After visiting this lake for many years, we finally had the opportunity to purchase a home on the lake in 1999. We restored this home over a period of several years. Then, in 2006, when this property became available, we decided to purchase it and build Lilac Cottage as a rental.
From the onset, we wanted to provide a unique experience for our guests. We had heard so many 'horror' stories of people renting cottages and being very disappointed when they arrived and actually saw the property. Often, we heard of cottages being so dirty that the first day would be consumed with cleaning it themselves. Also, we heard stories of cottages in poor repair with shoddy furniture, and appliances, and not fully equipped.
We decided to provide a very clean cottage with all of the modern amenities . . . a place we would love to stay in ourselves (and we are very picky people). So we built the cottage - well insulated, oak woodwork, cute decor, nice carpet, good furniture, good equipment, extra clean, nice linens, multiple TVs, a small stereo with music, games, etc. There would be no 'roughing it' for our guests. And outside, there would be a nice patio, chairs, a good grill, several small 'fun' boats, etc.
Our efforts paid off. We have repeat guests every year and even our new guests comment on how the cottage is one of the nicest ones they have ever rented. We are very proud of that.
So yes, our standards are high. We expect our guests to treat our property kindly - that way, we can continue to provide a very nice experience for our visitors.