Misrepresented
Submitted: July 20, 2012
Stayed: July 2012
The setting of this cabin is beautiful and it is very quiet. But these are the features of the location and not of the cabin itself which we found to be uncomfortable, unclean and inconvenient. The lodging is described as rustic by the owners who disclose this fact honestly. However, that’s where the honesty ends. The linen was unclean – like in a cheap motel. Equally, the furniture looked and felt as if it had just come from a high traffic urban thrift store without a cleaning. Basic provisions like toilet paper, sugar, coffee etc. were not provided for and the owners only had excuses about these things when we surfaced our complaints. The bath tub - fit only for a toddler - was excruciatingly painful (study the bathroom picture closely) and the springy beds were torturous. The living room was cluttered with junk and plastic orange construction fencing covered the deck and marred the one redeeming feature of the cabin - the view. The owners once again neglected to disclose this until well after we had booked our stay. In their description, the owners laud the location as "perfect...to check out Southern Utah's natural beauty." However, the cabin is located 23 miles off the main road - Highway 9 - which leads to Zion National Park. That' s a 46 mile round trip each time you leave for a day and return. During our stay, we had to make the trip 10 times. That's 230 well memorized miles. The owners further describe the cabin as situated 30 minutes from Zion National Park. While it is true that the road weaves in and out of Park boundaries, it is misleading to say that it is 30 minutes from Zion National Park which most people would interpret as the closest entrance gate. We timed the trip door-to-door from the cabin to the closest gate which is just outside of Springdale. That drive takes a good 90 minutes to complete - 60 minutes of which are on a 35 MPH slow as molasses mountainous road (watch out at night!). When we raised the issue of misrepresentation with the owners we got double-speak about what we mean by "main" road. I guess they also have a different definition for "clean," "convenient," and "comfort." If by retreat, they only mean isolated and far away, then yes, the cabin is a retreat. But to truly retreat, you must be able to relax. To truly relax you need basic comfort, cleanliness, and convenience. These are fundamental elements that the cabin lacks even if your goal was to isolate and only explore the surrounding areas of Kolob Reservoir.
Owner's Response: While we never want to hear a guest say they did not enjoy their stay, it is not due to misrepresentation. We are very upfront about the cabin, the location, and the distance, as it is all stated on this website, as well as in any correspondence we send. On the contrary, we make ourselves very available to answer any questions before any reservation is made, after the reservation is made and even during a stay. As for the cabin, it is cleaned and all linens, towels, rugs, etc. are changed and laundered after each guest. The cabin is an A-frame structure so the bath tub rests along one of the slanted walls. This also has not been misrepresented, as there are pictures on the website as well as comments of other reviewers. The bath tub is a tub with a wand, never have we tried to represent it as a shower. There is very little storage space in the cabin so there is a bin in the back corner of the living room to store extra toilet paper, paper towels, life preservers, etc. There is also a patio umbrella and lounge chairs for guests to use during their stay. Due to the area having wild animals and winds, these items cannot be left on the deck with no one at the cabin or these items would be destroyed. Unfortunately, the back deck was under construction during this stay, due to the railings being on back order. However, when it was discovered that the deck would not be completed in time for the visit, it was clearly communicated to the guest. Since then, the deck railing has been replaced giving an even less obstructed view than the original railing. The location of the cabin is clearly disclosed not only on this website, but also in the initial response sent to each and every inquiry. This initial response includes the distance from the cabin to the entrance of Zion National Park in Springdale, UT, and to Bryce Canyon. The road to the cabin weaves in and out of Zion National Park with trail heads leading all the way up to the cabin. So for our description to state the cabin is 30 minutes from Zion is not misrepresented. The narration does not state it is 30 minutes from the entrance to Zion, located in Springdale, UT, as this is not true. The cabin is 45 min to 1 hour from Springdale, UT, and again this is something we mention in our first correspondence to inquiries. As we realize this cabin is not for everyone, if rustic and tranquil are what you are looking for, this may be the ticket!
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