This is a decent casual house for vacationing at the lake. If you’re looking for that special place with extra charm, however, this isn’t it.
Just walking around the property, the flower beds and planters were full of weeds, no flowers. There was dog poo in the side yard by the patio, maybe from the previous renter (?). The picnic table had a soggy paper towel roll on it. When grilling out, my husband remained standing to avoid the ants climbing on the picnic table.
There is a small iron grate in the grass just off the sidewalk that is overgrown with weeds. I tripped and fell our first day there because I didn’t see it, banging up my knee.
Inside the house, there were cleanliness and maintenance issues: bedsheets with an old stain, a very wobbly kitchen stool. My dog found an old bone in a recliner chair, and I also found a pen and some ear buds among the detritus. The Keurig machine didn’t work, and it had stale water sitting in it.
Then there are the stairs. It’s hard to see from the photos, but the stairs leading from the upper living area down to the main floor are steep and a bit slippery. The hosts have a baby gate that we used. We rented the place because it’s dog friendly, but the stairs aren’t.
The bathroom upstairs was nice, with a jetted tub and great shower head. Too bad it’s up all those stairs. The downstairs toilet is so old, the seat is round.
And then there were the ticks. On Day 2, we spent the afternoon sitting out by the lake in the wooden chairs. And got ticks, nine of them. That ended our ability to sit out by the lake or use the fire pit. Two days later, we found more ticks on us and in the screened-in porch. I emailed our host who said the lawn had been treated a few weeks prior but unfortunately, there was nothing else to be done due to approaching storms.
Seems part of the reason for the ticks was because the neighbor hadn’t mown his yard in quite awhile. Still, if you know people are going to be using your outdoor area, be zealous in making that area safe for humans and pets.
The last Vrbo place we stayed felt welcoming and homey, like the hosts had made an effort. Not here.