CHARMING SECLUDED WATERFRONT HOME LOCATED ON PRIVATE 400 ACRES STILES LAKE

My ideal American dream is owning a home by a lake and kicking off the shoes and taking a quick-nap on the back-porch with a book to lay-on-the-belly. I never did finish that book and I didn’t get to sit on that porch either, because we arrived to this wonderful place on Sunday, December 29th just a few short hours after a torrential snow blizzard hit. We were on route 84 in Connecticut coming up from our home on the Jersey Shore when the snow started.

Once you get inside the house, the pictures on the web site don’t give adequate homage to the well-kept appearance and decorative treatments like the Christmas tree with ornaments, lights in the windows and even wreaths outside – this place is like the Country Home magazine real charm.

More important to me is the value. There were lots of priceless moments for picture taking as the niece and nephew from Boston opened their gifts from the wife and I in front of that gorgeous stone fireplace while others gathered in the kitchen area preparing food for the bunch of us. Around in the great-room, all the young adults were leaning over the table with cards tagged to their foreheads playing that guessing game – I don’t know what it is – but they were laughing a bunch. Honestly, it’s the first time in four years I’ve seen my son, who is home from the military on leave, having so much fun hanging out with his cousins.

When it came to preparing the food, everything came out fine. It was like a prep-area in that kitchen just as stuff came off the stove it was served, and there was plenty of room for more than one chef there. All the spices we needed were there and plenty of tin-foil and plastic to keep stuff in the fridge for later. Everyone who came over for dinner on Sunday fell in love with the scenery of the snow over the frozen lake, and there was plenty of everything and something to accommodate all of us regardless of age.

After all the eating and gaming, the guys hustled for a seat on the curvy-couch and watched the Patriots against Miami – you know who won – while the ladies sat around the fireplace and talked about us “probably…” We talked a lot, me and my brother and his son and his grandson, they all have good jobs and wonderful families and we are planning some golf this summer. I did go outside with my niece and nephew a bit to check out that tire swing and we ran around the snow a little bit and did lots of laughing.

I highly recommend this experience to those like me and my family.

We had a great time staying in this home and it had all the amenities needed! The owners, Mark and Maria, were very nice and stopped in on our second day there. They provided a lot of information on the area including things to do, restaurants to dine at and places to see. We loved the outdoor porches and the fire pit outside. The only thing I thought that was somewhat odd was that you are required to make sure the house is relatively clean before leaving, strip the bedding from the beds used and place the used towels in a designated area for housekeeping. Even thought that wasn't a problem, that is part of housekeeping's job and they should be doing it. Otherwise, we had a great time and would recommend this property to anyone that was looking for a nice, beautiful relaxing lake house!

We had a great time staying in this home and it had all the amenities needed! The owners, Mark and Maria, were very nice and stopped in on our second day there. They provided a lot of information on the area including things to do, restaurants to dine at and places to see. We loved the outdoor porches and the fire pit outside. The only thing I thought that was somewhat odd was that you are required to make sure the house is relatively clean before leaving, strip the bedding from the beds used and place the used towels in a designated area for housekeeping. Even thought that wasn't a problem, that is part of housekeeping's job and they should be doing it. Otherwise, we had a great time and would recommend this property to anyone that was looking for a nice, beautiful relaxing lake house!