This house was in good condition and worked great for our group of four. The location was also very relaxing and the owner was nice. Was overall a great experience to stay at this cabin!
We were looking for something peaceful in the Northwoods and this was perfect. It was very comfortable, clean and quite. The views were fantastic and the sunset incredible.
Great quite location. Breath taking views of nature. Host was very friendly and helpful. I recommend renting the pontoon for $60 a day that the host has on site.
We had a superb time staying here! The place was perfect for us and the Lake was beautiful! The space had everything we needed and was very clean! The Lake water was crystal clear and we loved the ability to rent the pontoon! Craig was fantastic and went well out of his way to make our stay great! Thanks Craig!
Our family had a terrific time staying in this lower unit of the owner's home. Our host was terrific and engaging and our rental unit was very clean and nice. We LOVED the location, the views, the wildlife, and the relative solitude of the lake. Our teens had a wonderful time boating, tubing, wakeboarding and fishing. Only wonderful things to say about this stay and we hope to be back some day!
Location is beautiful. Lake access is steep but well worth it. The house is adorable and very well equipped with most everything youâd need. The owners do live above and movement can be heard. Didnât bother us. Would suggest motion lighting by stairs for better visibility to the door for nights.
The renterâs unit is in the lower duplex and the owner lives upstairs. Craig the owner was very responsive to any concerns we had and was willing to help me with my boat. Even though he lives upstairs it is very private nice outside covered patio. The only concern I had was there are very many steps down to the dock.
We chose not to waste the drive up to find out for sure, but from what I gather, this rental is above an owner-occupied home. It is not secluded/private.
We had a fantastic experience with this property. Itâs nestled on a huge lake with the clearest water Iâve ever been to, amongst a forest of tall pines. The views of the lake were breathtaking and our host, was very kind and attentive throughout our stay. Heâs got the friendliest little dog who made friends with my family. We rented his pontoon boat one day and went out on the lake and I was able to capture a photo of an amazing eagle that nests nearby. Stargazing was amazing as well due to no excessive light pollution. The only thing we were not happy with was the steps down to the lake are old rough cut cedar and are a bit rickety. I mentioned it to our host and he did replace the tread boards on one of the steps right away. The only improvement I think he should do is to overhaul those steps and add a railing to the other side as well to make it more safe and secure. Otherwise no complaints, Craig was very hospitable and we felt very welcome and comfortable staying there.
The rental was generally clean and the host was very friendly.
However, as first time online rental customers, with the understanding that the difference between VRBO and other apps, is that with VRBO you are leasing the complete structure or property, we were surprised to find upon arrival that the rental was the basement level of a two story structure with the ownerâs permanent residence on the second floor.
We leased the space for three nights but only stayed for two.
Having now read previous reviews and additional information the owner had listed for the property, itâs clear that the rental is in fact the basement level of the ownerâs permanent residence. What is misleading though is that one of photographs online shows a beautiful sunset overlooking the lake from the deck. That picture is from the ownerâs deck, not the porch of the rental property which is located under the deck. We were sold on this rental because of that photo.
We suggest the photo taken from the ownerâs deck be removed and replaced with a photo of the porch area of the rental space. That would clearly show the rental space is in fact a basement level.
As a rental property that touts access to the dock and lake, we found the stairs to be treacherous and unsafe.
I also suggest VRBO take steps to ensure properties that share the rental space with an ownerâs residence be clearly labeled as such without having to read reviews or the detailed information provided by the owner.
We came to Wisconsin to relax and enjoy the north woods and this was the place. Beautiful lake and woods. The weather was perfect. Our place was clean and spacious. We loved it.
We had a great stay. It's a beautiful property on the lake and just what we needed. Loved the fireplace heater! We would have like better quality kitchen supplies (pots, pans, etc) and it was a bit cob-webby but otherwise it was very pleasant! Craig was very informative and easy to reach.
The 1st thing: this is a basement... description NEVER made that clear.
2nd: several things in disrepair, I.e., kitchen faucet broken in pieces. Only sprayed water... broken piece on counter. Lot of water waste trying to fill up bottles, etc.
Floors dirty and patio/furniture filthy and undesirable for use. Charcoal grill was filthy from months ago... coals were old and soggy and not cleaned out.
3rd: Stairs to dock treacherous for any age.
4th: The resident upstairs snored loudly.
5th: cabinetry I.e. kitchen gadgets, pots and pans, and silverware were not organized in any fashion.
Felt awkward at times.
4th: Many dangerous overhangs from upper deck was not designed for a lower unit at all.
5th: Nothing neat and tidy no welcoming as guests or pride in property.
6th: owners dog loose and unable to shoo home... followed and jumped on our dogs making walking our dogs impossible.
I was attending an event in Superior and wanted a place that wasnât too far away, but also on the lake. This place worked well for me. I was usually gone most of the day, but it was nice waking up and looking at the lake, and enjoying sunsets there as well. The stairs down to the dock are kind of steep, so may be an issue for some. He also had a pontoon(to rent) and kayaks as well. Itâs located on a beautiful lake. The place was very clean as well and provided basic needs- dishes, linens, etc. I was having a hard time finding a place, so when this one showed up I didnât read the reviews before booking. So I was a little worried when I found out the place was his basement that had been refinished. You do have your own entrance, but I think it would be good to have a better description. He does live upstairs, and I could hear him walking around at times, but it didnât bother me. I was up there on my own, so I did appreciate knowing I wasnât all alone at a property I was not familiar with. He was easy to communicate with and answered questions I had right away.
This is our second stay at Clearwater Retreat and we are already talking about coming back again. This is a very nice apartment style cabin with everything we needed in a BEAUTIFUL location. We love to fish so we really enjoy the pontoon boat. The owner is onsite which we think is very nice. We had our privacy but also the security of knowing someone was there if there was a problem. Added bonus, we caught an enormous 22 inch, 8 lb small mouth not far from the dock.
We knew we were renting a lower level of a house, but barely knew the owner was there. He gave us plenty of space and privacy. The lake was sandy, clear, and perfect for the kids to swim and fish in. Craig was easy to work with. Had a perfect end of summer stay! Thanks for everything our family is so grateful! See you next summer!
I didn't read the listing or the prior reviews as thoroughly as I should have. We did not realize until too late that this rental space is the basement of the onwers permanent home. According to the listing, "the cabin is separate from my living quarters". I don't consider a basement to be sepoarate from a home. The interior was comfortable and clean, but frequent noise by the owner and his visiying family upstairs was a big distraction. There must be a main floor bedroom above the bedroom in the rental space because snoring from upstairs kept me awake most of the 4 nights we were there. My wife slep on the couch in the livingroom and our daughter on the verynoisy squeaky futon. We were also not impressed with the amount of trailers, downed trees, and what appeared to be a lot of junk laying about the property, inclusing the bank to the lake. The 53 steps to the dock are sub-par at best and should be rebuilt entirely. They are not be safe for young children to navigate alone. Parking was diffucult at times for a full sized pickup.
In spite of all the negatives, we did manage to have a good time during our stay. We did day trips to several places, leaving mid morning and returning late afternoon/early evening. Had excellent food and friendle service at The Barnes Trading Post.
After all factors are considered, we would not have rented this space as it's not a cabin...it's a basement. I've learned to be more diligent when looking for future vacation rentals.
Unique location at the end of a dead end road with a great view of the lake and wonderful sunsets. 40 acres of woods in which to wander and enjoy. Very clear water and wonderful dock and swimming in the white sand bottomed lake. Boats available for guest use.
This retreat is very wild. We have bears visiting from time to time, eagles overhead on a daily basis, raccoons, and other wildlife including spiders and snakes!