A firepit, an arcade/games room and laundry facilities are just a few of the amenities provided at Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets. For some rest and relaxation, visit the sauna or hot tub, and indulge in a massage. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Reviews
1010 out of 10
Exceptional
Popular amenities
Pool
Hot tub
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
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About this property
Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets
Thanksgiving for November and Christmas tree/decor for December guaranteed! New 6 person sauna with a view just got installed!!! Featured as one of the top 10 properties in “Only in Your State” online magazine for Northern California! Year around fun and relaxation at this luxury lakefront designer retreat. 4 bedrooms/3baths with two master suites, pool, spa, game room, dock, pier, non-motorized water sports, gourmet kitchen with professional style appliances including a built-in coffee system. Gather around the gorgeous large stone island to cook your meal with family and friends. Or hang out be the pool and grill outside. Fishing (including guided fishing tours)/boating/kayaking/paddle boarding/swimming/hiking/wine tasting/bird watching. Leave the world behind! Set on the shores of Clearlake, Ca, Smiling Otter Retreat, boasts 3300 sqft space, featuring a plethora of choices for indoor and outdoor living and entertainment. Come and connect with nature in a comfort of luxury. Numerous species of birds, otters, deer, racoons, and Lucy, the skunk, can be spotted right outside the house. Gorgeous panoramic views of the lake and Mt Konocti from inside of the house, the two spacious decks and all the outdoor areas. Multiple indoor and outdoor dining and conversation areas. Whole house water filter/softener, BBQ gas grill, gas firepit (extra propane tanks are by the grill), hot outdoor shower, indoor Sonos surround sound system (operated with a tablet). Outdoor speakers are not permitted as per the City of Clearlake, since the sound carries super far on the lake. The pier, dock, boat lift and swimming platform remodel is finally finished and it's gorgeous out there. The boat lift is suited for a boat of 5000 lbs or less. The swimming platform is hand cranked. Clearlake in general, but, most importantly, the location of the property on the lake is known for incredible fishing. Often you can spot fishermen fishing right around the property. But, for you, no boat is needed as you can just fish from our comfortable partly shaded dock or the long pier. Relaxing Adirondack chairs and fish cleaning sink are provided for your convenience. In the summer, float in the refreshing pool or the lake. In the winter, soak and unwind in the large hot tub watching the sun setting behind majestic Mt Konocti. Or do a sauna session with a cold plunge in the pool before bed. Game room activities include shuffleboard, pool/ping pong/air hockey table, toys for the little ones and board games (those are in the cabinets of the library). Fully equipped chef kitchen is all set up for cooking and entertaining. Two large supermarkets (Safeway and Food Etc.) are 13 minutes away and a small convenience store 9 minutes from the house. We provide two refrigerators for your groceries, one in the kitchen (with two ice makers), and the other one upstairs in the laundry room. Door Dash and Safeway supermarket deliver to the house. Numerous local wineries provide picturesque views and some of the best wines in the area. Water sports equipment provided: 4 paddle boards, one single kayak, one double kayak, kayak moving trolley, life vests of different sizes, and pool towels. USE WATERSPORTS AT YOUR OWN RISK! The weather can be unpredictable on the lake and can change within 15 minutes time frame with wind and large waves. If you are caught in this weather out on the lake, we recommend hugging the shores to come back to the house or exit the lake if necessary and ALWAYS wear a life vest. There is a small community boat launch area two houses to the left. Redbud Park in Clearlake (15 min away) has large boat launching areas. You can rent a boat/jet skis/lily pad at Clearlake Powersport Rentals in town, 15 minutes away from the house. The water in the cove to the left of the property does not get as choppy and, on windy days, you may want to go there to enjoy your motorized water sports. Please call ahead to make reservations. If you are looking for a large lake beach, Austin Park Beach and Playground is 12 minutes away. When the weather warms up, it is common to spot lake bugs. They look like mosquitoes, but larger, the amazing thing is though that they don't bite. Also, later in the summer, it is not uncommon to see green algae swimming by, but, it clears right up when the wind picks up. Lake spiders are busy weaving webs in the summer time also. Pest control is done every month year around (not allowed to spray over the water at the dock though) and we deweb all areas right before guests arrive, but, the webs seem to come back practically overnight. You can notice none, one or all of these things during your stay, but, remember that algae, bugs, and spiders are native to Clear Lake. They feed the bounty of fish and birds, making Clear Lake to be the best fishing lake in Northern California.
Located in Clearlake, this holiday home is in the mountains and on the waterfront. Shannon Ridge Winery and Shannon Ridge Vineyards and Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and Anderson Marsh State Historic Park. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and hiking. Visit our Clearlake travel guide
Does Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.
Is Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 4 total).
How much is parking at Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets located?
This family-friendly Clearlake holiday home is located on the waterfront, steps from Clear Lake and within 6 mi (10 km) of Austin Park and Borax Lake. Redbud Park and Clearlake Chamber of Commerce are also within 6 miles (10 km).
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Reviews
Smiling Otter Retreat! Large Lakefront Luxury House.Pool.Spa.Sauna.Games..Pets Reviews
10
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
They stay was perfect and amazing. Fishing on the doc and grilling next to the pool made for a very relaxing day. Games and dinner at the big table made for great family fun. Will stay here again:)
Gorgeous. Amenities were amazing. The house was very accommodating. From the game room to the towels to the coffee bars to the fully equipped kitchen, we were amazed. We are experienced time share people and have never been in a facility so well stocked. The dock was great for the many hours of fishing, especially for the children. The only disappointment was the algae bloom in the lake. While we did use the paddle boards and kayaks, it was not safe nor appealing for swimming.
It was our first time visiting Clearlake and what a hidden gem it is! The house is very large, accommodated my parents and our 4 kids nicely. The location is so quiet and peaceful with amazing views of the lake and the mountain across from the inside and outside of the house. We saw numerous species of birds and an otter swimming by in the morning. Maria set up the house with everything we needed to be comfortable away from home. My Mom loved making meals in the specious kitchen, and the built-in coffee system was just an icing on the cake. Kids had a blast in the game room. We would love to return to Smiling Otter Retreat again in the future!
This property is beautiful and laid out in a way that allows a family to spread out and also be together. They thought of everything when it comes to comfort, supplies, entertainment etc. We have a family of 10 and it was perfect for us. Children had a room of their own and lots of toys and games for their entertainment. The bedrooms and bathrooms had everything we needed with respect to storage and amenities. The dining room table sat all ten of us comfortably. The game room was fun for everyone. The outdoor living room & outdoor shower were a great place for a little peace while looking out over the beautiful view. The dock area was wonderful for another peaceful place to read and look at the scenery. The kayaks were a fun bonus! The fishing was great. We would unreservedly recommend this property. It is worth every penny! Thank you Maria for being so responsive and informative. You can tell she really cares about her guests and their comfort.
To say we were blown away is an understatement. We saw this listing on VRBO & loved the presentation of this property. When we arrived, it was as we expected and more. The views are spectacular and when sitting on the deck, it feels as though you are over the water. We all set up our rooms which were extremely clean and beautifully decorated & bathrooms stocked with accessories for showering. We were blown away with the kitchen and when it says, gourmet in the description, it definitely is. There must have been every appliance you can think of there. The added touches of coffee, seasonings, oil, foil/saran wrap was wonderful. Maria didn't leave anything out. We enjoyed cooking in this kitchen and just hanging out around the large counter. We were a party of 10 plus our dogs & we never felt like we were on top of each other. Very spacious. The library of books & games delightful. The pool & outside area was great as well. The best VRBO we have booked. Maria was always available for questions. A great hostess.
What an amazing house! The home was spotless and more stocked with everything you can imagine from the kitchen appliances, fans for every room (although there is A/C), first aide kit, extra chargers for every kind of phone, extra clean sheets for every room, games, etc., etc. The view was spectacular! The pool was nice but not heated so very cold in early June. The hot tub made up for it and the sauna was a bonus. We caught two huge fish off our pier (a 7 lb bass and a 12 lb catfish)!! We had a couple windy days at the beginning of our stay but the house is huge and there was plenty of room for us all to enjoy the time inside. Maria was awesome responding quickly to any questions. I highly recommend this beautiful VRBO home. It is top notch!!!!!! :)
The house is amazing with beautiful views. They have thought of everything. We had a great time. Maria was outstanding as our contact. Thank you, Maria for all your communication and quick responses to all questions.
The property was great, the host was great. Sink faucet broke and the host sent repairman immediately Host was available and responsive.Definitely recommend property.My only complaint is the lake was having an algae bloom which was disappointing, obviously out of host control.Everything was as advertised.
We highly recommend this luxurious property. It is exceptionally and thoughtfully well appointed. You truly do not need to bring anything beyond clothing and groceries. The beautiful house and grounds are tranquil and the owner, Maria, was very responsive and pleasant to communicate with. We would definitely choose this Clearlake vacation rental again.
This was such a beautiful place. We are locals who rented it to celebrate graduation. The home was perfect, clean, top of the line everything. Nothing was spared here! Maria was so kind and responsive. She made sure all of our needs were met.