When another nearby rental (Charming Tiny House on Private 5 Acres hosted by Corinne) cancelled the reservation we made four months in advance (a not so charming experience), we booked this place because it was available. Here are some observations future renters may find useful:
A small cottage set well back from Smugglers Cove Road, this rental shares a 7-acre property with a detached garage and two other houses (occupied by a scarce yet genial owner). The cottage is tucked to one side of the property and surrounded by woods on three sides, so despite the other houses, it still feels private.
The photos in the listing appear to be recent and they are an accurate representation of the rental. The bedroom and bathroom were comfortable and functional. There were plenty of places to put our stuff: a bureau, armoire, luggage stands (yay), bedside tables, and a number of hooks. There was ample lighting: bedside, floor, and overhead, plus free, easily reached outlets for charging devices. The wi-fi was better than other places we’ve stayed on the island. The mattress was comfortable and the pillows were soft but not too soft. The bathroom had counter space, lots of hooks, and a walk-in shower. By far the cottage’s best feature is the French doors that open from the bedroom on to a private deck and grassy area with a fire pit.
The kitchen, with fridge, stacked washer/dryer, and bar-height table all located immediately inside the front door, was less functional. Thinking about it now, we should have used the backdoor, then we could’ve stored our coats and shoes in the bedroom, instead of in front of the fridge. There were enough dishes and a better assortment of pots and pans than many rentals (a big stock pot!). Though some of the pots, pans, and utensils needed to be washed before we could use them. The kitchen sink is a deep utility sink, which was odd, but better than a shallow 2-basin sink. The two-burner hot plate and toaster worked fine. We didn’t use any of the other appliances. An outdoor gas grill would’ve been nice.
The cottage’s biggest drawback is the lack of a lounging area, which was why we didn’t rent it to begin with. The bedroom has one easy chair and one small ottoman. Incorporating a second chair and small side table would up the comfort and functionality considerably.
Overall, our favorite thing about the cottage was the QUIET. There is no other development nearby, you can’t hear the traffic on Smugglers Cove Road, and the 650-acre Trillium Forest land trust lies just beyond the property (be prepared to bushwhack to get to established trails).
We stayed 5 nights and would rent the cottage again, but because of the kitchen and the lack of a “living room”, we’d probably opt for 3 nights or fewer the second time around.