We visit GMF every summer, but our family cabin a few blocks away was unavailable. This was our first vrbo-type rental so wasn’t sure what to expect. There was an initial miscommunication from the owner that the cabin didn’t sleep 8 (3 of us plus 5 of my daughter’s Girl Scout troop), as listed. With nowhere left to book, and an email that sounded as if our paid res would be cancelled, we were extremely stressed. Once over that blip, however, further communications were pleasant and helpful.
The cabin itself is in a great location, and the decks and creek are a treat. There were plenty of dishes, utensils, pots and pans, etc., and some very basic spices, as well as a grill, which was all very handy! It was great the kids could all sleep downstairs together! Additional seating in the down bedroom area might be handy—hard for young teens to “hang” around the dining table. VERY minor, not a real problem at all.
The WiFi, however, was problematic. I inquired about it in advance, b/c we both had a little work that we needed to do over our 12 day stay, and 3 of the girls were supposed attend a virtual info session for school. The internet was so poor, routinely clocking single-digit DOWNload speeds, that even keeping everyone off, work was impossible. In this day and age, we feel reliable internet is critical, since cell service is *very* limited in GMF. We still would’ve stayed, we just would’ve tried to plan better for that in advance had we known.
The other chief complaint was the upstairs bed. We are about average-sized, but it was so small and uncomfortable that after the first night, my husband decided to sleep on the sofa for the 10 remaining nights. The downstairs bed just wasn’t an option for us with the 6 teenage girls. There’s room for at least a queen upstairs, though it would be tight.
Even with the miscommunication, get a decent bed upstairs and reliable internet (our family cabin had it), and this property definitely rates a 5!
