Vacation Rentals by Owner

Our Whole Family Loved It!

Guest: Fern C.
Date of Stay: 02/24/12 Review Submitted: 02/29/12

My family rented this house for a reunion. We had cousins in every corner! No one felt crowded, everyone was comfortable, and we couldn't stop talking about how beautifully appointed it was! The kitchen had everything you could possibly need. The showers were marvelous. The beds were great. Amazingly, the linens in my bed were like 600 count! Sitting in the hot tub under the stars was fabulous. The views -- breathtaking. While we were there, it snowed while the sun was shining - never seen anything like it. There's tons of stuff to do - games and game tables, magazines, a large selection of movies, books, and Old Rag Mountain to hike. We had a few ladybugs too -- they were cute! We kept a fire going all day every day - there's a huge woodpile outside - and just enjoyed being together in a wonderful place. My family wants to do our next reunion there too! I would highly recommend this rental to anyone who enjoys luxury and beauty. It is beyond clean and well-maintained. All the amenities were as advertised. I can't speak to customer service, since we didn't need any, which is the best compliment of all. The little Country Store in Etlan is run by a great guy named Don, who smokes all his own meats. Go try it, you'll love it! Also, we totally loved the Thornton River Grille in Sperryville, a true gourmet restaurant find. The whole area is great for antiquing, and the wineries are a ton of fun. In short, not only would I go back again, I most certainly will!

Owner response:So glad you had a great time. It,s a perfect place for a gathering.

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Beautiful Comfortable Spacious Mountainside Escape

Guest: Shannon K. (Alexandria, VA, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/02/11 Review Submitted: 12/06/11

My group of friends stayed at Spirit Dancer Lodge for the past two years, but our annual cabin trip became so popular this year (with 14 people attending) that we needed to rent the larger Sun Dancer Lodge instead, and we LOVED it! We packed so many things into our weekend escape, such as decorating a Christmas tree at the cabin, a Secret Santa gift exchange, our first annual Sun Dancer 5K, hiking in the woods behind the house (we found the creek with the rock encampments), a huge group dinner on Saturday night (the table comfortable seats 14), a movie night, playing board games and shuffleboard, reading/relaxing on the huge deck and also in front of the warm fireplace, and plenty of relaxing and hanging out in the hot tub! There are so many different personalities in our group, but the cabin has something for everyone! The kitchen is well-equipped for those who love to cook (our one friend whips up something yummy each year for Friday night's group dinner--this year was Gumbo)! The leather couches around the fireplace are super comfortable for those of us who want to catch up and spend hours chatting in front of the warm fire. There are two large screen tv's (the one in the den was perfect for movie night and the one in the living room upstairs was great for watching football games on Sunday before heading home). The rooms are beautifully decorated, and my friend who is a photographer took photos of many of your Indian artifacts and decorations. The place is just beautiful, comfortable, clean, and well-stocked with supplies! I would absolutely recommend a trip out to either of the lodges, and our tradition of heading to one of your cabins each year for a holiday weekend escape with friends is something we are all looking forward to for years to come! Thank you, Geri, for allowing us to stay a few extra hours on Sunday...we had such a wonderful time and can't wait to return next year!

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FInd Another Place

Guest: RG3 (Dallas, tx)
Date of Stay: 10/25/11 Review Submitted: 02/16/12

I WOULD NOT stay here. My family and I spent almost a week at this house. The place was dirty with dead bugs on the floor, the utensils in the kitchen had food caked on them, the phone did not work (in case of emergencies), the owners could not be reached while we were at the property (they returned my phone call while I was on my flight home), the TV downstairs did not work, the beds were uncomfortable. The view from the deck was great if you could handle the HUNDREDS of lady bugs (literally) that got in your hair and clothes. I would not recommend this property. There are too many other places to choose from in the same area.

Owner response:Perfect Storm. First, the phone company had a major substation equipment failure. The entire region was without phone service for over 2 weeks!. This is not within our control. Second, the ladybugs swarm once per year. This is not within our control. Third, the house is treated routinely by PermaTreat thus any bugs that get into the house will die and they end up on the floor. This is as it should be. Such is life in the country. Fourth, the TV downstairs was in perfect working order both before and after this visit. We cannot attest to operator competence. As to the dishes not being clean, we do not have an explanation. We have never had this issue before or since.

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Brandes Family Vacation

Guest: Meghan B.
Date of Stay: 07/24/11 Review Submitted: 08/31/11

My husband's family traveled from MA, OH, VA, GA and FL to spend our annual summer vacation together. This house was amazing! The pictures really don't do it justice. Everyone had wonderful accommodations- beautiful bedrooms and bathrooms. The front deck was a favorite spot because of the amazing view, which we never got tired of! The back screened-in porch was also a relaxing spot to read/chat. The kitchen was very well supplied with everything that you could need to cook for 16 people. We did many of the area hikes, which were great (especially the one with the waterfalls)! We also toured several of the wineries and the distillery. The kids took advantage of the waterpark about an hour away. We also made a day of going to Luray Caverns, which was also really cool. If you are looking for a vacation away from busy schedules and technology, this is definitely the house to rent. We were blessed to have uninterrupted time with family. Hope we are lucky enough to go back again some day!

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

We had a great weekend

Guest: Kathy Bredimus
Date of Stay: 02/21/11 Review Submitted: 03/08/11

The weather was fine, We read the whole guestbook We drank lots of wine. We're reading departure And eating some chips Pete knows construction He's giving us tips. We like how the sky stretches out on all sides The sun comes out sometimes And sometimes it hides. We like all the cacti Antlers and masks We even lliked doing The clean up crew tasks. But, Sun Dancer, baby, We've gotta depart But we leave behind A piece of our...... I'm not sure how to end this.

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fantastic weekend excursion

Guest: Jason (Washington, DC)
Date of Stay: 02/11/11 Review Submitted: 02/24/11

I spent a weekend at the Sundancer with 15 friends and we had an amazing time. The lodge is huge and the amenities were more than adequate for our group. If you don't like spending your morning sipping coffee on a balcony that overlooks a distant and serene landscape of mountains, and if you loathe hiking through the woods in the afternoon, relaxing in a hot tub at dusk, and lounging by a stone fireplace in the evening, then this place isn't for you. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the daily routine.

Owner response:We love it too!

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

Our Stay

Guest: David Zak
Date of Stay: 01/09/11 Review Submitted: 03/08/11

There was Magic. There were Miracles. And there was us.

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Our Stay

Guest: David Zak
Date of Stay: 01/09/11 Review Submitted: 03/08/11

There was Magic. There were Miracles. And there was us.

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Beautiful Wholesome Environment

Guest: Marty (MD)
Date of Stay: 10/27/10 Review Submitted: 11/19/10

Awaking in the morning to the sunrise coming over the mountains and across the valley is breathtaking. Day hours were enjoyed locally by hiking, visiting orchards, antiquing, stopping at gift stores and small art galleries, meeting locals at a winery, and great food. There was far more to do than the time allowed so we hope to return soon to this spacious, clean, creatively decorated beautiful lodge in a wholesome environment. At the end of the evening we gazed at the star filled sky and enjoyed the Milky Way which we haven't seen in a long while. Our stay at Sun Dancer Lodge will be remembered forever.

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

Absolutely beautiful!

Guest: SANDRA K B. (Newport News, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 10/08/10 Review Submitted: 10/12/10

This was the 3rd annual mountain retreat for our close group of friends and the first time we stayed at the Sun Dancer Lodge. The sunrises are amazing and the star viewing from the front deck is awesome! Every amenity you can think of is provided. We had 10 adults on the trip and plenty of room to do what you wanted without disturbing each other. We all said we could return year after year and never tire of the lodge. What a wonderful weekend with great friends!

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

AGK

Guest: capy050 (Toronto)
Date of Stay: 08/15/10 Review Submitted: 09/09/10

We spent three weeks at Sundancer with our 7 and 9 year old this past summer. It was as relaxing and comfortable as we had hoped. It was as described and pictured and the owners were very responsive and helpful. Our family had a great time swimming and fishing the various rivers, horseback riding, hiking the trails and running through the fields. The butterflies were a real treat for the kids. For anyone that enjoys a rural setting with a great view and comfortable well appointed residence - this is as about as good as it gets

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

Great Lodge for Guys Weekend

Guest: Duncan (Baltimore, MD)
Date of Stay: 08/12/10 Review Submitted: 08/18/10

A group of us stayed at the Sun Dancer Lodge for our annual guy's weekend. The lodge is on a large piece of private property with a great view from the front deck. Despite the rain, the location was good for hiking trips, fishing in the on-site pond, winery tastings, and even a local BBQ. There were ten of us, and the lodge easily fit all of us with everyone getting their own bed, which was a huge plus. We had some struggles using the TV, but it is not like we went there for TV viewing anyway. The lodge was great and served us well for our weekend in the mountains.

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

Utopia at the Foot of Old Rag Mountain

Guest: Lady (Annapolis, MD USA)
Date of Stay: 06/04/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

What a gorgeous haven. It CAN be totally peaceful or if exploration is wanted, there's tons to do and see in the nearby region. I love to go out behind the scenes and explore the local farms and artists which are becoming the highlight of the area...along with the wineries, of course!

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

Perfect family reunion

Guest: Jerry (Fort Collins CO 80525 USA)
Date of Stay: 05/26/10 Review Submitted: 06/21/10

Sun Dancer Lodge is a great house and setting for a family reunion. There were fourteen of us which included three generations ranging in age from 10 to 77. Below is a list of the amenities that suited us: 1. Amazing beautiful antique furnishings throughout the house 2. Kitchen furnished with plentiful top-quality cooking equipment and dinnerware 3. Huge basement recreation room with game equipment and commercial popcorn popper 4. Huge deck with awning and nagnificent view 5. Screened back porch 6. 5 bedrooms plus loft 7. 4 1/2 baths 8. Outdoor grille 9. Large outdoor hot tub 10. Air conditioning 11. Quiet, bucolic setting near Shenandoah National Park 12. Helpful activiities guides 13. Helpful resources guides 14. Lots of games 15. Lots of reading materials 16. Cable television and HDD television (which we had little time to use) 17. Two other TVs not on cable 18. DVD players

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

weekend stay

Guest: Annette, Nancy, Beth, Chrissy, Aly, Kelly, Kellie
Date of Stay: 05/14/10 Review Submitted: 12/15/10

We had a wonderfully refreshing girls weekend at Sun Dancer. As moms of young children we appreciated the relaxation and beauty of this place. God is so good to have led us here and we pray that you would be blessed. Thank you.

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High Expectations Exceeded!!!

Guest: See you soon! (Washington, DC)
Date of Stay: 05/13/10 Review Submitted: 06/08/10

We had a large group of couples and friends rent Sun Dancer and Spirit Dancer Lodge. We had an absolute blast! There were a variety of personalities and there was something to do for everyone. Local vineyards provided for tastings, hiking at Old Rag and White Oak Canyon (View from Old Rag was incredible! ) and even trails around the property proved enjoyable. A group of us also went tubing on the Shenandoah (we used Shenandoah River Outfitters and would definitely go back) while others went into Warrenton (antique shopping and eating fried pickles) In the evenings we prepared feasts at both lodges. The kitchens are well designed for entertaining and socializing while preparing a delicious meal. P.S.- The views off Sundancer's deck at sunrise were beautiful enough to get even the late risers up early. :) We'll certainly be back for the "annual" gathering. Thanks!

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

A Beautiful New Year

Guest: Thank you, the Hollar Family
Date of Stay: 01/02/09 Review Submitted: 12/15/10

Our family gathered at your lovely home and celebrated New Year"08. We travwelled from Atlanta & Connecticut and it was worth the 500 miles we travelled. Your home is beautiful and very well set up for entertaining and relaxing. Your dedication to the home and hard workis evident in all of the details. We enjoyed all of the meals prepared in the gourmet kitchen! We hope we can return another season or another year as a family to share some additional cheer!

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