Week Open in June - Mountain Lodge, Sleeps 14

10/02/2009

VRBO Bear stayed here:

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Sun Mountain Retreat is a delightful family getaway, especially when you have a passel of cubs to entertain. We had bearly parked before the entire brood was racing for the enormous play structure, tree house, game room and hot tub. The house is warm and inviting, and we immediately felt welcome and at home. The comfortable beds are perfect for hibernating. But you won’t want to spend all your time indoors, or you would miss out on the gorgeous vistas waiting just outside the door, including the deer that greeted us through our window one morning. Don’t pass up the kid-friendly comfort and adventure awaiting you at Sun Mountain Retreat.

The VRBO Bear

• Ring in the New Year!

  Ring in the New Year!

  • Guest Woody4UK
  • Date of stay 12/27/08
  • Review Submitted 01/06/09
  We have rented property all over the world (literally) and this property ranks in the very top of our experiences. The location is fantastic for staging to mountain adventures or city excursions. Our hosts, Karen and Bob, went above and beyond to ensure a fantastic time was had by our little group of 11 (ages 2 and up). The home and all facilities are top rate and we have a million memories to savor until next time!

  Recommended for: Pet owners, adventure seekers, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

• Rustic, Charming, Comfortable

  Rustic, Charming, Comfortable

  • Guest Q I.
  • Date of stay 08/31/12
  • Review Submitted 09/28/12
  I found this home to be a warm and welcoming place. The backdrop of the woods and mountains makes it an excellent place to go for a fun vacation. When you walk into the backyard and smell the fresh mountain air, you immediately feel refreshed! I found myself admiring God's creation from the backyard of this home. As I walked from the back door to the swings, I took in the fresh air and felt glad to be in such a peaceful place. The hike up the mountain was a little challenging (I was out of shape) at first, but it was definitely worth it! If you are traveling with a large group, the home offers a variety of activities. The children in our group loved the game room and backyard! The adults found the patio and backyard area ideal for a number of activities such as reading, relaxing and taking in the mountain air, shooting some hoops, playing tether ball, etc. Did I mention that the home is stocked with a variety of board games? Their kitchen is also well equipped with appliances and dishes, so we were able to make the most of our meals. There is definitely some history to the home. I kept wondering to myself the unique stories that were behind the decor. If you are humble enough to appreciate a remarkably simple, yet relaxing getaway into the mountains, the home is just the place for you!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Disappointed...

  Disappointed...

  • Guest Angie R.
  • Date of stay 08/04/12
  • Review Submitted 08/14/12
  This house from the looks of the pictures looked great. When we arrived, we were disappointed, it didn't look at all like the pictures. They need to do some up keep on the outside yards, lots of long grass and barrels of pots with weeds growing in them, and old broken chairs and stuff laying around. Inside, they have a lot of knick knacks everywhere and they all needed dusting, and the decor is dated. The kids loved the ping pong table, but all the balls were cracked so we had to buy some. This house has a lot of potential, it's got a beautiful floor plan and the beds were comfy. We would have been more comfortable without the canopies over the beds, they seemed more like dust magnets. And if they spent a little more time cleaning all the fake flowers and stuff around the house. The owners are super nice, and my kids had a great time playing on the playground, which was very sturdy. We went on the treasure hunt, and found the cave, but there was no treasure, kids were kind of disappointed. But it was still an adventure for them.

  Owner response: At first I was saddened with this, our first negative review. Now I welcome it to clarify who will enjoy our home. Our home is not for everyone. It is designed for mountains, not city. It is a naturalistic, environmentally-friendly, country lodge. It features open space and rugged décor. Guests relax and have fun in a casual atmosphere that protects our environment. It is not for those who want to be awestruck with an immaculate, refined, luxurious executive home. Our cool mountain air means fresh breezes – no air conditioning. Our antique décor brings a touch of nostalgia. We display a grandpa’s mining relics and a grandmother’s kitchen supplies. We major on having many recreation choices. Our hot tub and games are heavily used. We work hard on maintaining that equipment. There is a lot involved. The treasure hunt through the mountains, is a unique family activity. Families love it. I’m sorry that when these guests found the cave, the clue to the treasure had been taken. That clue is now replaced. I will mention two amenities we do not provide. Guests said “No” to WiFi, as they fear retreating to their usual internet connections and bypassing family togetherness. (Your opinions?) We cannot provide for washing clothes. Our well-water supply is too limited to handle the 50 gallons per load, used by a washing machine. Nearby are very nice laundromats and many locations where free WiFi is available. The yard is xeriscaped to save precious water in our summer drought. We grow wildflowers and drought-resistant plants--some might call these weeds. We call them part of our natural beauty. Our grass is sparce and leggy even after mowing. We’ve decorated our 3 ½ acre yard with various antiques-- a rusted push lawnmower, some broken down chairs, a pot belly stove. To us this is a touch of history. I hope this will help you decide if our home will provide the vacation experience you want. The pictures are accurate. They show that our home features lots of sun and country views coming in through large windows. Instead of plush carpets, we have tile and area rugs. There’s no elegant brocade couch; it’s rugged leather. Homey decorations replace a sleek and polished look. Instead of a lush lawn with beautiful plantings, we have a playground, space and relaxing privacy. In considering our home think: Large, natural, fun, family-friendly, country, rugged, open space, sunlight. This is what you pay for.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Colorado Christmas Cabin 2011...Success!!!

  Colorado Christmas Cabin 2011...Success!!!

  • Guest Melissa F.
  • Date of stay 12/17/11
  • Review Submitted 01/06/12
  I grew up in Denver, and Colorado is truly home in my heart. My husband and I live in South central Texas now and really wanted the Christmas to be an easy going, fun and memorable one for our entire family. We decided on this wonderful home because of it's large size and kid friendliness, and invited all of our close relatives from all over the country to join us for a Colorado Christmas. Let me just say that this house did not disappoint at all. We absolutely loved our time there. When we arrived it was chili inside because the house is heated by the sun and the wood burning stove. We started a fire easily and the house got warm right away. It was very special and the kids loved the warm fire. They also have many space heaters all over the house to heat what ever area you like. I loved how quiet the house was and how accommodating. I hardly had to bring anything but clothing and food. The room we stayed in had a very comfortable bed and also had a pack n play for my one year old saving us much space in our vehicle. Everyone else informed me that their beds were also very comfy. We felt secluded tucked into the mountain side, but the house is very close to walmart and the town of Woodland Park. (five min drive) We had lots of fun getting food and cooking big feasts for the whole family. The pool table, ping pong, and foos ball kept all the men very entertained. We got about a foot of snow a couple of days into our trip which made it a little challenging to get up the street to the house, but by the next morning the snow was cleared very quickly and the sun melted the rest. We played in the snow a lot and got plenty of use out of the sleds in the mud room. We also enjoyed the fire pit outside a couple of nights. There is nothing like having s'mores around a fire pit with the glistening snow surrounding. They made Christmas so special for us by proving all the decorations, and Karen even dropped off her KitchenAid mixer so we could make some Christmas goodies! They kept us stocked up on fire wood, and any little thing we needed they were happy to come quickly. I have two small children, and we all felt the house to be very safe for them. They have taken many steps to baby proof the home.This was the most relaxing and peaceful Christmas my husband and I have had in a long time. Thank you so much Bob and Karen for a Christmas that we will cherish forever. If you want a peaceful, fun filled mountain adventure vacation this is the place for you.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/3

• Memorable Vacation

  Memorable Vacation

  • Guest Missouri Meanders
  • Date of stay 08/06/11
  • Review Submitted 08/21/11
  Thanks Karen and Bob for sharing your “game house” (as our 3 year old grandson called it) with our family during our vacation. We loved having a home base to come home to every night after a day out enjoying the beautiful scenery and perfect weather. All the sights, sounds, and escapades will be forever imprinted in our memories, including the nightly vigilance for the ever-elusive bear who teased us with evidence of his existence to the car chase and gunfire we found ourselves in the middle of in Walsenburg on our trip to the sand dunes. Our 2011 Colorado Vacation will be one we will not soon forget. Thanks for being a big part of that.

  Recommended for: Families with young children, adventure seekers, sightseeing, age 55+.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Amazing Vacation!

  Amazing Vacation!

  • Guest Carol T.
  • Date of stay 07/30/11
  • Review Submitted 08/09/11
  Thank you so much for making your beautiful home available! We could not have chosen a more perfect place for our family vacation celebrating our 40th anniversary. We had 12 people and there was more than enough room. The setting of the house is beautiful and relaxing. There was so much for everyone to do without ever leaving the house. The kitchen was wonderfully equipped, the beds were cozy and comfortable, the kids loved the game room and playground, and the hot tub was so relaxing! We can't wait for our next trip to your amazing home! Thanks again - it was great!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• The Gardner Reunion

  The Gardner Reunion

  • Guest Zayani
  • Date of stay 07/03/10
  • Review Submitted 07/15/10
  Our stay was outstanding. We had folks aged from 6 months to 65, and there was a comfortable space for everyone. The girls manned the playground, using it as a fashion model's castle. The boys couldn't be kept out of the forest looking for Joe Jo's cave of lost treasure and tracking deer. The young folks stayed in the game room, and the older folks just sat around watching the deer walk by. The people in Woodland Park were wonderful, very friendly. With lakes, national parks, and tourist sites so close, there was no need to venture very far. Many of us only left the house to eat at the Circle H Smokehouse (yummy beef ribs) and to shop in Manitou Springs. I highly recommend this home to anyone looking for someplace cozy and comfortable to stay for a large family or group. Avoid the tourist traps and enjoy the beauty that surrounds the house!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Excellent

  Excellent

  • Guest The Dan
  • Date of stay 05/01/10
  • Review Submitted 05/10/10
  Myself and 10 other guys returned to Colorado for another week long fishing adventure. The lodge had plenty of room for all of us. The lodge was clean and well supplied and in the center of everything. There were mule deer and or elk in the yard everymorning and evening. Karen was very helpful and a joy to talk with on the phone everytime we had a question prior to and during our stay. We would highly recommend the lodge to anyone seeking a comfortable place to house alot of people centrally located to good fishing and the sights that colorado springs and the surrounding area has to offer. In case anyone is wondering about the fishing we caught about 400 trout in the 6 days that we fished and all were returned to the water except a few for dinner each night.

  Recommended for: Families with young children, adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with teenagers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• • Guest Dorene Baier
  • Date of stay 07/25/09
  • Review Submitted 07/25/09
  What a wonderful vacation home! My husband and I took our family, 3 children plus spouses 6 grandkids and 2 dogs in July 2009. The house worked perfectly for our family, everyone had there own bedroom and big enough for us to sitdown together for meals. The grandkids enjoyed all the activities they could do at the house. The hiking was great and the scenery was breathtaking. Loved it all. Thanks Karen and Bob for sharing your vacation home with us. Hope to come back again! Dorene Baier

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Relaxing recreation

  Relaxing recreation

  • Guest bearseeker
  • Date of stay 05/09/09
  • Review Submitted 05/21/09
  This was the most relaxing vacation we've had in years. The house was great, the kids loved the jungle gym. The treasure hunt was a blast (you have to follow the map and not the trail for real excitement, very cool). It was an awesome vacation, one we will never forget.

  Recommended for: Families with young children, pet owners, adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

High Season: May 10- Sept 15...$1984/wk (Weekly rentals)
Low Season: Sept 16- May 9...$1195/wk or $270/nt (3 nt minimum)
Holidays:Spring Break,Thanksgiving,Christmas,New Years..$1984/wk $360/nt
Pet Charge:  $20/nt/pet - Indoor pet area limited to main floor
Half of rental fee is due when reservation is made.  Full payment is due 90 days
Prior to date on which reservation begins. No refund unless cancellation is 120
days prior to stay or house can be re-rented.
Rates increase for wk of Air Force Academy Graduation

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.