Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great spring get-away!

Guest: PghExplorer (Pittsburgh, PA USA)
Date of Stay: 04/05/12 Review Submitted: 04/18/12

We stayed for three nights over Easter weekend and had a delightful time. Our goal was to have a relaxing get-away from the city for myself, my wife and our seven-year old daughter. We brought food, books, art supplies and movies. Everything else we needed was at the property. The house is in great shape and very clean. We only used two of the three bedrooms and they were very comfortable. The main floor of the house has a very accommodating kitchen/eating area/living room that all flow together. The weatherized front porch is massive, as is the back deck. We used the bikes and took wonderful bike rides on the dirt roads along the lake and away from the lake. We also used the fire ring for a wonderful cook-out and bonfire. The lake was very windy, so we mostly enjoyed it using the beautiful view from the house. The house has board games and yard games that we also enjoyed.

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

peace and quiet

Guest: dinnie (United States)
Date of Stay: 03/23/12 Review Submitted: 04/01/12

We spent the weekend at this beautiful home enjoying the sound of the waves, the peace and quiet, the comfortable furnishings and the very well equipped kitchen. A complete pleasure.

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

Great Experience!

Guest: group of friends (Columbus, OH)
Date of Stay: 03/09/12 Review Submitted: 03/12/12

Absolutely fantastic experience! Great cottage, very clean and super cozy! Cottage is in the woods, overlooking the lake-absolutely amazing view!!!!!!!! Owner is very pleasant and easy to deal with. We will definitely stay there again!

Owner response:We are delighted by the renters review. However I need to point out that we are not pet friendly. No pets permitted, no exceptions.

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

A Great Get-Away

Guest: Vacationer (Pittsburgh, PA)
Date of Stay: 02/03/12 Review Submitted: 02/12/12

The Cottage is no doubt a great get-away location. Not too far from Erie for amenities like restaurants and shopping. Even in the winter, we enjoyed time at Splash Lagoon and other winter activities.

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

A rainy fall stay.

Guest: Miriam
Date of Stay: 09/25/11 Review Submitted: 10/08/11

Thanks, Rick, for the refund. During our stay, we commented often how even when the weather was so miserable, we were very comfortable at your cottage. The minister at church on Sunday said, "Welcome to dreary Erie." And that about summed the weather up. But, we had a great weekend, despite the rain. We would have loved to sit or eat on the deck, but that was not to be for those few days. We were glad to have the warmth and comforts of home. You did a great job renovating! It was interesting to read and see the photos. Our guys are into construction, one is a home builder, so there were many discussions on how your restorations included the little details that updated things and still, for example, used the original window trim, that type of thing. Having wireless internet certainly helped ease the fact that we couldn't often go outside. We were very happy to have that convenience. We did go to the lake a few times and got soakers from the waves which were quite high even with our 'muckers' on. Thanks for that suggestion. All in all, it was a very positive experience. Your emails, suggestions, websites, facebook page, etc., all helped us greatly. You are doing a great job at promoting a great place and we will be recommending it to others! Thank you

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Great Summer Memories

Guest: Meg, and family (Bethesda, MD)
Date of Stay: 08/11/11 Review Submitted: 09/15/11

We had such a great time visiting with family, swimming, exploring the beach, playing on the lawn and going for walks. The house had everything we needed and more. It was so comfy and welcoming. We practically lived on the deck w/ the humming birds, cooking out almost every meal. Our 8yr old son begs to go back almost every day. Thanks so much!

Owner response:What a smart 8 year old! Thanks for sharing your experience. We are so happy to hear of the good times had by our guests.

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

Great Spot on the Lake!

Guest: Lu J. (Wilmington, DE)
Date of Stay: 07/29/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

The cottage was everything the owners said it would be. Well equipped, clean, and a great spot to relax. The hummingbirds were fun to watch and we also saw herons and bald eagles. The deck is a wonderful place to gather with friends and family. Convenient to Sheldon Calvary Camp in Conneaut (as well as other camps in the area)!

Owner response:We are glad our descriptions are accurate. The eagle population seems to be continually growing and the deck is wonderful at all times of day. We are so glad these renters had such a nice time.

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

Guest: Paul
Date of Stay: 07/29/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

Rick, Just to say we had a great time. The weather cooperated, and the house was perfect! Many Thanks!

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Guest: Paul
Date of Stay: 07/15/11 Review Submitted: 07/21/11

Everything was great. We couldn't have asked for better weather and it was one of the most relaxing times I've had in some time. The cottage is great and I hope to spend time there again. Thanks! Paul rswanson3@columbus.rr.com wrote: >Paul, > >I hope everyone had a nice time at the cottage. Your full deposit will come back from our business account from Chase. I'm processing it tonight. > > >Please let us know if there is anything we could do to make your stay better. > >We appreciate you choosing the cottage. > >Regards, > >Rick.

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The Best 4th of July

Guest: Mills (Dubuque, Iowa)
Date of Stay: 07/01/11 Review Submitted: 07/26/11

We came to the cottage to relax, site see and have a good time! and we did just that! I will be back for sure. The Lake was beautiful and clean the area is very charming, (ice cream , and candy shop) just down the street. The house was roomy sweet and had everything you need! Cant wait to come back.

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

Texas Road Trip '11

Guest: Gwen (Lewisville)
Date of Stay: 06/03/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

This was my first time to Lake Erie and I challenge someone to improve on my trip. The cottage was nestled in the woods, with an amazing view from the back deck. It exceeded my expectations with an ample size bathroom and the most comfortable bed I have slept in in years. It had a nice size kitchen and plenty of lounge room in the living room. The screened in porch was nice to read in and had a very nice size table to play games. It was very clean and I felt as if I were in a home instead of a rental. We went kayaking and saw a pair of bald eagles hunting and flying over head, it was awesome to see these birds in action. I highly recommend taking a short stroll to Raccoon Park to have a picnic and play at the park. At sunset it is a must to walk down the path to the water, make a fire, and roast some s'mores. It is a great time! Great place!

Owner response:It sounds like these renters took in some of the good stuff. How great!

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

Guest: John and Val
Date of Stay: 05/18/11 Review Submitted: 05/23/11

Rick and Dianne, The weather wasn't what we hoped for, but you certainly can't be faulted for that! And we still had a great time! We definitely plan to come back and we will take you up on your generous offer when we do. I really appreciate it. I loved your cottage and the lake. We had a camper at Camp Judson (just down the road from your cottage) and I grew up vacationing in that area. It was awesome to go back and spend time together there. We enjoyed the fireplace and loved listening to the old albums on the turntable! You have really kept the place up nice and everything worked great. I really can't think of anything you could add or change to make it better. We had everything we needed for a comfortable, relaxing stay. Valerie really enjoyed reading the book you put together with the history of the cottage. We have 5 teenage kids in our house and Valerie just finished her doctorate in nursing so we have been very busy that past 2 years. She graduated last Saturday and this was our get away to relax and celebrate and we had a great time! Thank you so much. I don't know when we will have a chance to get away again, but when we do, we will certainly see if your cottage is available. Thank you for the quick processing of our deposit too. I will watch for it in the mail. Thank you and God Bless!

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Guest: Matt, Robin and Oliver
Date of Stay: 05/08/11 Review Submitted: 05/12/11

Hello Rick, Just wanted to say thank you for letting us stay at your cottage. You have an amazing place there. The weather was perfect and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was difficult, however, explaining to our 2 year old this morning that we couldn't go down to the beach and play. We hope to visit again soon!

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Guest: Michael
Date of Stay: 10/15/10 Review Submitted: 10/23/10

Dianne & Rick: Thank you for the prompt return of the deposit. As for the stay at your cottage, it was great. There was nothing that we did not expect when we arrived. The house was clean and orderly and the bed comfortable. Everything worked as described. We are really glad you did take down some trees to see the lake from the kitchen and the bedroom. Outstanding view. We went down to the beach several times to walk and relax. We also had a fire in the one fire pit closer to the house and we could look up and see the stars through the tress. That was great. We can not think of any thing that you could do better. Thanks again for renting us your cottage. Michael

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Ideal Vacation

Guest: Paul (Erie, PA )
Date of Stay: 08/22/10 Review Submitted: 09/17/10

I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the cottage. As a kid we had a cottage just a mile east of here and staying here brought back alot of great memories. We took the kids to Peggy Gray Candies and the White Turkey in Conneaut, OH which they loved. This was my ideal vacation - spent a couple days on the beach swimming and reading and just exploring the area. The beach was easily accessable and there was a great spot in the woods set up for campfires. Besides the peaceful setting, the cottage had many extra things such as games, movies, books, and beach toys. Really cut down on the packing! My only regret is that I only had three days there instead of an entire week! Loved this place. Thanks for your hospitality! I hope to stay there again.

Owner response:This kind of review makes us smile. We want our guests to feel at home while staying at the cottage.

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

Best Cottage Vacation!

Guest: Patty (Buffalo)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/26/10

This was the nicest cottage vacation we have ever been on. And we have been to the Canadian Muskokas, the Allegheny Reservoir, Lake Canadaigua, Lake Chautauqua and Little Sodus Bay up by Oswego, NY. This is not just a rental cottage, it is a warm and comfortable home with every amenity. We had the enclosed front porch for dinners sans flies or mosquitoes (although they weren't too bad anyway). The property is surrounded by forest, but well cleared to keep the little buggers at bay. We had the back porch for morning coffee and sitting outside when we weren't at the very private beach at the foot of the bluff. We swam every morning and every night at sunset and the water was warm and clear. We could still see our feet even when we were out to should deep water. We had a campfire several of the nights we were there. And we hiked the State Game Land across the street and took some great nature photographs. We enjoyed our time at the cottage so much we did almost none of the other things we thought we might do, like visit the nearby wineries or go to the Presque Isle Casino and Racetrack. We were just too comfortable and relaxed to go out sightseeing. We played board games, listened to old records, painted some rocks for souvenirs (with hobby paint I brought along) and turned on the tv just once to watch a movie together. We did go kayaking at Presque Isle State Park in the lagoons. That too was great fun. And for foodies, the kitchen has everything you need. There was a good supermarket nearby in Conneaut for anything we needed and a couple of nice restaurants for the end of the week when we were running on leftovers and didn't want to restock. It was pure heaven every single day.

Owner response:When we read "too comfortable and relaxed to go out" we laughed. We feel the same way. As owners, we absolutely love to hear that our guests have created wonderful memories as we do with every visit.

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

A nice long weekend

Guest: Friends of the cottage (Columbus)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/17/10

My family of 6 adults (my parents and siblings) and our 1-year old stayed for a long-weekend in early June. The cottage is picturesque and secluded, making for a nice getaway. We especially enjoyed campfires on the beach and floating on the lake watching the sunset. The accomodations were clean and comfortable, nothing luxurious but simple and functional. We loved the huge deck for grilling and eating outside. In the morning there was coffee on the enclosed porch. There were only a couple downsides: one bathroom for six adults made for some long waits. There was no dishwasher, but it was nice to visit in kitchen while washing them by hand. And there were a lot of bugs, but that just comes with having nature at your doorstep, and I think early June is a peak time for them. Overall, we had a very pleasant stay and it was worth every penny.

Owner response:Our 12 page rental contract/housekeeping agreement is very specific regarding the property. It is clearly stated to be a country-living style home. Unfortunately, we have been unable to request Mother Nature send us no bugs. We do keep some metal tiki torches in the basement and there is usually citronella oil down there, unless someone else has used it and not replaced. While not perfect for the bugs, it does help dissipate them. Our current goal is to add a second toilet in the basement.

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

Guest: Jarred & Nicole, Pittsburgh, PA
Date of Stay: 06/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/11/10

> Rick and Dianne: > > I cannot thank you enough for your hospitality, helpfulness, and for the > incredible home that you let us stay in. Even though it was just a couple > days, it was the PERFECT anniversary getaway! The cozy, home-like feel of > the cottage and quiet/private comfort combined with the proximity of the > quaint wine country of Conneaut and city of Erie offerred us absolutely > everything that we were looking for on this trip. I couldn't think of a > single complaint if I wanted to. Between the house (which the pictures do > not do justice to), the beach, the lake, nearby playground, Conneaut, Erie, > Presque Isle and more, there really isn't anything that you could not do > here. In fact, we are already trying to find a time this summer to bring > our kids up and maybe grandparents as well. We can't wait to get back, and > at the absolute least, would like to make it our new anniversary tradition! > We also appreciated having both of you so readily available for anything > from house problems or just activity ideas and enjoyed talking to Rick > (sorry I missed your call Dianne - cell phone service sucks up there [which > made the trip even better for me!] who really wasn't kidding about the > eagles either, they really added to the trip, they seemed to be everywhere > and actively fished too! The day we drove up - we literally unpacked, > loaded a cooler and your Horseshoe set and hit the beach then took a quick > trip into Erie for dinner and checked out the Presque Isle Casino. The next > day, we were on the beach before noon for more relaxation, swimming (calmer > waters that day), and TONS of eagle spotting/watching before heading to wine > country. Unfortunately Ken Tarsitano had back surgery and they were closed > for a couple weeks. We also got a little lost and got short on time so were > only able to visit MARKKO winery, which was very cool and netted a case of > some great Chardonnay and Cabernet! For dinner that night we had a > tremendous Kobe Beef filet at 1201 Kitchen in downtown Erie before heading > back to the cottage to enjoy a warm fire and some of our Markko wine! > Thank you for a memorable and awesome trip that we will surely repeat. > After talking about the trip for the last week, we have given out your > website to at least 5 or 6 friends and family! > THANKS AGAIN, > Jarred and Nicolle

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Awesome!

Guest: Cherie P. (Buffalo, NY)
Date of Stay: 10/09/09 Review Submitted: 05/06/10

My husband and I love to take vacations with my parents and our two little girls and this property is perfect for all of us! We visited in Oct '09 for the 1st time and we already booked a 2nd visit for this July - I absolutely can't wait to go back! This is the most unique house we have ever rented - the private beach makes it so nice when you have small children. We had a camp fire on the beach and it is a memory that will stay with me forever - what an amazing sunset! We immediately felt right at home...so comfortable as the house has everything you might need for a fun stay! We walked, played games in the sun porch, cooked some amazing meals, enjoyed some movies in the evening, and so much time on the beach! The owners make you feel so welcome that it really does feel like a home away from home after only one night. It can be very scary as you look through dozens of rental descriptions and then semi-blindly send a deposit and book a property - for us, the uncertainty has been taken out of this process - we want to make this house one of our annual family traditions, without a doubt! The ride from Buffalo is very quick and yet we felt as though we were thousands of miles away from the stress of our daily, normal routines. The property is very private and yet we were within a few minutes of everything we needed. The beach is so very clean.... My Dad said it reminded him of beaches along Lake Erie from years ago....very pristine with smooth sand. This was our 1st trip after having our second daughter and it really meant so much to us to spend our time at this beautiful place. So, we visited with a 8 month old and a 2 year old and it was the perfect! The walk to the water was no problem whatsoever - it only took a few minutes and it was easy, even with a child or two in tow. My parents are in their 60's and it was not difficult for them either. I just can't say enough about this house - LOVE IT!

Owner response:Wow, what a great review. How nice.

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

Guest: Vivian Louisville, KY
Date of Stay: 06/20/09 Review Submitted: 08/21/10

Rick & Diane, What a wonderful cottage on the lake! Not only is it very historic but it is just perfect for a relaxing week away from chores, work and summer heat and humidity. You are fortunate to have such a place. We know that it takes a lot of work and expense to maintain and improve the property but we are sure you find your days there make it worth the effort. We did have a wonderful time. I think this comment by Brian summed it up nicely: "We arrived at the park with a view of the lake. The sun was low on the horizon to the west; a thunderstorm brewed to the east. I, breathlessly, uttered, "Wow." My daughter echoed my sentiment adding, "there's no one on the swings!" Thanks for sharing. Brian, Grace, Angie, Charlie, Jeff and Vivian

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