First off, why only 3.5 stars?
On our first night we saw a mouse (or mice, we couldn't tell if it was the same one or more than one) run across the kitchen floor a few times. With a few people unaccustomed to more rustic living, there was a lot of comedic shrieking. When I contacted Andy to see if he had traps we could set, he was deeply apologetic and said he had bait and poison set out but didn't have traps on the property. We enjoyed the rest of our weekend, but we did spot some mouse droppings on the floor, in a drawer with ziploc bags and plastic wrap, and on the kitchen table we'd eaten off of. We saw the mouse/mice again on Saturday night and while there were less shouts, it still made a few people squirmy.
Other than that, the soap in one of the bathrooms was a bit weathered with cracks, the kitchen floor could use a good scrubbing, and the bathroom shower could use a spray-down with bleach.
But the 3.5 stars are full of what we loved:
Being unplugged -- For our bachelorette party of 7 women, this was a great house to disconnect from our reliance on daily technology and connect with each other and our esteemed bride-to-be. We enjoyed the board games we brought, grilling, sitting in front of the wood fire outside, and taking a nature walk.
Nature -- From hummingbirds on flowers around the house to mushrooms growing in the woods to listening to the sounds of rain in the morning, we fully appreciated soaking up some fresh air.
Andy -- Quick to respond, pleasant to communicate with, and friendly when we chatted upon our departure. Also, the many notes throughout the house were helpful reminders like wearing slippers inside, where to find firewood, where to place cell phone for best reception, what not to touch, how to turn lights on -- all reminders that someone does indeed live here in between guests.
The architecture -- A lovely house with so many built-in shelves, 43 (yes, we counted) chairs and options to sit, exposed beams, tables, cupboards, asparagus mirror and leg lamp (how has no one mentioned these in reviews -- they were our favorite part!) the sauna, it's a sight to behold.
Location to Becket Beach -- A short, 10-minute drive to the lake was perfect for our kayak, swimming, and soaking up the sun. The beach is all sand, no mucky sludge, and clear to the bottom.
The beds -- While one twin bed has a severe case of the squeaks, everyone still commented about how great they slept.