We stayed at the Settler's Roost cabin…read more NOTES: -If you're coming here while it's rainy or icey, you'll likely want a 4-wheel drive vehicle. My little 2-wheel drive sedan did okay after two days of rain (and lots of mud), but it there would have been any ice or a ridiculous amount of rain, there's no way we were getting out of there. Lots of tight, steep hills and gravel don't play well together. -Neither US Cellular nor Sprint customers seem to have service out here. The cabin has Wi-Fi, which helps, but make sure to plan ahead. It isn't often that I find myself in a "genuine" deadzone. No roaming, no nothing. -There are some small, cement blocks leading from the gravel driveway to the front door of the cabin. It's not a lot, but it's a little bit. However, if it's been raining or wet, expect quite a decent amount of mud from your car to the front door (there's a nice doormat right inside the door that helps with that problem, though). PROS: -It's decently spacious. You wouldn't want a family in here (or more than two people, really), but you won't feel like you're constantly on top of your cabin-mate either. -The bedroom is pitch black in the evenings. Absolutely pitch black. If you love sleep like that, you'll love it. Otherwise, cracking the bedroom door a bit lets the ambient light from the microwave and oven display provide a bit of direction in the room. -The cabin has Wi-Fi. I know, I know, we're escaping from nature, but without phone service OR Wi-Fi, I would have felt a bit uncomfortable in case of an emergency. Plus, the Wi-Fi will let you watch some romantic films on the TV or other things like that. -The cabin sounds so lovely in the rain. It has a thinner roof than most homes, so you can definitely hear all of the raindrops. No leaks, though, so that's nice. -The cabin is close enough to nature that you'll likely see nature. There were two deers nomming their way through our backyard grass while we were there. Expect to hear lovely bird sounds and everything. As we came in winter, there were virtually no bugs, but I'm sure that isn't the case in summer. For enjoyment of the summer animal sounds, though, the windows are open-able and do have screens on them. -The cabin was rustically decorated. In addition to being a full wood construction, the small decor additions add to the rustic feel - not detract. That's nice. -The fireplace was used a heat source for the cabin. It was directly attached to the thermometer for the room - and it does put out heat! I wish it was able to just turn on and look beautiful without so much heat, but it definitely has the "real fireplace" feel to it, so that's a nice addition. -Hot tub on the back porch was perfectly warmed with clean water and no debris in it. Hot tub lid was easy to get on and off. -No laundry. However, the cabin does provide four full-sized towels, some washclothes, and some hand towels. With all of the hooks around the cabin, it's easy to let things airdry and reuse them as necessary during your stay. There was also 4 rolls of toilet paper and an extra roll of papertowels. We didn't run out of anything during our stay. CONS: -No dishwasher. This is likely just a silly expectation on my part, but I was surprised to see no dishwasher in an otherwise-equipped cabin. This wouldn't be a huge problem on its own, but as the cabin only has two copies of most things (bowls, teaspoons, etc.), you'll be doing dishes pretty regularly throughout your getaway. -The promotional photos make it look super private. That's only somewhat the case. When you come in, you'll notice lots of cameras and signs about how the property is under video supervision. And when you make it to the cabin itself, you'll see that you definitely have neighbors. Not to the point where you share a driveway, but to the point where I ended up waving at them while we were both loading up our vehicles at the same time. This is not really a "super private" cabin. -While the cabin is "full plumbing", the hot water is a bit on the "has character" side. To get the water to stay warm in the shower, you'll need to turn on the bathroom sink at the same time. This only manages to get the water to a tolerable lukewarm temperature. To get the kitchen sink to a hot temperature to wash dishes, you'll have to turn on that bathroom sink at the same time as well. It's not the end of the world, but it's a bit of trial and error you'll figure out as you go. -You have to be a bit careful around some of the wood areas. While the floor and some of the walls/areas of this full wood cabin construction have been sealed, it's clear that some of the areas were sanded but not painted with sealant. After getting a small wood sliver dragging my hand along a drawer front, I was a lot more careful.

We stayed in the millers den. Overall this was an amazing…read morestay. The cabin was clean and peaceful. There are nearby cabins but you feel completely secluded. You are just a short drive away from an abundance of gorgeous hiking trails. Being able to enjoy the hot-tub on the porch while being surrounded by forrest sounds and gorgeous views was just the reset we needed. My only true negative was that the mattress was extremely uncomfortable. I do think there are a few minor things that could make this cabin even better. (From a picky convenience point) -the couch is less for lounging and more for sitting up (like a waiting room) a soft ottoman would really improve the ability for couples to cuddle by the fire. -there are no couch side tables to set drinks on -the shower is SMALL (which is to be expected in a tiny cabin) if you added a shower head that can come down it would make it much easier to wash off mud from hiking because maneuvering in that tiny space is nearly impossible. - some sort of shelf/counter space for the bathroom that way if you are staying longer you can keep your necessities stored in there.

Salt Creek Retreats is a 40 acre camping retreat, with only two rentable sites; a cabin and a yurt…read more Recently, my friends and I stayed at the yurt. A Yurt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yurt), if you're wondering, is traditionally a Mongolian tent. But the type at Salt Creek is of the more modern North American variety, made with parquet floors and plastic coverings. It has sleeping room for four, with a double bed and a set of bunk beds. There's also a folded up futon underneath the bunk beds if needed. The yurt also has a gas space heater, large kitchen trash can, table, and a cabinet fully stocked with a variety of camping essentials like matches, first aid, baby wipes and instant coffee. Outside, the spacious camp is just as well set up. As you drive up the dirt path to the site, you'll first see solar showers that are usable during the summer, then an outhouse. Ten feet down from that is the main site. On the right side of the road is a hammock, a wood picnic table, the yurt, and then an air chair. On the left, a huge hutch of fire wood, a big steel fire pit, a barbecue, then two more camp tables under a big canopy. Behind the yurt side structures is a thick woods, while behind the fire pit side is a medium-size creek. There is a large supply of pots and pans, hanging spoons and tongs left for the campers, although much of this is rusting pretty badly, unfortunately. The double pointed hot dog skewers were great, however. This is a truly beautiful camp site, well stocked and designed. A few of the cooking implements being in less that useful shape doesn't take away from all the wonderful stuff that is provided, and doesn't impact the peace and pristine nature around you. A wonderful spot to go relax and get away from it all.

The BEST place to camp in the central Ohio area!…read more I've been coming to the yurt every year for about 5 years. Its fantastic because its: 1) Amazingly Private - secluded in beautiful hocking hills with several miles of private trails, a fishing pond, a scenic overlook, and a river to swim in. No pesky state park rules. Phones don't work here. Leave your crackberry at home!! 2) Doggie Friendly - They love it here! 3) Great for Groups - Sleeps up to 6, with room for many many more in tents. Bring all the kids! 4) Easy as Pie - comes fully stocked with dishes and cooking supplies, pillows, chairs, grills, etc. There's a little store in Laurelville (about 15 min drive) if you need anything (like pie!), and there are some houses nearby if you have an emergency. Consider coming here in the winter - the yurt has a heater, and there's a roof over your head. Or in the spring - to hunt for morels and wild ramp. Or in the summer - to go swimming and use the solar shower. Or fall - to sit under a canopy of color. Thanks Kim for keeping up such a wonderful place!

For those who want the short version: This place is an awesome place to stay for a vacation get…read moreaway for a large group! Here's the detailed version: The house is located in Hocking Hills and is the perfect place for a large group of people! There are 3 floors with 8 bedrooms and 11 beds. The top floor is a loft that has 2 beds. There are 4 bedrooms on the main floor- 3 that have 1 bed, and 1 room that has full sized bunk beds. On the bottom floor, there are 3 bedrooms- 2 rooms that have 1 bed and 1 room that has bunk beds. Note: all the beds are queen/full sized beds even the bunk beds so the house could potentially sleep 22 people. The house is a beautiful lodge with hardwood floors (don't forget to take slippers!). There are 2 kitchens which was a bonus when cooking for a large group! There are also 2 dining room tables (one on the main floor, one downstairs) and 2 living room spaces. The house has 4 bathrooms (2 on each floor). Note: If you go there with a lot of people, try to be one of the first to take a shower because the hot water DOES run out if everyone is taking consecutive showers. When you go, towels (including beach towels) and linens/blankets are provided. They also provide some toilet paper and soap (dish soap, shampoo, etc) which was enough for a 2 day stay but if you're staying for the whole week, you may need to bring more. In the kitchen, you can find plates, silverware, some pots and pans, cups. They have some cooking utensils like spatulas, ladles, can opener, etc. They have a coffee maker and filters but if you like fresh coffee beans, you have to bring your own coffee grinder. There are 2 TVs there which both have DVD players and direct TV but they don't have HDMI connections so you can't hook up an Xbox. There's no wi-fi and you probably won't be able to get good cell phone service while there. But they do have corn hole, scrabble, taboo and a couple decks of cards for game night! It was actually great to get away from technology i.e. internet, etc and enjoy time with the family. In order to get there, you have to drive on some country roads- some that look like they are only one lane so I recommend trying to get there before dark just because it's so hard to see when it's night time. Also on the website, they recommend 4 wheel drive which I totally agree with! You have to drive up this steep gravel/stone driveway. One of our cars was a sedan and had trouble getting up the entire way. If you don't have 4WD, you can still make it up (although if it may be a problem if it's snowing) but try driving in reverse. Our larger cars (mini SUVs/Vans that didn't have 4WD) had problems going up driving forward, but were able to make it up in reverse. Again, it's a lot easier driving up in reverse during the day than at night. The contact person is Theresa. She was quick to respond to questions we had about the place via email. I didn't really have much contact with her since someone else dealt with the reservation but she seemed nice when I met her when we checked out of the lodge.

If you are looking for a place to relax and throw your worries away, Westwind Lodge is not the…read moreplace for you, and if you dare try, please be sure to throw those worries away in a trash bag and do not leave them loose in the trash can outside. My female relatives (aunts, cousins, and grandmother) and I came to Hocking Hills to reunite after an incredibly long time without seeing or hugging each other. It was a little strange when the owner of the property mentioned THREE different times in one message not to follow GPS, but instead, use her directions. The oddities continued as she insisted to be there when we arrived to greet us since none of us had experienced this with a VRBO rental prior to this getaway. But the neuroses of the ownership finally smacked us straight in the face when we realized that greeting was simply to walk us through the rules. Many, many rules. Complete with a binder left for your reading pleasure and a condescending lecture from the owner to a group of adult women. There were 13 of us ranging in age from 29 to 88, but it really didn't matter who we were. Jesus Christ could have walked in with his 12 disciples and she would have asked him to make sure he showered before entering the hot tub. Her tone was both rude and insulting. Things we were warned of during her tirade, lest we be charged additional fees: Do not eat, drink, or sleep on the sofas. If you are going to sleep on the pillows, remove the pillow shams and use the pillowcases in the closets. Do not leave the coffee maker plugged in when not in use. Do not move the furniture. Do not get in the hot tub without showering. Do not leave any loose trash without bagging it. This includes boxes that are too big for bags. After leaving the property, we were informed that we left loose trash, which is an outright fabrication, clearly designed to offer a "reason" for additional charges. We were meticulously cleaning the entire cabin all morning to be sure to reach her satisfaction and even cut down all boxes so that they would fit into trash bags and not be considered "loose". One of the comments by the owner was that she was forced to empty the trash can and rebag it because there was loose trash and it was unsanitary. Speaking of unsanitary, you are asked not to strip the beds when leaving the property so they can "inventory" (AKA look for things to forfeit your security deposit) the linens. We did have our suspicions on the motive of the owner when one of my aunts pulled her blankets back on the first night and found a hair on the sheets. We were also told to wash the dishes used and then put them away. I am not a health inspector, but every place I've ever rented has either asked to load and run the dishwasher but leave the dishes in there or just load it and not run it. I suspect this is so that the renters do not then touch the clean dishes to put them away, but what would an unsanitary person like myself know about health codes? Interested in keeping your loved ones posted while haphazardly moving furniture and sleeping on sofas in a cabin in the woods? No problem! There is a landline that allows you to hear a couple of syllables at a time, which is enough to ensure that your spouse is ta.....car......tom..... And if that is not enough contact, the owner does offer the use of her personal Wifi for a small fee of $5/day in cash only. No exact change? No problem there either! Just give her the next bill you've got higher than the total and she'll call it even! It was blatantly clear with each warning of impending charges for things like spotty wifi and sleeping on pillow shams that the goal here was to come up with some failure to abide so that we could lose our security deposit and wring out any spare change we had for things like communicating with important people in our lives. But wait...there's more! The wifi doesn't work half the time and the TV in the main living space doesn't work either, which I guess is okay since who wants to watch television without the snacks and beverages that are strictly forbidden on the living room furniture. Anyway, the cabin was beautiful and there were lots of towels and beds and bathrooms and two kitchens. Those things were great. We had an amazing time because we are an amazing group of women, but it was a shame that every single one of us walked away saying, "this weekend was perfect if it hadn't been for that horrible owner." Perhaps if someone is that neurotic and paranoid, they might seek a different line of work than allowing strangers to use their property to enjoy themselves. If you want a place that limits your freedoms and puts rules on your fun, this is the cabin for you. Otherwise, run to the closest Red Roof Inn, because I bet the people there are at least welcoming.

Building on Brian's review...Whistlestop was the perfect location for a quick getaway to Hocking…read moreHills. We only stayed one night, but this stop would also work well for a longer visit. Whistlestop is located at the end of a dirt road (literally off the beaten trail), so don't be too worried if you wonder if you're going the right way--keep going back the road and it's just over an old rail line. The B&B is the basement of an old farm house and the room is spacious. As Brian mentioned, the room had a queen size bed, couch, working fireplace, pool table, kitchenette, and private bath. The owners, Sherry and Mike, were a delightful couple and we had a chance to peak into their beautifully renovated kitchen and meet their lovable boxer, Lucy. Tons of snacks to pick from, but easily the best were the homemade sticky buns and chocolate chip cookies. Sherry stocked the fridge and pantry with breakfast items for the next day (yogurt, fruit, oatmeal, breakfast bowls). Brian enjoyed a couple rounds of pool while I feasted on several hours of HGTV's "Property Brothers" on the biggest flat-screen TV I've seen in someone's house (60-inch?). The bed was cozy, covered with beautiful colored linens, and I think if you wanted to leave the blinds open, you could wake to a beautiful sunrise amongst the nearby trees. I woke up early Sunday morning to do a bit of reading and enjoy a cup of tea by the fireplace. Perfection. Since we were there in late March, we didn't get to enjoy this amenity, but there is a fire pit so you can make some s'mores (yes, they provide all the fixings for that too). I need to ask Brian when we can go again...it was a great weekend to unplug and just relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of Columbus. (although, they have free Wifi, just in case you need it :) )

I had such a wonderful experience at the Whistlestop! I have stayed there several times and…read morewouldn't go any where else. The farm is beautiful and secluded. Mike and Sherry were wonderful hosts and had great recommendations for local spots to hit. They really make you feel at home. The hot tub was nice and so was the private fire pit. I would highly recommend this bed and breakfast!

For a one night stay it's fine but definitely no frills. I thought it was quite clean though and I…read morefelt safe ! The people that work there are really nice !!

Older place that's reasonably clean and quiet. Not far from uptown and campus by car…read more Comfortable beds with new linens. Poor water pressure in the shower. No space to put toiletries in the bathroom, they really should add a shelf. Overall it's a decent place to crash for a low price.

We can not begin to tell you what an enjoyable and relaxing three (3)nights we had at the…read more"Cardinal" of Bent Creek Cabins. Dave and Joy take such pride in their cabin rentals and it can be seen in all of the meticulous details from the furnishing, décor and all of the amenities. They have thought of everything for you! We were so excited to disconnect for a few days and the Cardinal was just the place to allow us to do so. We watched movies, which they provided, as well as some that we brought with us. We enjoyed the hot tub on numerous occasions, as well as the screened in porch in general. My favorite memory was our last evening where we sat on the front porch swing for a couple of hours while it rained/stormed. It was such a refreshing time and a much needed escape to reconnect with each other and disconnect from the outside world. We can't wait to come back again and stay at the "Blue Jay". Thank you for making our weekend and anniversary so special. Your excitement and pride for what you do shines through and it was a pleasure to experience it for ourselves. Thank you!

The cabin was VERY clean and comfortable. The locations was quiet and relaxing. We enjoyed the…read morescreened in porch with hot tub and grill. The large front porch and swing were also very nice. There is no cable or phone reception, which was a positive for me. There is a tv, DVD player, and radio. The owners have provided a few dvds but you may want to bring your own if you're picky about your movies. The owners also provided a few board games. We chose to pass the time in the hot tub and playing scrabble. It was a great weekend.

9/2024 I stayed here for Homecoming 2024. What I said below is still true. All things being equal…read moreI would rather stay at the brand name hotels on State St because the rooms & breakfast are nicer & they are also closer to campus - but I refuse to pay the insane rates for prime weekends. The lodge is a fine value for prime weekends.

Modern room was extremely clean. Hotel is very quaint and smaller in size. Little bar in the lobby,…read moreand cool little outdoor brick patio with seating and firepits. Can't beat the prices. Would stay again.

Just spent three days in the Beechwood cabin. This is a cosy…read morelittle cabin tucked in the woods, it is not fancy, but clean and comfortable. The cabin was stocked with dishes, flatware, cookware, and condiments. There are no TV channels, they do provide some movies, if you bring your own, do not bring Blu-ray. Nice fire pit and grill, hot tub is very private. If you want a quiet, peaceful getaway, I recommend this cabin.

Our cabin was well appointed and cozy. The location was great, just a short drive to some of…read moreHocking Hills' best hiking trails. We arrived late and very tired in the dark, about 10:30pm. Our cabin was located at the end of a long, winding driveway. We could not see it behind the work truck parked in the driveway that was stuck in the snow. 3 times we tried our key in the wrong cabin. Tried to call the property manager twice but there was no service. We were so tired from working all day and then driving! Almost thought we were going to have to head straight back home. Finally we found our cabin about 1/4 mile from where we had to park our car. We were left with a plastic sled to pull our luggage and groceries for the weekend through the snow. All of this is understandable. Poor cell reception. Can't control the weather. We appreciated the sled. However, I wish the property manager had sent an email the morning of check in with a heads up about the driveway and parking and a better explanation of where we could find our cabin. I definitely would have packed much differently had I known we were kicking our stay off with such an adventure. Another note, the listing for our cabin displayed photos of a washer and dryer but when we arrived the machines were marked with a notice saying they were only to be used by housekeeping. Why advertise a feature that isn't actually available to your guests? Lastly, this rental company simply does not seem to believe in snow removal or using salt to prevent surfaces from icing over. The walkway to the check-in-office, steps to our cabin, and path to the hot tub were all covered in thick sheets of ice. Great potential but some kinks definitely need to be worked out. Felt like no one really cared to have our business or not.