Loved Pond Mist Cottage

Guest: Paul (Cincinnati suburb)
Date of Stay: 10/04/10 Review Submitted: 11/03/11

We stayed at Pond Mist in October of 2010 for our anniversary and found it to be a great experience. We visited Mohican Lodge and Malabar Farm nearby, sitting at the very same table that Bogart and Bacall had their wedding dinner in the 40's. We just saw Lisa from D.C (5/2011) go to great lengths to knock Pond Mist in her review we felt we had to say something. Our 10 year old Chihuahua would like a word with her dog, Lisa is obviously used to the raucous and intimidating area of our nation's capital but it doesn't work out here in the midwest. My wife and I, and our dog, had a nice time at Pond Mist, and caught a few fish too. The down side was watching the Reds lose all three play-off games, one being a no-hitter.OUCH! But they're better than the Washington Nationals.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Akron Friends

Guest: Akron Friends (Akron)
Date of Stay: 10/14/11 Review Submitted: 10/17/11

We have lost track of how many visits we have made to the cottage. Once again we had a wonderful time. We have hit every season. Each season holds its own beauty. Each visit has been perfect. The fall foliage was very scenic on our last visit. The pond is so relaxing whether sitting outside, in the sun room or from the kitchen table. Tom and Mary are truly wonderful hosts. This is our favorite "Getaway" spot. We hope to return for many more visits.

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

We're still talking about it

Guest: Janelle (NE Ohio)
Date of Stay: 07/27/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

It's been a month since we stayed at the cottage and we're all still talking about it. Our family had such a relaxing and fun time! We needed some quality time together before the hectic schedule of school and sports started. It was perfect. The cottage was clean and comfortable - we felt right at home from the moment we arrived. We had a great time exploring Mohican State Park. We hiked, played in the river and swam at a local lake. But we had just as much fun hanging out at the cottage. The kids loved fishing and going out on the paddle boat and having campfires each evening. Even the afternoon that it rained, we enjoyed playing board games and hide and seek in the spacious cottage. We've already recommended this place to family and friends of ours. The kids can't wait to go back, but I think the next visit will be a couples weekend!

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

Beautiful Inside & Out

Guest: Suzie (Kettering, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/11/11

My husband & I stayed at the cottage with our 11 & 12 yr. old grandsons from 7/30 to 8/2/11. The cottage is decorated beautifully and everything is provided exept for food. We loved the seclusion and peace and quiet. My husband and the boys loved the fishing! Would definitely stay at this property again, fall would be beautiful. Thanks Tom & Mary for a nice little get-a-way!

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

Perfect!

Guest: The May's (Buffalo, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/11/11

We just returned from a week at Pond Mist and could not be more happy with the experience. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon to a very clean and well kept cottage, soothing music and a private pond for our use. The home was very cozy and reminded me of when I would visit my grandparents as a boy. The fishing was great all week and Tom and Mary were very gracious hosts and even better people. The cottage provides you everything you need to be at home and is so much better than a hotel. We cannot say enough good things about the property and hope that everyone has the same opportunity to enjoy Pond MIst Cottage as we did. We look forward to our next visit!

Owner response:What this guest didn't mention was their stay last year at a cabin in upstate New York which cost over twice as much as Pond Mist Cottage and wasn't nearly as nice! Besides being a great venue for family getaways, reunions, and a very romantic and private setting, the Cottage is a great value. We hope to see you soon at Pond Mist Cottage!

Recommended for:Pet owners, age 55+, families with young children.

Family Gathering

Guest: Dennis/Linda (Traverse City, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 06/24/11 Review Submitted: 07/03/11

What a peaceful cottage for a family that wanted family time without a lot of distractions. We loved fishing in the pond, paddle boating on the pond, playing ball in the large yard in, roasting marshmallows over the campfire, biking on a nearby trail and relaxing in the beatifully decorated and clean cottage. It was more than we expected. The cottage greeted us with open arms, beautiful music and a nice bottle of wine. There was plenty of space for 6 aduts and 3 young boys. We would recommend visiting the Mohican State Park's gourge overlook and covered bridge, the Malabar Farm and Restaurant, The Kingwood Center and gardens in Mansfield and the nearby Amish country. But, what really enjoyed the most was the cottage, the pond and the time together. The cousins said they loved "fishing". Tom and Mary are great to work with and were ready to answer any questions we had and offer suggestions when needed. We felt very comfortable and welcome. We would go back for another visit.

Owner response:Pond Mist Cottage offers a rare combination of privacy with lots of space to enjoy time with the family, fish on the pond, or just "hang out" and relax! The Cottage is close to lots of great outdoor activities, yet offers the seclusion that is so desirable whether escaping a crowded city or just enjoying a change of scenery. It's a perfect "laid-back" retreat from the pace of day-to-day living!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, families with young children.

Bugs, poison scare, extremely musty, misleading owners and pictures

Guest: Lisa (D.C. area)
Date of Stay: 05/28/11 Review Submitted: 06/19/11

We are reasonable, not expecting perfection, but the pictures and description are misleading. We arrived late and prepared for bed but the "family room" with the twin beds is really a basement room with a very damp feeling, stairs that are unfinished wooden planks, dated & dirty looking paneling, a ceiling with a large hole and a door with terribly rotted wood and what appeared to be a hole to the outside (not sure) allowing who knows what to crawl in, wet feeling bedding and an overpowering musty smell, which was not masked by the multiple air fresheners left about. Uneasy about the space, we dragged the mattresses up the steep stairs for use. As we prepared the sofa bed, I noticed a large, thick spider. We found many more of its friends- hard to put our kids at ease for sleep. We also found ants everywhere, esp the kitchen (on counters, cabinets, table.) Early the next morning, I noticed our dog had chewed something- a poison ant bait station. The owner stated we could give our dog hydrogen peroxide to make her throw up. To be safe, we called our vet who said we should call the SPCA poison control hotline which we did and who charged a $65 fee. Luckily our puppy was fine, but I was frustrated in the negligence of the owner to leave poison where our pet and young children could find it. I requested the owner cover the poison control fee. He said he would (untrue) as on our return home decided that because we followed the advice of our vet (and incurred a $65 fee) over his untrained advice, they would only pay half. Expressing my frustration with all of the the bugs, poison scare and not suitable for sleep "family room," the owner stated "well, we all have different expectations." At the beginning of our stay, my husband spoke with the owner who agreed to provide one night's refund (untrue) plus the poison control call fee (untrue). As there were 5 of us and a dog on a holiday weekend it would have been impossible to find another rental. So we agreed to stay, making due. Despite some newer furniture & nice outdoors, this is a dated shell of a home (bugs, peeling wallpaper, lifting vinyl floor, ugly carpeting.) Also, we knew there was no wi-fi, but prepare for no long distance, no cell service (ensuring a 20 min drive for non-local calls.) Finally home, we requested our promised refund, but they said that because we had stayed they would only provide a half refund supposedly within 10 days. To date (12 days later), no refund...no surprise.

Owner response:After sixty (60) previous happy and satisfied guests, of which more than a few were repeat visitors, and sixteen (16) 5-star reviews, we are at a loss to explain this review. Here are a few comments from our previous reviews: "This is the nicest cottage my husband and I have stayed at and we usually rent a cottage for vacation and have experience trying to find nice digs. The pictures in the listing do not do it justice..".."The cottage very clean, comfortable bed/furniture and is beautifully decorated. Walking through the door you feel instantly relaxed.".."We love this place. Very comfortable furnishings that make it feel like a home away from home.".."This is the nicest cottage I have ever rented. The furniture is just beautiful and the beds are so comfortable!".."The cottage was so very clean, and the designer touches were appreciated without taking away from the feel of a "cottage". .” The sunroom is incredible - so comfortable & cozy, and the view - WOW!".."The cottage is absolutely beautiful! It is better than the photos can show. The entire cottage is immaculate. The furnishings have a designers touch and are all new."..Many more compliments can be found in the Cottage journal. Upon learning of the guest's complaints, we immediately 1) Removed all ant traps, 2) Offered a rental refund if the guest decided to depart early, 3) Offered to prepare and deliver a dinner for the entire family, 4) Offered to contact our veterinarian 5) Acknowledged the request for a refund of the SPCA call. We could not justify a rental refund when the guest did not depart early, although, as a courtesy, we have issued a partial refund for the SPCA call. We do make it known to guests that there is local telephone service only, which provides for receiving long-distance calls and making emergency calls. And most often, a short walk away from the Cottage, or at most, a two-minute drive will find cell service. We would like to thank the guest for identifying cosmetic issues that could be improved, and have since been addressed to create additional comfort. To future guests: rest assured that we will do everything possible to make your stay a relaxing and comfortable one, as we have done from our opening in October of 2009, an effort that has been rewarded by many repeat visits, and recognized by our guests time and time again. We truly look forward to having you stay with us at Pond Mist Cottage.

Recommended for:

Let the Outdoors In

Guest: Zeke/Amy (Columbus, OH)
Date of Stay: 05/26/11 Review Submitted: 06/03/11

Our stay was in late May for two evenings. The moment we walked in Pond Mist we felt good. We both turned to look at each other and just smiled. The atmosphere was warm and inviting with special contemporary touches and all the windows made each and every room open and airy. We especially enjoyed all the different seating areas and greatly appreciated the wonderful bottle of California wine strategically placed in the living room. The bed was most comfortable and the bath very accommodating with nice linens and a washer and dryer. The only complaints we have coming from the big city was that the wonderful singing birds were too loud as was the beautiful waterfall. Just having fun with you of course. Our next visit we hope will be this fall. Our dog, Mr. Higgins, was in heaven and we were so proud he was on his very best behavior.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, pet owners, age 55+.

Absolutely beautiful

Guest: Betzi (Cleveland Heights, OH)
Date of Stay: 05/15/11 Review Submitted: 05/26/11

This is the nicest cottage my husband and I have stayed at and we usually rent a cottage for vacation and have experience trying to find nice digs. The pictures in the listing do not do it justice - it really is nice down to the cashmere throw blanket to the silk curtains. Very pretty and upscale without feeling stuffy or uncomfortable. It's in a nice location with lots of hiking and other outdoor activities around and near a few quaint small towns to do some antiquing when it rains. Tom and Mary really went out of their way to make our stay a great one. Highly recommended! Thanks Tom and Mary!

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

Cool Place that can satisfy multiple vacation needs

Guest: Rick from Tennessee (Johnson City, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/19/11 Review Submitted: 03/26/11

We just returned from Pond Mist Cottage and had a marvelous stay. Our children(boys ages 9,11 and 13 and girl 15) enjoyed the peddle boat and fishing in the pond. The kids enjoyed the bingo and Monopoly games too.My wife and me like the cottage layout and amenities. All of us left feeling relaxed and satisfied with our destination choice. The Spaydes are excellent hosts and made us feel very welcome. If you want a great vacation in the hills of central Ohio, this is your place. I'd recommend Pond Mist Cottage to anyone.

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