Castaway

The house was really clean, which I appreciate so much. Had a lot of privacy also. My only complaint was there was no easy access to the water. I know the lake level is low but we had to slide down to get to the step for the floating dock. There were retaining rocks along the waters edge so my grandkids and senior dog was not able to get to the water. The only way into the water was at the ladder at the end of the dock where it is deep. The water is very clear and deep at the end of dock.

Clean home, beautiful lake view

Everything was fine. House could use some updating in the kitchen

We found the house to be very comfortable and enjoyed our stay overall. The slope to the dock is definitely noticeable, but we treated it as a bit of cardio on the way back up. The boat docking setup was ideal, especially being in a no-wake zone, which made it easy and stress-free. A few things could use some attention. The kitchen could use a few more basics, like a spatula and a cutting board, and a second kayak would make it easier for couples to enjoy the water together. One of the dock chairs had a broken strap. On the maintenance side, there's an active wasp nest on the west side of the house, and the pivot joint on the deck umbrella is hard to work with. That said, we’ve been renting at SML since 2019, often more than once a year, and this home offered a fair value for the money. With a few minor updates, it could be excellent. We would consider renting it again through this company and may stay here.

Castaway was a great spot for a laid-back lake trip. The location near the State Park made it easy to get to hiking trails and boat rentals, and the no-wake cove kept things calm for swimming and docking. The house had plenty of space for our group, with comfortable bedrooms upstairs and a nice hangout area downstairs. The sunroom was my favorite place for morning coffee, and the upper deck had a good setup for grilling and eating outside. The dock was in deep water, which made getting the boat in and out easy, and there was plenty of room to sit and relax by the water. The kitchen had what we needed for meals, and having a washer and dryer on-site was a big plus. A couple of things that could be better: the Wi-Fi signal was weak downstairs, there is no real indoor dining seating, which was a bit tough on rainy days, and the trek to the dock was a bit of a leg burner. None of these were deal-breakers, but they would make a good place even better. Overall, Castaway was a solid choice, and I would definitely come back for another trip.