Fabulous property and everthing it says it is!

Guest: Jake (Chippewa Falls, WIU)
Date of Stay: 01/17/12 Review Submitted: 02/06/12

What a great property to get away and enjoy a quiet and serene setting with lots of activity options. We filmed a commercial and it was ideal to bring so many of natures elements into the spots, woods, lakes, cabin, quiet, etc. The hosts are wonderful folks who truly opened up their property to suit our needs. Did I mention fishing, golf and a zipline?

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Exceptional Fun

Guest: Dick (Milwaukee, WI)
Date of Stay: 01/23/12 Review Submitted: 02/02/12

A perfect place to get away and shoot a television commercial (or two). Dave was terrific as a host and assisted us in a number of ways that made our time a Casarea productive and fun. I could see returning with a large family reunion or small corporate team meeting to bond, connect, relax, work and play, and just have a beer or two (Leinenkugel's, of course) in a great setting.

Owner response:Thanks so much, it was a great experience for me to watch what all it take to film a commercial. I really enjoyed meeting everyone. Please come again anytime. Dave

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

Time to shack up and make Beer Commercials!

Guest: Ted (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 01/21/12 Review Submitted: 01/30/12

The property is simply amazing! As a director i have tons of places to choose from but Casarea is in a class all its own.. I wish we would have had time to reshoot this property for Dave as the pictures barely do it justice. I had a full production team stay at this large but cozy location and many did not want to leave when we were done shooting. There is plenty to do here and as city folk from Chicago we found endless stuff to do when we were done working. Its the perfect place for a large or small family and the 1/2 mile drive into the property will make you smile. I have to say Dave was an amazing host who went well beyond what any host could ask for. To us he became a member of the crew! We will see you again Dave for work reasons and personal! Your southern slice of heaven was hard to leave.

Owner response:Thanks so much Ted, It is still so strange to me how you found "us" and chose our place to film at. I hope you get the shots you were looking for and the commercial accelerates record business sales for you and the "summer Shandy". Thank you so much for your kind words, we truly hope to see you again, it was a blast. Dave

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

The Ballestero Christmas time in Georgia!!

Guest: Ballyfolks (Albion, MI)
Date of Stay: 12/20/11 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

We had a grand surprise when we all arrived at Desire Total Peace. We have been gathering with our five children and their families for over ten years, always having such a good time. This year was so special and I might add the name" Desire Total Peace" certainly got my attention when looking for a place for our family . The family enjoyed the outdoors so much together hardly coming in for long until it was dark. The Zipline, Trampoline, Four wheeler trails, Golfing and it was the best variety of recreation the family had seen. What a treat!! The Beds were good, and the kitchen was so accommodating and we felt like this was our favorite Christmas time. It was all so pleasant and the house was in good working order and we hope to come again soon. Thank You Dave you were so pleasant and comfortable to talk to as Owner. Thank You so Much!! Marty and Marcia

Owner response:Thanks so much, it was great meeting your wonderful family. We couldn't have had better guests and look forward to your return next Christmas. Thanks again, Dave

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

Great Getaway!

Guest: Clay (Atlanta)
Date of Stay: 10/20/11 Review Submitted: 12/29/11

This was our second year to rent and we couldn't be happier. The house is comfortable and really roomy for our group of 12 men. We come here to spend some quality time away from the demands of our families at home and reconnect with one another around the fire. The long kitchen table makes a great place for our poker games. Shooting contests are always fun down at the "range", complete with two target throwers.The sandy soil near the fire-pit is perfect for horse-shoe tournaments. Of course night time corn-hole on the expansive, well lit deck is a must. After all the fun is had for the day, the many beds are made with fresh linens and are very comfortable to rest our tired backs. FYI, there is a great golf course just about 10 minutes down the road for a fun round...just ask Dave and he can point the way. Put simply, its an ideal getaway for our group and we plan to be back next year.

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

Moore's Christmas get together

Guest: Walter & Carol (Calera, AL)
Date of Stay: 12/07/11 Review Submitted: 12/24/11

Dave just want to thank you for having us at your beautiful home. The description is right on and in fact lacks what you really find - it is AWESOME!! Had lots of room for all of us. There were 18 of us 9 adults from 30 - 60's, 9 kids from 8 weeks to 15. Six were 6 or younger. Had families from AL. TN and FL was a great location for all of us to meet that would accommodate all of us and each of us had only 6-8 hours travel time (don't think that is too bad for vacation). There was more than enough to do to keep us entertained and we didn't do a lot of the things available. Grandkids want to return when it is warmer and they can go down the zipline and swim. We had several games of cornhole on back deck (all ages), walking on trails, some enjoyed the golf course, trampoline was in use almost everyday. Made some beautiful pictures with the lake as background. Temperature while we was there was in the 50's and 60's so firepit was used one night to sit around talking and roasting marshmellows. Great having enough space for everyone to sit and eat. Bar was used for laptops since I think every family that came had one. Like several previous mention cell service is not the best even with verizon I usually had only 1 bar: not a problem. Felipe responded quickly to help when we needed something taken care of. Will definitely keep it on our places to revisit when we plan another family gathering. Only place several of us made it to was Wal-mart (about 10-12 miles) not sure of what is available around there since we had everything we needed at Casarea. We did enjoy Rentz Baptist Church service Sunday morning.

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

Lots of Fun to be had by all!

Guest: Deb (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 11/22/11 Review Submitted: 11/26/11

Owner was very helpful in answering all of our question prior to vacation date. Property features were accurately listed on website. No near by attractions but they are all on the property. Zip line, lake with canoes, ATV riding trails, Riffle shooting area. House was stocked with games, cookware, and most essentials. Property is well maintained. Enjoyed the fire pitt and surrond sound for outdoor music. Would definitely recommend to a friend or family member.

Recommended for:Pet owners, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Eaton Family Vacation

Guest: Nate & Jamie (Anderson, SC)
Date of Stay: 09/08/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

This place was amazing! It had been awhile since our family vacationed anywhere and we couldn't have gone to anywhere more perfect for our family! There was 19 of us from ages 1 - 55. The 4wheelers were constantly going =) I recommend bringing 4-wheelers and trying out the track! Even us girls got into it (a little dusty, wear goggles or glasses!) The zipline was a huge hit for all our wild and crazy boys. They were a little disappointed with the "golfing" as it's not a total course but it was fine - they still played. All the rooms were great and the king beds and personal bathrooms were amazing. We made our traditional Low Country Boil on the last night and it was perfect around the big, country table. Dave was great and was very willing to answer any and all questions - even brought us some BBQ one night! I'd recommend this to anyone doing a retreat, business get-away, family vacation . . . Earlier this year we had agreed that we're planning a trip, as a family, every year and we'd take turns planning it and go somewhere different every year - that has changed. It was unanimous, we no longer need to "plan" a new trip every year. We'll just come back to CASAREA!!!!

Owner response:Thank you so much Jamie, we truly look forward to the possibility of seeing you again. Dave PS, that is why we rent only electric golf carts-------NO NOISE! Nevertheless, the kids did a great job of running the trails hard and cleaning them. I bet you burned some gas! Thanks for leaving our home in great condition kido!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Family Reunion 2011

Guest: Jill (Florida)
Date of Stay: 08/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

Dave, we had such a great time at your retreat. All of us coming from different parts of the country to meet at your home. Many wonderful memories were made there from sitting around the big country style table for meals, the zip line, bond fires, late night card games, to flips off the dock, and the dunebuggies were a huge hit. Thank you for your hospitality. We felt like honored guests and we appreciate a wonderful place to stay for our reunion.

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

Great for Kids of All Ages!

Guest: Liz (Atlanta)
Date of Stay: 08/18/11 Review Submitted: 08/26/11

We had a wonderful time at this cabin. We had 6 couples all with children stay here and there was plenty of room. The kids LOVED the trampoline and it is great exercise for the adults. The husbands loved all the outdoor activities, the girls weren't much into them except for the pond. We did however have fun just riding around on the golf carts. I would definitely recommend renting both of the carts if you have a full house. The boys used them to play golf, but the girls really had fun just being able to ride around. The trampoline is already included and super safe, like a giant bouncy pak n' play!! We did some serious cooking and the kitchen is truly well stocked. I would contact them to confirm if they have certain items so you don't bring stuff you don't need. I THINK I saw a waffle iron and even a wok in the gigantic pantry. The beds and bedding were AWESOME! So comfy, rooms were nice and dark when you put down the blinds, AC worked well, and the rooms were very soundproof, so it was nice to sleep in or go to bed earlier than everyone else. Great fun and I highly recommend it to family and friends. The owners were great. Perfect for family reunions, weddings, corporate retreats, etc. Nearby activities? I'm sure there are some but no need with all the things you can rent here.

Recommended for:Pet owners, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.