Although this property is in a great location and is excellent in many ways, there were things within and out of control of the host that marred our visit. The host needs to take the unit off the market for a period of time and address the shortcomings.
We were a family group of five staying for a weekend and attending a wedding.
FIrst the good:
* The property indeed has 2.5 baths and 4 bedrooms with 5 total beds and two couches.
* We really liked the individual towel/washcloth/toiletry kit. Bravo.
* There is a hot tub and it works fine.
* There was plenty of hot water for showers.
* The host/manager is responsive and came by the property when we had a problem. It was clear they take this seriously.
* The kitchen was well equipped -- and even had scissors we needed for a wardrobe emergency: top marks.
* Everything that could be controlled remotely was -- somewhat idiot-proofing the experience.
* Check-in and check-out were seamless.
Next, the weird:
* The dining room chairs were upside down on the table when we arrived (probably for sweeping/cleaning, and the book told us to leave the unit the way we found it. That's not the way I leave my house.
* We were warned in the welcome message that the shower in one of the bathrooms has reversed hot/cold. This is extremely fixable.
* There is both a Nest and alarm system. It's unclear what controls what. The book is not clear.
Finally, the bad:
* Our stay was the first use of the furnace of the season. The welcome book was unclear about what thermostat operated the heat -- the alarm/thermostat or the Nest device. The alarm/thermostat was saying "no batteries" -- and it was late. As a result it was about 55 degrees inside the house the first night. The host took care of this as soon as he saw my note in the morning -- he was super responsive -- but it shouldn't have been necessary to have to decode a heating system. Solution: Update the welcome book to reflect reality in the unit, remove or post a small sign/note inside the locked alarm unit.
* Related to the above, there are two Nest devices in the unit. We were told not to operate both at the same time or the second floor would roast us. Now, I'm familiar with heat rising -- and I have two thermostats in my house, too, so I understand it can be tricky to get them to play nice. But why isn't this in the book? Why isn't it tied to timing? Why wasn't the system set for our comfort before we even arrived? This occupied a lot more time than it should have when we were getting ready for a wedding and trying to look our best. Solution: Set up a default schedule and temperature range as to which thermostat will run the system. If people want to be idiots and change it -- that's out of your control. We just wanted to heat the house.
* This property is listed on AirBnB and VRBO -- and possibly elsewhere. It's clearly in demand and rented most of the time. As a result, there is wear and tear on a lot of everyday items and they need to be replaced or be worked on:
+ the carpet in one of the bedrooms has a substance that looks like dog poop on it. It may be gum or something else. But it was disgusting.
+ the couches were worn out
+ the bedside tables were missing in several bedrooms, making it hard to charge your phone
+ the outside cushions were filthy and gross
+ the shower door handle is loose and needs to be tightened
* The welcome book didn't reflect the realities of the house. Solution: Read and update it.
And one thing beyond the owner's control, but that renters should know about:
* Neighbors behind the house have dogs that they let out to run loose in the yard. They bark a lot -- morning, noon, and night. Do not plan to sleep in.
Conclusion:
Although the unit is in a great location, has four bedrooms, and has a hot tub, its negatives outweighed the positives for several members of my party. It did not mar the overall experience, but it made us have to think about the rental unit when we were trying to focus on a wedding. I encourage the owner address these shortcomings.