New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access
The Cottage is a 160-year-old historic home on Pelcher Road in Lake Pleasant New York. It was built in 1862 (during the Civil War), complete with the Grave of Pvt Nicholas Burton a Union Soldier who died in Battle. The house was recently renovated to be a comfortable home with all the modern conveniences but still retains its historic nature. If you are looking for a modern, motel room like place to stay with a king size bed and wide screen TV, then the cottage is not for you.
A half-acre site assures quiet and privacy. It has three bedrooms (two with double beds and a bunk room), two baths, washer and dryer, zoned electric heat and four room air conditioners, satellite TV, VCR, and DVD players. A three-minute walk (or you can drive) leads you to your own semi-private beach on Lake Pleasant. The beach is shared with any guests staying at our other house "The Homestead". The Lake Pleasant Marina is nearby. Boat rental and launch is available at the Marina. You also have snowmobile access to Lake Pleasant from our beach.
The interior has bead board paneling and antique tin ceilings. There is a fully equipped kitchen. A charcoal grill and fire pit are provided. Bed linens and towels are furnished and will be laundered by our cleaning service upon your check out. A large stock of puzzles and board games are furnished on the large wrap around porch. Speculator is 3 minutes away. and has a fully stocked grocery store and numerous dining establishments, both fine and casual.
We have snowmobile access to Lake Pleasant from our beach. Oak Mountain Ski center is just 3 miles away and Lake Pleasant Golf Course is nearby. Camp of the Woods is 2.6 miles away.
Need more room? see our other property listing -"The Homestead" Property # 1333020
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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Pets allowed: dogs and cats less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
Keep pets off furniture and clean after your pets
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Clean dishes and cookware and remove food from refrigerator.
Clean BBQ
Clean Fire pit area
Leave Linens on beds
Turn off heat, fans and AC
No noise after 10 PM
Bring all outdoor furniture back on to porch
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
About the area
Lake Pleasant
Lake Pleasant is home to this holiday home. While the natural beauty of Moffit Beach and Sacandaga River can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can head to Oak Mountain Ski Center.
Is New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.
How much does it cost to stay at New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access?
As of 11 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access on 26 May 2026 start from £186, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is New! Pet Friendly! Stay in an Historic Home with Semi-Private Beach access located?
Situated in Lake Pleasant, this holiday home is 2.3 mi (3.8 km) from Moffit Beach and 2.9 mi (4.6 km) from Sacandaga River. Oak Mountain Ski Center and Moffitt Beach are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
8.8
Excellent
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Was a perfect stay !! Very clean, Very historical and quiet !! Boat rental was easy and walking distance, Osprey nest at the bridge over the inlet !! We had a small accident packing up , Bob and Joan were great !! We will def be back !!
The owners were amazing. Neighbors were extremely helpful. The town was so cute. The beach was super cute and quite. I had a great time. Thank you so much.
As advertised. Lighting was tricky. Not nearly enough power outlets. Maybe some power strips would be helpful. Also, extra toilet paper and paper towels would help too. Loved the location. Thanks for everything!
Nice property and home. Were close by family down the road to meet up with. Grass could use mowing, some outdated things . We enjoyed are stay just the same
Linda C.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified
8/10 Good
Heather B.
5 Sept 2018
A great pet friendly, rustic cottage with convient lake access.
A great pet friendly, rustic cottage with convient lake access and centrally located to other wonderful lakes and hikes.
Just what we wanted when we came to Speculator, and our second year renting. It is an old cottage with a terrific wrap-around enclosed porch that is wonderfully comfortable and good for entertaining our extended family (30+, most staying at Camp of the Woods). It also features a large yard with fire pit and BBQ. The other amenities are older but adequate and consistent with the cottage setting. It is beautifully decorated. And (very importantly for us) we could bring our dog, an integral part of the family.
This was our third stay at this property. It suits our family very well. Being able to have a dog is a real plus. having the enclosed wraparound porch is ideal for rainy weather, and we enjoyed having evening fires in the fire pit. Our only reason for not giving it five stars is that it could be cleaner. There were waste baskets not emptied, and the cleanliness of the sheets was doubtful. The laundry facilities are wonderful and we used them to wash sheets. The floors needed to be vacuumed. Except for those issues, we plan to return and would recommend to other families.
This was our second year staying a week here. We love the enclosed wrap around porch. It doubles our usable space. The laundry was wonderful with 2 little ones. The beds were comfortable except the bottom bunk bed. If 2 people sleep on it, a block of wood is needed to support the outer edge. We were prepared after last year. Being pet friendly there is dog hair on the rugs but we felt comfortable having our dog there.The doll house was a hit as well as the fire pit and charcoal grill. The distance to the lakefront is not a detractor since we could leave our kayaks and canoe there. The stove/oven isn’t in the kitchen but that wasn’t a problem. Having a bathroom on both 1st and 2nd floors was very convenient. We made good use of the grocery store nearby.This place is about as perfect for our 3 generation family vacation as possible.
Lynn H.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
Michael M.
2 Aug 2023
Liked: Check-in
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication
Older Historic Home Rrvview
Initial appearance was good but the lawn was overgrown. The beds were full size, not queen as stated in the description. The porch was cluttered with too many uncomfortable chairs, we ended up placing many on them out of the way in order to create a sitting area for our family. The house itself was cluttered with knick-knacks and stuffed animals. The bath towels were folded but damp, it was unclear if they had been washed and the linens smelled. We had to rewash towels and linens and clean/disinfect all surfaces. Our biggest disappointment was that our host ignored our request to mow the lawn, they never replied. We have small dogs and an infant who could not utilize the yard. They advertised internet access but it was actually the network from another house that we could only connect from the one corner of the front porch. The beach area was ok but was more than a short walk and we had to cross a very busy 55 mph road. This made walking with children and beach toys almost impossible. We loved the area but will be looking at other properties when we return next year.
Michael M.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
Kerry H.
15 Aug 2024
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness
Very disappointing property
One of the reasons I rent a house for vacation is so I can cook for my family instead of having to go out to eat for every meal. This house is NOT set up for cooking. The sink, cabinets and counter space are in a separate room from the refrigerator and stove/oven! All of the cooking implements and utensils are either broken, too old, or too small. It was very challenging cooking with the provided tools. Plus, there is no dishwasher, so I spent my vacation washing dishes for 7 people. Not the worst thing in the world, but certainly not ideal. Every time I used the stovetop, there was a very strong odor of cat urine. Not what you want to smell when cooking!
The beds and pillows were not very comfortable, and the "couch" is a joke. The cushions are so thin you're basically sitting on the frame. We spent most of our time out on the porch, which was much more comfortable.
The lake is a short walk across the street, but is not "semi-private." It's a very small beach sandwiched between a private residence and a busy marina. Once again, not the worst experience, but not the best.
Overall, the house was not very clean, with many cobwebs in the corners and dirt on the floor. Also, the bedroom with the bunk beds had a very strong odor of moth balls, which I found was due to an unopened box of moth balls in the closet.
Bottom line, I do not recommend this place and would not book here again. This house needs new furniture, new beds, and a bunch of cooking stuff to be comfortable.
Unfortunately, the accommodations were the downside to our vacation. I’ll start off with the pros, nice porch, location is good, private beach across the street was awesome for beach play and kayak launching point. Now for the cons, and I like to leave honest reviews in an effort to be constructive but also for others to make informed decisions before renting a place. You’re spending a lot of money and need to know fully what you are getting. This is the first overwhelmingly negative review I’ve ever left for a stay. The house is old, which I don’t have a problem with, as I’ve stayed at old houses before. However, this house needs a lot of updating and upgrades. First and foremost it was dirty, the floors did not look like they had been vacuumed, dirt and cobwebs against baseboards and corners of rooms. My wife tried to vacuum and hose of the vacuum cleaner was significantly clogged. It was rather gross. Beds are size double, no queens for couples, and mattresses are not comfortable at all. Room with bunk beds has an overwhelming stench of moth balls. My boys doused the room in Febreze before going to bed. I know it’s advertised as no Wi-Fi but cellular reception In the area is poor so having that feature would be nice. We had a terrible time communicating w/our family who lived in town due to such poor cell reception. Knick knacks everywhere, breakable stuff that is frustrating for parents of young children. TV is 30+yrs old and sums up the house. “Couch” is terrible.
Everything was good. Just what the ad stated. The only two issues were uncomfortable mattresses and the floors needed to be vaccumed. Had a great time. The porch was amazing. Accommodations were great.
I was traveling with my mother who is in her 70's, two teenage boys and a dog. The Farmhouse is charmingly quirky and in a great location. The wrap around porch was our favorite place to be. The beds were comfortable and the kitchen equipped with most things we needed. The house is minutes away from waterfall hikes, Lake Pleasant and downtown Speculator. There is a busy road to cross and a short trail to the lake access. The hosts were awesome and answered all questions within minutes. We all loved the area and hope to get back some day.
We loved the enclosed, wrap around porch. The distance to the lake wasn’t bad even with 2 littles. Two of the double beds needed some help to be comfortable. The porch had an over abundance of chairs which we arranged to suit our use. It could have been cleaned a bit better. The yard was nice with the raised fire pit but could have been mowed. The laundry was very nice as was the kitchen. cell service was excellent. Having a full bath on both floors was very helpful. The charcoal grill was appreciated. Our 3 yr old granddaughter loved the doll house. Nice dining room and living room. Overall we had a wonderful time staying there for a week and would highly recommend it .Having towels and sheets provided was a real plus.
We are all about outdoor activities and this location was great. The lake access is as shown and is gorgeous. Though I had concerns when we booked the property about the lake access being across the street next to a marina, it is a short walk across a not-busy road; there is a tree line that blocks out the marina view; also, it is a small and pretty marina with two tiny docks, no noise, no smell, bunch of small boats and sailboats, so it did not detract from the featured beach photo. There are also a ton of things to do outdoors. We enjoyed kayaking (rented from that marina), whitewater rafting, hiking, swimming.
The hosts were very responsive to our few minor nits. We couldn't figure out the satellite TV at first and they walked us through it. Had a question about how to put out recycling and they addressed it.
The house itself: The wraparound porch is amazing and we spent most of our time out there (this was summer) lounging and eating our meals (they have a table). There were doll houses and toys that I could see young kids spending hours with. I read the comments about the beds; we had no problems so the mattresses were either replaced or we just don't have back issues.
However, if you are fussy about the layout of your vacation home or have a larger gathering of people who want to hang inside, not on the porch, this is really not the place. It's a typical old house with small, separate rooms. That means no open floor plan, no kitchen island with marble tops, no vaulted ceilings or skylights, no flat screen TV, no modern furniture. The living room was suitable for a family of four wanting to watch TV, not a big group hangout. The hang-out place is the porch, which is where we spent 95% of our time when we were awake, and this was summer. We are a family of four and it suited us just fine, but I have friends who are a little more (ahem) bougie and they would drop dead at the sight of any vacation home without an open floor plan.
The hosts are friendly and answer their phone immediately if you call but otherwise leave you alone. The house has a lot of quirky charm due to age. The property was clean and in good order with clean white paint on beadboard walls and tin ceilings. Surprisingly quiet. We had 4 adults, 2 kids, and a dog comfortably sleeping there. The beds are okay. A/C is an underrated commodity in the Adirondacks and we were happy to have it in all the bedrooms because it was muggy at night this week. A box fan would be handy on the ground floor or on the porch though there are 2 ceiling fans. Both bathrooms have excellent water pressure and hot water. The water tastes good and brews great coffee. The laundry is brand new full sized machines. We felt very comfortable in this house- it’s homey and not fussy. We cooked several meals for 6 people. Plenty of dishes and flatware. The utensils and pans are a mixed bag, but fine. Newer completely clean fridge with no carryover condiments or other mess from previous renters. The charcoal grille is good. The wrap around porch is newly remodeled with luxury vinyl planked floors, cased windows, and a ceiling fan. Great furniture on the porch, including a love seat, chairs, and glider at one end and a picnic table and benches at the other end. That’s where we spent most of our time. The beach is great. Plenty of sand near shore and lots of rocks to stand on underwater. It’s right next to the Marine but that didn’t interfere with swimming at all and it made kayak rentals a breeze. There’s 4 nice poly wood Adk chairs at the beach. You may want to bring a folding chair. We made friends with the renters at the Homestead who share the beach. It’s handy to have Speculator nearby.
My husband’s family owned a camp on Lake Pleasant when he was young, so this was a very nostalgic trip for him. The house was lovely, and the reviews of the porch were spot on! It is a large enjoyable space away from the biting insects! The house was larger than anticipated as well. The photo of the chairs by the lake is the private beach area, but it is not on the property. It is across the street, but very close and easily accessed. We plan to return to the area next year, and would gladly stay at this home again!
We had 4 adults and 3 kids (ages 8-14 years) staying here, and were very comfortable with the 3 bedrooms. The beach is a short walk (< 1 block) and perfect for swimming and kayaking, with sand bottom and clear, pristine water. The 4 Adirondack chairs and views were as in the photo, and we enjoyed it very much. To clarify, though, the small beach area is bordered by the marina (row of trees and a bit of a rock peninsula provides nice separation) and neighbor's house, so it is not quite as isolated as picture suggests, but still a beautiful property. The house is a bit quaint and quirky--as we expected for a historic property. The refrigerator and stove are technically in the dining room, with the sink and rest of kitchen in a small room off the dining room-- but it worked fine, and we made some great meals. The porch and yard are fantastic, with a picnic table and lots of space on the porch for games or outdoor dining that is protected from bugs. The fire pit was also ready to go (wood easy to buy in town), and kids enjoyed playing games in the yard. We look forward to staying here again!
Chad & Angela H.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
Verified
4/10 Poor
Mary R.
6 Jul 2021
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness
Lacked Cleanliness & 2 of 3 Beds Were Not Usable
Nice exterior and wrap around porch. We found cleanliness of kitchen and bedrooms unacceptable. We described 3 specific examples to the owner - coffee maker, hardened cat poop & cat hair balls in master bedroom & dirty kitchen floor. Also towels and bedding were found all over bedrooms, in closets, dressers and dryer in laundry room. Not sure what was clean and what was not. And mattress in 2nd bedroom was sagging so that 2 small adults were very uncomfortable. Could not use 3rd bedroom as no bedding and the main bed in that room was supported by two 2X4’s under 1 post; if the bed moved
while sleeping it could have fallen over. Overall so disappointing we left cottage a day early and returned home.
Mary R.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Aug 2021
We’re so sorry for your negative experience! We greatly value your feedback so we can better serve our future guests. We hope that someday you’ll be able to return when the weather is better, and be able to experience all that our property and the Adirondacks have to offer.
We enjoyed our stay. Semi-private beach, screened in porch were amazing! Beds could be better.
This property felt like home from the first moment. Family spent one talking, playing games, and enjoying each other. Was an amazing time in a nice house. Beds could be better, one was super soft other was like rock no in between. Other than that was a great property. Porch was amazing and was where we spent 90% of our time. Owners were responsive before, during and after our time spent at the property.
Great getaway with family! So quiet and peaceful with private lake access. Check in / out was so easy and seamless. The best part was that we were able to bring our three labs! The screened in porch was perfect for hanging out together on evenings.
We stayed the whole winter of 2020 to 2021. It snowed a lot and was beautiful. We had a fantastic time here. Bob and Joanie were wonderful hosts . The house is warm and cozy and we had fun with the large stock of board games and puzzles. There was plenty to do including amazing hikes by frozen waterfalls, snowmobiling on the lake and on trails and the ski resort less than 10 minutes away. Lake pleasant does a great job of keeping the roads clear. Highly recommended. I just sign your name
Chris B.
Stayed 182 nights in Oct 2020
About the host
Hosted by Robert V Wood
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests