Mallard Cottage, Just For The Two Of You and.......Your Pet!!

We stayed at the Mallard Cottage over the Labor Day weekend and had a wonderful time. The cottage is very well appointed, clean, comfortable and more than spacious enough for the two of us and our dog. The hosts (Inez and Tom) were wonderful, providing suggestions for places to hike and visit during our stay. They were also always available and helpful if we needed anything (we locked our keys in the cottage one day), yet gave us plenty of privacy to enjoy our time alone. The wraparound deck is very big and the views from there are amazing. The pictures on the website of the sunrise don’t do it justice, it was spectacular… and if you don’t want to get up to view it just open the blinds on the bedroom door and you can see it from the bed, very unique.

Their two dogs were fun and playful and unlike one of the other reviews suggests, they did not bother us at all… when our dog wanted to run and play they were willing partners and when she wanted to come back in the house to rest they went about their business in the field.

We had been to the Finger Lakes area once before staying on the top side of Seneca Lake and for us this location was so much better. Coming from the south (NYC area) it was a shorter drive, close to the town of Ithaca where there were plenty of shops and restaurants (most pet friendly), and also a short drive from many top wineries, and Watkins Glen. It was also walking distance (1.5 miles) from Robert Treman State Park, which had a very nice walking trail and many falls, not as big as Watkins Glen but also not as crowded. We visited there three times and two of those times there were very few people (Fri late in the day, and Sat early morning).

We are already planning our next visit… even though we had the long weekend there was so much to do and see, as well as just relax and enjoy the accommodations that we wanted more time. I highly recommend staying in either the Mallard House or the other units at the Enfield Manor. We were able to view the two rooms in the B&B and they are very nice as well. My only hesitation in writing this review is that if it becomes too popular it will be harder for us to make future reservations 😊�.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Mallard Cottage, the hosts, and the property! I stayed there recently with no idea where Newfield, NY was located! I arrived to find a cottage that was converted from a studio to a well appointed cottage with a Dutch or European sensibility. The windows all open wide to let in a cool breeze. The doors also had screens available so fresh air could flow through the cabin. AC was available but not needed. The cottage felt much bigger than its size. Everything was so well proportioned. The deck and gardens were lovely and open for me and my dog to enjoy. The hosts, Inez and Tom, were delightful to chat with. Tom gave excellent directions for where to walk and hike with the dog. Their two golden retrievers were quite adorable and friendly to both me and my dog. The two host dogs quickly showed my dog the property boundary and shared their kennel. To have both a kennel and quite friendly host dogs is quite rare in my full time travels with my pet. We were able to enjoy the property and walk to nearby fields and hike to the Robert Treman State Park. All quite nice - You will not be disappointed!

The Mallard cottage was great. It had everything you could want including beautiful views and very accommodating hosts. Just minutes from two of the beautiful gorges that make Ithaca so interesting.

Spent a week at Mallard Cottage in August and couldn't ask for a better experience. The cottage is the perfect size for two people. The place was clean and comfortable with a spectacular view from the porch. The hosts are right next door and were the perfect combination of being helpful (offering to clean the cottage mid-stay, recommending things to do, helping with a power outage, letting us use their clothesline) but also very respectful of our privacy. The place is located on a quiet road just a few miles from Robert H. Treman park. If you like to hike and bike Buttermilk Falls, Connecticut Hill and the lakes are all just a short drive away. Downtown Ithaca is also very close as is Cayuga lake. Can't wait to go back!

Although the setting was very quaint & tiny guest house cute/clean, it was right next to the owners B&B offering little privacy especially from their two large dogs sharing the same yard. While this was disclosed, we didn't realize their dogs would be outside from early morning to evening unleashed & so close to the rental. Their dogs would not give our dogs any space to explore or go potty, which was intimating to our dogs. We couldn't even enjoy the deck most of the time because their dogs were always near by which caused both sets of dogs to start barking. It became so problematic that the owner asked us to text her each time we let our dogs out so she could rally their dogs to a kennel temporarily. Even when we weren't outside, we had to keep all the blinds closed 24/7 to avoid our dogs getting stressed because their dogs were always in view.

In addition, besides the bed, there were only two chairs to 'lounge' on & the owners didn't allow dogs on furniture. We also were told to take our dogs on the edge of the property as not to disturb their B&B guests, but we would often hear their dogs bark, even in the early AM. Our dogs were always leashed & only barked when their dogs came around. One of the dogs was prone to jumping & we were instructed to discipline if needed. Overall much of our disappointment was with the dog situation.

Some other issues during our stay: they had WIFI issues that we had to report because we were able to stream from our devices midweek. The owner did call their ISP, and this was resolved the last day we were there. There were some other oddities that I don't have room to mention here but overall my husband & I (& our dogs) never felt truly relaxed during our stay. We are private, quiet people who take great care of our dogs & always leave any rental we stay spotless. This was our first vacation since I got diagnosed with a critical health issue & we needed much R&R. Unfortunately it was not the best situation for us & our dogs.