Good for New Years Eve not for longer stay.

Guest: john1438756 (New York)
Date of Stay: 05/05/11 Review Submitted: 09/09/11

This rental has a lot of potential. The living room area is huge. Japanese lamps, the large plant, huge art piece on the wall give it a feeling of open space under the roof. However the place is very poorly maintained. I rented it twice. Once for a long weekend and then for a month. My opinion is that it’s a decent place to do a New Years party, but pretty bad as far as prolonged staying. I don’t mind mice that much, but if you do, you should be aware that they will come to visit every evening. I kept all perishables in the refrigerator, but it does not matter, if you cook in the house they will be interested. I saw a rat in the kitchen once as well. The place is always dusty despite the cleaning fee. Before I came for the second time, I asked the owner to make sure the place is in better shape than the last time. So the living room was clean, but the bedrooms still had whole clusters of dust. The last thing on hygiene is that there is large amount of mold under the sink in the kitchen (it drips on wood which has rotten). I wiped off the surface, but it has not helped much, the wood itself needs to be replaced, it really stinks. Last tip, bring some light bulbs. You can have privacy in this rental, however, and it’s not apparent from the ad, that you will be sharing the house with at least two other families (permanent residents). With my second visit I was very disappointed with the owner (who lives in California). She tried to bump up over what was in the ad (she said she made a typo). Also, she grossly overcharged me for the last day. I assumed (incorrectly) that since I am renting for a month (of May), the check out will be the morning of June 1st. So I thought that my check-out is one day later. I realized very late that it’s not. I left a two-minute voicemail (I verified that it went through at tmobile website). She claims she received nothing, which is probably just a lie. Now, I could understand if she charged me for another day at monthly rate. But she charged me this one day at the full daily rate + late fee (I did leave late because I lost the wrench to take my portable table apart). She said I must leave because the cleaner needs time to clean. But the cleaner (who leaves in the same house) told me she does not care if stay for another day. Lastly it took me close to two months to get my deposit back. I had to remind her, she kept saying the bank has sent it when it did not, then she got "bogged down" with things. Unprofessional...

Owner response: 1.The contract clearly stated that the check-out date is May 31st, 10am. Unfortunately, to deter late check-out there is a late fee as well as an additional day. I would have happily dismissed this fee, however, new guests were due to arrive at 3pm that very day. I did not receive any communication and was unfortunately forced to bill him. He signed a contract and agreed to the terms. I'm sorry this had to happen. 2.He did bring up the dust, I alerted my housekeeper but at no time did he mention rats, mice or mold. I have since sent someone to investigate. I take pride in my home and do everything I can to maintain my house with a team of managers, maintenance people, and professionals. I am extremely attentive to guests who raise any complaints. My guests satisfaction has always been my primary goal. 3. The building has another apartment, as stated in the description. I would not consider this the same house. The residences are very separate with separate entrances. I understand some guests prefer complete solitude so I price with that in mind. 5. The guest lost the original security deposit check that was sent to him. I happily sent him another. This took time. I now no longer request security deposits to avoid this hassle to my guests. Insurance is built into the rate.

Recommended for:

Wonderful getaway, comfortable space

Guest: JUSTIN (BROOKLYN)
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 07/17/11

We walked in and were astounded with the massive living room space! Great outdoor space too, didn't take too long to get out there from NYC. Owner is very responsive and accommodated us even though we called at the last second. Kitchen has nice pans and equipment, though be prepared to bring any additional spices besides salt and pepper. Very close to all kinds of activities and cute little towns. This was a wonderful space to come back to after a long day of running around. We also had a blast playing Jenga (it has been years!), though we'd suggest adding some more movies to the DVD collection besides just "Shark Tale" - haha :)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, families with young children.

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/03/09 Review Submitted: 11/03/09

Great place to put the whole family. I housed one half on my wedding party here. The open kitchen area served as the spot for my rehearsal dinner and the kids still had enough room to run laps.

Recommended for:

Guest: Uri B. (Manhattan, NY)
Date of Stay: 10/27/09 Review Submitted: 10/27/09

This is a beautiful cabin with a loft-like layout (open living room and kitchen space with a wood stove in the middle) bordering the Catskills park. The house is clean and very spacious and you practically need to just step outside to be in the forest. We had a great time on our weekend stay in the Fall of 2009.

Recommended for:

Guest: Arlene8 (New York, New York)
Date of Stay: 10/16/09 Review Submitted: 10/16/09

We spent a weekend here from Friday evening to Sunday early afternoon. We enjoyed the home, it was really confortable. All you need to bring is your own food since the kitchen is fully stocked. There are many exiting activities in the area: several wineries, farms where you can pick your own fruits, depending on the season, and farm stands full of local harvest. We had a great time! You'll enjoy this home any time of the year.

Recommended for: