My children (ages 24, 21 & 20) and I stayed here for the entire Thanksgiving 2014 week, and the home was exactly what we were hoping for. Although we had a little trouble finding it in the dark on the night we arrived (hint...it's the home on the RIGHT of the propane tank), we were very happy the minute we walked in the door. Opening the blinds the next morning and seeing what we'd missed the night before was a wonderful treat!

We enjoyed the game room, the games (although we brought plenty of our own) and the fireplace. There was no snow, and some days were pretty warm (high 60s), but we built a fire most nights just for ambiance. There was unsplit wood under the deck that we didn't feel like splitting, so we bought a few bundles in town. Funny story...our home is 800 miles from the cabin, and the wood bundles were from a town not an hour away from where we live!

Because we stayed for an entire week, we had LOTS of luggage and daily groceries to bring in, and we couldn't have stayed in this particular cabin had it not been for the automatic luggage lift. Even the daily treks up and down the stairs without baggage was a challenge...my and my youngest son's knees aren't in the best shape, but it was a small price to pay for such a great house.

The kitchen was well-stocked with everything we needed. We regularly bought things at the store only to return and find there was some already at the cabin! Instructions throughout the home were clear. We had to unload the dishwasher for our first use, and there seemed to be a short in one of the stove burners - couldn't keep it on, so we just used another - but everything else was in perfect working order. We cooked most of our meals, but the restaurant recommendations on the fridge was a nice touch.

Our week was filled with activities...leaving early and coming home late, then playing games until the wee hours of the morning...so we didn't spend any time on the deck. We shopped downtown Ruidoso, visited Roswell and Carlsbad and sled the dunes at White Sands. We also spent one afternoon just exploring mountain roads in Arabela. On our last night, we stepped outside and there were 8 deer just below us! We fed them with the corn provided, and the next morning, they were there again waiting for breakfast!

We had hoped to ski, but the lack of snow didn't lessen our enjoyment. I would highly recommend this area and this rental and hope to return!