"Lake Spirit" Offers Pure Enchantment!

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Entire home hosted by Felicity

12 guests
6 bedrooms
8 beds
2.5 baths

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Winter, spring, summer, or fall, Lake Spirit offers joy to all! This lakeside home is more like a retreat center than a typical Airbnb rental. Depending on weather, you can fish or ice fish, relax in the hot tub, hang out on the 2 decks and 2 docks, watch birds, and explore the beauty of the Finger Lakes. Enjoy the BBQ, fireplace, fire pit, books, games, kayaks, canoe, and pedal boat. While off the beaten path, it is near famous gorges, falls, vineyards and distilleries. PURE ENCHANTMENT

The space
The home boasts a treasure of delights. Although there are wonderful places to visit nearby, most guests abandon their plans and choose instead to stay at the cottage. In the summer, the lake is warm enough for swimming and the fishing and boating are grand. In the winter, there are groups of ice-fishers, folks racing over the ice on motorcycles and snowmobiles, and just celebrating the beauty of this little and mostly unknown treasure.

There are six dedicated bedrooms, a sleeping area in the basement, and a huge (15' x 30') deck, which is suitable for sleeping outdoors. There is also a smaller (15' x 15') deck and a shade patio. There is a full kitchen, 2 1/2 bathrooms, laundry, gas fireplace, and a 4-person hot tub. There is off-street parking for 4 cars and a beautiful fire pit. The house is filled with beautiful artwork and Steuben-style stained glass lamps. Here are details on the bedrooms:

1. Upstairs large gathering area / bedroom with full-size futon and 2 fold-up twin beds (that can be put together to make a king.
2. Upstairs bedroom with 1 king (or 2 twin) bed(s).
3. Upstairs bedroom with queen-sized bed.
4. Upstairs bedroom with 2-3 twin beds.
5. Main floor: master bedroom with queen bed.
6. Main floor: study/small bedroom, with a "full-size" futon, but I would suggest that it is better for one person than two (unless they're small or very comfortable with each other)
7. Main floor living room: 1 sofa (suitable for children)
8. Basement: a queen-sized bed but the ceilings are low, so tall folks will want to be careful.

PLUS -- there's the possibility of sleeping under the stars on one of the two decks.

BATHROOMS:
Second floor: Full-size bath with a whirlpool tub and double sink.
Main floor: Full-size bath with tub and sink.
Basement: 1/2 bath with toilet and sink.

SUMMARY: There have been as many as 16 adults and 2 large dogs here -- but I really don't recommend it. In fact, I discourage more than 10 adults.
You will have a special code to access the house. Once in, you will have access to everything except part of the basement and one closet.

When there are renters, I stay at the "garage-with-loft" on the other side of the road. This means that I'm close enough to be helpful but not so close that I will interfere. I will try to meet and greet you upon your arrival.

Cayuta Lake (familiarly called "Little Lake") is a hidden gem, close to Ithaca, Watkins Glen, and the bigger Finger Lakes (including the growing list of wineries and distilleries), but without the traffic, noise, and commotion of our neighbors. The lake is just under 2 miles long by 1/2 mile across. Because it is only 25-30 feet deep, it freezes long before other lakes in the winter. It also warms up earlier than nearby lakes -- which makes for great swimming. More than half of it is protected wilderness areas, which makes it even more delightful. It is the embodiment of peace.

Although the main floor of the house (including 2 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, and living area) is handicapped-accessible, getting to the cottage is not.

The closest town is Odessa (5 minutes away). Watkins Glen is 15 minutes away. Ithaca and Elmira are each 25-30 minutes away. Corning is 40 minutes away. All kinds of historic, artistic, and cultural delights are within 90 minutes of the cottage.

You are welcome to enjoy my "sit-on" kayak, canoe, and (very old) rowboat, plus there is a public access just a mile from the cottage (at the north end of the lake) if you want to bring your own small power boat.

There is a minimum 2-night stay.

Except for those few areas marked "private," you can enjoy the entire house.

There is no public transportation (the lake is definitely off the beaten path) but there are cabs, tour buses, and drivers for hire (especially nice for folks who want to go wine tasting). Use the driveway for unloading, but please park across the street by the garage.

This is a lake cottage, which means that it's relaxed. The water comes from a natural spring and my neighbors tell me that there was a company that once hoped to sell it commercially. One of the earlier complaints was that there was a noticeable sulphur smell, but that has been eliminated with the new water softener and reverse osmosis drinking water system.

And let's talk about sanitation -- which we take very seriously! Living on the lake always adds to the work, but you can see that sheets and towels are put in plastic bags. It used to be that we washed sheets and towels -- but now we wash them AND comforters and mattress pads and put them all in plastic bags. So, we offer a $100 cleaning fee discount for those who want to bring their own.

The hot tub also takes a lot of work -- about 4 hours to drain, then another to scrub, and another 4 to fill. There's also a fair investment in chemicals. So, while some people might think that a cleaning fee of $300 is rather steep, believe me -- it's not!

Also, there are fans throughout the house and A/C in the common areas and most of the bedrooms. (Another improvement after they were a few complaints from previous guests.)

Because the house is on a septic system, please be careful about water. (Pretend that you've been living in California, if you know what I mean.) And because I recently had difficulty with one set of renters who used twice the number of towels and 50% more sheets than the number of guests, I have reduced my basic price but added a $25 for each set of sheets and towels.

Finally, well-behaved dogs are welcomed with prior approval and a $50 extra cleaning fee. There is a dog door to the deck and the gate can be shut if you don't want them roaming throughout the neighborhood.

Where you'll sleep

1 of 3 pages

What this place offers

Lake view

Waterfront

Kitchen

Wifi

Free parking on premises

Private hot tub

Pets allowed

TV with standard cable

EV charger

Security cameras on property

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Guests

1 guest

4.82 out of 5 stars from 87 reviews

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Where you’ll be

Alpine, New York, United States

See the map in the photo section, and you'll see that the cottage is isolated but near all of the treasures of the Finger Lakes. Few people know about Cayuta ("Little") Lake, because homes rarely go on sale (they are scarfed up from family and friends). Locals know it as a rare treasure, partly because more than half of the lake is undeveloped and always will be. There is a public access launch at the northern end of the lake if you want to bring your boat. Do bring binoculars, as you are likely to see bald eagles, herons, cormorants, orioles, finches, and numerous other birds you don't see everyday. I've occasionally seen beavers, minks, and otters enjoying the lake.

Hosted by Felicity

Joined in December 2015

87 Reviews
Identity verified
Superhost

I'm a retired minister in a very progressive church, involved in organizing and leading groups in spiritual development and social justice actions. I've volunteered in various projects throughout the world and love meeting people and showing hospitality to all. I hope that visitors will enjoy the gifts that come with being in this beautiful and peaceful part of the world.

I'm a retired minister in a very progressive church, involved in organizing and leading groups in spiritual development and social justice actions. I've volunteered in various pr…

Co-hosts

Jennie

During your stay

If I'm staying nearby, I like to meet the guests and show them the cottage, location of extra sheets and towels, care of the hot tub, nearby places to visit, etc. But I will probably be at my garage-with-loft across the street.

I'm available to interact with guests who wish that and can often offer a cruise around the lake on the pontoon boat, but otherwise I ignore guests.

There are two external security cameras -- one at the front door and one on the deck facing the back door, but I understand and honor the need for privacy.

If I'm staying nearby, I like to meet the guests and show them the cottage, location of extra sheets and towels, care of the hot tub, nearby places to visit, etc. But I will probab…