Lake Spirit welcomes you & your pets year-round! This lakeside home provides a retreat-like experience, offering activities for every season. You can fish, ice fish, relax in the hot tub, enjoy the two decks and docks & the boats or explore the Finger Lakes region.
Amenities include a Hot tub, BBQ, fireplace, fire pit, books, games, kayaks, canoe, and pedal boat. While off the beaten path, the property is conveniently located near renowned gorges, waterfalls, vineyards, and distilleries. The cottage, yard, upper and lower decks, and patio are yours to enjoy. There's also a stone dock and a large aluminum dock. I do infrequently use the aluminum dock.
Please note that the property accommodates a maximum of 12 guests. The nightly rate includes accommodations for up to 8 guests. For each additional guest exceeding the initial 8, an extra charge per person, per night will apply.
There are five dedicated bedrooms and a huge (15' x 30') deck, which is suitable for summertime grilling! There is also a smaller (15' x 15') deck and a shade patio. There is a full kitchen, 2 Full Bathrooms, laundry, gas fireplace ( seasonal), and a 4-person hot tub. There is off-street parking for 4 cars and a fire pit. The house is filled with beautiful artwork and Steuben-style stained glass lamps.
Here are details on the bedrooms:
1. Upstairs large gathering area / bedroom with queen bed, desk, small table. ("Gathering room")
2. Upstairs bedroom with 1 queen-sized bed. ("Heartstar room")
3. Upstairs bedroom with queen-sized bed. ("Orange room")
4. Upstairs bedroom with 1 full and 1 twin bed. ("Sunshine room")
5. Main floor: primary bedroom with king bed.
6. Main floor living room: 1 futon bed (if paying for extra guests)
BATHROOMS:
Second floor: Full-size bath with a whirlpool tub and double sink.
Main floor: Full-size bath with tub and sink.
You will have a special code to access the house. Once in, you will have full access to everything except the basement and one closet that will be locked in the primary bedroom.
The owner stays at the "garage-with-loft" on the other side of the road. This means that she is close enough to be helpful but not so close that she will interfere with your FLX retreat. She will check in on the hot-tub and you may even see her getting on her pontoon or kayaking.
Cayuta Lake (familiarly called "Little Lake") is a hidden gem, close to Ithaca, Watkins Glen, and the bigger Finger Lakes: Seneca & Cayuga Lake (including the growing list of wineries and distilleries), but without the traffic, noise, and commotion of our neighbors. The lake is just under 2 miles long by 1/2 mile across. Because it is only 25-30 feet deep, it freezes long before other lakes in the winter. It also warms up earlier than nearby lakes -- which makes for great swimming. More than half of it is protected wilderness areas, which makes it even more delightful. It is the embodiment of peace.
Although the main floor of the house (including 2 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, and living area) is handicapped-accessible, getting to the cottage is not.
The closest town is Odessa (5 minutes away). Watkins Glen is 15 minutes away. Ithaca and Elmira are each 25-30 minutes away. Corning is 40 minutes away. All kinds of historic, artistic, and cultural delights are within 90 minutes of the cottage.
You are welcome to enjoy 2 "sit-on" kayaks, pedal boat, paddle boat, and canoe, plus there is a public access just a mile from the cottage (at the north end of the lake) if you want to bring your own small power boat.
There is no public transportation (the lake is definitely off the beaten path) but there are tour buses, and drivers for hire (especially nice for folks who want to go wine tasting). Use the driveway for unloading, but please park across the street by the garage.
This is a lake cottage, which means that it's relaxed. The water comes from a natural spring and my neighbors tell me that there was a company that once hoped to sell it commercially. One of the earlier complaints was that there was a noticeable Sulphur smell, but that has been eliminated with the new water softener and reverse osmosis drinking water system.
The hot tub also takes a lot of work -- about 4 hours to drain, then another to scrub, and another 4 to fill. There's also a fair investment in chemicals. So, while some people might think that a cleaning fee of $400 is rather steep, believe me -- it's not!
Also, there are fans throughout the house and A/C in the common areas and most of the bedrooms. (Another improvement after they were a few complaints from previous guests.)
Because the house is on a septic system, please be careful about water.
Finally, well-behaved dogs are welcomed with prior approval and a pet fee. A $50 fee will added for a second dog. There is a dog door to the deck and the gate can be shut if you don't want them roaming throughout the neighborhood.
If I'm staying nearby, I like to meet the guests and show them the cottage, location of extra sheets and towels, care of the hot tub, nearby places to visit, etc. But I will probably be at my garage-with-loft across the street.
I'm available to interact with guests who wish that and can often offer a cruise around the lake on the pontoon boat, but otherwise I keep to myself.
There are two external security cameras -- one at the front door and one on the deck facing the back door, but I understand and honor the need for privacy.
I offer a varied range of amenities (toiletries, coffee, tea, spices, etc.) plus the usual appliances, coffee machines, Keurig, etc.
There are also games, puzzles, books, and other delights. As this is my personal home and I enjoy entertaining, you'll find most everything you need to have a good time with friends.
Enjoy the lake, boats, and docks at your own risk. There are life jackets, noodles, and floats. Please be careful on the decks and docks. The stone dock is beautiful but uneven and can be slippery.
Finally, I have collected a good deal of beautiful (and sometimes fragile) artwork, including some with religious themes. Let me know in advance if this is likely to be a problem for you, and I will try to move it to the basement.
