Not what we expected

Guest: fernfrond (Bend, OR)
Date of Stay: 07/14/11 Review Submitted: 08/25/11

Based on the 5 star reviews of this property, my husband and I felt that it would be an ideal place to bring our 10 month old for a family vacation. The price seemed right, location was good, and beach was nearby. We were unpleasantly surprised when we arrived. We could overlook the shabby 90's decor, but we had a very hard time ignoring the obvious stains on the carpet and on the sofa, as well as the chunks of food left on the carpet and laundry left in the machines. To be fair to the owner, we were refunded our cleaning fee when we explained the condition of the house. But that didn't help the fact that we spent our multi-day vacation feeling skeeved out and uncomfortable. As my husband put it when we were leaving, "This place is cleaner now than when we arrived". This place is NOT childproof; it was not advertised as such, but there are A LOT of cords around and tippy chairs that our babe found very enticing. If you have a small child, you may want to stay elsewhere or you will be spending a lot of your precious vacation time preventing accidents from occurring. It is a short drive to Lincoln City and Depoe Bay; we spent way too much money at seafood restaurants that were incredibly disappointing, but had one of our best meals at J's Fish and Chips. Inexpensive but very tasty.

Owner response:We were genuinely surprised and sorry when we heard from this guest that she did not have a good time at our house. We immediately contacted our housekeeper (who's been working for us for years.) We heard a very different story from her. After I spoke to the housekeeper, I was sorry that I'd refunded the cleaning fee..we'll leave it at that. Our very next guests emailed us unprompted to say how great she thought the house was and how clean it was on her arrival. That's what we hear all the time, so I'm confident that guests who are looking for good value in a cute, clean, simple cottage will continue to be pleasantly surprised when they stay with us.

Recommended for:

Simple with all amenities!

Guest: Wendi (Ellensburg, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/29/11 Review Submitted: 08/06/11

Just finished our family vacation and we fell in love with this place! An easy walk to the beach, centrally located if you want to drive north or south for all adventures or shopping, quiet neighborhood, and well stocked for your needs. We chose this place not just for the price, but needed something clean and uncluttered to accommodate my sons health needs as well as for our daughter to be relaxed in and not be told a million times "No don't touch that!". Three adults and 2 kids - we were all very comfortable. The rooms and bathroom are all larger than they appear in the pictures and we all can't wait to come again!

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

A relaxing and affordable retreat!

Guest: Erin (Bend, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 05/27/11 Review Submitted: 06/05/11

My friends and I were looking for a beach retreat, that was affordable, comfortable, and close to the beach. Once we discovered this home, we knew it would provide everything we needed for a great vacation. My friends and I loved this house, because it not only met all of our needs, but the owners made sure to have everything you need for a great vaction and feel right at home! We loved having our own fire pit in the backyard, and we loved how close the beach was. We didnt expect the house to be so furnished with everything we may have forgotten or didnt think of. The only complaint we had was only having one bathroom, lol..having 6 people share one bathroom was tricky! The beds were super comfy, the house was clean and the backyard was beautiful! My friends and I highly reccomend this home. The owners make renting this home super easy! We cant wait to come back!

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

a simple, elegant beach retreat

Guest: zoren (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 01/08/10 Review Submitted: 06/21/10

I probably shouldn't be posting this because I don't really want more people to discover this property, but this is my ideal beach retreat: no fluffy, twee beach decor to contend with; ample and elegantly decorated rooms (big enough for a family vacation or a quiet weekend with friends); a short walk to the beach; and a cozy living room to curl up in when the winter winds are howling. I love to visit when the sun is shining too but since that's no guarantee at the Oregon coast, it's nice to know that you have a warm gas fire to retreat to when the clouds roll in (also a great sound system with an easy plug-in for iPhones, and a small but tasteful stack of games, books and DVDS...) I've been back multiple times and on every visit the property was clean and well-maintained. The owners are very prompt in answering questions and I loved being able to pay with Google checkout. Wifi access is also appreciated! I'm looking forward to my next visit.

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