I was searching for the right word to describe the house, and the best one I could come up with is... PERFECT!
We're a bunch of guys who grew up together, now in our mid-40s and mostly married with kids. But every summer we go off for a long weekend to grill, drink, play poker, listen to music, and generally just relax. And this house is easily near (or at) the top of the list of all houses we've stayed at.
Plenty of room for everyone to spread out, the back deck is beautiful, firepit is great, and the kitchen was roomy enough to handle all of our various cooking projects at once. (Also, first house we've ever stayed at that has an outdoor hibachi grill! We made use of that for a few different meals.)
The standout memory for me is all of us sitting on the couches on the back deck, sipping gin & tonics as the sun set behind us. Beautiful, and - did I mention already? - perfect.
Thanks Danielle!