Reviews of Property: Berkshires-Lake Buel, Closed till Spring
Description
House, 1100 sq. ft.,
2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6, 1 Bathroom, 1 Half Bath
2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6, 1 Bathroom, 1 Half Bath
Amenities
lake, waterfront,
internet access,
satellite or cable,
TV,
DVD
Lois Brown
+1 585-381-4261
Speaks: English
7 Reviews of Property 183642 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts
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1
Lake Buel – August 2009
Review Submitted: September 29, 2009
Date of Stay: August 2009
When my daughter Tabitha suggested a cabin in the woods, seven hours from Ottawa on a small lake near Great Barrington MA, I must admit I was skeptical. Although I have pleasant memories having been a cottager in my youth, I knew, as an adult, there was the distinct possibility of “cabin fever” setting in early. But, it was family and so off we went!
I always marvel at the way small US towns, or any small town for that matter, are named. I thought, if there was a GREAT BARRINGTON, was there a mediocre BARRINGTON close by . . . My wife and I chuckled as we drove into town. You only have to go there once and you feel like you belong. Truly, we not only rented The Little Cottage, we rented the town for the week we were there!
Upon arrival at Lake Buel and The Little Cottage, rented to us by Lois and Bruce Brown, we were introduced to our cabin for the first time. It was long and narrow, refurbished, added onto, quirky and perfect for the 6 of us. We would make it home for a week and enjoy the memories forever.
We quickly settled into the cottager’s routine of eating, cleaning up, reading, playing games and preparing for the next meal. This past summer has been a time of transition for me, having resigned from my position of 18 years as Vice President Marketing and Business Development, and I decided to take the summer off to reenergize, reflect, and renew my working spirit. I found that peace I was looking for at the Lake. All our days at Lake Buel, seemingly, begin and end with the Lake, from a serene early morning swim to a quiet ride on the Brown’s pontoon boat where we reflected on the day’s events and told embellished stories of our past.
Lois and Bruce are perfect hosts, and, I think it would be fair to say, Lois is the unofficial steward of the Lake. One cannot visit there without hearing the family history of the Lake, and how this wonderful place was rebought, restored, revered and now, constantly, revisted.
The essence of this summer’s family cottage holiday was not just the family Bar-B-Q’s, the raucous laughter shared at mealtime, the constant trips into Great Barrington, quiet times reading, or even the lively chirping of birds early in the morning but rather it was the harmony and serenity that hovers, in some curious way, over everyone visiting there.
Lake Buel, a haven, where there are no pretentions – a place where one can land softly and be restored. I know – I was!
Peter
I always marvel at the way small US towns, or any small town for that matter, are named. I thought, if there was a GREAT BARRINGTON, was there a mediocre BARRINGTON close by . . . My wife and I chuckled as we drove into town. You only have to go there once and you feel like you belong. Truly, we not only rented The Little Cottage, we rented the town for the week we were there!
Upon arrival at Lake Buel and The Little Cottage, rented to us by Lois and Bruce Brown, we were introduced to our cabin for the first time. It was long and narrow, refurbished, added onto, quirky and perfect for the 6 of us. We would make it home for a week and enjoy the memories forever.
We quickly settled into the cottager’s routine of eating, cleaning up, reading, playing games and preparing for the next meal. This past summer has been a time of transition for me, having resigned from my position of 18 years as Vice President Marketing and Business Development, and I decided to take the summer off to reenergize, reflect, and renew my working spirit. I found that peace I was looking for at the Lake. All our days at Lake Buel, seemingly, begin and end with the Lake, from a serene early morning swim to a quiet ride on the Brown’s pontoon boat where we reflected on the day’s events and told embellished stories of our past.
Lois and Bruce are perfect hosts, and, I think it would be fair to say, Lois is the unofficial steward of the Lake. One cannot visit there without hearing the family history of the Lake, and how this wonderful place was rebought, restored, revered and now, constantly, revisted.
The essence of this summer’s family cottage holiday was not just the family Bar-B-Q’s, the raucous laughter shared at mealtime, the constant trips into Great Barrington, quiet times reading, or even the lively chirping of birds early in the morning but rather it was the harmony and serenity that hovers, in some curious way, over everyone visiting there.
Lake Buel, a haven, where there are no pretentions – a place where one can land softly and be restored. I know – I was!
Peter
Perfect place for a private getaway
Review Submitted: September 9, 2009
Date of Stay: June 2008
When my wife and I were looking for a rental home on a lake for just the two of us, it was proving very difficult to find a suitable place that wasn't designed for large groups and was reasonably priced. Thankfully we found the little house at Lake Buel! The house had everything we were looking for: easy access to a swimmable lake, gorgeous views, a comfortable bed, and a cozy, rustic feel. We live in NYC, so even though the house is relatively small, it felt like a palace to us.
The owners, Lois and Bruce, happened to be staying at the main house the weekend we were there, and they couldn't have been better hosts, striking the perfect balance of being helpful without being too involved in our business. They took us for a ride on their pontoon boat, and set us up with a mattress on the dock, which my wife is still talking about. And their two cats are adorable.
It was a weekend we won't soon forget, and we definitely plan on returning in the future, maybe with another couple or maybe on our own.
The owners, Lois and Bruce, happened to be staying at the main house the weekend we were there, and they couldn't have been better hosts, striking the perfect balance of being helpful without being too involved in our business. They took us for a ride on their pontoon boat, and set us up with a mattress on the dock, which my wife is still talking about. And their two cats are adorable.
It was a weekend we won't soon forget, and we definitely plan on returning in the future, maybe with another couple or maybe on our own.
Perfect
Review Submitted: September 7, 2009
Date of Stay: September 2009
This house on Lake Buel is exactly what I was hoping to find -- something that reminds me of camp as a kid, but with people I actually like. I just wanted a place where my family could have fun and relax.
That's what this house lets you do. Close enough to the lake that you can swim or kayak just seconds after you think, Hey, I'd like to swim or kayak. A view of the same lake that lets you enjoy the water even when you're not in it. It's also close enough to Great Barrington -- its great restaurants, grocery stores, and ice cream shops -- that you're in the woods one minute and in the thick of it the next. For us, the location (about 1.5 hours from our house in central Connecticut) is ideal.
The house itself is perfect, too -- it's exactly what we wanted when we searched for a place on a lake. All of the technogizmos work great, but we hardly use them. It's not how we like to unwind. And the place is rustic, which is what we wanted. Who wants a swank condo for a summertime, lakeside respite? Here, I actually read books. I unwind. We take long afternoon naps. We cook a lot. And we spend our time playing in the water, collecting rocks, and coloring with our two little girls.
The best part about the place, though, isn't the place at all. It's the people. Lois and Bruce couldn't be nicer, treating us (and everyone, I imagine) like extended family -- not in the creepy, geez, we wish they'd go away kind of way. They have their space, you have yours, but their home is as open as are their hearts.
That's what this house lets you do. Close enough to the lake that you can swim or kayak just seconds after you think, Hey, I'd like to swim or kayak. A view of the same lake that lets you enjoy the water even when you're not in it. It's also close enough to Great Barrington -- its great restaurants, grocery stores, and ice cream shops -- that you're in the woods one minute and in the thick of it the next. For us, the location (about 1.5 hours from our house in central Connecticut) is ideal.
The house itself is perfect, too -- it's exactly what we wanted when we searched for a place on a lake. All of the technogizmos work great, but we hardly use them. It's not how we like to unwind. And the place is rustic, which is what we wanted. Who wants a swank condo for a summertime, lakeside respite? Here, I actually read books. I unwind. We take long afternoon naps. We cook a lot. And we spend our time playing in the water, collecting rocks, and coloring with our two little girls.
The best part about the place, though, isn't the place at all. It's the people. Lois and Bruce couldn't be nicer, treating us (and everyone, I imagine) like extended family -- not in the creepy, geez, we wish they'd go away kind of way. They have their space, you have yours, but their home is as open as are their hearts.
Lake
Review Submitted: September 5, 2009
Date of Stay: August 2009
My two daughters who will just be turning 5 this year have fallen in love with the little house on Lake Buel - as have my husband and myself. I can say honestly say it was a truly lovely experience to be surrounded by silence and trees and a lake so warm and cozy and clean, my offspring can officially shout they learned to Doggie Paddle the summer of 2009. Lois and her husband Bruce were warm and gracious hosts, and it was so nice to have them nearby to answer any questions or concerns we had. The house is surrounded by lovely views of the lake and is just the experience my family and I were looking for. It had all the basic modern conveniences but also had the feeling that time had seemed to stand still and the world had a chance to catch its breath. It's only now that we have returned to the city that we realize what a bad case of "Lake Buel-itis" we have.
Alexandra, MIchael, Olivia and Sabina
August 2009
Alexandra, MIchael, Olivia and Sabina
August 2009
Best Vacation Ever
Review Submitted: September 4, 2009
Date of Stay: June 2009
We had such a great vacation at the "lake house", as my 3 year old affectionatly calls it. She still says it's our "other house." This was our second year in a row renting from the Brown family and we will go back again next year. The house is cozy and sweet. Older and wood paneled, but that fits our sensibility. The view from the sitting room (with fireplace) is of the lake and it was the room my husband spent most of his time in. (it rained a lot this year!). My two girls loved sleeping on the sleeping porch, surrounded on three sides by trees. A few times we heard weird scratching noises, but then saw cute chipmunks scurrying up the house and were relieved they weren't inside (it sounds close in a sleeping porch).
The kitchen is small, but it's a vacation home, I don't need granite counter tops. But, it has a coffee pot, pots and pans and most other things my family needed. I did bring a non-stick pan for eggs, since I don't want to wash dishes on vacation.
The sleeping porch is heavenly and my husband and I dream of putting one on our own house. My kids loved it, too.
The lake is wonderful, swimming was so fun and we brought kayaks and were out exploring the lily pads across the street and the camp across the lake.
It was nice to be able to bring our computer and have access to the internet. I found that the internet worked fine in every room as long as I kept the doors open. (It's a shot-gun style with room after room) Mostly, we kept it in the far room where the tv is.
Some upsides: the area is great. We went to the shaker village, walked around Great Barrington, ate amazing sushi at Bizen and really enjoyed visiting the local farms (Gould, Rawson Brook for goat cheese and petting, etc..) The lake is terrific, especially for little kids or those of us who don't like frigid water. The family who owns the place couldn't be nicer and it's not intrusive at all having them next door..we had worried about that before we went. In fact, my little girl still talks about them all of the time.
Some downsides: the area is really piney, so a lot of needles in the house, we were sweeping all of the time. It is satellite tv, so it works fine in good weather (we have it at home too), but less good in the rain. Also, the pine makes the area damp, so your bathing suits don't dry quickly...bring a few and multiple towels.
Overall, we recommend it highly. You need to be ok with being in the woods. That's why we liked it.
The kitchen is small, but it's a vacation home, I don't need granite counter tops. But, it has a coffee pot, pots and pans and most other things my family needed. I did bring a non-stick pan for eggs, since I don't want to wash dishes on vacation.
The sleeping porch is heavenly and my husband and I dream of putting one on our own house. My kids loved it, too.
The lake is wonderful, swimming was so fun and we brought kayaks and were out exploring the lily pads across the street and the camp across the lake.
It was nice to be able to bring our computer and have access to the internet. I found that the internet worked fine in every room as long as I kept the doors open. (It's a shot-gun style with room after room) Mostly, we kept it in the far room where the tv is.
Some upsides: the area is great. We went to the shaker village, walked around Great Barrington, ate amazing sushi at Bizen and really enjoyed visiting the local farms (Gould, Rawson Brook for goat cheese and petting, etc..) The lake is terrific, especially for little kids or those of us who don't like frigid water. The family who owns the place couldn't be nicer and it's not intrusive at all having them next door..we had worried about that before we went. In fact, my little girl still talks about them all of the time.
Some downsides: the area is really piney, so a lot of needles in the house, we were sweeping all of the time. It is satellite tv, so it works fine in good weather (we have it at home too), but less good in the rain. Also, the pine makes the area damp, so your bathing suits don't dry quickly...bring a few and multiple towels.
Overall, we recommend it highly. You need to be ok with being in the woods. That's why we liked it.
Fabulous weekend getaway
Review Submitted: September 4, 2009
Date of Stay: July 2008
My husband and I recently took our 2 yr old daughter ad my sister who was visiting us to this perfect little weekend getaway. Thee most relaxing environment, house on the lake, hosts Lois and Bruce were overly welcome, small distance to the quaint little town of Great Barrington and just a 2 hour drive from NYC. We had access to kyacks, canoes and water tubes while we enjoyed the lake and the "Little House" was gorgeous and rustic.
We highly recommend this location and will be back again next summer.
We highly recommend this location and will be back again next summer.
Beautiful location, but way too rustic
Review Submitted: September 3, 2009
Date of Stay: August 2009
We were very happy with the beautiful location. The lake is lovely, the small sandy beach is sweet. The dock and the use of boats and floatation devices was appreciated. But there were a lot of things that didn't work for us here. The layout of the rooms was really bad. The master bedroom is so close to the kitchen you could wash dishes from your bed. The doorknob out of the master bedroom is literally less than an inch from your head when you are in bed. Super tight setup. The "2nd bedroom" is really a sleeping porch right off the master bedroom. To be fair, this is how it was described in their information, but somehow I figured there was a little extra room and a reason to call it a 2nd bedroom.
It was very cold in there as well. And it was only cleaned superficially. Don't look beneath the beds or at the baseboard molding or touch a light switch if you can help it. There is no lock on the front door other than a teeny fisheye hook. Okay it is the country. But still this really because the front door is seriously off kilter and the lock won't work. And the electricity needs updating too. It always shuts off if you use a blowdryer and needed to be reset at the panel which is inconveniently outside of the cottage. The wifi is really set up for the main house that the landlord occupies. So it hardly ever works except for when balancing on the side of the bed in the master bedroom. They said it worked well on the porch too, but not so helpful when it was raining or when the mosquitos were out; ie: always. Speaking of rain, the dish tv doesn't work in the rain, so bring some dvds.
This cabin probably isn't good for anybody who wants something more than roughing it. Not that roughing it is so bad. But the cost seems high for this kind of a rustic cabin. Also there were loud scratching noises that happen nightly for hours on end from underneath the cottage's master bedroom. Surely an adorable animal. But not a comforting noise at 2am. And then there's the odd water rushing noise under the master bedroom as well. We couldn't figure out the cause of either noise. The landlords didn't seem concerned. But it was hard to get a decent night's sleep here as a result of these things.
It was very cold in there as well. And it was only cleaned superficially. Don't look beneath the beds or at the baseboard molding or touch a light switch if you can help it. There is no lock on the front door other than a teeny fisheye hook. Okay it is the country. But still this really because the front door is seriously off kilter and the lock won't work. And the electricity needs updating too. It always shuts off if you use a blowdryer and needed to be reset at the panel which is inconveniently outside of the cottage. The wifi is really set up for the main house that the landlord occupies. So it hardly ever works except for when balancing on the side of the bed in the master bedroom. They said it worked well on the porch too, but not so helpful when it was raining or when the mosquitos were out; ie: always. Speaking of rain, the dish tv doesn't work in the rain, so bring some dvds.
This cabin probably isn't good for anybody who wants something more than roughing it. Not that roughing it is so bad. But the cost seems high for this kind of a rustic cabin. Also there were loud scratching noises that happen nightly for hours on end from underneath the cottage's master bedroom. Surely an adorable animal. But not a comforting noise at 2am. And then there's the odd water rushing noise under the master bedroom as well. We couldn't figure out the cause of either noise. The landlords didn't seem concerned. But it was hard to get a decent night's sleep here as a result of these things.
Owner's Response: Long ago, I learned that there is no point to exaggeration. Sooner or later, you're found out. So when I wrote the description of my property at Lake Buel, if anything, I understated what I consider its charms.
The Little House is unique in that it is six rooms long, appropriate to the lay of the land. This is why there is a view of the Lake from every room. It is a Country Cottage different in feel from a house in the suburbs or a city apartment. Over the years, it has been for many a place to leave behind for a few days the busy rat race at home. On a cold morning in February when you’re battling the elements on the way to work, it is therapeutic to recall a place by a Lake where you can relax on a summer afternoon.
The property is a work-in-progress. Each season there is something new: upgraded electricity, baseboard heat, flat screen TV, Satellite reception, WiFi, the trappings of modern life. But the essence of the place is from another time, a time when the simple life seemed to matter more.
We offer harmony, privacy, generosity, good fellowship, and peace and quiet.
The Little House is unique in that it is six rooms long, appropriate to the lay of the land. This is why there is a view of the Lake from every room. It is a Country Cottage different in feel from a house in the suburbs or a city apartment. Over the years, it has been for many a place to leave behind for a few days the busy rat race at home. On a cold morning in February when you’re battling the elements on the way to work, it is therapeutic to recall a place by a Lake where you can relax on a summer afternoon.
The property is a work-in-progress. Each season there is something new: upgraded electricity, baseboard heat, flat screen TV, Satellite reception, WiFi, the trappings of modern life. But the essence of the place is from another time, a time when the simple life seemed to matter more.
We offer harmony, privacy, generosity, good fellowship, and peace and quiet.
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