Martha & Rick's Pinewood Retreat lives up to its name, and then some. With an astounding 69 out of 70 reviews awarding it a 5-star rating, its reputation speaks volumes. Echoing the sentiments of the 69 previous 5-star reviewers, we wholeheartedly endorse their accolades and offer this perspective. Nestled on the 60-acre Pinewood Lake historically linked – according to Wikipedia – to the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation, this house with its many charming attributes could easily be a picturesque scene from a Thomas Kinkade painting. A commanding long lake view, framed by two walls of floor-to-ceiling glass, provides a serene visual treat from multiple vantage points. If Martha & Rick have us back, we would relish returning seasonally to experience the lake in its full natural splendor. Beyond these visual feasts I’ll offer a few adjectives that best sum up our observations/experience. IMMACULATE – As in eat off the floor clean. ORGANIZED – The hosts have thoughtfully detailed every nuance of the home, right down to the abundance of dimmable light switches, ensuring a perfect ambiance. OUTFITTED – The property is equipped with every household essential making you feel right at home. COMFORTABLE - Whether it's the inviting armchairs or the plush beds, finding your comfort spot here is a given. COMMUNICATION – Clear. Concise. Flawless from check-in to check-out. As for the neighborhood, this Connecticut enclave exudes a relaxed vibe. Book-It Dano!

I do not usually leave reviews. (this is a long one) I definitely wanted to as we had an amazing experience at Pinewood Retreat. First, the property is just as depicted online and in pictures. The location was great, nice neighborhood. House was very comfortable especially with fireplaces being up and downstairs, as well as fire pit on patio which we utilized. Had never played shuffleboard previously and we all had a fun time with that. Everything you could need was provided in the home. From kitchen utensils to games, books, you name it. The lake view was just beautiful. We truly enjoyed morning coffee/tea with the awesome lake view. As far as the owner, Martha was an extremely helpful and attentive hostess right down to every detail. She left several recommendations on places to go and restaurants etc. My daughter mentioned she likes trails, and Martha provided park passes for that. She said she reminded her of Monica Geller on friends and loved her awesome organization. She went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care. We definitely will return when we go back to CT. Our family of 6 had an amazing stay. We highly recommend it.

Martha’s home is pristine and in a great location. My family and I were looking forward to celebrating a milestone birthday all together on the lake. However the start to this week was stressful and extremely disappointing. When we arrived at the appointed check-in time with a car full of perishables we were not able to gain entry with the code provided. I was unable to contact the owner by text, phone or email. I proceeded to reach out to VRBO, and they also were unable to contact the owner. This went on for over 2 hours. This unnecessary stress is not the way to start a holiday. Check in is a crucial time for guests, and it was unacceptable to not have a point person available to troubleshoot with us. Moving on to the home. The overall feeling was that the owner understandably, loves her home and wants guests to treat it with respect. However, the rules, cleaning protocols and not providing basic things such as toilet paper, paper towels and napkins (even though we did find ample available when we arrived, after already purchasing them as per the pre-check-in list the owner sent) made our stay feel less than easy going. After reading the grill cleaning instructions we seriously debated whether to cancel the picnic we had planned due to stress about keeping things just so. Also, If you are late by minutes at depart you'll pay an extra 200.00. These parameters made it feel like we were not in a home away from home, but rather at a reluctant host's home.

We were celebrating father's day and my dad's 60th birthday. He wanted something low key and close to NYC (where we're from). This was just what we needed! About an hour and 20 mins from NYC, beautiful property, right on the lake, and just like in the pictures. Stunning serene views from every window! The host was great, communicated every step of the way. The house is very well kept, and we especially appreciated that everything is so nicely labeled so we knew just where to find everything and how to use it. You can tell the host put a lot of thought into all the details and we definitely appreciated it! New Haven and Yale is a short 20 to 25 min drive so plenty to explore. And there are some shopping areas too. I couldn't have asked for a better stay! Will definitely recommend to others!!

Perfect for a family gathering. Beautiful property, lakeside, extremely well equipped kitchen. Loved it.

This is the most beautiful, pristine, cared-for, well-stocked VRBO we've ever stayed in. Martha is the consummate host: kind, thoughtful and available to answer any questions. We enjoyed hiking around the lake, taking in the lovely gardens; sitting in peace with our coffee on the terrace in the mornings and chatting over a fire pit in the evenings. The kitchen is so well-organized with photos of how/where to put items back. A+++ accommodation. We hope to be back soon.

Martha is a perfect host. The house is immaculate and has everything you need for relaxing at a lake. We were a family of eight and wanted to be nearby family that live on the lake at Trumbull. I enthusiastically recommend staying here! We hope to come again soon.

The host was incredibly nice and communicative. The house and property are beautiful, though the rain kept us from enjoying the incredible patio next to the lake!! The house is very clean and well organized, with labels and information on everything. It is a convenient drive to everywhere. We would stay here again and highly recommend this listing!!