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Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve

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December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve

Fridge, microwave, oven, dishwasher
Outdoor dining
7 bedrooms, free WiFi, bed sheets
Smart TV, DVD player, books, video library
Interior

Reviews

8.4 out of 10

Very good

Entire home

7 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 14223 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Hot tub
  • Washer
  • Outdoor space
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Albany, Ohio
  • Ohio University
    13 min drive
  • Court Street
    14 min drive
  • Dairy Barn Arts Center
    14 min drive
  • Athens, OH (ATO-Ohio University)
    6 min drive

Room options

Similar properties

Exterior

Spacious Hidden Gem in Athens OH

Kitchen
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
5.0 out of 5, Exceptional, (1)
The price is €866
for 1 night
includes taxes & fees
10 Dec - 11 Dec
Spacious Hidden Gem in Athens OH

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve

Relax and stargaze around a firepit, or watch an amazing sunrise. The 5acre Lake offers some great fishing, canoeing or kayaking, and some muchneeded R&R. Take a 45-50 minute drive from your cottage/retreat to visit Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkle’s Hollow, or Rock Bridge located in Hocking Hills State Park. No matter the season, you and your guests won’t be disappointed when visiting all the beauty Hocking Hills offers!
Grab 14 of your closest friends or family because our Island Retreat is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! You and your guests will be amazed with this two cottage three suite retreat that sits on a private 5 acre lake. Spacious living in this two story cottage/retreat with living room, open kitchen, dining area, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. The second cottage/retreat has two suites with 10 person occupancy full bathroom, living room and kitchen areas. If you have three families wanting to spend time together this is the perfect spot for you! The property is located just off the road of State RT 50 in a quiet setting that offers plenty of relaxation for you and your guests.
During your stay at this cottage, you'll be close to Woodcock Nature Preserve. Enjoy features like a water park and 1 hot tub. The cottage offers free WiFi and a kitchen.
  • Air-conditioned cottage with kitchen, washing machine and 3 bathrooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Splash around at the water park
  • 13 minutes by car from Ohio University and 13 minutes from Woodcock Nature Preserve
Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve offers its guests a water park and Access to hot tub. The family-friendly Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve also features barbecue grills and a garden.

This Albany cottage is smoke free.

Property manager

1st Choice Cabin Rentals

Languages

English

Property amenities

Pool/Spa

  • Spa tub

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 7 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 3 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Service animals only (pets not allowed)

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • Near a hospital
  • Near a zoo
  • Near an outlet shopping centre
  • Near the marina
  • On a lake
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Boat
  • Kayak
  • Water park
  • Water sports equipment
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Mountain climbing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Rock climbing nearby
  • Spelunking nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Winery tours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 2,400 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

  • No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events are allowed on site
Note from host: Weddings & private parties
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, which will enable you to manage your booking.

Property is also known as

stChoiceCabinRentals4511_139141

Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve Reviews

Reviews

8.4

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 18 out of 40 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 40 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 40 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 40 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 40 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Nathan B.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Tim H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Our vacation
Two primary AC areas did not work at first, but when I notified management they were repaired the next day. This rental had plenty of room for our extended family which is really three separate small families with each able to have their privacy areas yet all be together on the same property. We would come back.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin H., Hilliard, OH

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect Getaway and housing for big group!!!
I booked the Island Retreat for My brother's Family of 4; my family of 5; my other brother; and my parents. 12 people total. This location was perfect for us; everyone got enough room to sleep comfortably. The dock was perfect with the shade on one side; we did A LOT of fishing! There was a canoe and peddle boat on the dock waiting for us. We used them a lot as well. There are 2 other locations on the same lake; we could hear others at times, but nothing disruptive. The location was safe and remote, but not too remote where you wouldn't be able to get any last minute things for your stay. This made for such a great and memorable trip for my whole family.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Michele B.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Poor conditions
There was note stating the room "may" be damp due to a leak. The room was SOAKED and completely unusable. - The home with the two bedrooms had a mouse in it. Mouse poop was in the kitchen cabinets so we chose to not use that area at all. - I wouldnt say the place was filthy, but it was not in any condition to believe someone came to clean the place prior to our arrival. There were ants, dust, and dirt everywhere. Overall, we were disappointed with the conditions of the home. I was hoping 1st Choice would be willing to provide a partial reimbursement but instead, they ignored my concerns entirely.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

elizabeth b.

Nice location
We had a nice time, however, it would have been nice to know ahead of time that there was only working air conditioning in 2 of the bedrooms. The 3 bedrooms in the main house did not have AC and the 2 above the garage the AC did not keep up so it was very hot. There was a window unit in the kitchen that worked but did very little for the bedrooms. I reached out to the manager who told me there were box fans for each room but when it's 80 degrees inside, those really do not help much. WIFI was unusable. There was quite a bit of trash under the deck unfortunately. Location was good and the lake was nice. The house has many half finished updates going on. Overall, all 12 of us were pretty disappointed in our stay but made the best of it anyway
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Kevin L.

Riding the windy nine.
Great setting very quiet & private. Place needs some updates. House keeping needs improvement.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Katie B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Pretty Property
Beautiful location and plenty of things to do with teens. Nice lake, hot tub, the setting is beautiful, plenty of space and seating for a large family. Lots of towels provided and a nice laundry provided too. The lower bathroom needs some love and there are some minor repairs needed to make this property a smidge better but I would book again.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

James B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay
My family and I had a great stay. The house could use some updates, but nothing that made our stay bad. More than enough room for people to be together in a big group, while at the same time there is space if you want to break away into smaller groups. Cool to be able to fish off the porch.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Kristy K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Island retreat
The place was nice .. but half the lights didn't work, there was a hole in one of the bedroom walls, the lower bathroom floor was soft, it needs some tlc. But the location was nice the outside was amazing and beautiful. Would return
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gail S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lake Retreat
This place is wonderful. Great for fishing and just sitting on one of the decks watching the geese. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves. We will come here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
NYE Weekend
The property allowed enough room for our family and a few friends to come together at one location to enjoy the NYE Weekend. It was nice having separate living areas to be able to spread out. Some updates/upkeep would put this place in another price bracket as the location was on point. We would stay again and recommend to anyone.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Debra E.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family Thanksgiving
We came together to have a family Thanksgiving. We all enjoyed downtime together. The house was the perfect size and the apartment above the garage was nice to put the older kids in. If i was to give any critiques it would be the bathroom in the lower end of the house definitely needs redone......floors are smushy. Everything was very clean.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Randall C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Dad’s weekend!
Our stay was wonderful. The only drawback was the lockbox for the keys was difficult to find and also difficult to open. It also did not work when I went to put the keys back, so it would be much easier just to have the digital code on a door
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Kim H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fall weekend Getaway with Family
We had a wonderful stay. I few minor hiccup, please change the cracked toilet seat, and the hot tub was not working. The location was very nice and the lake was nice, all and all we had a great time.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

Melissa S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Did It's Job
It was my son's wedding weekend and we wanted the bridal party to be able to stay in the same house. It has plenty of room with a lot of bedrooms. Unfortunately, the wifi never worked and the hot tub stopped working after the first night. The air conditioner in the second building (above the garage) never worked. One of the rooms had a hole in the wall and another room had a leak in the closet. I called the property management 3 times and was told they would reach out to their maintenance team and get back to me but I never received a return call.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

6/10 Okay

Andy B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Biker trip
The property was awsome. there were to many light switches that did not do anything. The kitchen light also turned on a Bd room waking up a friend at 4 in the morning. The hot tub had issues. The fishing was good
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Nichole J.

Great location, needs some TLC, but good vaue for the area
Overall, we had a great time with family. Accommodations were spacious. The location and lake were amazing. We had read in previous reviews about the hot tub not staying on, the bathroom floor needing replaced, and the cracked toilet seat. None of these were show stoppers for us, but the hot tub is a perk that is listed to gain attention. This needs to be fixed if you’re going to list it as an amenity And really? A $15 toilet seat? Just change it! Other than that and some quirky lights and switches, we had a great time and would consider staying here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Kathy C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Island Retreat
We really loved the privacy and size of the rental property. The property needs some updates especially in the bathrooms and the hot tub but overall we all had a great time!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

michele i.

Liked: Cleanliness
2nd time staying
Great spot!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bob K.

Liked: Cleanliness
What a blast!!!
Great location, everything you needed for a large group was right there. Great hiking and national parks 40 minutes away. All ages always found fun things to do!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Michele D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location
This is a good location. Both buildings are in need of cosmetic, ac, hot tub and appliance repairs but management were sympathetic and made efforts to have maintenance come. Unfortunately maintenance were fully scheduled during our stay and we made the effort to have a great time anyway. These were minor issues that didn't take any fun away. Would definitely use 1st choice again. Very nice and immediate responses from booking to vacation completion.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dan B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place... A lot of fun to be had here.
First of all, the rental company is very responsive. The issues you read about in other reviews have been addressed. There are life jackets available, steps have been taken for pests. Sheets and towels are clean. Yes this place needs some work, and there are some issues with one of the bathrooms. The deck is in no danger of "falling in". Yes it leans towards the water, but it's on a heavy duty welded steel frame. It's not going to fall in. The wooden railings of the upper deck definitely need some attention as they are loose. The hot tub needs refilled and evaporates rapidly, because that's how science works. My family loved this place. We would go back, for sure. Fishing was great (no license needed as it's a private lake), the kids canoed and paddle boated. There were inflatables provided as well. The interior was clean. Everything worked as expected. Laundry, dishwasher and hand soap are provided, plenty of towels, both bath and dish... Sheets pillows, and blankets, too. All in all, we loved it and would return.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Maria T.

4th weekend
We had a great time
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

2/10 Terrible

Stephanie S., Charleston, WV

Disliked: Cleanliness
Posting is Deceiving/ Not enough room to write all I need to say. I will hit on the important stuff
This unit has potential, but in desperate need of TLC. Pros: Beautiful Location on a 5 acre lake, 1 mile from Lake Snowden, loved the paddleboat. Apartment above the garage was about the only semi-nice part of the place that didn't have an issue. Cons: There are mice in the unit. We left a bag of candy out on the kitchen counter one night and the next morning the mice had gotten in it. There was mouse droppings on the counter and kitchen drawers. Towels had yellow stains. The hot tub was dirty with dirt and pine needles and the hot tub would overheat to 109 degrees and then shut itself off with an "OH" error. The lower bathroom had a MAJOR leak under the floor. The floor is soaking wet and feels like a wet sponge when you step on it. Someone will eventually fall through the floor if it's not fixed ASAP. The towel rack in that bathroom is bent and laying on the floor. The toilet seat is split in two and glued back together with tape on the bottom of it. Metal trim on a step down area is missing and just leaning against a random wall. There are windows in some of the unit that if you open, they will fall off. One of them we noticed was taped from the outside to keep it on. Some doors don't open, shut, or lock correctly because the house seems to be falling forward towards the lake. The deck also has a huge tilt into the water. Trash around the premises. Still had a great time, but overpaid for what we got!! Two other units on property were nicer and cheaper per night.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

amanda n.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family/Friend getaway
Property was great very spacious loved having three separate units and being able to still be together! The inside of the property was wonderful and cleaned great. However outside area was missed near the fire pit from previous people staying not cleaning up their trash. But with the property being so large I think it was just overlooked by the cleaning crew since it was on the far outside area otherwise spectacular. The hot tub breaker did keep going out and we had to have the property manager send someone out to clean out and shock the hot tub. We brought our own kayaks but the kids loved the paddle boat. Fishing off the dock or off of the island was great got a fish every time even if it was majority bluegill they did still get some big fish!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023