super quaint and cozy

Guest: alexandra s. (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/13/11 Review Submitted: 10/23/11

This house was perfect, as was the location for visiting Mesa Verde National Park. This place is definitely away-from-it-all, but the house itself has every comfort of home. We absolutely loved it.

Owner response:Alexandra, Thank you so much for your kind review!!! Dean

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

Countryside retreat

Guest: Bert (Brewster, Ma)
Date of Stay: 10/12/10 Review Submitted: 11/05/10

My wife an I consider our visit to this countryside retreat a highlight of multi week road trip. The property is well maintained and comfortable for two. Staying here far exceeds the hotel experience because of the quiet surroundings and HD TV and stereo system. Easy in and easy out of this rental. It had everything that we needed. the owner was very helpful and organized, in suggesting things to do or explore. I would recommend this rental. There are many sites to see in the area.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

So much to see

Guest: Love Colorado (Colorado Springs)
Date of Stay: 09/03/10 Review Submitted: 09/07/10

I am embarrassed to admit that we have lived in Colorado for almost 16 years and had never been to this part of the State. We drove to Dean's property Friday afternoon. It is very private and secluded. Even though you are 5 minutes away from the town of Dolores and 15 minutes from Cortez, you feel like you are in the middle of a beautiful private ranch. (I guess with almost 40 acres, you are!) We sat outside all three evenings we were there and enjoyed a beverage watching the color of the sky change until the stars came out, What a show! The views ans vistas are beautiful. We thought we would spend Saturday in Mesa Verde, and then take Sunday and tour the Dolores area, the lake and foothills, etc. We were so blown away by the dwellings in Mesa Verde, we spent all day Saturday and all day Sunday in the park. It is impossible to describe what it feels like walking through the ruins of Mesa Verde. On Saturday we took tours in Cliff Palace and Balcony House. We were tipped off by a helpful Ranger that told us about the Mug House Tour. This is a once a day tour and they take a maximum of 14 visitors per day through this site. Most tours have twice as many on a tour. Our Ranger for this tour Kevin Lloyd had endless facts about the site and the inhabitats. It was the highlight of the trip. After the Mug House, we did the Longhouse Tour, also excellent. Now about the home. It is small, cozy, very well appointed. Full size appliances, wireless internet, plasma TV, satellite dish, DVD player. We used the satellite for digital music, and we rented movies at Redbox in Cortez (Walgreens). We had some good tips on places to eat, but with Safeway in Cortez and the kitchen at Dean's place, we ate all of our meals at the house. We sat outside to eat. We moved the outdoor table into the middle of the drive, it was like we were having a picnic in the park every night. My sons are 11 and 14, they LOVED exploring the property. They found a lot of rocks they were sure were arrowheads. They played outdside until it was too dark to see. Obviously, I could go on and on. We drove home on Labor Day. The boys just had to see Four Corners and even though it was the wrong direction, we drove down. It is about an hour from the house through Cortez. Took a few pictures there and then drove home. There was much more to see than is possible in 3 days, so we are planning to go back and hopefully stay in Dean's place. We loved our vacation in Dolores. Thaks again Dean!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Excellent location, beautiful views, fabulous deal, WONDERFUL owner!!

Guest: Karen Joy (Peoria, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 07/08/10 Review Submitted: 07/11/10

My family just returned from our *best ever* family vacation, a trip to Colorado. On the tail end of it, we wanted to stay for two nights in the Dolores area, which we have visited on two previous occasions. However, I was having difficulty finding something that fit our needs and budget. We're a crowd: parents and five kids. A number of us have special restrictive dietary needs, so we cannot eat out. Thus, I needed a place with a full kitchen, so I could make all our meals. We also had our (smallish) dog with us, and that eliminated a great many options. I was stumped! Then, I stumbled upon this VRBO listing, and Dean, the owner, saved the day by opening his home to us. The home is immaculately clean and attractive. Dean has many thoughtful touches to make guests feel at home, like descriptive notes and labels, maps available for loan, etc. He was immediately responsive via e-mail and phone, and incredibly helpful and gracious. Although this property is more ideal for groups of 1-4, it worked out well for us, both as a place for my children to run around and explore, and as a launch-pad for our excursions up the Dolores River valley, which is one of our favorite places in the world. The property itself is perhaps one mile southeast of the town of Dolores -- very conveniently situated. The park on the south end of the town of Dolores (Joe Rowell Park, I think??) has the best playground we've ever seen, anywhere. The independent, gourmet grocery in town is fabulous. We took a drive north of the town of Dolores, turned west along the West Dolores River, where we got out along the river for a picnic and to play in the river -- we would have fished, but our five-day license had just expired. We continued north past Dunton, up and over the mountain on narrow but well-maintained dirt road, and came out north of Rico, then headed back down toward Dolores for a balloon-shaped loop of a trip. It was likely the most stunning drive we've ever taken. Additionally, we all took a number of walks around the acreage, which is at about 7,200 feet, and mostly treed with juniper. We had a number of deer sightings, including the tiniest fawn we've EVER seen! It was wonderful to have a place where my kids could play, explore, and enjoy themselves in a natural setting. My only wish is that the older, unoccupied structure on the property would be torn down, as it mars the pristine landscape and views. Other than that, this place is perfect!!!

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

Perfect base for exploring spectacular area

Guest: jwightma (Alpine, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/21/10 Review Submitted: 07/01/10

My wife and I spent six nights at Dean's property outside of Dolores, Colorado. The location is perfect for exploring and hiking in a wide variety of environments. Dolores is located at the base of the San Juan mountains so a short drive takes you into the high country for spectacular vistas and hiking. Mesa Verde and Hovenweep are south and west of Dolores and provide endless opportunity to soak up the rich history of the first people that lived in this area. Dean's house was very clean, well equipped, and nicely furnished. I thought that it was also a good value. Our interaction with Dean was positive. We found him to be good natured and efficient. We plan to return next year to experience more of this fabulous area.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Better than staying at home...

Guest: Grasshopper (Boulder, CO)
Date of Stay: 05/20/10 Review Submitted: 06/27/10

We found the small house immaculate, well organized, and exactly as described and as shown in photos. Stayed 3+ days in late May 2010; will happily stay here again for future visits to family in Mancos area. Bright, light, cheery, modern, completely functional, with luxury touches in towels, duvets. One of the nicest things was the decorating--instead of kitschy fake B&B touches, it's steamlined, simple, and tasteful-- shows just enough of owner's interests to feel we're guests, not motel-stay people, and owner's thought of almost everything comfortable. The high tech entertaiment system was a treat. Wildlife--we saw 3 + 2 = 7 deer, 1 grey fox, ground squirrels, the first night at dusk, coming up the drive, plus countless birds, a hawk. Privacy--in a few hours, it dawned on us, that we're very close to town amenities (Anasazi Museum in Cortez worth a whole day trip), grocery stores, Mesa Verde National Park, but then we come "home" to sheer quiet, open vistas, no neighbors, just us, music, tv, movies, or sitting outside on the little patio watching sunsets. Husband has partial hearing loss, and thus noisy surroundings bother him--you won't find that here at all. Only quibble; need two placemats and a candle stored in the lift-up coffee table, to make for a totally private dinner hour... Bring your own DVD's or CD's -- between the views, and the stars at night, the surroundings, you'll enjoy this place.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Gorgeous views

Guest: Adam and Michael (Columbia, MO, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/02/10 Review Submitted: 06/12/10

We loved our stay here. The property is located in a rural area a few minutes drive from Dolores, CO, which is one of the best kept secrets in the state. (Not anymore!) It's a small mobile home located on a dirt road, but is beautifully outfitted with a first-rate kitchen, Wi Fi, and satellite TV, as well as very comfortable furniture. But what makes this place so special is the views. It's sited on a large slope that faces south; you have clear vistas of three mountain ranges, including the distant San Juans and Sleeping Ute Mountain. And since you are outside of town, it is amazingly quiet. The stars at night are increible and the property is populated with deer and other wildlife. From here you are a short drive from Dolores, which has the surprisingly good Dolores Food Market and some good restaurants. The property is also about a 15 minute drive from Cortez and a little farther from Mancos and Durango. You are also very close to Mesa Verde and Canyon of the Ancients, which you can easily do as day trips. We absolutely loved it here and would return tomorrow if we could!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Stunning Sunrises and Sunsets

Guest: Moth (Tubac, AZ USA)
Date of Stay: 03/27/09 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

Everything was very nice. Private, quiet, cozy, and stunningly beautiful. The owner was consistently quick to respond to any inquerries and very accommodating. Stayed on two separate occasions this winter for over a week each time. Enjoyed the Dolores Market in Dolores proper which had a suprising array of fresh produce, quality cuts of meat, and interesting stocked items. (Best store bought cherry pie ever!) Also fantastic coffe and eats at the Let It Grow Nursery and Garden Cafe in nearby Cortez. We were repeat customers, many times over, to both over our lengthy stays. The beautiful terrain in all directions speaks for itself! Birders would enjoy also...

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.