Reviews for Salida Vacation Rental - VRBO 275761 - 4 BR South Central House in CO, Spring Time in Colorado

Just OK

Guest Durango
Date of stay 01/24/13
Review Submitted 01/28/13

This house was just OK for me. I will start with the Pros: The house is very large and spacious. We stayed here with another couple and their 2 boys along with my husband and I and our son. The house provided great space for the kids to play. Also the kithen is nice and has all the amenities to cook pretty much everything. The house has a great heating system and was very warm and comfortable for our stay. It is also very close to Monarch ski area which was really great for us as we skied all weekend. Cons: Based on the other reviews I imagined this house was going to be remodeled and in a better condition. This home is very OLD. It is hard to tell what piece of the home is original. There is literally not an even floor in any room of the house. Clearly the owners have done the renovations themselves and everything is total "hodge podge". All of the floors slant, and there are cracks and open spaces all over the house. I am not a fan of spiders and let me tell you, this house is full of them. I found 2 IN my suitcase as I was getting dressed one day and we killed numerous others that were in the bathrooms and in the windows. There were devices that have a flashing light on them in most of the rooms (including the bedroom downstairs) that are to deter mice and such. This will keep you wake at night as there is a constant flash during the night in the bedroom. The house was fairly clean, but due to the age of the home, it was very dingy. I felt very uncomfortable taking a shower in the large bathroom downstairs. This was partly due to finding 3 spiders in there, but also because the shower was dingy. I just wanted to take everything out of the house and clean all the nooks and cranies, and caulk all the trim and windows. Also, the home smells of mothballs. I honestly sort of felt like I was camping all weekend. Anyway, that is my honest opinon. We had a good time, but I would not stay here again and would not recommend this home to a friend.

Owner response: I have just returned from the house after spending 2 hours there with an exterminater. Not only did we not find any spiders, we didn't even find any spider webs!! (to my extreme relief since I am terrified of spiders) I was skeptical when I first read this review b/c in almost 3 years not one single person has ever even mentioned spiders. We have also just hired a top notch cleaning crew ~ it is a good thing they did not stay here when the other people were cleaning. We are very lucky that almost everyone seems to really like to stay here...last year alone our repeat business was about 30% of our total bookings. Please keep in mind it is a 100 yr old victorian with tons of history and charm. I would submitt that there is a brand new hotel in Salida that may be more suitable for some people

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Wonderful Thanksgiving

Guest Debbie
Date of stay 11/21/12
Review Submitted 11/28/12

My brother and I rented the Honk House for our families for Thanksgiving (including young children and two dogs). It was everything we had hoped for and more. The house was clean, spacious and comfortable and the kitchen is more than adequate. There were three guys over 6' tall (my husband is 6'7") and there were a few challenges (the kitchen light fixtures :) but, overall, everything was great. We spent much time on the patio waving to the cars that honked and found great hiking trails. The guys played golf in Buena Vista and my daughter, grandkids and I shopped in Salida. I am hoping we can arrange to stay again next year and would not hesitate to recommend this property to anyone. P.S. The owners did a very nice job renovating, while preserving much of the original charm of the house (I am an appraiser). Love the curtains and bedding!

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

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kkkk

Guest rfw
Date of stay 09/26/12
Review Submitted 10/10/12

This house was beautiful. We used to see this house with the "old man in the window" when we came here for vacation back in the 1970's and were always intrigued by it. Many years we saw him sitting in the front window, watching the traffic and the world go by. Years later we went in the house, after he was gone and no one lived there, only to find the house in disrepair. The place has been beautifully remodeled with lovely antiques along with modern amenities. Yes, as some review make a note of, this house is right on the highway, but we found it so insulated that we didn't notice any road noise except when the locals honked going by-I found that really neat. The owners/property manager was very helpful after we arrived and could not figure out to make the heatrer work. Everything was taken care of immediately. Would love to go back someday.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Retiree

Guest Patty
Date of stay 07/08/12
Review Submitted 07/17/12

Had a most enjoyable time at Honk House. Plenty of room, but not condusive to a person 6'4". Bathroom quite small and mirrows way too low.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

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Not as advertised!

Guest Di
Date of stay 06/26/12
Review Submitted 07/22/12

This house is not as advertised. Yes, it technically has four bathrooms, but two of them are smaller than closets. One is under the stairs with a sloping ceiling. You will feel cramped and will probably bang your head several times. Really not a good house to rent if there are more than two couples. We had four couples that were going to share this house. Didn't feel it appropriate to have two couples walk through living space to get to the showers/bathrooms. We are very disappointed in how the management company handled our request to cancel. Did not receive a full refund even though they stated that others have found the house unacceptable. Renter beware! Also, this is right on a very busy highway!

Owner response: WHAT!!! They didn't like the hobbit bathroom?? I guesse since this is the first review seen by people I really do need to address it even though since day one have considered it RIDICULOUS. These people did not stay at the house and called to cancel the day of their arrival....in the middle of summer after I had already answered several inquiries with a negative because it was already booked. It states in the rental agreement (that everyone receives) if you cancel within 30 days we will withhold the deposit and possibly 50% of the reservation cost. I only withheld the deposit but probably should have kept the 50% since we lost several bookings because of this!! The house IS right off the highway & it says so on the website. Two of the bathrooms are small, however two are quite large and you DO NOT have to go through anything but hallway to access them. If you plan to spend a lot of time in the bathroom instead of outdoors in this beautiful area this may not be the place for you...enough said

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The Honk House

Guest Ellie
Date of stay 05/18/12
Review Submitted 06/03/12

This house is an absolute delight! It was fun finding all of the bathrooms. The rooms are beautiful and so many nice touches. The beds were very comfortable and the sheets and towels luxurious. We loved when motorists passing honked at us - it made you feel very welcome. Many locals in Salida know the honk house and have a story regarding the house to share. The honking is not obtrusive and would not wake you if sleeping; Jan, the manager, was very helpful and was prompt returning calls and my deposit was mailed back to me in less then a week! The house is under renovation, but appears to be very near completion. It did not affect our stay. The only request I would make is a fence around the house as it is close to the road and I would worry about pets and children. A white picket would be cute!

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

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Loved the charm of the "honk house"

Guest Michelle K
Date of stay 03/01/12
Review Submitted 03/09/12

My family and I stayed at the "honk house" the 1st wkd in March this year. We loved it! We had 2 families, that included 4 adults and 4 children and had more than enough room. We actually had a bedroom that wasn't even used. All of the children stayed in the same room, the one with the twin beds. They put an air mattress (provided by the house) on the floor and even took turns sleeping in the little closet loft. They had a fantastic time and are still talking about the "big bathtub" with jets. The property sits very close to the road, so I was a little concerned about the honking, but I only heard it a couple of times. It is conveniently located between town and the mountain. During our stay, we skied and took a snowmobile tour. Lots of mountain adventure! The owners had apologized stating that several rooms were still undergoing renovations, but we loved the charm of the home. We would definitely stay again.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with young children.

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New Year's Weekend Celebration!

Guest Kathy
Date of stay 12/30/11
Review Submitted 01/09/12

We were fortunate to be able to take our entire family skiing over the New Year's Day weekend. Our youngest grandson, 3 yrs, skiied for the first time. Our youngest son proposed to his girfriend on the mountain New Year's Day. So, you can see, we had much to celebrate. There were 13 of us and the house accommodated us well. It was easy to locate, an easy commute to the mountain, and the kitchen had everything necessary to cook for this hungry group. This was definitely a memorable weekend.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.

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Thanksgiving Retreat

Guest Traveling Texans
Date of stay 11/20/11
Review Submitted 11/30/11

Our trip over Thanksgiving was AWSOME ! ! We had twelve in our group and every age had a great time. We came to snow ski and had to travel to find snow but we were glad to return tho the cozy house in the evening. We used the the fire pit and had smores with the kids and the guys were up early to check out the wildlife behind the house.We will stay here again in the future, Jan was amazing to work with. Thanks

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

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From Arkansas, Montana, and California to the Honkhouse!

Guest B-W-B Family
Date of stay 08/08/11
Review Submitted 08/17/11

Our recent stay at the Honkhouse was a real treat for all 10 members of our family! The centralized locale to shopping, restaurants, horseback riding, fishing and shooting was really convenient. We enjoyed sitting on the patio with a fire in the firepit, roasting marshmallows for Smores, and even fishing in the stream behind the property. (My 9-year-old daughter caught a good-sized brown trout!) The house was roomy and comfortable. The kitchen could have used some more accessories like larger mixing bowls, a large iced tea pitcher, and a few more various utensils. (We cooked big meals for our larger-than-average party.) We really had a great time, and we recommend that anyone with a big traveling party come stay at the Honkhouse! (Yes, people really do honk when they drive by...) The Burke/White/Bay families Searcy, AR/ Billings, MT/ Hanford, CA

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Owner response: Thank You so much!! sounds as though you had a great time. btw, thanks for the spatulas

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August 2011 Stay

Guest Willie
Date of stay 08/02/11
Review Submitted 08/08/11

We had several problems with the property on our recent stay. The septic system backed up into the downstairs shower. The property manager told me that this had happened before. I would not recommend this property to people with children under six or seven years old. The screen in the upsairs master bedroom were falling out and not able to be put in properly. Secondly there is a single flight of stairs that have no child gates. It cannot be blocked off and is unsafe to small children.

Owner response: We are sorry that no one let us know IF there was a problem (our maintainance man was unable to validate that there was anything wrong) There are two child gates available at the house, we were not made aware that they needed them. We are terribly sorry that the house was booked and they could not stay longer as they requested

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Great group house! We had a mixed group for wedding.

Guest Carrie
Date of stay 06/03/11
Review Submitted 11/16/11

What a fun house - nicely updated, well stocked (with dishes) kitchen, plenty of room for a large group, lots of character! It's unique with nooks and crannys. Kids enjoyed the tucked away spaces in the closets upstairs, and the funny bathrooms. The setting is gorgeous. We were a little worried about the name - Honk House. But it's far enough in from the road, we weren't bothered by honking. Beds were comfortable, and it was a great experience. Thanks for your flexibility and hospitality. We really enjoyed our stay!

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

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The NM gang

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 02/20/11
Review Submitted 02/27/11

We had a great time and really enjoyed our stay. Our family of 2 sons and their families all enjoyed all the amenities, the grand kids played on the iced over stream, games for all ages and well equipped kitchen made for a nice time. The beds are great and bathrooms are interesting. Hope to use the HonkHouse again. The owner was very helpful in answering our question and the listing describes the property well.

Recommended for: Families with young children

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest The S's
Date of stay 08/06/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

This place was such a blessing. We had an awesome stay and enjoyed ourselves very much. It might be helpful to have a plastic mixing bowl and some plastic measuring cups. We found everything else and more than we needed. The games and toys were a treasure to keep my kids happy. There was so much room to play that all 16 family members had a fun time and no one got in each others hair. Thanks for a great vacation. We enjoyed every minute! God bless you.

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest The S's
Date of stay 08/06/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

We had a great stay!

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest The F's
Date of stay 08/04/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

We loved this place! The beds were beautifully made and the massage chair was a bonus :) Hope to come back.

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest UJC
Date of stay 07/22/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

Thanks so much! Had a great time. Need a few grill utensils but otherwise was great!

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest The B's
Date of stay 07/19/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

Thanks for the lovely accomdoations! Best birthday party ever. Friends gathered from Vermont, Utah, Montreal and Boulder, CO. Good time had by all!

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Honk House

Guest KB
Date of stay 07/16/10
Review Submitted 07/23/10

The house is very charming and roomy. It is closer to 12 miles from Salida and is right on the main road, so there is noticable traffic noise at night. However it can be fun (if you're not trying to sleep) to hear people honk from time to time as they drive by. The interior bathrooms and bedrooms are very comfortable and the kitchen is large. The owner is also easy to work with. Overall a very nice stay and good value.

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

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Guest The C Family
Date of stay 07/14/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

We enjoyed our stay @ the Honk House! My children loved it and we felt like we were sleeping in our own beds. We nailed a board down on the bridge over the river, but our nail wasn't long enough, so please check. Thank you for sharing your home. It was the perfect location. Great coffee drinking setting :)

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Guest The R Gang
Date of stay 07/09/10
Review Submitted 09/14/10

We had a wonderful time @ the "Honk House". Beds were comfortable, plenty of room for us to spread out and relax. Really enjoyed the patio - morning, noon and night. Lots of "Honks" which was fun. Renovating an old home can be time consuming and costly but the updates were great and you're doing a good job. We ski Monarch in the winter and have rented in Salida, but being outside of twon was nice - loved the stream behind the house. I would love to know more about the history of the "Honk House", i.e., when it was built and by whom. Why it became the "Honk House", etc... Thanks for sharing your treasure with us!!! We'll be back!!!

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It provided lots of laughter

Guest pkhartz
Date of stay 06/17/10
Review Submitted 06/26/10

Wonderful old farmhouse in the midst of being revived. One of the best kitchens we've found at a rental for cooking meals--so many gadgets and dishes. There were 12 of us and we used two blow up mattress's to accommodate everyone. It became a game to figure out over our stay how 17 people could sleep in this home. It sets very close to Highway 50 so there was some noise at night but the sounds of rushing water from the branch of the Arkansas River behind the house was amazingly charming. The locals continue a 60 some year tradition of honking as they drive by. Our 3 nights included gun shots in the middle of the night,a power outage that night as well....furnaces on that we didn't know about, so it was a bit warm upstairs at night...but all in all it was a sweet house for a quick family reunion. The 4 bathrooms are amazing considering how they tucked two of them into small spaces. We never had hot water problems and there was even a washer and dryer in one of the bathrooms if needed. The home was very clean and the parts of the house still requiring their revival did not inconvenience us at all. Due to the health of one member of our family we really stayed at the house most of the time...but it was just the right distance from Salida...close enough to make a quick run for provisions but it was still out away from town. The rental rate was amazingly low, the house was open and felt very comfortable sleeping our 12 even though 3 people had to sleep in living areas and we did not feel crowded using the living areas at all. The main living floor, with a bedroom was wheelchair accessible.

Recommended for: People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers.

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Review of Honk House in Salida, CO

Guest Cristal W.
Date of stay 03/17/10
Review Submitted 03/24/10

We enjoyed our stay at the historic Honk House! Plenty of room for our families and very comfortable sleeping quarters. We would definitely stay there again!

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners.

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Great Time

Guest LisaP2
Date of stay 01/25/10
Review Submitted 03/28/10

We loved our stay here, you really are so close to all of the amenities. Great times skiing and snowmobiling, nothing but a few miles between us and the slopes! The house was great and incredibly roomy even with our 7 adults and 2 small children! We loved the wood burning stove and having all those bathrooms were great. We cant wait to go back and have another stay at the Historic Honk House!!

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

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Ski vacation

Guest The S's
Date of stay 12/29/09
Review Submitted 01/10/11

The Honk House was perfect for our family ski vacation. It is half way between the ski area and town. The house is larger on the inside than it looks from the road and there are lots of nooks and crannies for the kids to play hide and seek. The fireplace was wonderful after a day of skiing and the kitchen had everything that we needed. We would rent it again.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing.

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

Spring Time in Colorado [#275761] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (25)

Just OK

Just OK

Wonderful Thanksgiving

Wonderful Thanksgiving

kkkk

kkkk

Retiree

Retiree

Not as advertised!

Not as advertised!

The Honk House

The Honk House

Loved the charm of the "honk house"

Loved the charm of the "honk house"

New Year's Weekend Celebration!

New Year's Weekend Celebration!

Thanksgiving Retreat

Thanksgiving Retreat

From Arkansas, Montana, and California to the Honkhouse!

From Arkansas, Montana, and California to the Honkhouse!

August 2011 Stay

August 2011 Stay

Great group house! We had a mixed group for wedding.

Great group house! We had a mixed group for wedding.

The NM gang

The NM gang

Honk House

Honk House

It provided lots of laughter

It provided lots of laughter

Review of Honk House in Salida, CO

Review of Honk House in Salida, CO

Great Time

Great Time

Ski vacation

Ski vacation