Great Barrington Lakeside Getaway w/ Kayak & Grill

Reviews

• Beautiful Setting

  4/5

  We had a wonderful stay. House was clean and the setting was terrific. We enjoyed the outdoors as well as a fantastic living space.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  From the owner: "We are so glad you had a great stay and enjoyed our beautiful surroundings."

• Getaway in the Berkshire’s

  3/5

  This is a lovely home nestled in the Berkshire Hills where we enjoyed chilling on their open porch overlooking the pond and enjoying wine and cheese 😊

  There was ample room for socializing and welcomed toiletries left for us in each of our rooms.

  Unfortunately upon arrival the kitchen area was in need of some serious cleaning. The owner and Evolve were very responsive to our needs.

  We would definitely rent here again.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Deborah, we’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay in the Berkshire Hills and appreciated the porch, ample space for socializing, and thoughtful touches like the toiletries. It sounds like you made the most of your time relaxing with wine and cheese while taking in the beautiful surroundings.
  
  Regarding the kitchen, we apologize that it wasn’t up to standard upon your arrival. The homeowner has addressed this with the cleaning team to ensure improvements are made for future guests.
  
  We’re so glad to hear that you’d rent here again, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another wonderful stay!

• Avoid the Evolve Rental Agency

  1/5

  The property is very isolated out in the woods. We arrived after dark and found the house frighteningly unsecured, with the rear sliding door left completely open and the kitchen door unlocked. We initially had difficulty finding a cell phone signal, which was even more unsettling. We then discovered opened, partially consumed bottles of unidentifiable liquids and condiments in the refrigerator and the freezer filled with food packages, as if someone else were living there. We finally got through to the designated customer service representative who told us the maintenance man had probably left the doors open and that the owner requested to leave her food in the refrigerator rather than clean it out for the renter's use. We told her we considered this house to be in an unacceptable condition contrary to the rental agreement promising to provide clean, safe and secure living environment and that we therefore did not want to stay and demanded our money back. After ignoring our protests at first, saying she was only the cleaning lady and had no financial control, the customer service rep finally relented and contacted what she said was the owner and followed up with a call stating that we would indeed be granted a full refund. However, the following day we received a contradictory email from the Evolve Group saying that they would only offer us a 25% refund even though we left the same night we arrived and never stayed at the property at all. Very frustrating to say the least.

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  Hi Steven, we want our guests to arrive at a vacation home that is 100% ready for their stay, so we take the cleanliness of our properties very seriously. We followed up with the homeowner after reading your feedback, and they wanted to share the following:
  
  - We're very sorry to hear that some concerns upon arrival affected your stay. I apologize for any door that was left open. While we live in a safe community, I understand how that could be unsettling. Our home is nestled in a peaceful, private setting near town, and we believe its natural, serene environment is part of its charm.
  
  - Cell service can be spotty depending on your provider, but the internet is excellent, and phones work once connected. I apologize if this added to your anxiety.
  
  - Regarding the fridge, we keep a shelf of condiments for guests, which some appreciate. We don't instruct cleaners to store our food in the fridge, and I apologize if it was not adequately prepared for your stay. Our care manager could have addressed this immediately.
  
  - Although your stay was non-refundable, we offered a two-day refund for the open door, fridge issue, and your discomfort. We didn't think a full refund was warranted due to the location and cell service, which are part of the country charm.
  
  We always work with both guests and homeowners when issues arise and apologize that we were unable to come to the resolution you were hoping for based on the documentation provided. We strive to go above and beyond for our guests and are confident that future guests will have excellent stays. Thank you for your feedback and for giving us the opportunity to improve.

• Beautiful home

  5/5

  House was beautiful! Rooms are huge, kitchen is fully stocked, fireplace was a favorite spot after dinner to play card games. House is stock with lots of games. 1 room only has a tv which worked for us made us spend more time playing games and talking. Deck on main floor is huge and beautiful, we loved our stay here

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo

  Manager's Response:

  From the Owner: "Hi Maria, Thank you for your kind comments. We are so glad you enjoyed the house and deck, and that you had a good time playing games and hanging out. We hope you will come back!"

• The view is amazing!

  5/5

  We were in town for a memorial service and several family members stayed together in this house. We had a wonderful dinner on the patio Saturday night. My brother and his wife jumped in the pond for a swim. They said the water was crystal clear and refreshing!

  *This review was originally posted on Vrbo