REVIEWS*
Date of Stay: August 2022
Posted On: 9/26/22 by Paul S.
“We really enjoyed our stay at Josie's Retreat. We found your place to be clean, comfortable, and very well stocked. We enjoyed quiet nights around the fire pit and it was a great location central to the Lake Placid area.”
Owner's Response
“Paul,
We are happy to hear you enjoyed your stay at Josie's Retreat. We hope you will stay with us again. Thank you for being good guests. Have a wonderful fall.
Terry”
Date of Stay: May 2022
Posted On: 7/1/22 by Victoria T.
“Josie's Retreat was just what we were hoping for and more for a last minute memorial weekend getaway. Before even arriving, Teri and her husband were so wonderful to make arrangements with and went above and beyond to provide recommendations and make sure our stay was just what we were looking for. The place was actually way spacier and nicer than we envisioned from the pictures and we fit our two families with room to spare. There is a huge walk in closet off the master bedroom that is essentially another room in itself because of the size and the window that ended up being the perfect quiet spot for our toddler's pack and play. Even with spring foliage growing in we could still see the mountain tops out of almost every window of the house and while sitting at the picnic table on the back deck area. The kids had a blast in the game room especially with the foosball table and I was surprised by how many toys, books, movies and games there were for kids of all ages including a cool portable ping pong set. The beach down the street was truly a hidden gem that I don't know if I would've found or thought to check out were it not listed in the rental info, but it was a beautiful spot for swimming, making sand castles, fishing and paddling with a mountain as the beautiful backdrop. The restaurants and a little ice cream shop were all right down the street too and so close to all our favorite spots to visit in keene, whiteface area and lake placid. We would absolutely go back and recommend to anyone looking for a spacious, home away from home with so many things close by and the friendliest hosts.
”
Owner's Response
“Victoria,
We are so happy you and your family had a great stay at our home. My husband Mike, our daughter Josie, and I love the Adirondacks and want all of our guests to love it too. It is such a special place. We feel fortunate to be able to share it. We love that big closet too. We had our daughter sleeping in there when she was little and it worked out perfectly. Thank you for being such good guests and we hope you will return to Josie's Retreat.
Have a wonderful summer. Happy 4th of July.
Terry”
Date of Stay: February 2021
Posted On: 3/2/21 by Richard C.
“We had a wonderful time staying at Josie's Retreat. This was our first time visiting the area and the house is in a great location. The house very close to the Whiteface ski area, which made it convenient to get to the mountain early for first tracks. The house had a very nice layout and large areas to hang out with the whole group. The perfect little ski chalet and we enjoyed the short drive to Lake Placid to see the Olympic venues. Enjoyed our time and would definitely recommend staying here. The owner was knowledgeable about the area and easy to work with, which helped make the vacation that much easier. Thanks again!”
Owner's Response
“Richard,
We are happy to hear you enjoyed your stay at Josie's Retreat. We love the
Adirondacks and want our guest to have a great experience.
Terry”
Date of Stay: October 2020
Posted On: 10/21/20 by Jennifer C.
“We had a wonderful stay at Josie's Retreat over Columbus Day weekend. After some confusion and frustration over payment, everything turned out great. The house was spotless and much bigger than it appears in the pictures. Although there were just 4 of us, we could have definitely had another family join us. We loved the fireplace in the living room, the huge counter for meals, and the foosball table in the basement. We were literally 5 minutes from some of the best hikes in the area, and we had a great take-out meal from the Hungry Trout. Highly recommend this home and we hope to be back soon! ”
Owner's Response
“Jen,
Happy to hear you had a great time at Josie’s Retreat. We love our home and the area. We enjoy being able to share it with others. We hope you will return. The payment was very frustrating on our end too. Not sure why it took PayPal over a week to process your payment to us. Thankfully our return of your security deposit via PayPal was almost instantaneous.
Terry”
Date of Stay: October 2020
Posted On: 10/19/20 by Kelly P.
“Josies place was a great place to stay near whiteface. It was right off the main road but far enough back to be quiet and secluded. We had a short drive to the gondola rides, high falls gorge and it wasnt too far to ausable cavern. There was plenty of space to spread out and a very large kitchen. Overall we had a great getaway! Thank you for sharing your home with us!”
Owner's Response
“Kelly,
Happy to hear you enjoyed your time at Josie’s Retreat.
We hope you will come again.
Terry”
Date of Stay: August 2020
Posted On: 9/7/20 by Maria M.
“This is a large house that easily holds a large family group. We had 8 adults (4 couples) snd 3 children and we all fit on the main floors. There was more room in the lower level for additional
guests. The furnishings and provided amenities were all of a good or very good quality. This being said, the house had a huge rodent problem and there was mouse scat everywhere, including in all kitchen cabinets and drawers, as well as in the toaster and covering the top of the gas range. Everything needed to be washed and sanitized before use. There was even mouse scat in the downstairs shower, on shelves behind the towels, and all over the
basement floor. Floors and throw rugs were dirty and I needed to wash them all. Some bed linens were not changed. The oven handle was taped onto the oven door, but was an easy fix once we purchased a screw. The screen on the door was ripped out. The owner said she
had hired a new cleaning company and was unaware of the condition of the house. She did refund part of our cleaning fee and gave us an extra hour at check out time.
I would only recommend this house if one could ascertain that the mouse problem was taken care of and that the house was cleaned properly.”
Owner's Response
“Maria,
I am glad your party enjoyed the size and quality of our home and its amenities. I was so very sorry to learn that you arrived to find that our house was not in proper shape. I regret that you had these issues on your vacation, that is certainly not what we want for our guests. This is the first summer in our more than fourteen years of owning and sharing this home that we have had pests and a cleaning issue. As you noted, as soon as you let us know about the problem I offered to send the cleaners to handle the mess and set traps for the invaders. I am sorry that you declined these remedies. I rebated some of your rental fee to compensate for the problems. These are not issues we have had in the past and we moved quickly to be sure that they would not remain for long. Following your visit, my husband and I came up to take care of things. We replaced the screen door [which was not broken when last we saw it earlier in the spring] and also did a thorough cleaning. Holes were sealed to hopefully prevent any unwanted visitors from coming in to enjoy our beautiful home ever again. Happily, several different families have enjoyed our home since then and have reported that everything is in fine shape. Again, I am truly sorry that you experienced these difficulties while staying with us. Thank you for your feedback and please know that we would gladly offer you a discount should you choose to return.
Terry”
Date of Stay: August 2020
Posted On: 8/27/20 by Linda W.
“We stayed in the house two weeks ago. It is truly a gem! Very spacious house, big kitchen and living room. We are very conscious about Covid-19, so we cooked most of our food in the kitchen. It was very convenient with all pots, plates, and utensils. Look through windows you felt you are in a forest. Kids had a great time playing the Classic Sport Newcastle Foosball table at downstairs game room. In the evening you can see very clearly milky. Owner even has a telescope in house. We lighted a fire and toasted marshmallow cookie. Everyone had a great time.”
Owner's Response
“Linda
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed our home. We love the Adirondacks and our retreat and want our guests to enjoy it as much as we do. Thank you for being great guests. We Hope you will return.
Terry”
Date of Stay: July 2020
Posted On: 7/24/20 by Richard C.
“We had a great time at this house. It's close to a lot of great hiking and swimming. The house itself is well maintained and cared for. It's nicer than the pictures make it look. Very spacious and airy. Owner is also very nice and on top of things.”
Owner's Response
“Rich,
So happy to hear you enjoyed our home. Thank you for being good guests. We hope you will come back to Josie's Retreat. Have a wonderful summer.
Thank you
Terry”
Date of Stay: October 2019
Posted On: 10/25/19 by Janet F.
“Our family stay at this home was great. It was well equiped and we had plenty of room. House was clean and we had a great long weekend. Thanks again for sharing your home.”
Date of Stay: July 2018
Posted On: 8/2/18 by Jean H.
“Beautiful, clean, comfortable home away from home! We rented the house for our family to stay while my spouse did his first Ironman. It was a perfect location--close enough to Lake Placid to enjoy the scene, and far enough away to enjoy the quiet. The house comfortably accommodated 9 grown people with room to spare!! The kitchen was large and well equipped, allowing us to make great meals and enjoy them around the dining table. The big bonus was that the bike route for the Ironman passed the house twice. We had so much fun cheering the riders on, especially ourguy!! I would highly recommend Josie's Retreat to anyone interested in a great ADK vacation spot. ”
Owner's Response
“Jean & Tony,
Thank you for being great guests. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed our home. We hope you will come back again. I enjoyed talking to Tony and learning our connection with the Lourie family. We spent many wonderful years at their house before we bought our home. Congratulations Tony on completing the Lake Placid Ironman and raising money for such a great cause the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation !!
Terry”
Date of Stay: June 2017
Posted On: 8/3/17 by James E.
“I am a member in a group of fly fisherman who have enjoyed our stays at JOSIES RETREAT over the years and will return again I'm sure. I believe this is our third stay.
Conveniently located to access the Au Sable River starting across the street and traveling up or down Rte 87 from Lake Placid to Au Sable Forks. If you want to fish the river this is a great spot to start from. Only 15 minutes to Downtown Lake Placid and shopping as well.
Reasonably priced, spacious, well equipped, and a comfortable place to stay. If your looking to fish the local rivers and streams you should consider staying here. It's worked out great for us.
”
Owner's Response
“Jim,
We are happy you were able to stay with us again this year- your 3rd year.
We hope you will return again. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Terry”
Date of Stay: July 2017
Posted On: 8/1/17 by Rich W.
“We just spent 10 days at Josie's Retreat and it was everything we needed. We were in the area for Ironman and the location was very convenient to everything, 12 minute drive to Lake Placid. The owners have done a great job of bringing in new furniture, TVs and bedding and the house is a great size. We had 9 people including two teenage boys, they took over the basement. There was plenty of space in side and out and we never felt we were stepping on each other.
The house had everything, kitchen was well supplied, linens were in great condition and plenty of seating for socializing or eating.
If you are looking for a place for Ironman or Whiteface this is a great location. The house is right on the bike course, and minutes from Whiteface. We had friends sit at the end of the driveway and watch the bike portion of the race. The week leading up to the event I could literally start my training rides at the end of the driveway and head right towards the Three Bears or head left and climb the hills from Jay to Wilmington.
I highly recommend Josie's Retreat if you have a large group and you are in town for Ironman or skiing, or just plain adventure.
Thank you!”
Owner's Response
“Rich,
Thank you for being great guests. We hope you will return to Josie's Retreat.
So happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay and had a good Ironman experience.
Terry”
Date of Stay: February 2016
Posted On: 2/24/16 by Lana G.
“It's our second time coming to JOSIES RETREAT. We spent the President's weekend here in 2014 and 2016. We fully enjoyed our stay again and just loved the house. It's really big and spacious with a large dining room for a large group. There were all the necessities (linens, towels, kitchenware, wifi, TV, games) - everything needed to have great worry-free time. After skiing at -20F, it was really nice to come back in a warm and cozy welcoming house. Thank you so much for letting us use it.
”
Owner's Response
“Lana,
We are glad that you enjoyed your stay at Josie's Retreat. We love our house and are happy to be able to share it. We hope you will come back again.
Terry”
Date of Stay: July 2015
Posted On: 8/5/15 by Glenn H.
“Had the pleasure of staying at Josie's Retreat for IRONMAN week. There was plenty of room for everyone who came to watch my brother and I compete. Good location, and a reasonable price during race week.
The house was stocked with anything you would need, and then some.
I would gladly stay here again, especially for a ski trip in the winter (Whiteface is right up the road).
Thanks a ton!
Glenn”
Owner's Response
“Glenn,
We are so happy you enjoyed our home. Our housekeeper reported that you were great guests. We hope you will come back
Terry”
Date of Stay: December 2014
Posted On: 1/18/15 by Katya A.
“This is a great and spacious house. We had 3 family totaling 12 people and all felt really comfortable there.
The house was ready and warm to our arrival and very well stocked with all necessities. Kitchen is large and we found it very comfortable to cook in it. You could find all utensils you need for all your cooking needs.
But what we enjoyed the most was location - 5 minutes away from the White Face Mountain - this was the winner!
The owner is making sure you feel comfortable and was quick to respond to all our questions. We would be happy to rent there again.”
Owner's Response
“Oleg & Katya,
We are very happy you and your family enjoyed our home over the holidays. We hope that you will come again.
Terry”
Date of Stay: July 2014
Posted On: 8/10/14 by Joe A.
“Excellent home with equal amenities. Open floor plan, well stocked kitchen, comfortable beds and couches and large dining table. Good water pressure for satisfying showers (which sounds weird, but it's important to me) that never ran out of hot water, even with 12 people. Beautiful 15 minute drive to Placid. Close enough to nearby Wildlife refuge center to hear their wolves at dawn and dusk; very cool.
My only suggestion would be to relocate the fire pit. Its current location does not leave space for many people.”
Owner's Response
“Joe,
Glad you and your family had.a good time. Thank you for the suggestion.. We will look into moving the fire pit. We hope you will return to Josie's Retreat.
Terry”
Date of Stay: August 2013
Posted On: 9/8/13 by Cheryl H.
“This rental was wonderful! It is family-friendly, clean, and open.The location made it very easy to get to the beach at the nearby day park (we went daily, just a couple of minutes away), Lake Placid only about a 15 minutes drive, and many hikes (just very short drives away). The kitchen has some terrific small appliances along with the major appliances. We did not lack any kitchen tool for which we searched. There was also a binder with all of the owners manuals quite thorough! The mattresses and furniture were comfortable and very clean. The entire home was in terrific condition with two washers and driers which would be helpful if there was a houseful of family/friends. In addition there were games and books that kept us all busy at the end of the day/rainy days. There was a great selection of books for all ages babies to adults, fiction to nonfiction. We played foosball, monopoly, battleship, checkers, and chess. I would be remiss to fail to mention the owner. The owner was very helpful, responsive to my many questions and provided a great amount of information so that we were well-prepared for our stay. We really had a wonderful experience with the owner!”
Owner's Response
“Cheryl,
We are so glad you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for the wonderful review and thank you for being such good guests. We hope you will come to Josie's Retreat again. We love our home and the area so much and are happy be able to share it with others. Thanks again for being great guests. Hope you have a wonderful year. Looking forward to you coming back to Josie's Retreat.
Terry”
Date of Stay: August 2013
Posted On: 8/19/13 by Susan F.
“Best rental ever! The house is exactly as described. Large, airy, bright, super-clean. Lots of space for our 2 families. Everything in working order, well-maintained. The owner was easily reached by email to answer questions. The housekeeper came every 2 or 3 days to remove the trash. Perfect location for hiking and skiing. The town beach is lovely for children; a quiet, life-guarded swimming area, sandy beach with contiguous playground. No play equipment for the under 3 set, though.”
Owner's Response
“Susan,
We are happy you had such a wonderful time at our home. Hope you will come again.”
Date of Stay: June 2013
Posted On: 6/25/13 by James E.
“My fishing buddies and I stayed for a week in June to fly fish the Ausable River. We found the property to be clean and well cared for. We had plenty of room for all of us with the 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms.
It's a great location for anyone wanting to fish the river as you are right in the middle of some of the best fishing the river offers.
Only about 15 minutes to Lake Placid made everything very convenient for us to shop and to find places to eat.
Despite the high water condition on the river we all caught plenty of fish and will add this site as a place to visit again.
Overall a good experience for everyone in the party”
Date of Stay: December 2012
Posted On: 1/9/13 by William M.
“Winter Wonderland! The owner and the care takers are top shelf. The pictures don't do this clean, spacious and fully stocked house or its location justice! This cozy woodland home is the stuff of a winter skiing family's dreams. Less than five minutes from Whiteface Mountain and fifteen minutes to Lake Placid, this house is the perfect base for families planning a ski vacation. Our family was impressed that the house remained warm, cozy and quiet while we were pounded with over thirty inches of snow and temperatures in the single digits. We had no problems coming and going thanks to owner's grounds & snow removal contracts. We have already made plans for 2013. We highly recommend this house for you and your family.”
Owner's Response
“Bill, Thank you for your wonderful review of our home. We really love everything about the Adirondacks and want our guests to feel that way too. We are really glad your family had such a great vacation over The Christmas holiday. We look forward to your return the end of January.”
Date of Stay: December 2011
Posted On: 4/4/12 by Adam W.
“The house was great and our group had a wonderful stay. The kitchen was perfect with the open space and had every appliance/tool we needed for cooking. The living room area was also ideal as we'd always find ourselves cozying up by the fireplace at the end of each day. Being 2 minutes from Whiteface and 15 minutes from Lake Placid, it makes a great home base for exploring the region. I definitely recommend for families and groups of friends. ”
Date of Stay: February 2012
Posted On: 3/22/12 by Jennifer K.
“Josies Retreat was a great rental for us because we had a few families and we needed the extra space and you can't beat the location if you are interested in skiing. The home was clean, the kitchen was well stocked, and there were plenty of towels in the bathroom. The ground floor has a TV, futon, and another bathroom. This was a great place for the kids to hang out which kept the noise level down on the main floor. The living room did not have a TV so my husband brought one with us. There was another TV in the upstairs loft area but no one in our group wanted to go up there to view the TV. The large dining table and the island in the kitchen provided ample room for everyone to sit and hang out together during meal preparation. We were very happy and will definitely come again!”
Owner's Response
“Jennifer we are so glad you enjoyed our home. Please come again.”
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*Reviews and owner responses are the subjective opinions of the reviewers and owners. They are not the opinions of Adirondack "By Owner", LLC and are not endorsed by us. We do not investigate the accuracy of property listings, reviews, or owner responses. Please see our Important Notice & Disclaimer for more details.
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