1st Choice Cabin Lodging Company — Hotel in Nelsonville

The rental unit was ok. The communication and response from the management company was horrible. (almost non-existent) We tried to reach them multiple times about many of the items below and never even got a return call. The book in the house said to text them (which I did) no response to that either.

The pros -It was fairly large and mostly clean -It had Central Air and was on a lovely lake in a quiet area -Towels and linens were included

The cons -If you have any issue outside of the hours of 8am - 8pm, better hope it isn't critical. There is no one to contact for help. If you do call between 8AM-8PM, you get someone who doesn't deal with rentals or you get a machine to leave a message but you won't get a response -WiFi was terrible. It did not even reach the main bedroom. I lost count of the #of times it dropped off the internet. Listing mentioned 250mbps but obv that was not the case. There were only 4 of us with devices on the wifi and I couldnt look up information on activities in Hocking Hills Park -The stove has a broken burner - only 3 work -Main rack in dishwasher has no front wheels. Pretty miserable to use and no drying rack for anything washed by hand -The BBQ grill worked/had propane, but there was no flipper just plastic spatulas for use on the stove -One bedroom has no shade or anything to cover the window to provide privacy & block out the light when trying to sleep. -The washer and dryer worked, however the lint trap was so filled that we could barely get the 'screen' out to clean it. That's just a fire hazard waiting to happen. -No lights out by the hot tub or on the dock/at the waterfront. (well, there are lights, but all are broken and not working) It looks like at one time this was a lovely property with lighting all along the waterfront and roadway, but all of that has fallen into disrepair. -No dressers in the bedrooms. If we only stayed a night or two maybe not a big deal; but living out of suitcases for a week isnt ideal. -Bathroom showers need some attention. The grab bar in the master looked like it might fall off the wall and had some slimy, dark, mildewy stuff at the ends. The shower in the other bathroom also, less than appealing. -There was one measuring cup which was so old that you could not read a single measurement on it. (yes, I asked ahead of my trip since I tend to cook while on vacation) -No salt/pepper (every single rental I've ever been in has) -Opened the mini blinds in the living room. Closed them because I didn't want to look at all the dead bugs piled up on the sill. -No screens on any of the windows or doors. If its a nice evening forget about getting any fresh air inside. -Ceiling fan in the master was either on (high) or off. no pull chain to adjust the speed as is usual with any ceiling fan. -Three hand towels for the entire home. (enough said) -The listing (and my inquiry) said there were multiple boats. I suppose that was sort of true, as there was one canoe and a broken peddle boat. The canoe was left upright by prior renters and was filled with water and decaying leaves, and there was only one paddle and a single child sized life vest. -There was no 'junk drawer', you know, a drawer with scissors, scotch/other tape, screwdriver, lightbulbs... the kinds of miscellaneous things that you wouldn't expect to need to bring and every rental I've ever been in had. -no puzzles, games, videos... only 2 decks of cards. Yes, there is a pool table in the garage (listing said it was a pool table, foosball table, ping pong table- but not so) and the garage was extremely warm, moist and smelled like urine. Forget about playing in there or having anything to do when it was evening or raining. -Tried to open the garage door to air out the smell (see above) and then could not get the opener to close the door. (electric eye issue)

Not the worst place Ive ever rented, but certainly not what I expected and definitely not 'cheap'. Really feeling like 3 stars...

We stayed at the Chalet for 3 nights and had a wonderful time. There were 4 adults, 2 kids and 2 dogs. The first thing we can say is that there is so much space! We only used the main floor and one of the lofts, but it was great to be able to spread out. We couldn't find each other at times-lol! If you need a spot for a large group, this is it. There is also a barn/possible event room next to the house.

The kids and the dogs had a blast running around the house and large property. The house was clean, private and safe. The beds and linens were cute and comfortable. We appreciated the decorative touches around the house like cabin signs and wreaths. The bathrooms were nice with lots of towels, hand soap, and tp provided. The main floor bathroom did have a hair dryer. The kitchen was well stocked with dish soap, paper towels, dish towels, dishwasher soap, coffee maker, coffee filters, toaster and plenty of dishes, glasses and cookware. If you have littles ones, bringing a few baby gates to block stairs is a good idea.

It was still too cold for the pool, but that would be an added bonus for summer. We used the hot tub once, it was clean and hot, with some jets working. We might not have been able to figure out the instructions correctly.

We attempted fishing, but didn't have any luck! Our 6 year old grandson was excited to ride around in the canoes and give fishing a try anyways. (a loud active 6 year old might be the reason we didn't catch any fish) Life jackets and oars are available. There are lots of steps down to the pond which was good exercise to offset our eating! We used the grill and made some great meals. There was plenty of propane, grilling tools and a lighter. The grocery store is about a 15 minute drive away.

The huge dining table is perfect for family dinners, puzzles and games. The porch with picnic tables and swing chairs would be the place to gather during warmer weather. The couch is super comfortable with throw blankets and pillows, and the smart TVs all worked well. The Wi-Fi was strong and no issues connecting. We didn't get to play corn hole, but the boards and bags were available.

We hiked at Hocking Hills, which is about a 30 minute drive. We highly recommend Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave for the whole family, dogs included!

Keep in mind, this is a true cabin and there are some rustic elements, which we don't mind at all. The cabin creaks and you can definitely hear the wind and the rain, but it is very cozy inside. We submitted a list of little maintenance issues to 1st Choice that they will address for future guests.

We thought we were so organized, but managed to leave swim suits in the dryer! 1st Choice is going to mail them to us, so we are thankful for that.

Overall, lots of fun memories for our family and a great long weekend. The story and photo of the original owners was really neat to see. This place would be super fun in the summer and absolutely gorgeous in the fall. Thank you for being family and...

To put it short:

Do not book Double Play Ranch if you need a truly "luxury" or family-friendly space. The property is better suited toward college and bachelor parties. Do not be fooled by its description and pricing.

To put it long:

Recently booked/stayed Double Play Ranch from June 20th through June 23rd. Our group included 14 adults (7 married couples) and 8 of our children (ages 9 mo through 7 yo). We were surprised about the condition of the property and the number of troubles encountered, especially given the luxury "advertisement" and pricing.

Troubles Included: We were never able to access the wifi/internet. One shower was rendered useless due to broken handle. Was told maintenance would visit, but they never did. The microwave door would fall off when opening. The wooden deck had many popped nails and missing balusters. The dock is dilapidated and unsafe. The water quality of the lake in general was questionable. The outdoor trash receptacles are undersized and unsecured from wildlife. The baluster at the top of the stairs to which the baby gate was attached was not secure. The toilet in the pool table room half bath was consistently running and had difficulty flushing. The window in one bedroom was open upon arrival and could not be closed. This room got HOT. There was heavy water damage visible in the pool table room and down below into the card/bar room. The basement bathroom had a strong mold smell and the shower curtain was mildew/mold stained. For the nightly price, a $10 shower curtain should be able to be replaced regularly. Upstairs showers had visible mold staining/markings. (Probably because neither are properly ventilated.) The hardware was also chipping veneer. The upstairs refrigerator froze/ruined all groceries placed on the top shelf. In addition, the freezer drawer was missing its handle. The kitchen base corner cabinet (lazy susan) was not attached securely and did not function properly. The oven is inefficient and takes nearly 30 min to preheat to 350 F. Numerous furnishings and decor had damage. There were a few places with damaged drywall visible Path to dock poorly maintained.

While all of the families in attendance were happy for the opportunity to reunite, the condition and misaligned price of the lodge were definite dampers on our experience. We will not be returning and believe First Choice should reconsider both the description and pricing of the lodge. We would not recommend this for family gatherings (especially if they involve young children) or for corporate retreats/business getaways. For the same price (or less!) we have found more suitable accommodations for next year's reunion.

To be frank, this property seems better suited and maintained with the intent for use as a college party house or bachelor...