Misleading Reviews - would NOT recommend!
The reviews of this home were misleading and inaccurate. I entered the home and was greeted by a mildew odor. As I walked through from the sliding glass entry doors, to my immediate left, on the table in front of the bongos was a water pitcher containing dried, dead flowers with some leaves that had fallen on the table. I proceeded toward the kitchen and on the dining table was a small bud vase of the similar dried, dead flowers. Please note, they were not decorative. I cleaned up the flowers, and then wiped the table surface. It was then that I realized that the house had not been thoroughly cleaned, as the table surfaces throughout the house were dusty and cobwebs were ubiquitous.
The lighting was very poor, as EACH recessed light was empty of bulbs and electrical connections, with the only lighting coming from desk lamps and two lamps on top of unmatching end tables, one of which contained a blown out light bulb.
The bathroom fabric shower curtain lacked a liner; the bath mat was an indoor/outdoor door rug. The door was an unfinished, externally mounted board held closed by a magnet. The house could have used a fresh coat of paint, consistent soft furnishings (decorative pillows, lamps, accessories) and a way of pulling together the disjointed furniture
I have stayed in several similarly sized homes on the island at the same price point. I have never stayed in a home in such condition. This is a home that should either be freshened up, or taken off of the rental market and used solely for family enjoyment. There is far too much for a renter to overlook.
Experience with homeowner:
Return to rental or recommend to friend:
Date of Stay: August 2017
Date Submitted: August 2017
Owner Response:
Dear Linda,
I am so sorry that your experience was so uncomfortable at Wooded Haven in Oak Bluffs! My manager and I will have to think carefully about what you are saying to ensure that others don't have the same kind of time.
I guess I will start at the top and say that I truly understand that odor is often a deterrent to enjoyment. My own sensitivities actually make it impossible to stay around mold or mildew smells, so I know what you are talking about, in that the cottage does have a damp whiffiness when you first walk in. Especially if you have the place closed up for a few days, it can get stuffy. Since your visit was a mid-week start that accommodated your family, the cottage had a chance to sit untouched after Saturday's cleaning crew got finished. Usually we don't provide flowers for the same concern with allergic sensitivities, but maybe the crew just let the previous renter's flowers stay without understanding that you would not be there til later in the week.
The cleaning crew is pretty fussy - if you had let the manager know that you had a concern, he would have appreciated it and got them back in there. Joe is right around the corner and available at a moment's notice to assist. The ceiling lights in the cathedral ceiling were removed because the cottage used to be an art gallery that had imposing spotlights that really didn't make the place feel cozy!
Bath and Accessories: While the bathroom door is not conventional, it is a door; it stays shut while ones uses the facilities. Most people use the outdoor shower, but the indoor shower has no liner because of the humidity on the island. If we had a liner, the curtain and liner would never dry. Since we do expect sandy feet or wet pups,
As for the decor, What you see in the pictures is what you get. Becky at WeNeedAVacation.com has done a great job helping me to post a beautiful set of photos that show just what the cottage provides. To get a good feel for how it is, I stay at Wooded Haven myself for several weeks in the rental season, and the bright, airy feeling from Wooded Haven comes through in Becky's photography. Getting a feel for what vacationers need is very important to me, and I refresh items and design every year. We will be checking the bulbs for the next family!
Thank you for the feedback.
Julia