The cottage, the setting and the location were all very nice, and we all (two adults and four kids) enjoyed our week there. The cottage is a perfect mix of rustic and homey, and though it’s modest in size, its layout made it easy for the six of us to prepare meals, relax and entertain ourselves without feeling crowded or in each other’s way.
As long as casual paddling, swimming and fishing are your speed (which are for us), the pond (feels more like a lake) is ideal - not too big, and not too small. There are some nice canoeing/kayaking destinations that make for nice adventures - including a family of Bald Eagles nesting on one of the islands. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that there were hardly any power boats on the water - 2 or 3 sightings all week.
With all the benefits of the cottage, there are a few things that you do need to be aware of. For example, the proximity of Rt. 26, as pointed out in other reviews, is really pretty close to the cottage and lake’s edge, and yes as pointed out in other reviews car and truck noise is present. Rt. 26 isn’t a major highway, but there is fast moving traffic that can be heard and seen from the dock. I was able to ignore the noise after the first day, but my wife had a harder time of it. Also, there are train tracks on the other side of 26, and on at least a few nights during the week freight trains blowing their horns rumbled by at 11:00pm and 3:30am - waking and scaring members of our family. So, if you have light sleepers with you, you should be aware of this.
The sleeping arrangements have 4 bunk beds (2 sets of 2) and a full size bed in one large bunk room and separate bedroom on the second floor. Given the “rustic” nature of the cottage, the bunk room isn’t very well isolated from the dish washing noise and conversations downstairs. Again, not a deal-breaker, but something to be aware of when thinking about the fit for your family - for some this will not be an issue, for other with sleep issues, you should be aware.
Finally, in the spirit of being aware… there is no dishwasher or laundry on site. We used the laundry facilities at the camp ground on the other side of Rt. 26. Again, just some things to keep in mind when planning.
All-and-all, it was very nice stay.
