This property was absolutely perfect for our family vacation over the holidays. Close enough to shopping / groceries / things to do, far enough away for some privacy and a sense of seclusion.
Our first impression pulling onto the property was how beautiful the area was and how we wished we had a place like this of our own. Big trees, spacious open areas, and at the top of a tall hill overlooking the surrounding areas. One note on that...the steep driveway, while not an issue for us, may pose a problem in inclement / icy weather if a stay coincides with the weather. Otherwise, it shouldn't be an issue for anyone.
The home itself is very roomy and comfortable. While most appliances are older, everything works well and we were able to easily cook meals, wash clothes, and had never felt constrained.
In some older reviews, there were notes about the windows in the bedrooms not having blinds, but as mentioned, that has been corrected. The beds themselves were very comfortable and we were easily able to block out sunlight allowing us to sleep in.
One of the highlights of this property for us in the listing was the outdoor space. The home has 2 decks (which we barely used due to the cold weather), open areas around the house which we used for outdoor games, a fire pit which my Boy Scout son took advantage of for a Christmas night fire, and an outdoor grill which we did not try out.
We were also very impressed that the hosts had left holiday dishes for our stay and had even set up a nice Christmas tree in the living room which allowed us to have our gifts under the tree while on vacation. This was something that I had been concerned about since I wanted it to feel as much like Christmas as possible with the kids while on vacation, so we were very thrilled to discover the small added touches when we arrived.
Finally, the only "issue" that we did have and I only leave it here so that other families are able to plan, was the hot water for showers. Our first night, we ran out of hot water with 4 of us taking showers in close succession and I was left with a very cold shower. Lesson learned though and we spaced them out going forward with no issues.
If I ever visit the St. Louis area in the future, I would have absolutely no reservations about staying at this property! It was fantastic and the hosts were always quick to respond to my messages (within minutes) anytime I reached out.
