3 Bedrooms, 1 Flex Room, 3 Bathrooms!<br>Walk-in Water! Wifi! Ping Pong! Come Visit "Best Kept Secret Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nicole S.

5 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best Kept Secret is Fantastic!

The house was beautiful! Large kitchen, dining area, and basement with a ping pong table for when you're not out enjoying the beautiful view from the dock. Amazing vacation!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tracey H.

22 Jun 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girls Weekend

"Best Kept Secret" is a beautiful property. Plenty of room and very clean. We loved the floating dock and spent most of time there. One suggestion about the linens package. It would have been nice if our beds had been made with sheets when we arrived. I would suggest including this service. We had a great weekend...it was too short.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Raymond B.

21 Sept 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great property!

Great Property for our business outing. Will definitely try to book this one again. Fished with Todd-The Shad Taxi and played a round at Mariner's Landing.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mary B.

12 Jun 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great views

We had a wonderful weekend despite the rainy and cold weather Memorial Weekend. The views of the lake from anywhere in the house made it all ok. We enjoyed the spacious kitchen, extra yard toys and amazing fire pit. Only one thing missing was lounge chairs on the deck. Definitely coming back!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

13 Nov 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

"Best Kept Secret" a delight!

While we were only there an extended weekend, we wished we could have stayed longer! The home is beautiful and accommodated our small group well. The bedrooms and common spaces are very comfortable as well! We enjoyed hiking in the State park one day, renting a pontoon boat the next day and enjoyed nightly campfires! Would definitely like to come back!

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020

10/10 Excellent

Marjorie G.

18 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The house was exactly what we were looking for. Quiet and peaceful. Having the lake was a plus.

VRBO is the way to go. We have never been let down.

10/10 Excellent

james z.

11 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Change of scenery week

We’ve rented a few houses and this one did not disappoint. Tucked away with a good view of the lake. Well kept, clean, comfy furniture and beds. Very nice and well supplied kitchen. Would happily rent this house again.

Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2020

8/10 Good

Heather H.

8 Oct 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy

Disliked: Communication

Girls Weekend Getaway

We absolutely loved this property and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The kitchen was well stocked and most items were just as listed. Our only complaint was it was listed with a fireplace and there is a beautiful one. However, there are no instructions on how to use it. Other than that, we loved it.

10/10 Excellent

Kristian D.

17 Jul 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

This is truly a well kept secret!

Best house we have stayed in at SML. The house was very clean and we felt right at home. The dock is very close to the neighbors so if you want complete privacy this may not be the house for you! We will definitely be back 😀

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Rhonda C.

24 Jun 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relax!

This is a beautiful property! Comfy beds, well stocked easy to use kitchen, gas grill, fire pit, kayaks, games . . . All made for a wonderful visit. Add the lake and a rental pontoon boat that we could dock at the house made for a perfect stay. Warning: the walk to the lake is a gentle slope *mostly* . . . It is a bit of a climb close to the house so anyone with mobility issues may struggle (our almost 9 month pregnant daughter in law was huffing!). Thank you for sharing your lovely home!

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer T.

22 Jun 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Expectations exceeded!

This property is aptly named! This is a best kept secret for sure, I hardly want to tell anyone. Every single aspect of this home is gorgeous, well maintained, gorgeous views, perfect spot on the lake, dinner on the screened porch, and so much more! Perfect home for our family vacation.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Whitney T.

21 Oct 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

You will absolutely love this house!

Extremely clean property. Very well maintained. Accurate description on the website. Detailed notebook about the property and surrounding area was a nice bonus that was filled with valuable information. Beautiful appliances. Driveway was narrow to back a boat down to the property. It can be done if you are experienced at towing a boat. Comfortable beds. Nice touch to have rugs/bath mats in all the bathrooms as well as some toilet paper and a few paper towels and napkins. We would absolutely rent this property again. It is well worth the money.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Gretchen S., Apex, NC

30 Sept 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

2nd visit even better than the 1st!

This was our second time staying at this amazing property and it was even better than the first! I loved the addition of the kayaks! This was a last-minute trip because I had some head-down work I needed to get done away from the city (Raleigh) as well as some much needed R&R in between. About 20 minutes away from the house it was as though I could feel the tension releasing from my shoulders. Upon pulling in and seeing the deer in the front of the house, I had to remind myself I was there to work :) This home is the epitome of calm, not only was I able to complete my project for work, my 15, 17, and 19 year old came up for the day Sunday and we enjoyed an amazing day on the lake, lunch on the patio, and dinner before they headed back home. This is the latest time in the season we've visited SML but it may now be one of my favorite times! We rented a boat from Bridgewater Marina and spent the day on the lake and it was much more calm than in the high-season. Thank you Best Kept Secret for accommodating this last minute request and making this trip possible with all of 12 hours notice. See you soon!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Chuck & Norma S.

28 Sept 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Week

This is a great place to stay. Nice amenities and nice dock. Plenty of room for everyone. The screened in porch is sealed very well and we didn't have any bugs. The location is not to far from stores and restaurants. Very nice wide water for playing. We would definitely recommend staying at "The Best Kept Secret".

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Andrea R., Roanoke, USA

23 Sept 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing

This was a stunning home! I loved the fact that we didn’t have to walk down a steep hill or back up to get to the lake. The only thing I would suggest is to bring blankets. Although blankets and pillows are supplied (sheets are not), the blankets were very thin and not very warm. But I’ll most definitely stay here again absolutely amazing!

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

J K.

28 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unbelievable find

We loved everything about this property. Great central location ina quiet cove. House was clean and inviting. We enjoyed two camp fires, the screened in porch, ping pong table and kayaks. A SML vacation is always great but this home raises the bar quite a bit. Thank you ,

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kristi M.

21 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best house on the lake

Property was more than pictures described. Easy check in and the house was immaculately clean. Beds were very comfortable and the house was well stocked. We cooked every night and did not have issue with finding necessary tools. Renting a boat is a must but swimming in the cove was great with minimal wake. Only suggestion would be tables on the top deck next to chairs and furniture on bottom deck but all in all it was a great experience. My family and I rent a lot of houses and this one has easily surpassed others with the ease of check-in, cleanliness and overall property. Looking forward to renting it next year!

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Andrew C., Wayne, NJ

30 Jul 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Didn’t want to leave!

The house was perfect. Clean and in almost new condition. My first thought upon arrival was that the pictures don’t do it justice. It is bigger than it appears. High ceilings in basement make it bright and spacious. We are ready to return!

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Susan M.

8 Jul 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Staying Again!

The pictures do not do this property justice. It is very nice and spacious, well-kept and modern. The kitchen is well equipped with updated appliances. You won't be disappointed!

10/10 Excellent

Mary C.

27 May 2019

We felt like we were right at home. The warm feel, space & lake were perfect!

An amazing relaxed time is what anyone will find here, true to it's name for sure. The only misunderstanding we had was we were not aware that we needed to bring our own toilet paper, trash bags, dish soap & such...but that was not enough for us not to enjoy our time.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Peggy K.

24 May 2019

Fantastic family weekend at Best Kept Secret!

This is a lovely, spacious, and very comfortable vacation home, on a heavenly piece of waterfront property on Smith Mountain Lake. Our entire family (3 couples and one baby) had more than enough room, and could have easily invited another couple or small family to join us! We really enjoyed the openness of the common spaces on the main floor, master bedroom, and second bedroom all with a lovely views of the lake, the State Park across the waterway, and the rising full moon! We especially enjoyed the deck, the screened porch, the yard and dock during the day, and the fire pit, large dining room table for an evening meal and games, and the family room set up downstairs with 2 bedrooms and a ping pong table room for fun at night. We really appreciated the water toys that were made available to us (3 kayaks), and yard games, and took full advantage of them - paddling across to the state park to explore the shore line! We are already making plans to return (hopefully) in September. We did have a few small suggestions for your consideration, including 1) making linens and towels available, perhaps with an extra charge "per bed linens needed" and "per towels needed"; 2) making some generic soap, shampoo, and conditioners available in the bathrooms; 3) providing complementary dish soap, dishwasher soap, and garbage bags; and making sure there are enough wine glasses available for adult guests, and small juice glasses for everyone! Other than that, the house is very well equipped with very nice table settings, cooking utensils, and serving dishes. We found everything we needed and more. Thanks for a lovely time!

Stayed 2 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Billy A.

9 Nov 2018

Beautiful property!

This is a beautiful lake-front property that is wonderfully decorated with new appliances, furniture, etc. Amazing space tucked in the woods and close to Portside bar & grill. Everything you could need. Our group loved our stay here and would definitely recommend!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Tanya P.

30 Aug 2018

Home away from home!

This house is definitely the best kept secret. The location is great being halfway between Bridgewater and Parkway Marina. The cove is wide and was perfect for teaching our kids to kneeboard. The screened in porch was perfect for drinking coffee every morning to deer, squirrels and a groundhog family. The kitchen is well stocked and the appliances were top of the line. We also rented a run about and pontoon and docking was very easy. The water at the end of the pier is deep enough that the kids played for hours jumping off the deck or wore goggles to search for fish! We really didn’t want to leave this lake house gem. You won’t be disappointed at all!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Mary Jo D.

26 Aug 2018

Great house!

We had a relaxing time. The house was well built, quiet and comfortable. Our only complaint was the WiFi was too slow. We couldn’t stream anything at night.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Ronald G.

15 Aug 2018

Gorgeous place!

We have rented many different homes all around Smith Mountain Lake and this house was one of the best. Spacious, beautifully decorated, top of the line appliances, great views from every room, screened side porch, a fire pit and wonderful sand beach for those of you with young children. Our daughter played there for hours. We would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a great summer rental. You won’t be disappointed!!

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018

3 Bedrooms, 1 Flex Room, 3 Bathrooms!<br>Walk-in Water! Wifi! Ping Pong! Come Visit "Best Kept Secret

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