Amy A.
Yelp
ohhhh how I wish I could give this place 100 stars. I posted a review on Trip Advisor after one of our last stays, but I need to keep spreading the word. my boyfriend and I had been staying further north in the mountains, but felt we were spending too much for what little there was to do near our lodging. so in 2012 I did a google search and found Cottage Place. we loved what we saw on the website so we took a chance and booked a weekend. we knew after 2 hours that we had found our new vacation spot.
we have stayed 5 times since then, and have stayed in cottages #3, #4, #7, and #5. each time the cottages were clean, the staff were warm and welcoming, and the relaxation just couldn't be beat. we've stayed later in the year when it's technically "off season" but were always allowed to take the rental kayaks out on the lake for a beautiful ride. any question or concern that arose (very few ever did), the staff was quick to help. We have not a single complaint.
our latest stay, and the one that prompted me to write another review, was over the weekend of May 23-25. shortly after arriving, we decided we wanted to make dinner. We discovered the pilot light for the stove was out, so we asked at the office for assistance in lighting it. within 5 minutes it was taken care of, and we were popping dinner in the oven soon after. no one ever seems put out or annoyed when asked for help, everyone I've encountered at CP is always so cheerful and willing to help.
The weekend went beautifully. we were told that no one was checking in to our cottage the day we were checking out, so our check out time was flexible and there was no need to rush. apparently that sent my brain into "lazy mode" and I didn't double check myself when I packed. soon after we came home I got an email from Sue letting me know they had found my beloved stuffed Bear in our cottage, and she wanted to verify my address so she could send him home. my boyfriend gave me Bear for our first Valentine's Day together 5 years ago, I was a wreck thinking I'd lost him. I thanked Sue and sent along my PayPal info, saying to please bill me for Bear's shipment home. a few days later Bear arrived in what can only be described as a care package! he was all wrapped up in a hand-towel-sized blanket, with a Kashi trail mix bar and a small package of Teddy Grahams... teddy bear... teddy grahams. there was a card from Sue tucked in there with him, saying how adorable he was. the card also said that she believed sending him home was good karma, and therefore refused to accept payment for his shipment home. when I took Bear out I realized a pair of my yoga pants were also in the package, apparently i had forgotten those too!
I'm from the Boston area and people here aren't super friendly. Bostonians could learn a lot from people like Sue and the folks at Cottage Place. it was so unbelievably kind and thoughtful to package Bear up the way she did, she could tell he was well loved so she made sure he was delivered to me safely (and with snacks!)
one last thing, my boyfriend and I always tip housecleaning when we stay somewhere. but again in our foggy-brained state on departure day we both assumed the other had left a cash tip for whoever would be cleaning the cottage. a few days after getting home it came up that neither of us had left anything! so I wrote a note to Sue and mailed it along with a check for her to forward to whoever took care of our cottage upon our departure. It hasn't gotten there yet I'm sure, but I made sure to send it. those people up at CP are the best, and I want to leave nothing out.
bottom line: we will be coming back year after year. no question. this review doesn't even begin to do justice to the amazing times we've had there.