The Hideaway: 'Lil Piece of Heaven on the Chesapeake

• Beach Hideaway Disaster

  Beach Hideaway Disaster

  • Guest Tillie
  • Date of stay 05/05/13
  • Review Submitted 05/20/13
  If you enjoy camper style living, this would be the vacation rental for you. The biggest complaint with the home is the musty, moldy smell that originates from the enclosed porch and permeates the entire home. Because one of the jalousey windows along the front of the sun porch doesn't close all the way, you couldn't keep the mosquitoes from the sun porch or the inside of the house. The walk-in shower measures 28" x 28" which is even smaller than the shower stalls on most travel trailers. The second bathroom does not have an electrical outlet, so you can't blow dry or curl your hair. The other bathroom has a mirror, but the only electrical outlet is clear across the room--most cords won't reach that far. The furniture in the family room is extremely uncomfortable to sit on--it is very old and lumpy. The stove is out of level and the burners have "hot spots" which make cooking on it extremely difficult. The soap dispenser on the washing machine is held closed with duck tape, which frequently works loose during the wash cycle. Perhaps the worst feature of the home, is the the half mile dirt road leading to the house. Some of the pot holes were at least 10" deep and some were over 2 feet wide. Traversing the road with other than a truck or 4 wheel drive is extremely hazardous. The only good feature of the house was the view of the Chesapeake Bay and proximity to Point Lookout park and St. Mary's City.

  Owner response: Oh, my. We are so sorry that this guest was unhappy. We encourage all our guests to understand the setting of our property. It is a beautiful, remote beach community in the protected Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. It's filled with wildlife and incredible views and easy beach access with bicycles, kayaks, crabbing and all kinds of outdoor activity. It is not the Jersey Shore, the boardwalk or a highrise - however. The object is not asphalt roads but a natural setting. Sometimes this can be a challenge. The immediate drive leading to the house is surrounded by woods and is a hard-pack clay road. Most of the time, the road is lovely but on extremely rainy springs, like this one, the potholes cannot be repaired until the rain stops. We try to keep everything in good repair but we cannot control the weather and all it brings - I wish we could! But, waking up beside the Chesapeake Bay is a special treat and worth a pothole or too on a rainy spring weekend. I would note for future guests that the furniture is modern, not old at all. For example, the sofa is a Crate and Barrel Oasis sofa with feather/down cushions. Unlike foam, feather/down cushions must be fluffed on occasion to remain shapely. I find the Oasis sofa so comfortable that I have two in my own house. We believe that the Hideaway is a great value for our guests and we try to take care to make our guests' stays enjoyable. Most are very happy and we have many repeat guests. We have local property managers who take very good care of our properties and are ready to respond to any problems a guest may have - short of a shower seeming too small or an extra rainy and prolonged spring. We hope that these guests' next experience is in an environment more suited to their desires. For the remainder, we welcome you back to the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay.

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• Dreamy

  Dreamy

  • Guest Meg
  • Date of stay 04/14/13
  • Review Submitted 04/23/13
  The hideaway was a lovely retreat that met all of our needs. The accommodations were perfect and the decor was creative and interesting. My husband, myself, and our 2 year old son we able to welcome grandparents and friends into this lovely home. The hideaway was a great place for a toddler, which was something that we worried about. We spent time on the beach and especially loved where the creek meets the bay. There was almost no one around because we rented off season, so it was truly a retreat. We left feeling recharged, relaxed, and ready to return again next spring. Truly dreamy!

  Recommended for: Families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

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• Nuclear worker

  Nuclear worker

  • Guest Lr
  • Date of stay 01/05/13
  • Review Submitted 04/01/13
  Property management folks were great and responded quickly when there were issues. As far as house itself it is a remote location and has great features for those on vacation. Drawbacks for me were distance from work, coastal flooding and I thought the furniture was uncomfortable and too big for the space. If you have any issues such as knee problems or getting out of low furniture, this is not the best place to go. The sun porch smells of mold and there seems to be a lot of dust in the air if furnace is on for those with allergies.

  Recommended for: Pet owners.

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• A perfect getaway!

  A perfect getaway!

  • Guest Karen
  • Date of stay 11/19/12
  • Review Submitted 11/26/12
  My family and I loved our week's stay for the Thanksgiving holiday at The Hideaway. This lovely home was described perfectly and met our every expectation and more. The location is excellent and beautiful. The home was very comfortable and accommodating for our party of 3 adults and 2 children. It had every amenity and simply did not want to leave! We witnessed daily sunrises and sunsets, went kayaking, biking, and toured Point Lookout, St. Mary's and surrounding areas. Our stay at The Hideway was quite memorable and we would love to return in the future!

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

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• Perfect Seclusion

  Perfect Seclusion

  • Guest Daveroom
  • Date of stay 10/19/12
  • Review Submitted 10/24/12
  The property and area were perfect for us. Two families, with 4 kids. Just steps from the small beachfront. Close enough to a small local supermarket and civilization, but property is on a private road with about 8 houses so there are virtually no cars. The house was missing a few necessary items like sponges, dish soap, and extra toilet paper. So if you go, you may need to bring a few essentials. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would go back.

  Recommended for: Families with young children, families with teenagers, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, people with disabilities, adventure seekers.

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• Excellent getaway

  Excellent getaway

  • Guest Tara
  • Date of stay 10/12/12
  • Review Submitted 10/20/12
  This was an amazing getaway. The house was perfect and decorated beautifully. The Bikes and Kayaks were a great addition. We enjoyed the beach and creek very much. Will definatly stay here again. Thanks for everything

  Recommended for: Families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

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• Great getaway spot

  Great getaway spot

  • Guest Susan
  • Date of stay 10/01/12
  • Review Submitted 10/10/12
  I rented the cottage and had a few college friends join me over the week. The weather was still warm and we spent a good amount of time on the beach. We had the beach to ourselves. The house is really nice, and everything is very comfortable. Very easy to settle in. I have rented a lot of homes and it was nice to have stuff like hand soap in the bathrooms. The owner was very easy to work with and clearly takes great care of this house. I had my dogs and the back yard is like a fenced yard with the way the trees have been cut. The lane is a great place to walk the dogs. We cooked most of our meals as we were lazy and just enjoying relaxing. The only thing I might mention is that those who used google maps got a little lost. GPS was fine. I should have asked for directions ahead of time, so that is my fault too. Maybe include directions with the 'things to do in the area'. I would definitely go back to this house and would recommend it to anyone. Especially those looking to relax and forget about work.

  Recommended for: Pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

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• Great Vacation!

  Great Vacation!

  • Guest Reid
  • Date of stay 09/01/12
  • Review Submitted 09/07/12
  My group was 3 couples and 3 babies from 9mo to 15mo. We had a great stay and the house is exactly as advertised. The water was calm and warm during the first weekend of September, and the sand as you walk out into the bay is very soft. The house is very infant safe with everything being on one floor and the only stairs are to the large bedroom, but there are just 3 steps and a door that you can close them off. The two kayaks were great and we took them out. They also have four bikes, but they are not in ride-able condition (flat tires, even tried to pump them up, and a missing chain). There were some black flies and horse flies the first evening we arrived, but during the day with a gentle breeze we didn't have any trouble with them. The neighbors were also very friendly.

  Owner response: Thank you for your positive review of the Hideaway. We're delighted that your weekend was enjoyable. We also very much appreciate your bringing the bicycle condition to our attention. We try to ensure that the bicycles are repaired between all guests' rentals. We failed in your case and apologize. We do have property managers who can be called when anything is not in working condition, including the bikes, and we encourage you to take advantage of their availability. We strive for everything to be perfect for our guests.

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• Great Vacation

  Great Vacation

  • Guest Barb
  • Date of stay 07/22/12
  • Review Submitted 08/03/12
  We had a great week in this house. The beach was very quiet. We went crabbing and caught a couple dozen crabs on 2 days. The house is just like in the photos.The whole week was very relaxing. This is not a place to go if you want night life or lots of activities.

  Recommended for: Families with young children, pet owners, age 55+.

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• lancaster county seniors

  lancaster county seniors

  • Guest Pat S.
  • Date of stay 07/07/12
  • Review Submitted 07/13/12
  Our stay at Hays Beach Cottage was all we hoped for. The cottage was clean and the beds were very comfortable. The large fridge and the commercial size laundry was a bonus. I did need to transport my elderly mom to the beach entry by car as she uses a walker but we did not mind that inconvenience. Once there we were totally alone. Searching for beach glass and shells was very fruitful.Kayaking the inlet and lake behind the cottage was a wonderful experience. This little beach village is for those who really want to relax and entertain themselves with reading, beachcombing and that sort of thing. The glassed in porch is so nice with its table and comfortable furniture. Bike and Kayaks provided along with a charcoal grill out back were greatly appreciated My only suggestion would be the addition of smaller glasses and some wine glasses and a large pot for crabs. .....otherwise this cottage has most everything you need for your vacation needs...we willl return....

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway.

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Additional information about rental rates

Unless otherwise agreed, check-in time is 4 pm and check-out time is 11 am. The Hideaway has a coded entry; keys are not necessary.

Fees:

• Pet Fee: $25
• Cleaning Fee: $90
• Taxes Not included

Cancellation policy:

Unless otherwise agreed, check-in is 4 pm and check-out is 11 am. The Hideway has a coded entry; keys are not necessary.

100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date.