Upper Rideau Lakehouse

The setting of this house is beautiful, right on a nice lake with a dock for a boat. Knowing that many lake rentals can be rustic, I was willing to pay three times the going rate when I saw it advertised as “luxury living.” To protect ourselves, we booked and paid in full through Vrbo rather than accepting the owner’s offer to pay less in cash off-platform.The property isn’t terrible, but it is nowhere near the standard you’d expect for a luxury rental at this price. We were assured of privacy and exclusive use, but on arrival, the owner informed us a “caretaker” would be on-site. When we pulled in, two people were sitting on the dock with drinks—the caretaker and a guest—whose cottage was right next to ours.We were also told to expect flying insects, which didn’t bother us since we live in the woods. What did bother us was finding the house full of days’ worth of dead bugs, sticky spills on the kitchen floor, dirt and hair in the fridge, hair in the bathroom and shower, and cobwebs on ceilings throughout the house. I ended up vacuuming on day one just to make it feel usable.The house simply isn’t luxury. It lacks air conditioning, a washing machine, and even closets. Linens were cheap, pillows were flat, and geese took over the yard and dock. While the lake itself is lovely, the overall experience fell far short of expectations and value. We ultimately felt uncomfortable and left early.

We loved the property! Beautiful view and lovely home. It was a little bit difficult getting the gate open and closed to get in to the property, but we were all retired and not in the best shape.

Great cottage with nothing but first class attention to every detail!!! Emily and Sean are as classy hosts as you’ll find anywhere. Amazing down to earth people that make you feel comfortable and completely at home. As a renter, if you can’t handle being spoiled, look elsewhere as Emily and Sean will spoil you beyond belief. WE WILL BE BACK!!!!

The owners of the property were amazing. A dream vacation for anyone wanting to be on the water. the vacation cottage is 5-star in my opinion. The owners met us at the property when we arrived with wine and smiles and were there for us when we needed them..