Pool

Reviews of Bear Creek Lodge, Lakeside Cottage


Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 14 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 21 reviews" "

8.4/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Catherine. C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Close to Saratoga
The location is very nice on a small clean lake. The deck overlooking the lake is the best feature of the cabin. The kitchen counter space is tiny and made meal prep for a group of 5 women difficult. The gas grill should have a cover to protect it from the rain and the automatic starter did not work. We did find a lighter to start it. The bathroom is very far from the bedrooms which are upstairs which was an issue for some of us at night. Also we needed to use the sleeper sofas in the living room for our sleeping arrangements. The sleepers were fine for sleeping and clean. The problem was that there are lights strung outside on the deck which are on an automatic timer. The lights didn’t go off until 3 or 4 in the morning and were very bright shining in the living room window making it difficult to sleep as there are no curtains on the windows. Most of these issues with the cabin were minor. We did enjoy our stay. However we were turned off by the many rules and the expectation that we would not only clean up and leave the place as we found it; but we would mop the floors and leave it ready for the next group staying at the cabin. This was the expectation despite the fact that a cleaning fee was charged and a cleaning crew would be coming in after we left. I have stayed in many Air B&Bs and have never had an owner expect we would sweep and vacuum and mop the floors before we left. We left the place cleaner than when we arrived as we cleaned the cobwebs from under the couches.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Sept 2023
Hi, Thank you for your review...sorry that you had some issues...we had just discussed figuring a way to provide more counter space in the kitchen.We do leave a lighter or two for the grill because the ignitors only seem to function for a short time? Also glad that you brought up the issue with the outside patio lights, will need to look into getting shades made up(there were old shades that were in bad shape, were removed when cabin was remodeled this past winter. As far as cleaning, as specified in our information, we DO NOT charge a cleaning fee, but we do expect guests to leave cabin in same condition as they found it upon arrival. Thank you

6/10 Okay

Lynn R.

Gorgeous Lake Overview but Very Uncomfortable
Truly unlike any other place we've ever stayed with stunning full views of the lake, Feels like the middle of "nowhere" if you're looking for an escape (no mobile reception but wifi met our needs). Cabin was well stocked. But.... While we knew it was an old camp cabin that had been updated and therefore had low expectations in terms of luxurious amenities, during our stay it unfortunately was in the 50s at night and the heat didn't work at all (1st night); Robb directed us to turn on breakers so we had a LITTLE heat 2nd night -- the main heat still didn't work (we only had built-in space heaters in bathroom & bedroom that we couldn't safely leave on for very long) so it still was very cold. Also there are no blinds in the bedroom with queen bed so we slept on two singles in other bedroom - but if you have any back issues whatsoever, you won't be comfortable on any of the beds. Btwn the cold & old mattresses we didn't get much sleep. Only reason I gave an overall rating of 3 stars is because 1) it's a gorgeous setting and 2) we didn't have very high expectations for comfort. Had it not been raining and warmer we would have enjoyed canoeing. Robb was very nice to deal with and tried to be helpful.. He even pre-arranged a dogwalker for us which was greatly appreciated! For anyone wanting to try out a magnificent, rare setting, you should inquire with Robb because he has multiple cabins on the lake and some appear to be a little nicer.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Jun 2023
We do have a new mattress for the queen bed but the rainy weather would not allow us to install it yet. We will install a new blind on the window in the Queen bedroom(cannot figure out why it went missing). The weather did turn from upper 70's/low 80's the week before, very unusual for this time of year. We did check the heat and apparently the breaker was not turned on? The heat worked great(thought that it was unusual that the plce didn't warm up, Our contractor had the heat on when installing the new floors/stairs this past winter, outside temp was low 30's inside was 70.).We do turn heat breakers off in the summer months.

10/10 Excellent

Donna S.

Liked: Cleanliness
LOVED IT!!
What a fabulous way to spend time with nature. The cabin has everything you need. Beautiful view of the lake. Kitchen well stocked. Furniture comfortable. Thankfully, the bedrooms were air conditioned as we were there during the oppressive heat. I would like to suggest a box spring for the queen bed upstairs. Robb is a fantastic host! Thank you
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

2/10 Terrible

Karen D.

Don't do it
Stayed upstairs in the bedroom one night. The musty smell of the air upstairs was so bad we had to sleep downstairs the last two nights. It was as if no one had opened a window for months and no way to ventilate it. Not squeamish but it was that bad. The paint on the floor and railings of the deck were peeled up 3/4" all over it. Went to use the grill. Turned on the gas and it immediately filled with propane. The controls to turn off the gas didn't work at all. Was the most we ever paid a night for a cabin on a lake and it was the worst.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 26 Jul 2022
We immediately addressed these issues, there was not any musty smells in the bedrooms, if there were, we would have turned on the fan only exhaust on the new air conditioners which would have vented out any smells, it was actually very dry with no smell. We also checked the peeling paint issue, since the deck/railing are stained, not painted, we could not figure out what was peeling? We checked the grill, guest had unhooked grill from tank?, we simply hooked gas back up, turned valve, hit the piezo ignition and everything worked as it should, the next guests used it with no problems and the current guests are also using it and stated that it works fine. We have had numerous guests stay prior to these guests, all were satisfied. If any of these issues existed, we would have addressed them immediately. Our listing is very clear showing cabin accurately . We are thinking that these guests have never stayed at a lakeside cottage? We are on site and available, kind of surprised that we were not contacted when any issues arose, we would have responded in a timely manner

10/10 Excellent

Garrett G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect Spot
This house on the lake was everything we wanted our trip to be. The house is perfect for a getaway feeling and the host was accommodating and wonderful to communicate with. Definitely will want a repeat stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Roxanne M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Close to SPAC
We stayed here for two night and went to the Alanis Morrisette concert. The cabin was perfect. We went kayaking, and checked out some breweries. We loved the record player and choice of music. Stairs to the bedrooms upstairs are a little steep. We will definitely be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Sept 2021
Thank you for your review and for leaving out cabin in clean condition. We would welcome you back any time. The stairs are built to code but because the previous owners carpeted them, they seem a little different, that being said, there is a very heavy handrail. Thanks Again

10/10 Excellent

Steven A.

Liked: Cleanliness
A fantastic weekend getaway
The property was wonderful. Lakeside with dock access and boat access as well as a lot of space inside to hang out. Very easy check-in and great communication from the owner. Highly recommend this place and will likely be booking again. Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021

6/10 Okay

Robin W.

At least the lake is beautiful!
The lake is beautiful but the house is quit neglected. The kitchen is not adequately equipped for cooking. The pans are old the bowls are cracked and chipped. When it rained, it was flowing in the back window into the house. Need cable for TV, the movie library is not the greatest. Rainey days are boring. Couldn't get phone service to make a call. We had a good time, but will not go back.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Aug 2021
Yes, we have had torrential rain storms this year and do feel bad that guests sometimes never see the sun...but nothing that we can do about that. Thank you for letting us know about the pots/pans/bowls we will look into that and replace as necessary, no one else has commented on that. As far as the leak, once again we did not have knowledge of this until the severe storms and we are waiting until rains subside so that we can take a look and make necessary repairs. The leak is not in the cabin, but on the porch, therefore is not impacting the living area. We thought that there was a pretty good selection of movies, will also add more. You are correct, some cell phones do not get reception, depends on your carrier(AT&T works well) and no, we do not have cable, however, we do have high speed internet and most guests have brought thier own devices/Ipads/etc. Sorry that you had mostly rainy days...

6/10 Okay

Andrea F.

Disliked: Cleanliness
cleanliness issue
Lake was lovely, cabin was in some ways fine, however, we had issues with the cleanliness. The kitchen appliances were dirty, the pots unusable, the barbecue grill did not work properly.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Aug 2021
Thank you for your input, we replaced the pots/pans immediately and checked the grill, but found that only the pizo was not functioning, however, that is why we supplied a grill lighter. This cabin has been rented non-stop from the beginning of June and no other guests ever commented on the pots and pans. I also had the cleaning crew check/clean the appliances. Apparently the previous guests did not leave the cabin as they had found it, clean and neat, and our inspector missed that.

8/10 Good

Paul K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Had fun. Place is very quiet which we enjoyed. Close to Saratoga town about 20 minutes.
All good. Enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Dona F.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely Cabin, Lovely Place!
We enjoyed our stay in this lovely cabin that sits right on the shore of Lake Desolation. We had our two grandkids, 4 & 8, for a few nights and they had a great time. We used the tow boat, kayaks, & canoe and fished off the dock. The water depth was perfect for the kids to play for hours in the sand and we even enjoyed the rainy days! The house is creaky and old but clean and charming. We had everything we needed in the kitchen, we used the bbq grill every day and enjoyed s’mores over the fire pit! If you’re looking for a relaxing stay without fuss then this is the place for you! Oh! Be sure to walk down to Tinney’s Tavern for dinner!!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Christine V.

Liked: Cleanliness
Thoroughly Satisfied!
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The cabin was well stocked with everything, I mean everything! We enjoyed the view of the lake, fishing, canoeing, watched a few movies from the plethora of their selections, played games, used the fire pit and watched our dogs frolick in the water. Definitely worth the trip! And Robb, the owner, was very easy to communicate with. Highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Judith S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful setting
Very lovely setting.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Giulia M.

Pleasant stay!
Our stay at the bear creek cabin was pleasant and accurately described online. Communication with the owner was easy. The house is very outdated but the lake was beautiful. Better to have a small car as the parking was quite tight.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Dean M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Bear creek
Just as expected and relaxing. Very close to Saratoga springs, convenient yet hidden away.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Valerie L.

Liked: Cleanliness
A comfortable and cozy cabin. The main floor very roomy and amazing view of the Lake.
Very easy process to rent through VRBO
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Beth A.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great safe get away
We loved our get away from the hustle and bustle. Teens loved the water and the boats. Loved the close by restaurant. We had everything we needed, including internet.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Will F., Mamaroneck, NY

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful Lake House
Could not have asked for a more perfect weekend on the lake. The house is well laid out and has everything you need. Upstairs bedrooms have AC, so it is very comfortable. Only bathroom is downstairs, but it's large, clean, and pretty modern. Downstairs is open plan with great lake views. Wifi is very fast - I worked remotely and did video calls no problem. Best part is the lakefront. You are steps from the water. There is a nice beach area for wading (perfect for toddlers) and a dock to sit on or use for canoe/kayaks. The boat shed is right beside the house and has paddles, lifejackets, everything you need for the canoes, kayaks, and paddle board. Really wonderful spot and so peaceful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Christie and Chad L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lakeside Cabin getaway
We had a lovely stay at this lakeside cabin on Lake Desolation. It came complete with canoes, kayaks, a fire pit and everything needed for a real cabin in the woods experience. The house is a bit dated but it has plenty of room for your guests, including a room with a queen bed, two twin beds, two pullout sofas and three other couches. The dock was fun and the stars at night were not be believed. There is a great restaurant walking distance if you don’t feel like coooking.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Kristen K., New York, New York

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely cabin
It was a great experience, we loved being there!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

6/10 Okay

Yuliya K.

Great view!
The location is ideal to get away from it all. The house is high up in the mountain, right on a beautiful lake. There is no service, and wifi doesn't quite work either, so get a break from technology! A few lamps and TV aren't functioning either, but there are a few board games to enjoy with family. The house is aged, not meant for modern day comfort, however a great place to spend time with family and enjoy the views of the lake.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017