"In submitting reviews, I always look for both positives and negatives so that someone reading the review can get a clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of a property. This one however is very challenging as I would have to get very nit-picky to find any negatives. For example, maybe there should be 4 otters instead of only 3 that live in the cove next door.
Pictures on the site are great and really do a good job conveying the property, but here are things I noticed that maybe pictures cannot convey:
-View- The view is amazing. Because the property is on its own peninsula, and there are just the right amount of trees, you are both sheltered and secluded from the sun but at the same time, you have almost perfect views out of all the front windows of the cabin.
-Neighbors- you almost don't know there are any. There is a house barely visible on the hill behind the cabin and they have there own small access to the lake. You barely knew anyone was back there. The tiny house to the left, as you look at the lake, is almost not visible from anywhere on the property except for the fire pit and extreme side of the dock. Way across the lake you have some houses and the dam. So, if you are looking for seclusion/privacy, this is a great property. Also, it is one of the quieter places on the lake too.
-Outside Amenities- First the, well I'm calling it a boardwalk, the size of lake access with the dock is amazing. I mean, it almost feels like the 3 ladders/steps into the water might not be enough due to the shear length of this dock. If you are fishing, there are PLENTY of places to cast from on the property. The property of course comes with a lot of kayaks and 2 paddleboards. Some are showing their age, but the ones I used were all more than fine. There is a floating platform that you can swim out to and jump off of. It is very well maintained. In fact, you can tell all the decking is virtually brand new synthetic decking. And yes, there is a gate at the top of the boathouse deck for jumping in the water. None of us were brave enough to test it out. The Viking grill is amazing, it puts my new Weber to shame. The hot tub was great and well maintained. And the fire pit came with plenty of supplied wood and very comfortable chairs.
-Access- My mother's mobility is poor. This property was very easy for her to access. There is a spot to pull right up to the cabin and park and then there is extra parking further up the hill. There are steps down to the water, but they are not difficult at all to traverse. Many of the properties on Lake Lure are difficult to navigate. This is not one of them.
-One small outside negative- I found that when swimming, if I wanted to walk from one side of the boathouse to the other, I had to walk down a small 5-6 foot wide gap between the boathouse and retaining wall. The problem is that, the surface was crushed rock and this was difficult on the feet. This is one of those very mild nit-picks. I mean really, I could have just had used a pair of flip flops to walk back and forth with no issues.
-We opted for the pontoon rental and it was great. You aren't going to win any races with the new Mercury engine, but then again, why would you want to? It's perfect for lazy rides around the lake. On our many outings we saw beavers, osprey and plenty of ducks and geese on Lake Lure.
-Easy access to food- It is very close to Ingles, which is your primary food store/gas station in town.
-Bugs- I'm guessing the property owner sprays for bugs. Very few mosquitoes or biting bugs and I never saw a single bug inside the cabin other than a fly that followed me in one day.
Another extremely minor negative- The property is home to many beautiful white oaks. But one interesting thing about white oaks is that they constantly shed bark, which means you end up with bark on the decking. Of course, this property owner loves his property and makes sure that it is well maintained. We had a clean up crew come during our stay and blow all the decks clear. Amazingly by morning there was more bark on the deck. I don't know if it is even really a negative. It adds charm to the property, and the trees are absolutely amazing.
Bedding- Always an area of concern for my family is the quality of the bedding. The mattresses were great. The sheets were soft. In fact my mother made me look at the tag so that I could order her some. Pillows were very comfortable.
Communication- We all know that communication is important. Some property owners are very much, hope you like our property, let us know if you have any issues. This property owner you can tell loves his property and wants to ensure you are enjoying it. Communication was great before/during/ and after our stay. And very quick to respond. I mean one day, it took a few hours to get a response. His excuse was that his daughter was getting married and he was preoccupied. Come on man, get your priorities straight!! Of course I am jesting here. A++ on communication.
Cabin- Well congratulations for still reading. I left the best for last. The owner took a once derelict cabin and gutted it and made it postcard quality. There are nice touches everywhere and plenty of nice amenities. Cabin cuteness with modern everything- check. Central A/C in all the rooms- check. Gas fireplace- check. Big screen tv with access to cable tv and Netflix- check. WIFI- check. Google assistant in every single room- check. Color altering LED lights inside and out- check. Washer/dryer- check. Keuring coffee maker- check. Large kitchen with every appliance you need- check. Tastefully decorated and well maintained property- check. Large Viking grill- check. 3 otters instead of 4 otters- bummer of a check. Sarcastic reviewer whose family had an absolute blast at the cabin- big check.
Reviewed By: Paul M.