Shell Bay | Luxury | Main Channel | Private Dock

Eight adults and two children stayed for a week at Shell Bat. The best moments were probably on the dock. We swam and floated in the lake, and we fished off the dock in the evening. The decks were gathering places, and we used the Blackstone several times. The large dining table allowed us to all gather for meals. The house is large, with many places to go for some down time. The kitchen and bathrooms are very modern, and the bedrooms are spacious, especially the master bedroom. Overall, our stay was a lot of fun and enjoyable. Do pay attention that neither the outside nor the inside are ADA accessible. Also, the parking is a little different, but the manager communicated well the directions. We also enjoyed going to places around the lake for mini trips.

Overall, us adults had a good trip. However, this was not a good location for children. First, the house is located on a main channel. While the adults enjoyed watching the boats fly by and were still able to swim, it was impossible for the children to swim in those conditions. One toddler in particular is an avid swimmer and was devastated. Second, there is no light on the steep staircase from the backyard to the dock. The kids had to be carried or hold hands with an adult just to go down to the dock. Additionally, the bunk beds were a selling point for the little kids’ sleeping arrangements. However, the bunk beds shook so much with the slightest movement that it quickly become a concern. We didn’t even know if we felt comfortable letting the kids sleep on them. There were other minor concerns, like the cleanliness and lack of furniture on the dock (despite the photos showing furniture), but the owner was quick to resolve with the former situation. For adults, I’d say this is a 4-star stay. However, this was a 1 or 2-star location for the kids.

We loved this place. After a significant issue when we arrived, the owners immediately communicated with us and made it right. The place was great. Easy to get there and plenty of parking. The steps to get to the front door can be precarious. There is no rail to hold on to and the top three levels of steps have a slant to them which makes them easy to trip on. They didn't present any problems after we got used to it. Just need to be aware. The rental is definitely on the main channel and it is VERY BUSY. The dock and slip are great for fishing. We caught plenty of catfish and bass. The crappie were very young and not able to keep but that is just the way it is on the lake. No complaints about that. One thing to note if you rent a boat is the dock and slip gather every bit of chop and wake from the boats. We had a boat on Tuesday and Wednesday because we prepared for that. If you rent on the weekends and are not familiar with boat life, it could be very tricky to get in and out of the slip. The kitchen and cupboards were decently stocked and we had no trouble finding what we needed. The beds were EXTREMELY comfortable which was a great surprise as a lot of rentals don't take the time to invest in good beds. We felt refreshed and ready to go every morning. We will definitely be back to this rental. The place was really nice and the communication with the owners was outstanding.

We had an excellent time on our fellas trip staying here. Lake was excellent and hanging out on the dock was a lot of fun. We did a lot of cooking on the blackstone which was great. Lots of room to spread out inside. Would definitely come back some time!

We had a wonderful stay! House was beautifully decorated and very cozy. LOTS of room for us and 3 grown boys. The couches were sooo comfortable as well as all the beds! The upper deck was a great feature as the lower had foliage in front of it to offer more privacy. Dock had a nice seating area that the boys found awesome for fishing!! Would absolutely recommend. Kitchen was nicely stocked as well! Quick responses for any questions asked!!

My family and I enjoyed our weekend here. The place was clean and spacious and had everything we needed. We really enjoyed the lake view and direct access to the water from the dock. Life jackets were provided for all ages and my children did not want to leave!

This was a great place to stay at, however watch out for the entry stairs. We had 3 people fall that scraped up their faces and are still healing 2 weeks later. I reached out to VRBO about the situation yet nothing was done. You would think for how much money this place costs that they would repair something as simple as some landscaping stone stairs. Location was also very hard to get to on a narrow windy road.

This is an amazing property . Super clean and comfortable place to stay . All the things you need are provided . Highly recommend . Would stay again

We enjoyed our time at Shell Bay over our spring break. We are from Iowa, so the 50 degree weather was a nice change for us. We spent time hiking, playing cards and cooking. We loved the Blackstone Grill and the view from the back of the house. The kitchen had all of the utensils and dishes we needed and the beds were comfortable. When we needed a propane tank, our host was quick to get back to us.

Everything was wonderful. We had two families with five older teenagers stay, plenty of room not only in the bedrooms but we were able to spread out nicely in the common areas. Beautiful home, highly recommend!