The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly

Photo gallery for The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly

A group of people seated around a campfire in an outdoor setting with trees and a house in the background.
Wicker chairs with cushions, a small wooden table, and a bookshelf with books.
A kitchen with a sink, a coffee maker, and a clock on the wall.
Property grounds
A rustic cabin with a brick chimney, large windows, and a porch area with two white plastic chairs.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • On beach
  • Barbecue grill
  • Pet-friendly
  • Refrigerator
  • Internet
  • Onsite parking available

Explore the area

View in a map
Gilmanton, NH
  • Place, Crystal Lake Park
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • Place, Suncook River
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Lake Winnipesaukee
    ‪19 min drive‬
  • Airport, Concord, NH (CON-Concord Municipal)
    ‪41 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 3

1 Double Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Gilmanton IW

Located in Gilmanton IW, this cottage is in a rural area and on the beach. Sun Day's Salon & Spa, Inc. and Bolduc Park are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Hampshire Pewter Co. and Stand Up Paddleboard NH. Kayaking and water tubing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and mountain climbing nearby.
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Map
Gilmanton, NH

What's nearby

  • Crystal Lake Park - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Suncook River - 5 min drive - 1.3 km
  • Lake Winnipesaukee - 19 min drive - 18.2 km
  • Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook - 35 min drive - 42.3 km
  • Gunstock Mountain Resort - 40 min drive - 43.1 km

Getting around

  • Tilton Station - 28 min drive
  • Laconia, NH (LCI-Laconia Municipal) - 29 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬17 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bay - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Dunkin' - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Shibley's At The Pier - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Aroma Joe's - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property. Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.

How much is parking at The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Shanty, Rustic, natural sand beach, Crystal clear water! Pet Friendly located?

Nestled on the beach, this Gilmanton IW cottage is within 1 mi (2 km) of Crystal Lake Park and Suncook River. Lake Manning and Gilmanton Iron Works Library 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. 27 out of 32 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 32 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 32 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 32 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 32 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The lake the view and the hosts was all amazing we booked a week for next year
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We enjoyed our stay at Crystal Lake. Beautiful views, clear water and cozy well equipped camps. Great hosts. Wonderful for families as it's a sand beach, gradual depth. Total relaxation!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing property! Perfect for our family of young children and dogs. Couldn’t have been more relaxing. Thank you!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Everything I expected! Great times were had with lots of water activities. Hosts were very helpful and gave us our space. Crystal Acres has three rental cottages and the other two buildings are occupied by the hosts. We enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful, relaxing stay.

Wonderful hosts and property. Perfect trip.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great cabin on a peaceful lake
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful location on the lake. Very kind and hospitable hosts. Spectacular view of the lake from beach. Such a special location.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Clear water quiet small lake camp

This cottage, "Shanty" is a rustic camp on a property with three other cottages and a resident home. There is a pretty sandy beach perfect for swimming and simply enjoying both sunrises and sunsets. The lake has loons and good fishing. Alton Bay is only 17 minutes away if you need a short trip to a restaurant or market.
Early morning peaceful beach
Evening sunset
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Jun, 2025
Thanks for your kind words. We enjoyed your stay and seeing you enjoy the beach and lake. Sue
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A perfect week

We had the most amazing week at Crystal Acres! The cabin we stayed in was perfect size for our family and we loved the screened porch. Everything was clean and the kitchen well stocked. The lake is warm and there was so much to do on the property we never left except to grab groceries at one point. We swam every day. The owners are lovely and welcoming. We very much look forward to hopefully returning next summer!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Sept, 2023
We are so glad you had wonderful time! It was a pleasure getting know you and your family. It was such a great week for all the families at the cottages! We hope you will come stay with us again!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Peace at the Lake

Just as described. If what you're looking for is rustic and peaceful, this is it. We didn't need bells and whistles. We needed to escape the busy, and we did here. We were able to easily cook for ourselves, spend quality time playing on a beautiful lake, venture out a little for golf, connect to wifi, and even bring the dog! Hosts were lovely and even had a fire on the beach for us all.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

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

relaxing and restorative

Although the weather wasn't as cooperative as it could have been, the week was full of enough relaxation and restoration in recovering from covid. Able to my challenge my strength with multiple hikes and kayaking on the lake, which was very peaceful.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A little piece of heaven

We had a wonderful week at Crystal Acres. We stayed in the Shanty cabin, it was spotless and very comfortable. We were able to bring our dog, which made the week even more enjoyable. The beach front on the lake was perfect and we also enjoyed the use of the kayaks. We took advantage of the fire pit on the beach several nights. It’s a great way to relax and enjoy the idyllic location. We hope to return in the future.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Crystal Lake house

Had an enjoyable stay
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful week @ the lake

Sue & her daughter were very welcoming & accommodating to my family. The shanty was fine for us but the lake was truly fantastic. Beautiful mountain views, a swim dock to jump off and all sorts of kayaks & canoes to choose from. We enjoyed the beach, swimming & fishing in the lake & hiking some nearby trails. If you're looking for a peaceful week away Crystal Acres is the place.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful location

We enjoyed our stay at Crystal Lake. So peaceful and beautiful. Homeowner was incredibly friendly and welcoming.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

The Most Amazing Vacation Ever

When we arrived we were greeted with smiles and words of welcome. The hospitality of the owners was over the top. The property is very well maintained and safe for kids and adults. The beach is well groomed, sand toys are provided, water crafts were available and they even had plenty of chairs on the beach. All we had to bring was our clothes, food, and personal items. Full kitchen allowed us to cook for the entire family and saved money. We were so happy with our stay that we booked for next summer. Thank you for an awesome time!!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Great time!

I was very lucky to stumble on the wonderful secret that is Crystal Acres. It is completely family run by the kindest people, from hosting a bon fire and cocktails on the beach, giving us their wifi password when the wifi in our cabin went out in a storm, to helping us retrieve something we left behind. They were even very accommodating to our 4 month old puppy, who is still being trained (and not always well behaved). The beach by the lake is so nice and you really can get the best of both worlds (beach and mountains, that is) with the sand to lay out in sun and dig your feet in and the incredible view of the mountains on the other side of the lake. There are more than enough canoes and kayaks for everyone with life jackets of all sizes. Usually planning a getaway for my family starts with deciding if we want to hike and boat in the mountains or lounge on the beach. Well, here you can do both to your hearts content!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Fantastic location!

We had a wonderful week! Weather did not play along but the cottage was cozy and comfortable for us to hang out. Swimming, kayaking and enjoying the lake was beautiful and peaceful. Thank you to the Cloutman family for making our stay so nice. Highly recommended to stay here!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Sept, 2023
Melanie and her family were wonderful guests to have. They enjoyed it even though the "weather didn't play along" which was wonderful. We hope they return.
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Quiet and comfortable

Good
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Relaxing Week and Crystal Acres

COVID interrupted our 2020 travel plans, but finding Crystal Acres was a ray of sunshine in a otherwise dreary year. My family (wife, 3 kids 10 and under, and our dog) greatly enjoyed all the property had to offer. We fished, kayaked, built sand castles, played wiffle ball and soccer, and sat by the fire on the beach enjoying the stars. Sue and Art were wonderful hosts. They were very welcoming and offered suggestions for hiking and other activities in the area. The lake is quiet and relaxing, but the property is not far from a multitude of activities for the whole family to enjoy. We had an amazing week at Crystal Acres and are looking forward to making this trip a tradition going forward. -Lee
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Sept, 2023
These people were a pleasure to have around. The were considerate (cleaning up the beach and toys), friendly and fun. They seemed to have a good time which is what it's all about. We will certainly welcome them back another year.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Perfect

This was exactly what we hoped it would be. A cottage experience on the lake, with a great swimming area and access to kayaks, canoes, etc. Only three rentals on the property so it was a great vacation for these times. Hosts were very gracious and really seemed to enjoy seeing their guests have a great experience. Really fantastic family vacation spot. Will definitely consider returning.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Sept, 2023
This is a cozy cottage that is very popular. It's a 2 bedroom with a fireplace, side porch and eating areas inside, on the porch or outside which people enjoy. We're glad you enjoyed it and hope to see you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A Welcome Getaway

The property and surroundings were welcoming and very relaxed. Everyone involved in our stay was pleasant and helpful as needed. The lake area is beautiful and offers a spectacular view at sunset. It was a very nice place to spend the week.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Relaxing lake property with beach front

This was my first attempt vacationing at a lake with my family. It was so relaxing to swim and lounge. The water is so clean and there are lots of canoes, kayaks, peddleboat, and floats for you to use. We went hiking at Mt Major which had extraordinary views. With the pandemic we didn’t adventure out too far but did visit a nice brewery. Thank you Sue and Art for a wonderful week. See you next year!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Great vacation

We had a fantastic time staying at Crystal Lake. Sue and Art answered all our questions promptly. The beach area was clean and so relaxing. The kids had a blast jumping off the floating dock and playing in the water. Would stay again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Peaceful Getaway

Cozy cottage within walking distance from a lakeside beach with plenty of space to choose either a sunny or shady spot. Also enjoyed the use of the boats. Owners were very friendly and accommodating!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Sept, 2023
Thanks for the kind words, Caroline. You and Paul were certainly wonderful guests. Sorry we couldn't have ordered better weather. Hope we see you again. Sue and Art
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