Prescott Forest Cabin w/ Deck, 9 Miles to Downtown

Reviews

• Do Not Recommend This Property

  2/5

  I thought long and hard before deciding to write a review. I was hoping that the owner would have chosen to do the right thing by resolving my concerns & granting my refund request prior to writing, but I guess I will do what I feel is right and let other travelers know of our experience. First of all, the information I received after confirming my reservation (I took screen shots) stated that an 4-W or all wheel vehicle was recommended during winter months. This should be a recommendation for ALL months. If you're coming up without one of these, beware! Our SUV had LOTS of trouble getting up the mountain. We stalled out, burned rubber, balded our tires and the emergency light on my vehicle continued to go off as we tried to make it up the mountain (took video). Upon arriving, we met Barbara who had just come down the smaller mountain on her ATV by the homes she rented. We let her know we could not find the property. Rather than getting into her ATV & showing us where to go, she gave directions to the home which we had passed twice because the properties are poorly marked; how hard is it to get some quality signs dug into the ground so guests can easily find where they are going? We arrived in the home and thought it was outdated, but it's a cabin so that didn't bother us one bit. We walked up the stairs and noticed hair balls on the stairs. Walked into the Master Bedroom to see that the TV which is pictured in her photos, was absent; one of the things we look for when we rent is a TV in the master as we enjoy curling up and falling asleep to shows. We texted Barbara and she let us know it wasn't there and had "poor picture." If you dont have something in photos, update the photos. The heat is run by an old fashioned gas fireplace - which is also fine, but the thermometer is right next to it so it kicks off within minutes and it gets COLD in the fall/winter (lows were 38), but we managed with blankets. The bathroom is very large which was nice, i'll give it that, but the shower had hair in it. We didn't have issues with bedding, but the mattress is HORRIBLE! It has lumps and bumps in it as though it is years and years old. When you run a rental (which I have) sleep is incredibly important. For a small investment into a new, solid mattress ($800), you're going to get a return with great reviews! I like to think of it as going without a few weeks worth of payment to ensure my guests have what they want/need which creates a great return. -- on to equality important things, since we knew we were "off grid" we brought a refrigerator full of food. We took out a pan that was in the cabinet and it had food all over it; as though someone had made a pizza and put it back. Gross. When we went to cook in the oven, since I read reviews it took awhile to preheat, it actually took TWO hours to heat and even then, our bread that should have taken 9-12 minutes in the oven, took an additional 1 hour to cook. WHAT?! So we decided the next night we would use the grill to have some burgers we brought. Well, the grill didn't turn on well and was absolutely filthy. It was filthy on the outside and definitely needed a deep scrub on the inside. So now we had a house with no functioning cooking amenities and our vehicle could barely get up the mountain.... We considered texting Barbara, but what could she possibly do now that we were there? Its not as though she is going to come in and clean, get a new oven and BBQ or start washing dishes... and we shouldn't have to deal with things when we are paid guests at a home. Overall, here is what I would recommend as someone who owns properties: hire a professional cleaner & dont try to clean homes yourself, invest in a new mattress, update your photos and description to state all wheel and 4W vehicles during ALL months; be transparent - yes, you'll get fewer people, but that's the risk when purchasing properties that are not easily accessible. Its the little touches people remember: good quality coffee, creamer in the fridge, a basket of fruit and a note and its the larger things that keep people from getting upset and leaving reviews. When all else fails and you've done a poor job, resolve it immediately and treat guests how you would hope to be treated. As for Evolve, they have done a great job (thus far) with advocating after viewing the photos we sent. Cheers!

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Danielle, we want all of our guests to rest easy when they stay with us, and we're sorry that you experienced some issues during your trip. We followed up with the homeowner after reading your feedback, and they wanted to share the following:
  - We have updated the description to say, "NOTE: The property is located up a steep mountain road. There is a 3.5-mile mountain dirt road leading up the property; all-wheel drive is recommended year-round and 4-wheel drive is necessary in the winter"
  - We did touch base at the beginning of your stay, and I pointed out the house two blocks away and informed you I would be reachable by my contact numbers if any issues came up
  - We are scheduling for new photos to be taken to ensure that all information on the listing is up-to-date and accurate since the TV in the master had been removed about three years ago
  - We have passed your specific comments and pictures along to our cleaning team so they can make sure future guests do not share your concerns - additionally, we will be more cognizant about granting early check-ins, as we did for your stay, and the potential for too rushed of a cleaning job
  - There are instructions on the refrigerator about how to use the oven, which just needed the gas line to be turned on - as explained in the instructions
  - The grill does work, though we apologize if it had not been cleaned by the previous guest who used it and that we missed this during our cleaning
  - The mattress is only two years old
  - We did refund your cleaning fee since we missed the mark on that, however, the other issues could have easily been resolved by reaching out to me
  - Lastly, we have blocked off our calendar to perform upgrades and maintenance to the house so that it will be perfect guest-ready come the spring-time!
  Thanks for letting us know about your stay.

• Relax, Recharge and Regroup

  5/5

  Yes, the cabin needs a little TLC but if you walk around the property it looks like they are renovating the cabins one at a time. Yes, that road up there is rough I made it in a CRV. Not as off the grid as we hoped but still incredible! We recommend you take all your supplies and never leave until you have too! We hid the Wifi password for the kids. Second deck could use a few more chairs. Check for fire bans. But all in all we loved it and will be back!

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Not quite what we expected

  3/5

  Firstly, it was wonderful to escape the heat of Tucson for the beautiful pine forest. The road up to the cabin is bad, especially for anyone with back problems! Once up, we left only once for grocery supplies. Took 30 minutes to drive 3.5 miles down to the main highway. Take enough provisions with you but be warned the refrigerator is not very large. The cabin hadn't been cleaned very well, doubtful it was up to COVID standards. Shower full of long black hair and ants all over kitchen countertops and in drawers. Impossible to watch the TV without rearranging the furniture. Having said all this, the owner, Barbara, was very pleasant when we contacted her about the ants and arranged for a Pest sprayer to come the next day. (Didn't really make any difference unfortunately).

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Not worth what you pay..

  3/5

  Between the ants and the outdated home, this getaway needs some TLC. The road to get here is very difficult (Even with my 4wd) currently as they have put new gravel on a steep hill. Then to be welcomed by ants, very little kitchen utensils & pans, amongst other issues, we quickly realized that while the scenery is nice, it is not worth what we paid. We will not be returning.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

• Quiet get away

  4/5

  We have stayed at one of other properties so where aware of the drive to get to cabin . We also know property is off grid (which why we choose it) . We enjoyed our time in the woods sitting on the patio. Will definitely be back.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo