This was a nice, little home in a semi-private and remote area. My wife and I celebrated our 24th Wedding Anniversary here for the weekend. This is the third time we've celebrated our Anniversary by spending the weekend at a rental home, and this one has been the best so far.
The hosts were wonderful! They communicated with us via e-mail, as that was our preferred method of contact. They made chili and left it in a crockpot in the fridge for us. They also left us freshly made cinnamon rolls, fruit, eggs, milk, and other nice goodies. That was very sweet, and it is so much more than we've ever received from any other rental homes we've stayed in.
There is a reception hall near the home, and a residence that I'm assuming belongs to the owners of the estate. However, we did not feel that our privacy was invaded in any way. The reception hall was not used during our stay, and we didn't see a single person the entire time. A truck or car drove by maybe once or twice, but that was it. So, it was very peaceful and quiet. We felt like we could just throw all the blinds open without any concern for anyone invading our privacy.
The view from the back porch is okay. I will say, it was not exactly what we thought it would be. There is a garage near the patio set, so the garage blocks the view a bit. Still, the porch was nice, and though it was a bit chilly this time of year, we sat out there quite a bit. Again, it was very peaceful and you could see off to the left of the garage a nice view of the open fields and trees. We didn't get a chance to really enjoy the patio set, but we did check it out. If it hadn't rained the day we arrived, we might have been able to enjoy the outdoor fireplace.
The house itself is three-ish levels. The main floor has a nice kitchen, dishwasher, coffee maker, Keurig too, dining table, small sitting area, and master bedroom and bathroom off the kitchen. The upstairs is really a loft with a spiral staircase leading up to it. We didn't really go up there too much, but we thought especially younger children would enjoy that area. It had two beds and looked fun. I imagined myself as a kid thinking it would be a great playhouse.
As for the downstairs, that was where the main living room was. Nice TV, DVD, living room set, and downstairs bathroom with washer and dryer just off the living room area tucked away in a room of its own, it was all very comfortable and enjoyable. There is a room on that level as well that seemed nice. We used the master bedroom, so we didn't really use that room.
Nearby, within maybe 5-10 minutes, is the town of Augusta. We got a few grocery items and take-out from there. They have a Dillons, and the Candiles Mexican spot is really good. If you're looking for a more authentic Mexican restaurant, Candiles should fit the bill. The Lake Walking Trail was also nice. We strolled around that area as well. There is a really nice park for kids to play at, and the views of the lake are nice. We actually preferred the Augusta Lake more than El Dorado State Park (we couldn't even find the walking trails for El Dorado. lol).
Anyway, all in all, it was a very nice weekend, and I'd like to thank the owners for making it a very wonderful anniversary. Thank you so much for your hospitality and my wife and I wish you many blessings.