Our family (including grandparents) stayed 5 days at the "Barrel House." Though remote, the location was perfect for our activities - hiking, visiting Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee. The house backs to a beautiful river and a national forest. Both the river and mountain peaks can be seen from the living room window. Though we did swim, the river is not ideal for swimming as it is shallow and very cold even in August. Sleeping arrangements include a queen-over-queen bunk. Note though the upper bunk is around 7 feet off the ground and has a vertical ladder to climb with. Older kids are fine but I wouldn't suggest it for young children. The main beds though are comfortable and the pullout sofa is fine for children.
Pros:
Beautiful views from nearly every room.
Clean and cutely decorated.
The kitchen is well stocked with plenty of serving sets, utensils, and seasoning/spices. The house had a drip coffee maker, a K-cup brewer, a slow cooker, an electric skillet, and a new double-oven. The home even came included with coffee K-cups and a welcome basket full of tasty treats!
The backyard included a hammock, gas grill, and a firepit. The house even came with flashlights, lighters, and cut firewood that was stored in the shed. The latter is a nice touch!
Cons:
Our chief complaint is road noise. The house is located near a bridge that the highway passes over. Though the bridge is around 300 yards away, you can hear the road noise (especially the semi-trucks) from the house. In the city, this wouldn't be a problem. But the noise distracts from the beautiful setting. There was some train noise but it was distant and wasn't an issue.
The internet is very spotty.
Parts of the house are showing age. Both upstairs bedroom dressers had sticky drawers. The living room couch was not comfortable. One of the remotes to the automatic window blinds did not work (though the batteries could just have been drained). And I think the upstairs bathroom faucet leaked.
The hot tub was heated and ready for our use upon arrival (which after a 5-hour drive is much appreciated). However, there was some dirt at the bottom.
Mosquitos. This is less a complaint and more a recommendation to bring repellant. After all, you're with nature!
Overall, the cons are minor and are more than offset by the many pluses of the house. I would recommend this home!
