Happy Renter

Guest: tony (interlochen, mich)
Date of Stay: 06/04/11 Review Submitted: 11/29/11

Our stay on Spider lake was awesome. better than we expected. The duel docks allowed for us to swim and fish at the same time. It was a surprise to catch as many different types of fish as well the good size they were. We really liked the location, both close enough to Traverse City to enjoy the activaties, and far enough away from to escape. It was nice to have full internet and cable to use on the 1 rainy day we had. I would recommend this property any day!!!

Owner response:Tony, We are happy that you enjoyed our place and we hope to host your stay again in the future. Thanks, Bill B.

Recommended for:Pet owners, families with young children.

Could have been better!

Guest: El (Columbus, Ohio )
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 09/06/11

We have rented vacation homes all over the U.S. and we’ve come to know what to expect; low quality cooking utensils, marginally adequate linens, and general wear and tear. We know we can’t expect a hotel-like experience; yet we were not prepared for what we found here. Cleanliness: Upon arrival we found the house very dirty. Floors had not been swept; sand all over the living room furniture and beds, a musty smell in the upstairs laundry, damp towels in the dryer, dirty diapers in the downstairs trashcan and gnat filled spider webs in the windows. We had to do some cleaning before we were able to move in. Maintenance issues: Several light fixtures with burned out bulbs; electrical outlets that did not work; the screen door to the deck was off track and would not stay on; the upstairs refrigerator did not keep our milk cold enough or our ice cream frozen (both settings were on maximum). Wireless internet access: We were initially unable to connect. The owner agreed to send someone out to fix it; however I was able to set it up myself only due to my professional computer and networking skills. The internet was working when we left. Walk to the lake: Photos show nice beach and dock; it was nice. However, they don’t show the steep incline of 100 yards or so from the house to the lake; not a big problem for the average person. But for anyone with mobility issues, like my mother, this proved to be a monumental problem. To be fair, the owner was very friendly and accommodating, going out of his way to help us with some tight scheduling conflicts. He answered e-mails and phone calls promptly. He even gave us a break on the rent since we booked so early in the year. Although we never met face to face, he seemed like a very friendly and easy-to-get-along-with fellow. I am certain that had we contacted the owner concerning these problems he would have addressed them to some extent. He did waive the cleaning fee when we complained about the cleanliness of the house. We feel though that these issues should never have existed in the first place. He needs to fire his cleaning crew and hire a maintenance crew. We did have fun during our week on Spider Lake; it wasn’t a disaster. The house was big enough to accommodate us and the area is beautiful. I’m not recommending that potential renters avoid this property but just be aware of our experience. Hopefully, the owner will take steps to correct the issues that I have included.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers.

Our family's July 4th Get-Away

Guest: Nancy (Westfield Center, OH 44251)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/14/11

As parents we rented this home for our yearly get-away for our 3 boys and grandchildren. Our first day was spent on the phone with the owner and cable company trying to get internet for our daughter-in-law to send her on-line weekly homework . This was finally accomplished the next Tues when we were told to wait for cable technicians and owner. (Needless to say, she did not make her dead-line and her grade was docked, so this family left Tues) All in all, two days were thoroughly blown. Sleeping accommodations are very tight for some, as the upstairs futon could not be pulled down and still have use of the living room for activities. The sheets were clean, but beds were extremely uncomfortable. One had ill-fitting sheets coming loose and all had no protective covering on any mattress or pillow. The home had plenty of towels for swimming or showers. All shower floors needed a thorough scrub. We tried to make the best of our week, Sunday our grandchild got up at 6:00 to fish; the row boat's oar supports needed tightened, so walked out on the dock. The supports gave way and he got an early morning batizing. On July 4th, we sat by the water to watch the fireworks, and our smaller grandchild caught his foot on a nail sticking up on the dock and gouged a hole in his heel. Maintenance is a big issue which has been neglected in this home. The owner did come on Tues to fix many things, such as the row boat, dock, and stopped bath drain and did give us $194 credit. If you love air conditioning, this home will suit you great; the thermostat was stuck on 64 degrees! And if smoothies are a great indulgance, then the freezer will freeze your ice cream just the right consistancy. All, in all, I could tell by talking with the owner, that many people had been disrespectful during their stay. This home is very-over priced for the weekly rental charged.

Owner response:Wow, we have been renting for 8 years and have never had folks like these people. Most groups love the place.Unfortunately the modem crashed on saturday night (July 2nd)we reported it right away and the first available cable repairman came out tueday am (Monday was July 4th holiday) We apologised and credited the family $194.00 for their trouble. They were upset and continued to complain about everything the entire week. We had the freezer checked but it worked fine. I changed the bathroom sink drain because it was "running slow". They complained that the A/C was too cold when they didn't set the temp that they liked. They complained that the dock collapsed and when I checked it the corner had settled about 4-5 inches.(so,we raised it up again) I handled every complaint with a smile and an apology and repaired everything that they mentioned. (14 people worth) We easily fill up every summer and have many repeat visitors. I am sure that we have the most reasonably priced 5 bedroom/3bath lakefront rental in Traverse City. Come and check us out before you rent. We hope to host your stay. Bill

Recommended for:Pet owners.

Guest: Bill Bassett/Owner (-)
Date of Stay: 05/07/06 Review Submitted: 05/07/06

This is our first year open(2006) We spent the winter remodeling with new deck, floor coverings, paint, nice furnishings, etc... You will like it, very clean and like new inside. We will have inside pictures to e-mail you by mid-May. We hope to host your stay this summer. Bill Bassett

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