So close, yet it's like you're far away!

Guest: ariana (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 06/06/07 Review Submitted: 04/19/08

I have stayed at the Grand Arbor more than once, and have enjoyed it every time I've been there! It is not too far from Cincinnati, so it's not a bad drive, and it's in close proximity to horseback riding and the quaint town of Metamora (love the boat ride and cute shops!). The cabin itself is gorgeous, and it really forces you to relax with all of it's natural wood, stone fireplace and large windows. It has something to offer in every season. I definitely give The Grand Arbor two thumbs up!!

Owner response:We're pleased you like The Grand Arbor and continue to return frequently!

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

Nice & Secluded

Guest: Frank (Columbus OH)
Date of Stay: 04/29/11 Review Submitted: 05/03/11

This is a great place - very secluded for this part of the country - lots of birds & wildlife - close to canoe rental - will return!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children.

peaceful retreat

Guest: Zack (Cincinnati, OH)
Date of Stay: 01/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/19/11

I absolutely love this cabin. It's a mere hour drive from Cincinnati along some winding, scenic roads. The property is an impressive 65 acres. It's shielded from everyone around, making it quiet an secluded. At night, if you turn off the lights, it gets dark enough that the stars shine brightly from the massive wrap around deck. There is a meandering, babbling stream that runs through the property and makes for an adventurous afternoon to follow along as it goes. It makes for quite a romantic picnic as well. There are many other walks or hikes you can do on the property depending on your time frame and whether you want a workout or just a conversational stroll to catch up with friends. There is a good sized fire pit with benches that convert into tables if you like. It's close to the cabin and right alongside the stream. There is also a grass coveted volleyball court, a swingset within eyesight and calling g distance, and of course, a very nice hot tub. The wraparound porch has a screened in dining area that can seat ten people or more. There is a gas grill as well. All of this and you are merely five minutes away from scenic, historic Metamora, complete with shopping, restaurants, horse-drawn carriages, and canal boat rides. Or five minutes in the other direction, you have Brookville and Brookville Lake with hiking, mountainbiking, boating, beaches and much more. Morgan's, just down the road, rents canoes and kayaks. There are convenience stores, grocery, pizza delivery, fast food and much more. The cabin itself is expansive. There are private rooms, lots of beds, nice bathrooms, a great room with a fall of windows looking out at the woods. The kitchen is excellent with a gas range, well stocked with any cooking utensil you could need, a dishwasher and breakfast bar. There is a large dining room table, and comfy chairs/sofa so that you can take advantage of the supplied books and games. There is a lot of nice mood lighting, and if you are in the mood, two high def flat screen TVs with DVD players and supplied movies. Oh and I can't forget the game room with pool table. Whatever your mood or taste, you can find it here. Truly a magical trip every time.

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

Grand Arbor Cabin Vacation Home

Guest: EagleEye (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 01/15/11 Review Submitted: 01/19/11

What a great experience! The Grand Arbor is clean, spacious and modern, with all the amenities. It is a beautiful building, inside and out. The view from the front living room's large windows is gorgeous. The hiking trails go for a long way along a creek and are lovely. The location is nice for a weekend getway: boating at Brookville or visiting Metamora. Don't forget to use he outdoor hot tub - it's fantastic. I highly recommend this private, extremely quiet vacation getaway.

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

Relaxing get-away

Guest: Rhonda & Bernie (Park Hills, KY)
Date of Stay: 01/15/11 Review Submitted: 01/18/11

Stayed with a group of friends for a long weekend - perfect get-away, and only an hour drive from home. Love the large great room & beautiful stone fireplace. The kids loved sled riding in the snow, and later the adults enjoyed a glass of wine and stargazing from the hot tub. Hope to come back in warm weather to take advantage of the deck and screened in porch, and am considering the Grand Arbor for our family reunion this summer.

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

Communication Issues

Guest: Karen (Indianapolis)
Date of Stay: 02/15/08 Review Submitted: 01/08/11

We enjoyed the house a few years ago and thought we had it booked this year, but never got a response back from our email. Very disappointing.

Owner response:The Grand Arbor has apologized for the confusion. An inquiry came in from this party and they received a response via email shortly thereafter. However, the party failed to follow up and pay the required $100 deposit to hold their requested dates. In the meantime, another group called to pay and reserve the same weekend. The deposit is what initiates the rental contract. They were under the impression that they had reserved dates without any deposit or rental contract. It was unfortunate that they only communicated once via email without any follow up, such as a phone call, to our initial response. This property is in demand so it runs on the policy that the first person to pay the deposit gets the rental contract and secures the dates. This system has been in place over six years. This was the first time that confusion on behalf of a former customer has occurred.

Recommended for:

Holiday Retreat

Guest: Amy & Jim (Cincinnati)
Date of Stay: 12/19/08 Review Submitted: 12/28/08

We recentely stayed at The Grand Arbor for a family Chritmas celebration. The cabin was perfectly decorated for the holiday - it was so warm and inviting. It was so nice not to have the typical distrations of home and just to have the peace and time to focus on family. We played games, read books and reconnected by the fire. The kids loved runing out to explore the surronding woods and we all took a trip into town. The "Christmas Walk" in Metamora was so much fun for everyone. This was the highlight of our Christmas vacation.

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

Nice time

Guest: Hasidic One (Dayton, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 12/13/07 Review Submitted: 04/16/08

My friends and I had a really great weekend at the cabin back in December. Being away from it all, while having all the comforts of a resort just made the weekend fly by. It is so quiet and the sky so clear at night -very romantic w/o any of the usual distractions. I'd highly recommend the local horseback riding (pack a lunch and eat in the woods). There are lots of trails to expore.

Owner response:Horseback riding at The Salt Creek Ranch is very enjoyable and it's only about a mile down the road from The Grand Arbor. If you call in advance, they can usually have the horses all saddled up prior to your arrival if they know your group is coming. That ranch has over 600 acres of wooded riding territory that's just gorgeous any time of the year. Experienced or novice riders are welcome! One of the greatest benefits about being in the country in a secluded log cabin is that you do find yourself more relaxed, closer to nature and it's defnitely more quiet than city life. We find many of our guests choose to return to The Grand Arbor every year when seeking a getaway vacation that's convenient to the Tri-State area.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, sightseeing.

somewhat disappointing....

Guest: rosem (Indianapolis, IN)
Date of Stay: 03/28/08 Review Submitted: 04/10/08

I stayed at the Grand Arbor April 4th thru the 6th. We had a very small women's weekend away. Very briefly: The hot tub did not work. I contacted the caretaker and later had to call the owner to remind her of my complaint. We were all really looking forward to the hot tub working. Karen, (the owner) only offered a 20% discount when I stay a second time. I felt compensation should have been given immediately, as the hot tub was a major, advertised item of the vacation rental. Karen charged me ahead of time for extra persons, which I did not have. I had to remind her of this in order to get that refunded. I find it interesting that she charges extra before there actually were more than 6 people, and yet, I cannot get a partial refund for the hot tub not working. I don't mind paying for a nice place. I really resent being nickeled and dimed, and I felt like this was the case here. Also, we hiked to Metamora which was TOTALLY shut down. Even the public bathrooms were locked shut. Given that the resort town didn't even have a public bathroom when we hiked there, I think the price for the cabin at this time of year was high. Maybe summer is different. If you are considering this rental, I would go through everything that is itemized and advertised and make sure you get a guarantee that everything works. Also, discuss refunds if they don't. I found the carpeting in the master bedroom dirty, and candy was found in the cushions in the living room couch. The TV is in the master bedroom and EXTREMELY small. The DVD is NOT user friendly, either. I will not stay here again, I will just forfeit my "20% discount." I feel like Karen was trying to make money on something that was promised by her and not delivered on. I shouldn't have to spend money in order to be compensated for the hot tub not working. Good Luck! Rosemary

Owner response:This guest had a legitimite complaint about the jacuzzi hot tub not working. We contacted the spa repairman immediately after finding that the heating mechanism had malfunction but he was unable to get there until after her departure unfortunately. As much as we strive to have all appliances functioning 100% for every guest, there are times when repairs are needed and appliances malfunction. In this case the hard water (common in the country) caused a lime scale build up in the ozonator which caused the heater to automatically shut off. We sent a letter of apology to the guest within days after her stay. The "extra per person" charge that is clearly itemized upfront (in this case weeks prior to the guest's arrival) was never questioned or mentioned until after the stay. A detailed cover letter explaining all charges is consistently sent with all reservations for all guests along with maps, directions and other pieces of helpful information. In this situation, a refund check was promptly sent to the guest after her stay with the letter of apology. The guest in this case agreed verbally on the telephone that the 20% discount was reasonable and did not request anything additonal. We are sorry to hear about her disappointment and hope that she reconsiders in the future. Should any potential guest wish to "preview" the property prior to arrival (to inspect appliances, check the jacuzzi, etc)., we can certainly schedule an appointment. We have a guest book full of rave reviews. Many positive comments are recorded from past guests. Some are posted on our website and the rest can be shared by contacting the owner.

Recommended for:

Peaceful!!!

Guest: jokuly (Northern Indiana)
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 01/16/08

The cabin was very beautiful and we enjoyed staying there. We actually are thinking about coming back with our girls and our friends family in the warmer months to enjoy all that it has to offer. I would highly recommend this location if you want to get away from all the hustle & bustle of the city and stuff and just relax. The stars were never so bright as the last night we were there, it was truly romantic & beautiful.

Owner response:Thank you for choosing The Grand Arbor for your getaway. We continue to receive fantastic reviews from many repeat customers and hope you return again soon!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.