Vacation Rentals by Owner

Not acurately described nor reflected as in photos

Guest: Maggie (Bernards Township, NJ)
Date of Stay: 05/09/12 Review Submitted: 05/15/12

1. The process from start to finish was flawed in that the owner "lost" our deposit check, fortunately we had copy and was able to fax proof. 2. The property did accurately have sleeping for 14 plus --- no private room except master up a spiral stair case 3. The property had clean baths and linens, however that was it! The rest was below average regarding cleaniness. It took a full day of cleaning the pots and pans, oven was not clean,coffee pot, refrigerator. We left the sugar and the spices stuck to the shelves and did not clean those cabinets. 4.There was no gas at all in the very small gas grill. When owner was contacted he told us to get gas at a local gas station, at 7:30 pm when we were expecting to be grilling! Money was not reimbursed for this. 5. The property owner called to insure all was adequate and mentioned he was coming by the first morning, he did not show. We had not had a chance to inspect things yet. 6. He called again to say he was coming by the second morning, we told him we were hosting a graduation party (we needed to rent a grill from independant firm). At this time we notified him to the poor condition of the kitchen. IN THE AFTERNOON, the day of our graduation party, he showed up with a large mower and proceeded to mow the lawn as our guests arrived and proceeded to try and mow the lawn around our guests with all of the food on tables and people playing ring toss,...we requested he mow another time. 7. There are no pets allowed, we knew this and a guest arrived with her dog on a leash and it was KEPT OUTSIDE, he made her put the dog in the car. 8. If the weather had not cooperated, it would not have been a successful graduation event for our daughter. 9.The setting is great and perfect for young families, multigenerational families, like ourselves. 10. The spiral stairs do not work well for anyone over 55 years old! 11. The property owner would need to significantly step up the organization and cleanliness to warrant the asking price of $7,500.00! Not when one day is spent cleaning! Bring your own toilet paper and paper towels and cleaners, trash bags, etc....be prepared.

Owner response:Maggie, We're very sorry our home didnt meet your expectations but you did get everything promised in words, pictures, & more! We just put in over $10,000.00 in NEW Custom Funishings, bedding, draperies, kitchenware, flat screen tv, dishes, etc... I guess you just missed all that??? The sleeping arrangements were discussed several times over the 6 phone conversations we had before you arrived. The pictures are also very accurate showing all of the room's and their setup except for the fact those are old pictures and don't even show the Amazing updates. Maggie, I personally saw the dishes being ran through the dishwasher so I know the pots and pans were spotless! Maybe you should have brought your N.J. nanny? If there was any problem at all, just like at a hotel you could have simply called me & someone would have immediately addressed it! We also apologize if our normal sized grill didn't fit your UNANNOUNCED PARTY SIZE!!! Our home is equipped with accomodations to fit its capacity and if you didn't try and SNEAK a FREE graduation party into it everything would have been fine. With permission from us; catering, weddings, and several other large events have taken place without a hitch. And sorry I can't control Central NY weather but that Friday is when we cut the grass so when I witnessed your guests arriving and just recklessly parking all over my front lawn I was somewhat surprised by yours and your guests lack of concern for someone elses property. Maggie, we also spoke explicitly about pets being allowed so when my son told me there was a dog up on the inside upper deck and heard someone say F***Em it's my dog and we are paying for the house. YES, I was upset and by then there were other people arriving with several dogs. One of which was whitnessed to "Poop" on the lawn and the owner just walked away!!! So after telling you NO PETS you decieded to bring your dog anyway...NICE. Like I told you, I'm a dog lover. Having 3 myself who stay home just because of the alergies some people have. I have a responsibility to keep the rental safe and sound while people are staying there. I'm glad everything else worked out for you. I hope your daughter enjoyed her graduation & much congratulations to her. Please say Hi to Paul he's a wonderful man. Thanks, Nick

Recommended for:Families with young children

Wonderful experience!

Guest: Sean (Larchmont, NY )
Date of Stay: 05/04/12 Review Submitted: 05/22/12

We enjoyed this beautiful lakefront home with our families for a small Syracuse wedding on the first weekend of May this year. We slept 12 comfortably with a beds to spare. We enjoyed the BBQ and big open kitchen/living area for family meals. Sitting around a full-moon campfire for most of our Saturday night relaxing with loved ones was really special. The place was clean and the owner was friendly and available for us all weekend. I highly recommend this property, it made our experience memorable. We played golf at a public course 5 minutes away and also had a nice time enjoying Skaneatles Village just 10 minutes up the west side of the lake. Absolutely rent this place!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

JP

Guest: JP (Plattsburgh, NY)
Date of Stay: 06/19/11 Review Submitted: 09/17/11

We spent a wonderful week at this cabin. Our family all enjoyed cooking great meals, sitting around the dinner table, playing pool & ping pong, riding the paddle boat, fishing off the dock, sitting on the deck that overlooked the lake and we ended the week stay up all night around the campfire. My son-in-law brought a few boats over for the week that we tied to the dock, so we had access to the lake as well. It was our daughters wedding week and all of our guests that came from all over the country either stayed with us at the cabin or visited us during the week. Everyone just loved the cabin, and all agreed it was the perfect place for family and friends to be together. It was really a home-away-from home for us and we will be renting this cabin again next year.

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

Loved it!!!

Guest: Roxy (Spencerport, NY)
Date of Stay: 11/05/10 Review Submitted: 11/09/10

I have rented this cottage 2 years in row for a girls weekend. This year there were 15 of us and it worked out perfectly. There is ample room for hanging out and sleeping. The place is clean and well maintained. We love it here and hope to return! We had a small issue last year and I spoke to the owner about it and this year it was fixed! The location is great no matter what time of year. The photos accurately reflect the way the cottage looks. The owner is easy to get in touch with and answers questions promptly. I would definitely recommend this cottage.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

WINE TRAIL WEEKEND

Guest: Doreen (Somers, Ct.)
Date of Stay: 10/15/10 Review Submitted: 10/18/10

6 Couples just spent an absolutely wonderful weekend in your lovely home. We came to visit the local wineries and to see the spectacular foliage. The area is just BEAUTIFUL. All of the people we met along the way were very nice and accommodating. Your home was a perfect place for us to relax after spending a long day touring the area. It was great having the home so colse to town, we had dinner in town Friday and Saturday night and enjoyed both restaurants. Your home was certainly large enough to accomodate all 12 of us with the 4 bathrooms, large dinning area and open floor space we were never crowded. We all certainly hope to come back to the area and once again will hopefully be able to stay in this lovely home.

Recommended for:Families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A GREAT RENTAL ON A QUIET LAKE

Guest: Judy F. (Buffalo, NY)
Date of Stay: 09/16/10 Review Submitted: 09/19/10

This is a beautiful property, and pretty much as described. The inside décor was very welcoming and homey, and the furniture was in good condition, not dated as mentioned in the previous review. It seemed as though there were recent updates to the property. Our group of 15 had plenty of sleeping room and places to get away from each other as necessary. Although only there for 3 days, we fully enjoyed the area of Skaneateles, which included a boat ride on the Judge Ben Wiles on a lovely fall afternoon, several hikes at nearby areas, and exploring the town of Skaneateles. There were a few minor issues with the property (which have been reported to the owner), but nothing that detracted from our stay. In addition, the owner was available to give advice on his favorite pizzeria, and where to buy wood for a campfire. It was very nice to have reliable internet access!

Owner response: It was a pleasure having guests that helped insure the quality we strive to maintain by reporting anything that was out of shape so we can get right to it so the next guests have a wonderfull stay also.

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

Great view

Guest: june (NE)
Date of Stay: 06/11/10 Review Submitted: 06/19/10

What a spectacular lake front view!! We were disappointed that the owner chose to describe as handicap accessible with a few limitations - there is only a spiral staircase between floors which makes it extremely difficult for someone with mobility problems. The furnishings, appliances and amenities are aged and in need of cleaning/updating. The screen doors are in need of repair and would not stay closed so we could not enjoy the fresh air afforded by such a lovely location.

Owner response:June , when you booked the house you only asked if there was one door large enough to be handicap accessible , you never said if you needed handicap access or not , you just inquired about it and then when I personally meet your party NO one was mobility impared at all . Sorry if you felt our furnishings at a lake front cottage were not up to your "big city" standards . The screen dooors worked fine sorry you could not figure out how to latch them ...also there are probely 30 windows in the house facing every direction so if you wanted fresh air you could have easily opened any of them .

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Guest: Shane & Lorne Ellis (Pasadena, MD)
Date of Stay: 09/17/09 Review Submitted: 09/17/09

We rented this wonderful property in May for our son's graduation from Syracuse University. Family members from Nevada, Maine, and Maryland were able to relax and enjoy this lovely, clean, home with gorgeous views of Lake Skaneatles. There was ample space for everyone in the home. We enjoyed the lake, toured a winery, and of course attended graduation ceremonies at Syracuse University. Being together at your vacation home was one of the highlights of the graduation weekend. Thank you for allowing us to rent this comfortable lake house!

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Guest: Chris117 (Goffstown, NH)
Date of Stay: 12/02/08 Review Submitted: 12/02/08

We rented this house for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. The house is AWESOME. The dining area can accommodate a large group which worked well for our Thanksgiving dinner. The downstairs was great for the kids and having two bedrooms with their own baths was just great. The living room/siting area allowed everyone space to watch TV, play games or read without getting in each other's way. Nice appliances, well stocked kitchen and beautiful views. The deck and patio would be great in the summer. We will certainly book again.

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Guest: Christine21 (Garden City, NY)
Date of Stay: 04/29/08 Review Submitted: 04/29/08

Our second visit was even better than the first. This home is a can't miss for any family. The large family room downstairs will keep children (and adults) entertained for hours on end. The views are magnificent from every room and the proximity to town make this the perfect family vacation home. The owners are also extremely professional, courteous & a pleasure to deal with!

Owner response:Christine, thanks to both you & Rich, of course 3 x here ... hope u like it ...

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/09/07 Review Submitted: 09/09/07

Our four-generation family found lots of comfortable bedroom space and many bathrooms. We cooked many meals both in the kitchen and on the outdoor grill. There is a nice big balcony overlooking the lake where we often ate and where we sometimes just relaxed in hammock. The yard space is big both in front and in back. Take baseball, Frisbee and other outdoor game equipment. Some of the furniture and fixtures are a bit tired but ok for a lake cottage. Even when the weather is bad there is lots to do in this spacious “camp.” On rainy days we used the many TV’s, the pool table, and the ping-pong table. The village of Skaneateles is very “cute” and fun. The Skaneateles Marina is less than a mile south of the cottage and within walking distance. We rented a pontoon boat there. The dock can handle nearly any boat.

Owner response:I think u said it ALL !!! Thanks

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Guest: Jim13 (Baltimore)
Date of Stay: 06/29/07 Review Submitted: 06/29/07

One of the best vacations homes we have rented. Great for children!!

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Guest: Polly Handy (-)
Date of Stay: 05/08/07 Review Submitted: 05/08/07

We reconnected with old friends and their children and had a blast. It is a terrific house with an ideal location. We so enjoyed the game room and the fire ring by the lake. What a memorable weekend. We can't wait for next year

Owner response:Polly, again as always looking forward to seeing you again Nick

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Guest: Maggi Lanni (Larchmont, New York)
Date of Stay: 11/30/06 Review Submitted: 11/30/06

What a gorgeous house and the most beautiful spot on the lake!!! The house had so much room and the children never left the downstairs playroom with pool table, ping pong, TV and fireplace. I could see how perfect the beach area would be for the summer and flat yard to play sports. Thank you again! Maggi, Joe and Family

Owner response:Maggi, again thanks for being a multi time guest Thanks Nick

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Guest: Rich6 (Fort Salonga, NY)
Date of Stay: 10/31/06 Review Submitted: 10/31/06

Absolutely beautiful home. Very clean and lived up to everything quoted in the listing. Would definitely recommend!

Owner response:Rich, Always a pleasure to have multi time returning guests , such a compliment Thanks

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Guest: Bill & Karen
Date of Stay: 08/14/06 Review Submitted: 08/13/06

Just the most breathtaking home we could have ever imagioned, pictures just can't describe the views or peace & tranquility you get !!!!

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Guest: k & k
Date of Stay: 08/12/06 Review Submitted: 08/11/06

Thank You ,Thank You , see you next year

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