The demand for cottages has been increasing exponentially over the last few years. We have received phone calls from people desperate to rent who ask very few questions if any at all! How do they know if this cottage would suit their family? If you are thinking of renting a cottage, here are a few questions you may want to ask before sending in your deposit!
1) Is your cottage pet friendly? One of the benefits of vacationing at a cottage is that your four legged family member may be able to join you. Will your pets be welcome at the cottage? What are the rules regarding size, breed, and number of pets etc? Are other cottages close by with pets who may not get along with you pets? Are there walking trails close by? Or is there space on the property for your pet to run and explore? Maybe you don't have any pets or have allergies. This still may be a good question to ask if searching for a cottage that has never had a pet in it.
2) Where can I see reviews on your cottage? Cottage rentals are on the rise and unfortunately with that the occurrences cottage rental fraud are rising. Picture yourself showing up for your vacation rental just as another family pulls in saying they rented the same week. Or perhaps you knock on the door of your beautiful cottage and the owner opens the door. She looks confused when you say you have rented their cottage? These are real examples of what can happen. To avoid this be sure to book with a reputable company that has several reviews on their cottages. Avoid booking through a Kijiji ad without a link to their website or seeing several reviews from past happy guests. Get a referral from a family member or friend who has actually stayed at one of their properties!
3) Is there internet and cell phone reception at the cottage? Cottages can be fairly remote and cell phone reception is not always a given. Internet can also be difficult depending on the location. Most cottages will have a satellite internet connection if they have one at all. This will be a slower connection that is perfectly fine for emails and website searches etc., but don't plan on downloading movies or streaming netflix!
4) How far is the nearest town? Many people book their cottage after seeing amazing pictures and reading reviews, without first learning how far the cottage is from the closest town. I understand that your family is looking to "get away" from it all, but at some point you will need food, alcohol, snacks, supplies, or restaurants, etc. This can be a quick and easy trip of 5 minutes, or a long, time wasting excursion of 45 minutes or more, depending on the location! Be sure you know how far you will need to travel for groceries.
5) Is the cottage accessible? This seems like a silly question to ask, but there are cottages for rent with no road access! You are expected to park your car and hike in to the property. Is this something you are willing to take on with luggage and young kids in tow? Does this cottage have road or water access? Many cottages are located on their own private island or shared with several other cottages. Is your family ok with having to climb on a boat every time you want to go into town or need supplies? Is the boat supplied or will you be paying for a service to move you to and from the mainland. What about winter access? Are the roads municipally maintained or are they covered by a private plowing service? Will the driveway and access to the doors be shoveled before your arrival?
With just a few questions you will be able to find the perfect cottage for your family. If contacting a rental agency let them help you with the research! Tell them what is important to you! Do you want shallow water entry because you have little kids? Do you want flat land and easy access because you have elderly family members coming? The agency will have first hand knowledge of the cottages and will be happy to help you find the perfect fit!
Dean Curtis
Serenity Vacation Rentals
We spoke with the friendly staff
and asked what was most popular for tourists when they came to the cranberry
farm. They suggested the guided tour,
the wine tasting, and the cheese platter!
We were happy to sign up for all three!
We started with the wine tasting. A wine server had a number of their wines set
up and told everyone a brief summary of how it was made and the appeal that
each wine had. Again I’m not a fan of
wine generally speaking but I soon became a fan of their blueberry wine! To this day we always have a bottle of Muskoka Lakes winery blueberry wine on hand.
It was a lot of fun trying all of the different bottles of wine!
Next we were off on the guided tour. We learned the history of the farm and how
the company has grown into what it is today.
We learned about their farming of the cranberries and how they are
harvested and eventually turned into wine, jams, sauce, and many other
products. It was really interesting to
see the large vats where the wine is made.
