Private lakefront retreat. 10 minutes to Mahone Bay

Upon booking we did not realize the cottage was off grid. However, the host was good about explaining how to manage the solar power and generator. We arrived at dusk and found it hard to navigate our way through the trees and multiple turns to get to the cottage. It is a unique location on a beautiful lake. Unfortunately we were there during a heatwave, the lack of fans or AC made it unbearable and we left after one night. Another deciding factor of our early departure were a multitude of spiders, mosquitoes and cobwebs that were even more evident in the morning light. So many cobwebs under the beds made it impossible to relax. Our 4 year old granddaughter would not last another night there with the spiders/crawling bugs that kept coming to her bed. Also when we tried to close blinds to keep the sunlight out, the blinds were covered in dust/webs and spotted with mould. We informed the host of our early departure due to the heat and he was sympathetic and kindly offered to return some of the rental fee. We stripped the beds, removed garbage, swept the floors and left the property as directed. It has been two weeks since we left and we sent them a message but did not receive a response. We recognize the host offered to return some funds out of kindness but as of yet has not followed through. Our advice to the host is to provide fans, update generator instructions, do a more thorough cleaning. Offgrid does not have to be uncomfortable but should more obvious in the listing

We definitely would have prepared differently if we were made aware of the lack of options that were available to us. When we booked this cottage, we thought we were getting a beautiful lakefront vacation for 4 days. The cottage itself was nice; the pictures were accurate, although the rooms were a bit small. BUT…..there was definitely false advertisement and lack of information provided upon booking and prior to arrival. On the day of arrival, we received an email explaining check-in instructions. It was at that time that we learned we would be living on solar power for electricity and generator for water. Although a bit annoyed to just learn about this, we thought we’d make the best of it regardless. The system didn’t seem like a super big deal, at least we would have running water, sewer, and electricity. Entering the property was simple; the address was easy to find. When we arrived on the property, we noticed that while the outside had so much beautiful potential, it was not well kept up. The firepit was overflowing and quite disgusting. The outside of the house had cobwebs, and there were some large junk items lying around, what appeared to be an old generator, panel, windows, etc. As we entered the house with our belongings, we noticed that the inside was not very clean. The ad said that high top surfaces would be cleaned. We certainly didn’t understand that to mean that the floor would only be cleaned in the middle and the doormat wouldn’t even have been swept. When

This lake getaway was amazing! Water was crystal clear and Loons on the lake were a surprising bonus. If you want a place to be away from it all, this is ideal. Charming cabin, delightful host, amazing views. To be noted: the water/toilet/electricity is all on a generator and pump. We weren’t expecting that, but the host was very kind and showed up to walk us through how it all works. No issues after that. Also noted: the driveway is very long winding that is not ideal in the dark. The host talked us through this as well so we were able to find it. Plan ahead and arrive during the daylight. An hour and a half away from Halifax (also wish we had know that). Still, 10/10 would visit this place again.

Beautiful view of the lake. If you are looking for peace & quiet this is the perfect secluded spot to relax.Private sandy beach & private paths on the property, as in a provincial park.

This was such a peaceful, secluded place. Loved the lake views and quietness! Allen, the host, was very easy to communicate with and helpful with any questions we had!

Beautiful lake and location.

Great spot right on the lake.Quiet and private.Great swimming and fishing.

We had 8 fantastic days. Allen is a perfect host. All our questions or problems were answered immediately. The beaches were great especially our dog loved it. The boats and the SUP were great, we would be happy to come again.

Beautiful quiet place in beautiful nature

Me and my family had a great and relaxing time at this charming and secluded cottage. We made good use of the kayak, paddle boat, and the beaches and loved spending time on the deck overlooking the water. Even with some rainy weather, we found plenty to do in nearby towns and made use of the board games and puzzles. The cottage is off the grid and powered by generator/solar but it is easy to manage. The host was very friendly and helpful.

My husband and I booked this cabin for a stay from August 4 to August 20. Unfortunately, there were a few things that we did not expect, based on the pictures and the description. First, this is an off-grid cabin … not an on-grid cottage. For power, there was an unreliable generator that was difficult to start, difficult to keep running and (sometimes) difficult to turn off. It was so unreliable that it had to be serviced while we were there and even then it was still unreliable. The cabin also had a solar power system but that had been powered off when we arrived - unknown to us. In addition, the solar system would not run the water pump. So anytime water was required we had to switch the power system back and forth between the generator and the solar system. That was a manual multistep process of toggling fuses at the power panel. If you’re into that kind of thing, OK. Not enough gas was provided for the generator for our stay and we had to lug a large can of gas from a nearby property - per the host’s instructions. Our son-in-law was the only person who had enough strength to get the top off the generator’s gas tank. To keep things running, we had propane available for the stove, fridge, and hot water, which was a welcome comfort. However, the water supply was tied to the generator, and it was rather limited. There seemed to be an issue with the water tank, as every time we needed water (flush toilet, wash hands, shower, dishes) we had to pump up the water tank.

I highly recommend this property for family vacations. Cozy cottage with all necessary amenities. Amazing lake location with swimming and boating on site. Pet friendly. Host was proactively communicative and genuinely cared that we had a good time. We hope to be back... thanks Allen!