2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS!

McHenry, Maryland
$439 avg/night
Minimum Stay 2 Nights
Bed 4

Bed

Bath 2

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 10

Max Sleeps

Night 2 nights

Min Stay

Relax, recover and unwind at Writers' Refuge, a beautiful secluded and modern mountain chalet. This is a spectacular opportunity to enjoy all that Deep Creek Lake has to offer.

Whether skiing in the winter, boating in the summer or admiring the changing colors in Autumn, Writers' Refuge at Deep Creek Lake has something for the whole family to enjoy. High-speed Internet access is included and provides an excellent opportunity to take an extended vacation and catch up on work, if necessary. (desk and computer monitor included in downstairs bedroom) Well behaved pets are always welcome. Our beloved yellow lab spent 14 years hiking with us around DCL--we cherish the memories and understand that four-legged family members are just as important as the rest of our family members. We now have two new labs, Ama and Lucky, that have joined our family and are loving the wonderful hiking trails in the area.

This beautiful three-story chalet has 4 bedrooms: Bedroom 1 on the main floor (queen) with sliding glass doors to the back deck and connected door to main bath; Bedroom 2 on top floor (queen); Bedroom 3 on top floor (full); Bedroom 4 on lower level (2 twins and 1 single trundle/total for twins) with sliding glass door to backyard; Two bathrooms--one on main floor and one on top floor. The upstairs bathroom has a tub, the main floor bathroom has shower and tub.

The house is located 2 miles from Deep Creek Lake and 1.5 miles from the WISP Ski Resort entrance. It is fully furnished inside and out with lots of quilts and very cozy furnishings. We now include linens and quilts with each bed and include a set of towels for each guest.

Enjoy the view overlooking the woods from the deck, relax in front of the wood-burning stove or gaze at the stars from the outdoor hot tub. Grill out and relax on the large back deck overlooking the woods. The chalet is just minutes away from beautiful state parks, including: Deep Creek Lake Park, Swallow Falls and Herrington Manor.

Guests of Writers' Refuge have complimentary access to Deep Creek Fitness...enjoy your workout!

High-speed WIFI access is included. We recently over-stocked the kitchen with new pottery dishes, pots/pans, glass and barware. We upgraded the appliances a couple of years ago with all stainless steel appliances, new gas stove added in 2020 and we upgraded the washer/dryer with stainless steel as well.

In the summer we have a window Air Conditioning unit on the main floor and we've added circulating fans in each of the bedrooms. And we recently completed a refresh of the house: new paint in each room, new light fixtures throughout and a kitchen refresh as well as an extended driveway/pad area and upgraded walkway/decking in the front of the house.

Well-behaved dogs are welcome with a $125 pet fee, per visit.













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  • Feature Features
  • Map Map
  • School District Availability
  • Review Review

Feature Features

  • SKI

    Snowboarding And Cross-country Skiing Nearby
  • PETS

    2 Total Pets Pet Friendly Service Animals Exempt From Fees Welcoming Dogs Only
  • BEACH

    Beach Towels
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property) Deadbolt Lock Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    4 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • KITCHEN

    Coffee Grinder Dishwasher Electric Kettle Lobster/crab Pot Microwave Oven Refrigerator Stovetop Toaster
  • LAUNDRY

    Laundry Facilities Near Laundromat Washing Machine And Dryer
  • PARKING

    Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    Free WiFi, With Speed Of 250+ Mbps (good For 3–5 People Or Up To 10 Devices)
  • OUTDOORS

    Balcony Barbecue Grill Garden Outdoor Furniture
  • POOL/SPA

    Hot Tub
  • BATHROOMS

    2 Bathrooms Bathtub Or Shower Hair Dryer Shampoo Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • WORKSPACES

    Computer Monitor Computer Station Desk
  • LANGS SPOKEN

    English Finnish Spanish Swedish
  • THINGS TO DO

    Fitness Facilities Nearby Hiking/biking Trails Nearby Horse Riding Nearby Ice Skating Nearby Rafting Nearby Rock Climbing Nearby Sledding Nearby Snow Sports Gear Snowmobiling Nearby Water Skiing Nearby Water Tubing Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books DVD Player Stereo Video Library Smart TV
  • LIVING SPACES

    Fireplace Wood Stove
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Books Children's Dinnerware Children's Games Children's Toys Highchair Travel Crib
  • LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS

    In The Mountains Near A Health Or Beauty Spa Near A Hospital
  • SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES

    Iron/ironing Board
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    Smoke-free Property

CheckIn Check-in : 04:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 11:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 10

Map Map

School District Availability

Review Review

  • Edward W.

    Submitted Jan 4, 2026

    Stayed Dec 27, 2025

    Owner let us check in early and process was easy. Easy communication with the owner. Location was great.

  • Meghan W. B.

    Submitted Nov 10, 2025

    Stayed Nov 7, 2025

    Excellent communication with the owner. Well equipped kitchen. Perfect vibe for a cozy cabin weekend away!

  • Timothy C.

    Submitted Sep 1, 2025

    Stayed Aug 12, 2025

    Very nice cabin for a relaxing and enjoyable stay! The host was very helpful and the home was clean, organized, and welcoming! I would definitely rent this home again!

  • Amber R.

    Submitted Aug 19, 2025

    Stayed Aug 15, 2025

    This cozy house has plenty of space for a group to stretch out and enjoy. The deck was beautiful - it was really peaceful in the mornings out there. The kitchen was equipped with plenty of bowls, plates, glasses and more. A full fridge / freezer, dishwasher and microwave made things super easy since we had two toddlers in tow for our trip.There is no central air - so keep that in mind for summer months. Our stay was in August and it got pretty hot and uncomfortable during nighttime in each bedroom. There were some standing fans but they didn't do much. The bedding on the beds was warm (beautiful! but warm) but we made the best of it. The upstairs bathroom has only a tub (we didn't use) but the main bathroom downstairs has a shower. The family room on the bottom level was lovely for having a movie night with the kids. The carpet was comfy too. There's a little bit of a smell downstairs - couldn't figure out what it was. All in all, the house was really great honestly. Perfect location for getting to attractions around Deep Creek Lake. The turn off to get to the house is easily missed so pay attention to your GPS - the road is marked weird. I had to double back the first time we drove in.

  • Jacqueline K.

    Submitted Jul 20, 2025

    Stayed Jul 17, 2025

    Unfortunately it rained the whole weekend so the property was very dark due to all the trees. There is only one window air conditioning unit in the main sitting area. That caused a musty odor due to the rainy weather. The downstairs dehumidifier was working but there was still a strong musty odor in the basement. The fans in the bedrooms are not enough to keep you cool for sleeping. The furniture in the sitting area was old and worn and the carpet was dirty. It was difficult to have a baby who likes to crawl on the carpet. The kitchen was well stocked with dishes, pots/pans, etc. However, the gas stove top needed cleaning as well as inside the fridge. We appreciated the early check in and late check out although we didn’t take advantage of the offer. Also, need to bring your own shampoo and body wash soap, as well as extra toilet paper. We did not use the hot tub during our stay. The property location is excellent to everything in the Deep Creek area. We appreciated the recommendations from Patty and were able to enjoy the many breweries and restaurants in the area.

  • Neal H.

    Submitted Jul 8, 2025

    Stayed Jul 1, 2025

    There are few things better than sitting in a hot tub outside just after twilight, looking at the stars, when it's comfortably cool. Especially in July in the mountains, away from the heat of DC and the racket of the city fireworks. Just sat in it for 45 minutes each evening, letting the toxicity of the news and life just melt away.The setting is beautiful, with a lovely deck at leaf level. I loved eating meals at the table and reading on one of the small sofas, with just the birds. At night, with the fans turned off and the sliding doors open, I could hear the bullfrogs (Jeremiah, maybe :-)? croaking away in the neighbor's pond a few hundred feet away.The cabin is only about 5 minutes from Wisp, and 15 minutes or so from some restaurants and shopping. It's quite close to Swallow Falls State Park, one of Maryland's best.The kitchen is very well equipped, but oddly, no spices or condiments. I wasn't doing any cooking other than leftovers, but something more than just a salt grinder would have been helpful.

  • Meagan L.

    Submitted Feb 23, 2025

    Stayed Feb 14, 2025

    The house was cozy and welcoming. The location was amazing. The hosts were responsive and helpful. We stayed with another family and there was plenty of space for everyone to enjoy themselves!

  • BETHANY M.

    Submitted Jan 7, 2025

    Stayed Dec 30, 2024

    We stayed at this rental with 2 families (4 adults and 4 kids). There was plenty of space for everyone to spread out and enjoy their stay. The basement was a great ‘hang out’ space for the kids. We enjoyed playing games in the evenings at the kitchen table. Loved the privacy in the woods but also proximity to restaurants and activities.

  • Shannon D.

    Submitted Dec 31, 2024

    Stayed Dec 27, 2024

    The cabin was both cozy and spacious enough for everyone to spread out and relax separately. It is also in the quiet woods (with excellent star gazing because of so little light pollution) yet super close to everything you want to go do in the Deep Creek area. The owners were super responsive and helpful. Very easy and pleasant communication all the way around. The overall cleanliness was great, especially for a cabin in the woods where you know mud is easily tracked inside. The floors were clean, linens well kept, bathrooms and surfaces very clean throughout the house. We all agreed we would stay there again.

  • Melinda L.

    Submitted Dec 30, 2024

    Stayed Dec 25, 2024

    A charming house perfect for a family getaway. Convenient location and dog friendly!

  • Amber C.

    Submitted Nov 29, 2024

    Stayed Nov 27, 2024

    We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here; would highly recommend! Hosts were wonderful and great activities nearby.

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Total

Includes taxes and fees
$439+
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