Pros: Enjoyed the plentiful space considering that we had three generations of family in the lodge. Big, functional kitchen. Huge screened-in front porch. Right on the water with a dock for our boat. Used the fire pit and the grill almost every day. Also loved the room to leave shoes and gear as we came back from hikes and other day adventures.
Cons: the property was not ready at the time promised. We had no communication regarding this and, coming from Texas, we had nowhere else to go while the cleaning crew scrambled to get the lodge cleaned and ready. We also had access to very few towels. We were provided only one per person for a week-long rental and no towels were provided for the lake at all. There is also no place to put trash and recycling and no instructions to be found regarding this anywhere. We had bags of trash and returnables piling up in the screened-in porch area the entire week. The lodge owner “Tony” provided shelves full of movies on VHS and also posted signs about not stealing from his movie collection, which felt awkward and unnecessary. To boot, the VCR is neither hooked up nor functional. Be aware that there are only two small window air conditioners and they cannot possibly cool the entire lodge. The bedroom/bathroom on the very top floor was uncomfortably warm even at night with the windows open. Be prepared for lots of signs about what you cannot use/access/touch/take, but not a single sign welcoming you. Lastly, the lodge is very close the main road, train tracks, and a large restaurant/bar, so know that there will be plenty of noise from traffic, trains, and voices carrying across the water from the bar.
Overall, disappointed in our experience, especially considering the price. In all our years of renting vacation homes, we have never left negative comments about a property. But there were just too many let downs with this place. Next year, we will look for a quieter location that is managed by friendly people who are happy to share their space. Tony made it clear that he is doing renters a favor by allowing people to stay in the lodge. You’ll see signs regarding this as well.