Timberlock — Hotel in Town of Indian Lake

I agree that the views are nice and the owners are friendly, but this is where it stops. ||Safety: none of the rooms lock from outside or have any safety/alarm measures to them in case there is any type of a threat or danger, or simple emergency. No place to safely leave anything or lock it in the cabin/room. The only charging place in the library/lodge has everything in the open, with no concern for someone simply taking your phone/i-pad, etc. - all on honor code. Very nice and sweet, but what happens if someone decides to not follow it? No internet, one phone for the entire camp - nice at first, but then feels very limiting for this day and age.||Food: there is very little of it - we were always hungry. They bring you a few plates or serve you with very controlled portions. When you ask for more, they say they do not have any left. We would have one good meal a day, and then see the leftovers used up in the meal the following day (this happened all the time). Breakfast is at 8:00 sharp. You miss it - go hungry. No place to buy food on site - you have to drive 10miles into town or bring your own (that better not spoil because the only fridge on site did not seem trustworthy). By 8:30, the cleanup starts, so you feel like you need to eat really fast and go. We felt like we were on a ration (and that is when you are active on fresh air all the time and being active). If you needed more, there was peanut butter and cotton bread - but how much of it can you eat?||Extra charges - beware! They do not warn you about them, except for horse riding (which was reasonable). Woodwork was extra but they did not tell you ahead of time, no prices or fees are posted - they just hit you with it when you leave.||Cabins: you feel like you are roughing it - no electricity, just lamps they give you. No candles allowed. The positive was hot water, but the towels were given out every 3 days (we had to air dry them), nothing done to rooms. As much as it was authentic in the beginning, the steep fee of approx. $900/night for a family of 4 left us all feeling like the value was definitely not there. Good for 2 days, but then we felt very constrained and controlled. ||Understand generational sentiment of families who have been coming to this place for the past many years, but for newbies like us this was not a good fit. With so many other amazing places, I will take my money and time...

We were three - my husband and my brother and we all loved it here. Perfect setting on the lake with wonderful views from the dining "hall" and the lodge and the cabins. Bruce and Holly ( second generation owners) - make everyone feel welcome. The staff are friendly, helpful, genuine.||It is RUSTIC - probably not for everyone. No electricity in the cabins - lighting is by propane lamps - heating by a wooden stove and just one area on the grounds that serves as a hot spot. We found ALL of these factors to be a HUGE PLUS. We weren't looking at our phones every five minutes. And it was peaceful and simply beautiful.||Meals are served family style and the food is good - tasty- healthy. We brought our own wine ( but no alcohol at the tables during the summer). Of note we were there in September, so it was all adults - it is a different scene in the summer when it is mostly families with kids. Conversation at the table was interesting - the crowd who comes here is a great one and it seemed that most have been coming for years and years.||We kayaked and swam and did a lot of hiking - many many wonderful trails in the region - from easy to very challenging. In the eveinngs before dinner we'd had a drink on the screened porch but many went to the main lodge which has a glorious view of the lake - and conviviality reigned supreme. ||In short, this is the PERFECT place for those who want a true rustic getaway in a family run resort in an idyllic...

Timberlock is an incredibly unique and special place to spend a week or two with family. One of the best aspects of the camp is the fact that it has retained the rustic charm that has suffused this camp since it began. Run by the Catlin family for two generations now, it remains one of the last places where you can unplug from the grid, and simply enjoy life as it was meant to be. To be clear, if you haven't visited the website, these are small cabins along the shore, with a common central camp where you are served three home-cooked meals a day. There isn't any electricity in the cabins, but many have hot water & propane lamps. You also won't find cell service or wi-fi, but there are so many awesome things to do that you won't miss any of that. We always enjoy seeing old friends and meeting new ones. There are all sorts of activities on the lake (swimming, boating of all types, even water-skiing), hiking, biking, archery, wood-working, horse-back riding, and all manner of reading & relaxing. Be sure to read the materials that you will receive when making a reservation so that you are well aware of what to bring. If you are new to the camp, don't be afraid to ask questions of the many repeat guests you will find, and of course the Catlins & their excellent staff are always eager to help new guests...