Mother's Day Weekend at Cottage on the Pond, Rockaway Beach, OR

Guest: Fran (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 05/06/11 Review Submitted: 05/10/11

Arriving at the The Cottage on the Pond in Rockaway Beach, Oregon was such a wonderful delight. The descriptions and pictures online do not do it justice. Suffice it to say, if this were my last vacation ever, I'd be at peace. My daughter, son-in-law and my dog all celebrated Mother's Day weekend together there this year. The house itself was perfectly sized for our family, and had all the amenities of home ~ and then some. The owners have obviously spent considerable time and effort to ensure that their guests felt pampered. Now for the outside. The home is aptly named. It sits literally on a pond, and the views from both inside the house and on either of the two decks were incredible. Every morning I awoke feeling I was still dreaming. We even had a "sun break" for one full day! My daughter and son-in-law shared my feeelings and were amazed at how beautiful and peaceful the home and surroundings were. And the hot tub was just what the doctor ordered for these very weary bones. And of course, my dog Sadie enjoyed it all, especially the beach, even if she couldn't swim in the pond. Thank you Stevie and Zoe for helping to make my Mother's Day weekend one I won't ever forget...We shall return ~ and soon, I hope. Again, many, many thanks. Fran Seattle, WA

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

Guest: From our Guestbook (-)
Date of Stay: 07/28/10 Review Submitted: 04/30/11

"My friend and I had the most pleasant, restful and comfortable retreat here...2 night stay = too short! We were serenaded by what we came to call "the stereo frogs", whose various melodi tones bounced back and forth in a call and response rhythm....Summary: wonderful frogs, super comfy beds, fantastic hot tub. Love the peaceful, clean, softness of the decor made me feel at home. Thanks so much!" --folks from Portland, OR

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Cozy Home Away from Home

Guest: K-Shims (Portland, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 03/10/11 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

I have had a very relaxing, soothing, and peaceful experience each time I or my family and friends stayed at the Forest Pond Cottage. The deck overlooks a tiny creek, where there is no shortage of bird/animal life to take in, including the occasional otter. And, the hot tub's location overlooking the creek is private, day or night, and very tranquil. The home has been spotless each time we've gone, and fully stocked with all the basics. Stevie (owner/manager) goes out of her way to share information (there's a huge notebook with all kinds of activities & attractions. But I like the large windows that open to the sky and the creek -- lots of light. Its nice having the second floor so sharing with kids or another couple is not a problem (plenty of privacy). The area is quiet; ample parking; easy to walk to the beach. We love it and go whenever we can!!!!!

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

Several "Pros" but a couple of real "Cons"

Guest: PDXyogini (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 03/31/11 Review Submitted: 04/03/11

We just came from a stay in this cottage on a lovely pond. Pros: Beautiful light comes in through many large windows letting you appreciate the tranquil pond and visiting wildlife Comfortable beds Nice quiet neighborhood Hot tub in good working order Accommodated the two smaller dogs in our group Nice selection of games and movies available Cons: Every single skillet had very damaged non-stick surfaces; I was uncomfortable using these at all The only large pot was so badly warped the bottom was peeling away in layers The upstairs, claw-foot tub was dangerous and in very ill-repair (one back leg entirely missing and we discovered this after two very shaky showers were taken in this tub) Some lights burnt out on property Very minimal toiletries on site (we forgot our travel soap and ended up needing to buy some in Tillamook) The bicycle listed is only a child's bike that is damaged and in ill-repair (we personally didn't use this feature, but if I had a child I wouldn't have been comfortable with them using it either) The property was clean and lovely, however, given that the price per night for our party of 3 adults and two smaller-sized dogs, plus taxes & hot tub fee, ran almost to $200, I expected the kitchen to be equipped better than what seemed to be a bunch of damaged Goodwill finds. Given the state of the kitchen, burnt out lights, and the dangerous claw-foot tub, we overall underwhelmed with the experience we've had at this property.

Owner response:We appreciate guests keeping us updated on necessary upgrades/maintenance that we don't always get a chance to see. We have since replaced any damaged cookware with a new selection...our guest must have overlooked the crab pot and large stainless stockpot stored on top of the fridge. As a note, all new Ikea dinner/cookware was purchased 2 years ago, but inevitably need to be occasionally replaced. Though we have wanted to be able to provide kids bicycle "loaners", we have since removed all bicycles that we had, as bicycles and salt air don't do well together, even under cover...and it's hard to keep up with the stress of the elements. Our beautiful claw-foot tub is actually in beautiful condition, with a fresh enamel coating (as of 2009), but apparently had one of the back legs in the corner come "unscrewed". Since it was out of sight of ourselves and the cleaning service, had gone unnoticed until this guest brought it to our attention...thank you. We hope these issues don't prevent our guests from enjoying the incredible beauty of the cottage, the luxury of the hot tub and the pristine pond setting.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with young children, pet owners, families with teenagers.

The Perfect Getaway for Everyone

Guest: JessicaLF (Vancouver, WA )
Date of Stay: 04/30/10 Review Submitted: 05/03/10

I have been visiting Rockaway and the surrounding area my whole life and this house was by far the best place I have stayed. The house was quaint and well secluded, while being close enough to town to walk in and enjoy the little shops. When we arrived we found the house to be very clean and exactly what had been described and shown on the website. Everything was in working order and the hot tub was great. The owners responded to our questions in a timely manner and were very helpful. The house is perfect for anyone looking for a fun weekend of fun activities or a romantic getaway. We will be recommending it to everyone we know that has plans to go to the beach and will be back later this year. Thanks so much for giving us and our friends a wonderful weekend away!

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

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/20/10 Review Submitted: 01/20/10

A very relaxing place to stay. Thoroughly enjoyed our time at the cottage. Very quiet and private place about 7 blocks from town and beach.(a very easy walk) Would definately recommend and hope to visit again.

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Guest: Marina7 (Portland,OR)
Date of Stay: 12/06/09 Review Submitted: 12/06/09

My goodness, what to say about this amazing get away... When I think about true peace and tranquility, I can think of no other place but here. This beach cottage has it all; the ocean and the sand, the pond and the otters, the trees and the sunshine, and a fire place and a deck with a hot tub. I love coming here and there is no doubt that I'm coming back.

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Guest: Susan & David2 (-)
Date of Stay: 11/20/09 Review Submitted: 11/20/09

This place is truly special. Perfectly nestled among all the trees and pond...the feeling and enjoyment we had during our stay far exceeded our expectations. We come to Rockaway alot, but this was the first time we felt and achieved total relaxation and enjoyed the surroundings so much! It was perfect for our 12th anniversary. Loved watching the otters at play in the pond...the hot tub was a perfect way to end the day...and those beds! Total comfort! We hated to leave, but know we will be back.

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