Westwood Retreat

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My wife and I live in Boise Idaho and just like you we like to get away from the city and go relax. We think Donnelly is a special place to visit if you want to be near recreational activities in the mountains while not being too far from home. This specific location is precious with only a limited number of lots that offer being on the lake which is non-motorized.  We also love snowmobiling, ATV/UTV and since the trailhead or No Business Road is just around the corner to the north, it’s rare and ready for an adventure.  We first built the house just to the north which is a separate lot or property from this rental.  I know it’s kind of hard to tell with the large driveway and its shared, but we wanted to allow customers with large trailers to have a great time with lots of room to park. Over the future years we know that McCall and surrounding areas will become busier and being a mile north of Roseberry Road to get out of the Tamarack traffic is a nice place to unwind.

Making yourself familiar with Westwood Retreat

I hope you enjoy getting some fresh air as there is something about being in the mountains that’s so fun. We have all kinds of wildlife from squirrels, eagles, deer, and elk, and on some rare occasions, we have black bears looking to get into the garbage.  Don’t worry as black bears are afraid of people unless they have cubs but keep food inside the house or in a secure location. After being up here for a few years we have been able to observe that each month has its nature scene. Lake Cascade Reservoir is constantly rising or lowering depending on the month, but the wildlife is also constantly changing as well. Early May brings frogs that orchestrate at night, then they wind down by early June.  Sand Cranes and Blue Herring lay eggs and watch over them until hatch in late May. In June, the reservoir is being raised and will reach the back of the fenced area. Migratory birds come in like the songbirds to Woody the Woodpecker in the late spring and early summer. In the middle of October duck hunting starts and you literally can go hunting in the backyard. 

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Building the house in the woods means that sometimes creatures like to remind you that it’s originally their home so you may see critters. We work very hard to spray bugs and keep them out.  In November we start to get snow and the water freezes on the lake and is snowed over but be cautious to venture out on the lake until you are certain any water below is frozen (January to early March). I recommend staying on other tracks as the lake also has stumps from trees and lots of obstacles which you may not see as they are just under the snow. If you bring snowmobiles, you’re welcome to drive them right from the rental, and no need to trailer them any further.  Make your way out the driveway then go around the corner to the grooming shed and follow up No Business Road. If the snow levels allow you will see a trail out the back of the property over the fence and around the back. The lookout tower is about 18 miles up and we have many miles of recreation to enjoy.  In the summertime, you’re welcome to take the camp chairs which are on the deck. You can take them out to the back to enjoy the million-dollar view. We offer a new firepit which is now ready but read the section on the firepit.   As a word of caution please stay on the property and be careful too wander out too much and NOT TRESPASS.  Residents are known to call the Sheriff's Department and it’s a $300 fine per person. We post no trespassing signs only to keep others out of our property to provide you with as much privacy as possible.

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If you see a trespasser, feel free to text us as we do have a couple of driveway cameras for that very reason. All year round we have a recreation company down the street just 1 mile south called Mountain Meadow Rentals and if you text us, we can provide a code that will offer you a discount on their website.   We planted new trees on the west side of the house between the carport and the road so we hope that it eventually will block the road or offer additional privacy. In the summer, we do apply dust control when we can get them to come out. Speaking of Valley County, they do have rules for businesses specifically regarding rentals, in residential areas which we need to post and remain in compliance with.  Please text us if you want to extend a rule and we can discuss it, for example, hot tub hours.  There is no access from the stairs and the living space to the garage and vice versa.  The garage is locked and only used for the owner’s access.  We know for some people it may feel a bit awkward so as we respect your privacy 100% will do everything to prevent needing any access to the garage while you're there because we want you to Relax!

About the house:

The house gets its water from a well in the ground and we have a few filters to ensure it’s clean and pure which is maintained. If you hear a water softener at night, that would be the filter automatically recharging itself and you shouldn’t even notice it but if you do just let us know. The water coming from all inside fixtures and faucets is great-tasting water and filtered water. We added ultra-water filtration in the kitchen sink to the right of the main faucet. It’s a small spigot to fill up your bottles and take them on the go.

You may notice micro air bubbles in your glass when filling which is part of the water filtration process. If you let your glass rest for a few minutes you will see it evaporate. It’s just air.  We installed new appliances and with new technology it can be tricky to use so we put all appliance manuals in a box that can be found in the pantry. Make note that we placed the fire extinguisher in the pantry with the first aid kit. There are a couple of outlets that have USB for charging and even the top grain leather couches have a few as well. An evacuation plan is upon entering the house down the stairs required by code. If you have small children, we offer a baby gate located in the closet of the larger bedroom with the king bed.  Please use the supplied mounting spots at the top of the stairs to provide the best security while protecting the paint on the walls. We do not have any propane or gas inside the building for safety reasons, so we hope that brings a safe environment to be in.  Gas seems to be hard to detect for guests and other Airbnb’s on occasion have had an issue for their guests.  Inside the bathroom, you may notice we have a cleaning closet that is locked to keep children safe and away from hot tub chemicals.  The HVAC closet is also locked but available to remote maintenance and service companies if needed. If you need additional sleeping space, we have a portable inflatable queen bed with a built-in pump located in the closet with the king bed that you can put in the living room.  Each day guests just take it to the room with the king bed and rest it against the wall to get it out of the way. Mattress protectors, sheets, and blankets are also in the king bedroom closet.  We would ask for your help if you’re staying on a Wednesday night, please help us take the large green garbage can with wheels near the carport and take it to the road right here on West Wood Drive (on the West side of the road or opposite side of the rental). The garbage truck comes very early on a Thursday morning although can be unpredictable.  We need your help because there is no other trash service.  If you arrive on a Thursday and see the green garbage can out on the dirt road, please help us return it next to the deck area.  If you see, we are lacking any supplies please text me as we try to be proactive but once in a while, our cleaner may miss something.  We installed a special gutter system under the deck to prevent the hot tub and other water from coming down on top of your vehicle, so we recommend parking under the carport when possible.  It will help also when we need to do snow removal.

Want a discount the next time you stay?

First, I want to say that we love the booking sites and if you prefer them then we are 100% behind them. They show our availability and are pretty much an instant way to secure your dates. However, we did want to offer another option to keep costs down. If you had a great experience here at Westwood Retreat, then we ask you to leave a 5-star review on the application you used to book your stay. If it’s less than 5 stars, then contact me please before leaving the review so I can understand what I can do to improve your stay. After our cleaner has finished cleaning, we get a report on any discrepancies and if the checkout list was followed. In return, we provide a 5-star for you. If both parties have 5-star reviews with one another then we have established a great relationship and we are happy to offer what we call Direct Booking. 

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We will provide the best price for the time you’re booking. As you are aware each month has its pricing structure based around events and the season. You can go to www.westwoodretreat.com and select the pricing tab at the top of the page. We have links on our website to the booking sites to first verify the availability of the time you are looking for. It’s updated in near real-time so if you see the time available, then use the Direct Booking button and fill out the booking form. We will reply and confirm with you ASAP with the best price. Once you agree to the direct booking price, we can use Square if you have a Credit Card, PayPal, and Venmo for secure checkout. Never send us your credit card info. If you’re booking more than a month out, we ask for 50% in advance to make a booking or reservation and short stays are refundable before 14 days of arrival (Minus any fees we have been charged). Final payment for short stays is due no later than 24 hours before your visit because we can’t send you the “Check-in” information if it hasn’t been paid in full. Once we receive full payment or the first deposit, we immediately block all booking sites. We still charge minimal cleaning, state sales tax, travel and occupancy tax required by Idaho. You just don’t pay all the other service fees to the booking sites. That’s a long explanation, I know, but a great way to save. Just contact me if you have any questions about this process.

A note about our cleaners

I am sure that your first impression is that our place is very clean, and I am passionate about that. I tell you it hasn’t been easiest to get quality cleaners here in Donnelly, but we have scored a fantastic cleaner. It does come with a price as you know it’s part of the stay. We Do Not upcharge any of the cleaning costs and we think it’s expensive, but it is comparable to others in the area. We have our cleaners wipe every surface down with disinfectant, change all linens, and mop every time. The spa team is also expensive, so it all adds up. Please follow the check-out list on the last page of this booklet when leaving. I want to thank you for helping us follow that list to keep our costs down. 

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Want to use the firepit?

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We want all guests to feel free to use the firepit.  Safety is a must so please follow the rules on the sign posted by the firepit.  You can take the portable camp chairs located by the hot tub and take them out to the fire pit.  We need all guests to ensure that the fire is out when you're done enjoying the fire pit.  The firepit is open from May 1st until October 31st due to the amount of snow. Valley County does pose fire bans which all guests must follow.  We will do our best to post during these periods.