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Tom's rustic private cottage

Photo gallery for Tom's rustic private cottage

A wooden dock extending into calm water with two Adirondack chairs facing each other.
A snow-covered forest path leading to a cabin with a brick exterior.
A cabin surrounded by trees, with a small porch and a shed nearby.
A room with a large window, a quilted table, two chairs, a clock, and a welcome sign.
A room with two beds, a clock, and a sign that reads "Relax you're on LAKE X TIME."

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • On the beach
    A rare beachfront property in the area - enjoy direct access to the beach and sea.

Popular amenities

  • On beach
  • Deck or patio
  • Air-conditioning
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Kitchen
  • Pet-friendly

Explore the area

View in a map
Barry's Bay, ON
  • Place, Serran Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Wadsworth Lake
    ‪18 min walk‬
  • Place, Golden Lake
    ‪30 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

1

1 Double Bed

2

1 Double Bed

3

1 Single Bunk Bed

Living

1 Double Futon

Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Dining area

Add dates for prices

Similar properties

View from Deck
Lake House Barry's Bay
Barry's Bay
  • Kitchen
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space
10.0 out of 10, Exceptional, (14 reviews)
Lake House Barry's Bay

About the area

Madawaska Valley

Located in Madawaska Valley, this cottage is on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Carson Lake Provincial Park and Serran Lake, while Polish Kashub Heritage Museum and Grumblin' Granny's are cultural highlights. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing, and don't miss out on the ice skating and snowmobiling.
View more Cottages in Madawaska ValleyOpens in a new window
Map
Barry's Bay, ON

What's nearby

  • Serran Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Wadsworth Lake - 18 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Canoe Lake - 15 min drive - 14.2 km
  • Water Tower Park - 20 min drive - 19.0 km
  • Golden Lake - 30 min drive - 34.2 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Bent Anchor Bar - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Heartwood Restaurant - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Fast Eddy's Home Made Fries - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Smaczny Fries and ice cream - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Tom's rustic private cottage pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 453 kg per pet.

How much is parking at Tom's rustic private cottage?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Tom's rustic private cottage?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Tom's rustic private cottage?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Tom's rustic private cottage located?

Situated on the beach, this cottage is within 1 mile (2 km) of Serran Lake and Wadsworth Lake. Franks Lake and Kuiack Lake are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 48 out of 57 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 57 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 57 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 57 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 57 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved everything about it! Location was beautiful and so peaceful. Surrounding areas have great places to stop and look around, swim etc. We fished, swam and enjoyed nature for 5 days. Couldn't ask for better!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Location
Good idea too tell clients that the lake doesn't allow motors since people may not think to check. Also if u provide a boat for fishing it should be usable since we were there to fish n the boat was taking on water. Even notifying the host we went without it the whole stay.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Aug 2026
"No motor boats" rule is clearly called out in the rental agreement. However, to add further clarity I've added an additional call out in the house rules. As for the boat, I have acknowledged the boat was leaking and have ordered a replacement part right away, however it did not get here on time to fix the boat during guest's stay. I should also point out that the guest broke one of our chairs and agreed to pay for it during their stay, but withdrew the intent in light of above issues after stay. I have agreed to waive the fee.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Tom’s rustic cabin was a lovely stay.Amenities were exactly as advertised, and the availability of two kayaks was a great surprise. The area is quiet and peaceful, with a small lake that’s still big enough to explore and enjoy. Views are great, and the night sky is incredible.The kitchen has everything you need, and the washroom/shower is clean with good water pressure and reliably hot water. Overall, a comfortable, relaxing spot. I would happily return.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The waterfront was amazing and proximity to town was helpful.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Spott

Perfect 3 days in a stunning place.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was very clean, we had a great stay. The host was very helpful with any questions we had.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice big property, beautiful lake view with fire pit. Cozy cottage
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location on beautiful lake. The cottage has everything you could need for a stay. Tom was responsive host. Excellent place.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A nice cabin with basic necessities available. Peaceful and quiet.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weeklong getaway at the bay

Lovely weeklong getaway. Lots of opportunity to boat, fish, beach, enjoy a nighttime campfire, and be one with nature. Pet friendly, which was necessary and fantastic!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

Wonderful
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Getaway

Cottage had everything our family needed. We enjoyed the peacefulness and privacy.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Tom's Rustic Cottage was a great escape from the city. The cottage had everything we needed, bedding, kitchen supplies, and a fire pit for smores. The lake was clean, peaceful, and didn't have any seaweed tickling my toes. Best of all, we were able to bring our dogs and spend a week with them enjoying the outdoors. Great Stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great weekend adventure

Awesome cabin in the woods, lake access was easy and close, tons of nearby trails and close to barrys bay for everything you might need, including a nice cafe.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

perfect

as we we're there for the rally in the valley, the cottage suited our needs perfectly. and the fire it is a total bonus.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Gorgeous hidden gem

This property/cabin is so perfect for me, beautiful big private space, all amenities, well located, with a super attentive and talented host. Thanks for the wonderful stay, Tom. We’ll be back for sure!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

this property was awesome!!!!

We really enjoyed ourselves. The cottage was spotless!!! quiet with absolutely everything that one would need to have a complete restful stay. Thank you... we will be back.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
No unexpected surprises, everything was as described.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very relaxing after long road trip

We should have stayed a bit longer, Tom's cottage is perfect to calm down and relax after a long and intensive sightseeing road trip through USA and Canada. No motor boats on the lake, the next busy road quite far away - best place to relax. We liked also on evenings to make BBQ with the gas grill and the camp fire in the fire pit . I hope there is a next time to get there.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect private getaway!

We had a great time! Easy self check in greeted by very clean and well organized accommodations. Everything that we needed was there with some extras like coffee, toilet paper, bed linens and wifi for rainy days. Great welcome binder with lots of handy information. We loved the dock, use of the boat and quiet location for bonfires. Very picturesque! Very thankful to have found such a great spot that allowed our dog. We would definitely book again!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 31 Aug 2020
Thank you Andrea for a great review. It was a pleasure hosting you. You're welcome to come back anytime.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

Me and two friends went for some fishing and relaxation. Great little spot. Shallow water off the dock so we caught lots of jumbo perch. Cleanliness was excellent and we forgot our bluetooth speakers at home so it was a nice surprise that one was provided. Nice to have a row boat with the rental as well. Host was very responsive and friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Super location

Stay was wonderful! View of the lake from cottage was amazing. Cottage right on the water. Close to our favourite restaurant the Wilno Tavern. Close to charming little parks and beaches and hiking trails. Only stayed for 2 nights and wished we booked longer. Went in October. Only minor thing was the sofa was very uncomfortable to sit on and watch tv. Tom followed up with us which I thought was great. Thanks Tom.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Vacation

Our time at this rustic cabin was wonderful. The host's communication was perfect and the description was almost spot on. This cottage provided us the opportunity to relax, read, swim and spend time with each other. The weather was amazing so we were outside almost all day every day. The beach is great, we did a couple of paddles on the kayaks and the boys did some fishing (little perch). The cottage is very private and the lake is serene and quiet enough to hear the loon. The boys loved the zip line and the view was amazing. Thank you to our host for sharing your little gem.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Disliked: Location

Disappointed

Booked Victoria Day weekend (Sat & Sun) 2025. Arrived to find a swarm of mosquitoes outside. Raining at the time. Felt the ad should include a warning for this time of year for potential renters who are not used to mosquitoes. There was power outage shortly after we arrived after a very light, short storm. Tom kept updating us on the restoration of power, which never happened. So no power, no TV (remote lost), no water - we carried buckets of water from the lake to flush the toilet, no outdoor activity (endless mosquitoes), no use of fridge - our food was starting to spoil by the second day. We therefore departed by 8am on the second day. Tom never offered to cancel our stay. Kept saying it wasn't in his control. Only after I explained to him that a reasonable person would have back-up power source, did he refund the second day's fee. He wanted to refund less than half the second day's fee and 50% off our next stay - probably knew we'd never book again :). Be aware also that Tom rambles a lot. Waste of customers' time. No renter wants to speak with a cottage owner more than they have to. The cottage did feel a bit isolated as it's set back at bit in the woods. Not like the cottages on the lakes whichwe've rented in the past. Cant tell from the photos on VRBO. ofcyear
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 28 May 2025
1. Broke house rule right off the bat - arrived at 2:30pm, checkin time is after 3 pm, no communication of early arrival whatsoever. 2. Complained about everything I could not control in the first 15 mins of arrival - the weather, the bugs, the cottage location, the cell signal. 3. Power outage was unfortunate, it happens from time to time, especially related to the weather. I did my best to communicate from Hydro but it is what it is. I also offered my help and visited the place to bring in water supplies to lessen the burden. Also, we have a backup battery system but it failed prematurely due to a technical issue, again outside of my control. 4. The 50% off next visit is a standard offer we have when things go wrong and we've had guests use that in the past for exactly the same reason that happened in this case - power outage. 5. The remote control for the TV was lost by the previous guest. I communicated that clearly and advised the work around that the TV can be controlled through the app. Unfortunately some things cannot be fixed/replaced with back to back bookings when there's literally just few hours in between guests, but I always communicate these things and try to provide a mitigation as a means of workaround.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a wonderful stay at this cottage in Barry's Bay. The view was absolutely stunning, and the property was incredibly private and peaceful—perfect for a relaxing getaway.The cottage was spotless upon arrival and had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. It was especially well-equipped for families with children, with plenty of amenities that made traveling with kids easy and enjoyable. Our daughter was obsessed with the zipline our entire stay! We appreciated the use of the boat and kayaks! Communication with our host was super easy. Instructions for the cottage were readily accessible and super helpful. The public beach and the fry-shack just down the road were amazing gems to discover. We also appreciated the firewood for our campfires!If you're looking for a quiet retreat with beautiful scenery and all the comforts of home, this cottage is an excellent choice. We would happily stay here again, in fact, we're eagerly waiting for an opening to book next summer!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2026
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