Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great winter cabin

Guest: Karen A.
Date of Stay: 12/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

We just returned from 6 days at this great cabin in a small, quiet community in the trees. We highly recommend this cabin. It was cozy with the wood stove and the satellite dish and new TV after hiking all day. The kitchen was clean and a pleasure to cook in, as was the cabin and offered everything we needed. There is plenty of room for big family groups and the garage for our car was a luxury in the cold weather. The owners could not have been nicer and made the process of rental and paperwork a pleasure. We hope to come back.

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Nice Cabin, needs garbage service!

Guest: Robert (Sunnyvale, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/17/11 Review Submitted: 12/21/11

This is a very nice cabin. It is clean, accessible, and very well-equipped. We enjoyed the nice kitchen, ample sleeping facilities, and especially the spacious game room, which we used quite a bit since there was no snow and hence no skiing. There is one HUGE drawback to this cabin, however, that I must mention - there is no garbage service. With seven guests, two gourmet cooks, and 3 days, we naturally generated two huge bags of kitchen trash and it was our responsibility to find a place to dump them. This turned out to be a royal pain. Not only did we not have the space in the car to haul it all the way back home, but it is simply not hygienic and I refuse to to do so. In fairness, this drawback was mentioned in the rental agreement, but in that agreement it also said we could take our trash to the Pinecrest transfer station. Well, I tried to do this, but it was closed! So I had to spend over an hour driving up and down HWY 108 like an idiot looking for someone who would take my two bags. In the end I pleaded with a really nice guy who let me dump them in his bin. What a miserable way to spend my final few hours at the cabin! And it's not like there's no waste service in the neighborhood - we saw trucks collecting trash. It's just that the owners are trying to save a buck. I'd gladly pay a higher rent to offset the cost so I can spend my time relaxing instead of stressing about where to dump my garbage. I love Pinecrest and I will return again this year. I would love to visit this cabin again, but I won't do so unless they address this deal-breaking inconvenience.

Owner response:We suggest our renters take garbage to Waste Management in Sonora, open weekdays, and suggest the Pinecrest Transfer Station as a possible alternative Friday through Monday. We provide service times in our cabin information letter. We don't have garbage pickup because the cabin is often unoccupied for extended periods. Garbage cans left out on the street for days can be problematic, especially during the winter when there's a lot of snow. Along with the beauty of the remote high Sierras comes some sacrifice. Our system is a common one for rentals in the area. (We take our garbage home.) We appreciate this person's fairness and complimentary remarks about our house, but we wish he had contacted us. We encourage our guests to call us (at our expense) with any problems they may have.

Recommended for:Families with young children, pet owners.

Great Place!

Guest: Doug H.
Date of Stay: 08/29/11 Review Submitted: 10/03/11

We rented this cabin in lieu of our annual tent camping trip and we may never go back to the tent!. The cabin is in a quiet neighborhood in the pines with a lovely view over the forest and to some nearby mountains. The deck is great and the neighbors are barely visible. Inside the cabin is clean and extremely well furnished (I'm still not sure what some of the cooking gear is used for!). There's a new tv with an amazing surround system so bring some movies for the evening. The owners were great and everything was just as advertised and as they said it would be. We'll definitely be coming back.

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We love the annual winter trip to "our" cabin!

Guest: Bill (Roseville, CA)
Date of Stay: 03/06/11 Review Submitted: 03/28/11

We have spent a week at the Miller's cabin for each of the past 4 years, and our whole family agrees that it is consistently our best vacation of the year. It is just so relaxing up there - we build a fire each night, run a week-long pool competition downstairs, play in the snow outside, and make lots of great meals in the well-equipped kitchen. Being so close to skiing at Dodge Ridge and tubing at Leland, you don't have to make plans - if you feel like skiing after lunch, you can just shoot over to the mountain for the afternoon and be back by dinner. We refer to it as a "cabin", but it is really a 3-story house with tons of sleeping quarters, game room, great kitchen and dining area, and a comfortable living room where you can sit and watch TV, the fire, or the snow falling outside the huge 2-story wall of windows. And what makes it even better is knowing that the owners truly care that you enjoy your stay, checking in by phone and making themselves available to ensure that everything is OK. My whole family would like to thank Bob and Carolyn for sharing their beautiful mountain home with us, and for making us feel like we have our own cabin in the Sierras!

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

Our mtn home away from home!

Guest: Ski-Fam (Morgan Hill, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/07/11

My family and I look forward to our annual holiday week at the cabin all year long. We feel right at home and the owners are very attentive to our needs; even calling to make sure everything is okay during our visit. It is not only a beautiful cabin, but so close to Dodge Ridge where we ski every day. It is clean, well-maintained, roomy and comfortable, and the kitchen is awesome and well-stocked. When we come in the summer we enjoy the beautiful deck and my kids always enjoy the pool table downstairs.

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

Pricey dirt

Guest: Cat (Walnut Creek, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/23/10 Review Submitted: 08/11/10

My spouse and I rented this cabin for 2 weeks (July 23 - August 6, 2010) during his corporate retreat in the Yosemite/Pinecrest area. The trip was to be pure R & R for me. Unfortunately, it was not the case. The Miller's cabin IS large and spacious, the kitchen IS very well equipped, the pool table was a fun distraction, and the construction of the cabin kept it comfortably cool during the hot summer days. However, there is a layer of grease, dust, cobwebs, grime, and filth on every surface, mold and mildew in the bathrooms, the blankets for the beds are worn and dirty, and the carpet is stained to the point of causing fear of walking around barefoot. I would like to say it's just due to the age of the cabin (20 years is a long time), but it's not merely age. It's a general lack of maintainence, cleaning and care. Paying a significant amount, I expected the place to be clean, if not spotless. We paid WAY TOO MUCH to stay in a "self-cleaning rental" that wasn't clean when we arrived. The fact that there is a 3-page, single spaced, front and back page of instructions for using the cabin doesn't make it more valuable. The inconvenience of spending the first days when I arrived cleaning, and then having to clean again prior to departure... well, I've certainly had better vacations at a much more reasonable price. And to top it off, the renter is responsible for bringing their own linens and towels, cleaning the cabin prior to departure, taking away their own garbage, and mailing the keys back. Standing in line at the post office to have the letter hand cancelled is a minor expense and inconvenience until you add it on top of everything else. Icing on the not-so-yummy, expensive cake. A month earlier we stayed at the cabins on Pinecrest Lake and had fresh towels, linens and maid service every day for significantly less money. A MUCH better value. At the price one pays to use the Miller's cabin, they should provide at least a cleaning service to ensure a genuine cleaning between guests. I definitely do NOT recommend this place for vacation or corporate retreat purposes. The Millers are nice people but them being "nice" doesn't justify the price paid to stay in a run down, filthy cabin. That said, Strawberry, Pinecrest and Pinecrest Lake, Yosemite and the surrounding areas are gorgeous! Once the cabin was tolerably clean, we spent terrific time hiking, fishing, sight seeing and relaxing at the lake.

Owner response:We feel this review is a gross distortion. We encourage our guests to contact us with any problems, so we can help to resolve them. We make every effort to see that they are comfortable and satisfied. We heard nothing from this person until receiving this shocking review after the couple had left. We have a nice house, and we work hard to keep it nice. Brand new heavy-duty commercial carpets were installed five years ago. We have them commercially cleaned at least once a year and spot clean whenever we visit, as well as spending several days on other maintenance. We steam-cleaned the kitchen a month before this person visited. We contract with a pest control service which has a preventative program. They visit regularly to control spiders and other pests, although anyone who knows the mountains is aware that this is an ongoing struggle. We just added a beautiful maple dining set and a new LCD-TV. This is a loved and cared for property, a family home as well as a rental. Our prices are mid-range for the area, lower than many comparable properties. The cabins this person mentions in Pinecrest, without specifically identifying them, can only be resort cabins that are considerably more expensive and less spacious than ours. The only accommodations at Pinecrest Lake with maid service and lower rates than ours are motel units. We make our conditions for renting our house clear to every inquirer and hope that those who aren’t willing to accept them won’t choose to rent from us. (Unfortunately this renter ignored our guidelines for returning the keys, and they were lost in the mail.) Each renter signs a one-page rental agreement accepting them. They are common conditions for family cabin rentals in our area. For eighteen years people have been enjoying our home and complimenting us on its comfort, attractiveness and convenience.

Recommended for:Pet owners

Great cabin

Guest: Dennis (Mount shasta ca)
Date of Stay: 05/14/10 Review Submitted: 09/10/10

We have been renting the Miller's cabin twice a year for over the last 6 years. The cabin is great place to stay! We are 8 guys that have been camping together for 30 years now, we are all getting older and tent camping is history for us. We have rented different cabins in the same vicinty and the Millers cabin is by far the best. There fee is the same for lesser cabins. Lots of room and the kitchen table is perfect for 8 playing poker. Our group has 3 great chefs and they all love the Wolf cook stove. The cabin has always been very clean and we have never had a problem. Next week we renting the cabin again. thanks Bob and Carolyn

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing.

Great family cabin

Guest: Ann (Bay area)
Date of Stay: 02/06/10 Review Submitted: 09/16/10

We have been renting this cabin for 4 years now during the winter ski season. We love it as our 4 kids have the freedom of using the loft as their sleeping quarters and play area and the basement as their secret hide-a-way. This gives the adults enough room for peace & quiet. We love that it is a short 10 minutes from Dodge Ridge - a great family ski resort. While the furnishings our older, the place is always clean, well-equipped and comfortable. We are on a budget so we don't mind doing the extra cleaning and garbage removal to keep the place more affordable. The owners are great to work and very nice, always calling to check in and see if you are having any trouble or have any questions. This is the only place our kids routinely beg to go back to because of the lay-out of the cabin. We love the place!

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

Guest: Shelley Hunter (San Rafael, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/27/09 Review Submitted: 07/27/09

My family and my brother's family had a wonderful time staying at the Miller's cabin. It is a beautiful cabin and we were grateful that we were able to bring our dogs with us. We took them on the trail around Pine Crest lake - what a beautiful hike! So many beautiful spots to visit. The cabin is beautiful and the stove was the bomb! Just loved it, and there are all the cooking utensils a foodie will really appreciate. We grilled and cooked every night and just enjoyed our stay. Lovely!

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my stay at the millers cabin

Guest: domino (san rafael,ca.)
Date of Stay: 07/11/09 Review Submitted: 08/16/10

my wife and i stayed at the millers cabin in july also and found that it was what we expected for a summer rental ,convenient,clean and comfortable it was not the ritz carlton but neither was the price

Owner response:Just want to note that this person visited our cabin in July 2010, rather than 2009. We appreciate his kind words.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, sightseeing.

Fabulous week in the snow

Guest: The Jens and their families (Stockton, Ca)
Date of Stay: 12/26/08 Review Submitted: 01/28/09

We stayed at the Miller's cabin Dec.26-Dec.30 and could not have asked for a better vacation. The cabin was warm and homey and had enough room for our 4 kids to run around and play. The description listed was right on and had everything that was promised. Bob even called half way through our stay to make sure everything was going well. The kids loved the game room in the basement and felt so grown up having their own room to sleep in. There was a ton of snow when we arrived and the well cared for sled run along the side of the house provided days of entertainment for the kids as well as the adults. Actually, we decided not to take the trip to Leland Meadows snow park as planned because the kids were having such a great time right at the property. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful cabin with us. We hope to make this a yearly trip!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Wes & Sharon Mee (Orange, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 06/01/05 Review Submitted: 06/21/05

Our family recently stayed at Miller's beautiful cabin. Words cannot express what a wonderful time we had. We caught lots of fish in pinecrest lake, and enjoyed the peaceful surrondings,and had a great time with our children and grandchildren. Thank you Bob and Carolyn for sharing your beautiful home in Peterpam!! we intend to go back!!!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/03 Review Submitted: 08/30/03

My husband and two boys just got home from the Miller's cabin and boy did we have a good time! The cabin is soooo nice! It was actually hard to get the boys out as they enjoyed the pool table and "their" loft so much. The backyard is beautiful as all you see are pinetrees. It had everything I needed to cook also! There is so much to do in the area. We went to Jamestown to ride the steam train, went up Hwy 49 (Gold Rush Hwy) and panned for gold, went in a working gold mine, and fished two of the three local lakes. None of us wanted to come home! Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Miller for a wonderful

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Kevin and Tracy (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 08/01/02 Review Submitted: 08/26/02

This was our first stay at the Miller cabin and a great time was had by all. There were plenty of things to do for the kids and adults being so close to Pinecrest. Thanks go out to the Millers for letting our family stay in their beautiful cabin. Kevin and Tracy

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/02 Review Submitted: 08/18/02

Great vacation home! Peaceful and pleasant. Our family found things to do everyday in the area including fishing, hiking and boating. We would highly recommend this home to anyone wanting the same vacation experience. Two thumbs up!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Lisa Boulger (Morgan Hill, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/02 Review Submitted: 07/25/02

My family of 6 and I had a great time at this cozy Pinecrest cabin (house). All the comforts of home, nestled in the woods, with beautiful decks and a fun pool table for the kids. Minutes from the lake and lots of fun activities for all of us. Very peaceful and quiet with the delicious smell of warm pine. The kitchen is great and fully stocked. My husband is a chef and it met his high standards!! Very roomy and loved all the windows overlooking the woods. We highly recommend a visit! The only suggestions I would offer to make this an absolutely perfect place would be a hot tub, and possibly a bird feeder!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Kathie_HAC299 (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 07/01/02 Review Submitted: 07/23/02

Our family had a wonderful time at the Miller's lovely cabin in Pinecrest. It was very comfortable and well-equipped. My pre-teen children enjoyed the pool table while my husband and I enjoyed the peace and quiet on the deck which overlooked the beautiful forest. We would definitely love to go back.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Cindy Gillian (Modesto, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/01/02 Review Submitted: 07/22/02

We have stayed in the Miller's Guest Home several times. We have wonderful vacation memories and I'm sure we will continue our annual trip. The home is well equipt and comfortable. Thank you for sharing your home with us! Hope to be up again soon, Sincerely, Cindy Gillian

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Jody_HAC296 (Not Specified)
Date of Stay: 07/01/02 Review Submitted: 07/22/02

Great family get away! We have stayed at this cabin in Pinecrest several times and feel very at home and comfortable during our stay. The cabin is surrounded by beautiful trees and feels very private, yet is close to skiing, the lake and other amenities.

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Guest: Deborah and John
Date of Stay: 07/24/01 Review Submitted: 07/23/01

We had a lovely time at your cabin and a lovely time in the mountains. I have been going to the Pinecrest area for many years, and each year we return I love it just as much as the first time. Your cabin was lovely, and we so enjoyed ourselves, my niece said she wished that she could live there forever!

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