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4/10 Poor
D & G
Nov 19, 2020
Do Not Recommend This Property
I thought long and hard before deciding to write a review. I was hoping that the owner would have chosen to do the right thing by resolving my concerns & granting my refund request prior to writing, but I guess I will do what I feel is right and let other travelers know of our experience. First of all, the information I received after confirming my reservation (I took screen shots) stated that an 4-W or all wheel vehicle was recommended during winter months. This should be a recommendation for ALL months. If you're coming up without one of these, beware! Our SUV had LOTS of trouble getting up the mountain. We stalled out, burned rubber, balded our tires and the emergency light on my vehicle continued to go off as we tried to make it up the mountain (took video). Upon arriving, we met Barbara who had just come down the smaller mountain on her ATV by the homes she rented. We let her know we could not find the property. Rather than getting into her ATV & showing us where to go, she gave directions to the home which we had passed twice because the properties are poorly marked; how hard is it to get some quality signs dug into the ground so guests can easily find where they are going? We arrived in the home and thought it was outdated, but it's a cabin so that didn't bother us one bit. We walked up the stairs and noticed hair balls on the stairs. Walked into the Master Bedroom to see that the TV which is pictured in her photos, was absent; one of the things we look for when we rent is a TV in the master as we enjoy curling up and falling asleep to shows. We texted Barbara and she let us know it wasn't there and had "poor picture." If you dont have something in photos, update the photos. The heat is run by an old fashioned gas fireplace - which is also fine, but the thermometer is right next to it so it kicks off within minutes and it gets COLD in the fall/winter (lows were 38), but we managed with blankets. The bathroom is very large which was nice, i'll give it that, but the shower had hair in it. We didn't have issues with bedding, but the mattress is HORRIBLE! It has lumps and bumps in it as though it is years and years old. When you run a rental (which I have) sleep is incredibly important. For a small investment into a new, solid mattress ($800), you're going to get a return with great reviews! I like to think of it as going without a few weeks worth of payment to ensure my guests have what they want/need which creates a great return. -- on to equality important things, since we knew we were "off grid" we brought a refrigerator full of food. We took out a pan that was in the cabinet and it had food all over it; as though someone had made a pizza and put it back. Gross. When we went to cook in the oven, since I read reviews it took awhile to preheat, it actually took TWO hours to heat and even then, our bread that should have taken 9-12 minutes in the oven, took an additional 1 hour to cook. WHAT?! So we decided the next night we would use the grill to have some burgers we brought. Well, the grill didn't turn on well and was absolutely filthy. It was filthy on the outside and definitely needed a deep scrub on the inside. So now we had a house with no functioning cooking amenities and our vehicle could barely get up the mountain.... We considered texting Barbara, but what could she possibly do now that we were there? Its not as though she is going to come in and clean, get a new oven and BBQ or start washing dishes... and we shouldn't have to deal with things when we are paid guests at a home. Overall, here is what I would recommend as someone who owns properties: hire a professional cleaner & dont try to clean homes yourself, invest in a new mattress, update your photos and description to state all wheel and 4W vehicles during ALL months; be transparent - yes, you'll get fewer people, but that's the risk when purchasing properties that are not easily accessible. Its the little touches people remember: good quality coffee, creamer in the fridge, a basket of fruit and a note and its the larger things that keep people from getting upset and leaving reviews. When all else fails and you've done a poor job, resolve it immediately and treat guests how you would hope to be treated. As for Evolve, they have done a great job (thus far) with advocating after viewing the photos we sent. Cheers!
