Beaver’s Pond Retreat

There are much better choices on the Olympic Peninsula, at much lower prices. The cabin – the BUILDING, that is – is OK. Any photos you find online please realize are taken at creative angles to make you believe that you are about to frolic in the Elysian Fields for a weekend, when really you are down a 15′ dirt driveway overlooking a glorified puddle of a pond, with the nosey owners 100′ away.
You will realize that this is no bargain after you check out and are pursued by the owners for «damages.» Their chief rhetorical strategy is as follows, and I quote directly from email correspondence: 1. Overstate the extent and severity of the damage. (e.g.: «Hot tub trashed beyond recovery. Inside filter askew and light cover broken»). 2. Cite a preposterous figure for what repairs would «normally» cost. 3. Back off that figure slightly, while implying this is because they are such reasonable/​kind people. It’s classic, really.
Please don’t picture some Spring Break scene in the hot tub, with tequila-​fueled games of chicken fought with pool noodles. We were two couples in our early– to-​mid thirties who ended our soak by midnight each night. There is no way our collective grunginess could have clogged the system, nor do I think a «cracked light» = «trashed beyond recovery.»
Then they tried sticking us with a $ 15 charge for not putting the dishes away from the dish rack. They backed off. But they did try.
And, finally, my favorite blanket statement of indemnity: «The stove WAS FUNCTIONING WHEN YOU WERE THERE AND UPON YOUR DEPARTURE, but because it had been bumped hard enough to move and displace the stove from its normal position it set the stove pipe and internal logs askew is not typical. WE REALIZE IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN YOU directly that caused the displacement but it is why WHOEVER RENTS THE CABIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEMSELVES AND ANY GUESTS KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY for any damage.»
Ask yourself: Do you really want to deal with these people? I rest my case.

Another jewel we found on our travels this year. This place was a treasure to find. We found their brochure while eating at a local diner and asked if we could come by and look before booking a room. What a pleasant surprise. The owners were quiet nice and the cabin had everything we needed. The property. was beautiful and the cabin setting was quiet lovely looking out over the water.
The weather was a little cool but it made the hot tub and fireplace a real treat each night. The cabin was neat and clean and the beds were wonderful. They have two cabins they rent and I hope to plan a family reunion for the summer of 2011. I think my grandkids will love this place with it’s campfire pits, fishing pond and little boat. Over the last decade we have mostly stayed at hotels or B&B’s but finding these furnished vacations rentals on our travels has made our vacation /​road trips more peaceful and enjoyable. Two thumbs up for this little rental in the woods.