywhere for a house like this. Something with A/C AND had allowed dogs. Well, I found the perfect place! Mike was a pleasure to deal with from start to finish. The caretakers-Tom & Betty were a great help with letting us in and any questions we had. The deck was the perfect place to hang out on ALL weekend with the grill, coverage for rain and beautiful views! We cooked a lot, and had all the tools we needed! The lawn was incredible and perfect for lots of wiffle ball playing. The creek was gorgeous and while cold, still refreshing! We went for a great hike nearby off the Woodland Hills campground and also stopped at the farmers market down the road, which had the best produce!! The house was immaculate and the master bedroom bed was so comfy. I want to go back right now and I am hoping to be back every year! :)

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

Couldn't ask for more

Guest: ChadR (New York)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 07/01/09

The house is absolutely beautiful - even more beautiful than it is in the pictures. We played frisbee, soccer, bocce ball and croquet in the yard and sat out down by the river to cool off. Grilling at night for dinner, up again the next morning to cook breakfast in the kitchen, and sitting around a campfire inbetween. The host was amazing - showed us around, pointed us in the right direction, couldn't meet a friendlier guy! Thanks Mike for a great weekend!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Perfect nature hideaway

Guest: Jcpeeps (Ny, ny)
Date of Stay: 04/17/09 Review Submitted: 05/04/09

Mike's vacation home is great, and so was his extensive help. When we booked, I was planning to do lots of cooking for our large party of 10. Mike promised the kitchen and gas grill would be fully equipped, and it definitely was. We ate grilled pizzas on the gorgeous deck overlooking the river as the sun set. We were fairly secluded, but had immediate access to the cute towns of phonecia and Woodstock, which mike gave us extensive restaurant and shopping recommendations for. Everyone slept comfortably, and the fireplace was delightful. Next chance I get, I'm going back to see the bald eagles that are flying around the area.

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

Guest: nonsmom
Date of Stay: 04/09/09 Review Submitted: 04/08/09

What A View! Review Submitted: March 28, 2009 Date of Stay: March 2009 We really enjoyed our weekend there. We were 10 people; 6 adults and 4 children. The view from the house was incredible. I would recommend this house for all seasons. We stayed during the ski season, but I can imagine that it would be a beautiful place all year round. Owner was very accommodating. Wanted to make sure we enjoyed our weekend. House was nice, updated and clean. We can't wait to go back next year. Thanks again Mike! Recommended for: Families with Young Children, Pet-friendly, Age 55+, Sightseeing, Families with Teenagers, Romantic Getaway

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Great Vacation

Guest: Natalie R (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 04/05/09 Review Submitted: 04/15/09

My family and I had an amazing week in the Catskills. The house was very nice and had everything that we needed. The backyard was great and had lots of room for the kids to play. Mike was beyond great to deal with. He was so nice and helpful and made the trip a pleasure. Tom was great and it was nice to know that he was around if we needed him .I have already told my friends about the house and we can't wait to go back!!!

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

What A View!

Guest: nonsmom (Long Island, NY)
Date of Stay: 03/13/09 Review Submitted: 03/28/09

We really enjoyed our weekend there. We were 10 people; 6 adults and 4 children. The view from the house was incredible. I would recommend this house for all seasons. We stayed during the ski season, but I can imagine that it would be a beautiful place all year round. Owner was very accommodating. Wanted to make sure we enjoyed our weekend. House was nice, updated and clean. We can't wait to go back next year. Thanks again Mike!

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

Great Stay

Guest: Mcdowell (United States)
Date of Stay: 02/17/09 Review Submitted: 03/12/09

We arrived with 4 grown ups/4 kids and had a great winter mini vacation. Plenty of room and a good living room and kitchen hangout area.The short drive to Belleayre Ski resort made skiing very convenient. We had tons of snow and made snow sculptures and lit a bonfire by the river one night. The giant porch would be great in the summer, as would the riverside location. Enjoy it.

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Lovely Ski House

Guest: Laker106 (Medford, NJ)
Date of Stay: 01/23/09 Review Submitted: 01/27/09

A house as well appointed as any primary residence. The house was clean, well equiped, pretty riverside setting, convenient location for skiers, and private. Nice neighbors with lots of local info. We would visit again.

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

Beautiful Home!

Guest: Heather & Alan (NJ)
Date of Stay: 01/16/09 Review Submitted: 01/30/09

What a great place. We were very comfortable. The bedrooms were spacious and pretty, and the view is every bit as breathtaking as promised. This house also has a great, well-equipped kitchen. Two thumbs up!

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

great value, gorgeous setting

Guest: Curbdog (long island, ny)
Date of Stay: 01/08/09 Review Submitted: 01/27/09

We had 6 adults take a 4 day winter weekend this january, and we were very satisfied with the cabin. The location is great, being close to several mountains and the quaint hippy town of woodstock. Everything was fabulous!

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.

Awesome

Guest: Robbbie (New Canaan, CT USA)
Date of Stay: 11/27/08 Review Submitted: 12/04/08

I hate to even tell anyone how awesome this house is, because I'd like to keep it as my own personal getaway. This was our first cyber rental and we were a little nervous about picking a place. This really beat any inn or hotel we could have found. We loved it being secluded (you really can't see any houses around) but not too far from the main road that you felt isolated. We loved having the caretakers Tom and Betty at the end of the driveway - we never needed them for anything but liked to know there was someone on site if there was a problem instead of being on our own. The house was immaculate and my neat freak sister really looked around and went as far as to wonder what time of laundry detergent they used because the sheets and blankets were so nice. The pictures don't do justice to how awesome the master bedroom and bathroom are and how they open to the porch. The porch is amazing - it was so nice being up high like that and watch the sun rise to the left and set to the right over the mountains and river each day. Town is only 5 minutes away and adorable - nice restaurants and a great store for the kids. We thought about venturing further but were really enjoying the house so much we stayed put. The kitchen is outfitted with better appliances and cooking supplies than I have at home. It was so nice to have my husband take the kids skiing - 15 minutes away - and we just hung out watching movies by the fire. That's my kind of a vacation! What an awesome place - thanks for sharing it Mike - can't wait to go back!

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

Great House

Guest: Ernie n Lorraine (Brooklyn NY)
Date of Stay: 10/20/08 Review Submitted: 11/26/08

When we arrived, we were greeted by Mike (the owner) and the caretaker who lives up the road, He assured us that anything we needed was a phone call away. We found the house and the grounds Immaculate. There was even a large supply of fiewood for the fire place. You could not find a bettrr location. It's Secluded but close to town. with Fine Resaurants. The wrap around deck lets you see and hear the Esopus Creek rushing past the house. We can't wait to Re-Rent it for next year.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Great house for a weekend getaway

Guest: sfmsfm (New York)
Date of Stay: 10/03/08 Review Submitted: 10/14/08

The house is great, the owner is great, the location is great. What more needs to be said? I went there for a guys' weekend away with four friends. The house is spacious, with plenty of comfortable bedrooms, more than enough bathrooms, some workout equipment and plenty of other amenities. There is room to play football, an area to watch the stream go rushing by and a fire pit too. Mike was very helpful in every way possible. The house itself feels isolated and quiet yet is seconds from Route 28 and just minutes from Phoenicia and near to just about anything you might want to do in the Catskills.

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

Fabolous House & Property

Guest: WashHi (New York City)
Date of Stay: 09/26/08 Review Submitted: 10/14/08

We (a group of 6 adults + 1 child) stayed at this lovely house for a weekend in September. Unfortunately the weather was really bad (rainy), but we had the best time, nevertheless! The house is very very clean and extremely comfortable. The covered deck allowed us to enjoy the outdoors even in the rain. The property, the river creek that is behind the house, and the breath-taking mountain views, reminded me of the caribbean (which is where I am from). I definitely recommend it!

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

Great house!

Guest: RyGuy (Brewster, NY)
Date of Stay: 09/19/08 Review Submitted: 09/24/08

Fantastic house on a beautiful piece of property. Right on the Esopus Creek; great for fishing and tubing. Very secluded spot. I recently spent an early autumn weekend up there with a few old friends and had a great time. I plan on returning! Highly recommended.

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

Hihgly recomended to anyone who wants privacy

Guest: Murat (New York)
Date of Stay: 08/26/08 Review Submitted: 09/03/08

We had an amazing, and very relaxing time during our stay. And would definetly rent it again, and highly recomend to anyone who wants well equipped house for getaway vacation. Beautifully settled and secluded. Privately and fully furnished bedrooms give privacy to everyone, and a huge deck provides perfect evening for nice dinner, cocktails time. Fully equipped kitchen is perfect to try out your new recepies. Great cable TV channels for someone who likes to watch TV and stay connected with world via wireless DSL. A++++++++++

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

Amazing Rental

Guest: bigchill (CT)
Date of Stay: 08/22/08 Review Submitted: 09/10/08

This house is terrific. We fit ten people comfortably. The accomodations are great and the house comes equipped with everything you might possibly need (notably flashlights and loads of board / card games). The house was clean and there were ample linens provided. The highlight however would undoubtedly be the property itself. The lawn is tremendous and beautiful and we spent the entire weekend playing games (think volleyball, badminton, croquet, baseball, etc). There was a fire pit and loads of chopped wood so you can enjoy s'mores well into the night. The property sits on the Esopus creek. While the current is too strong for swimming, it still provides beautiful and tranquil views. You can hear the water running through the night and when you wake up in the morning. Also, it's just a short drive away from Phoenicia town center so you can head out for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's a great place to start if you want to explore what the Catskills have to offer. Easily reached by the NY state thruway. I can't say enough about how wonderful this place is and my friends and I plan on visiting next summer. Thanks to Mike the owner for making the rental process so easy. He was an absolute pleasure through and through and this house and property are truly a gem. Rent this place and find out for yourself!

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

an excellent place to relax

Guest: bwkster (NJ)
Date of Stay: 08/18/08 Review Submitted: 08/25/08

We had a great time -- the place is very quiet, clean and comfortable, and supplied with everything one could want. Mike and Tom went out of their way to make us feel welcome and cared about. And we saw some pretty amazing wildlife just while we were sitting on the deck. Highly recommended.

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Beautiful house and grounds!

Guest: MM, NYC (NYC, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/24/08 Review Submitted: 08/04/08

Beautiful, well-equipped house in a quiet, beautiful setting. The house had everything we needed for a relaxing vacation. We had a wonderful time and hope to be able to rent this house again soon - very highly recommended!

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