We are just returning from our stay at the cabin. Overall we had a great experience. The cabin was beautiful and the view was amazing. Pictures don’t do it justice. There was plenty of room for everyone to spread out. We loved the pool table, the movie room and the fire pit not to mention the boathouse. The upper sun deck was perfect for lounging. We loved the sail sunscreen that allowed for a little shade. The hosts have thought of just about everything. Everyone loved the paddle boarding, kayaking and canoeing. We brought two boats and had plenty of docking room. There is a great refrigerator at the boathouse to store refreshments so you don’t have to make as many trips up the stairs back to the house. As others have mentioned the steps from the dock to the house are numerous and steep. I just looked at the steps as replacement for my daily Peleton workout! The house is on a great area of the lake with a widespread views but it is kind of tucked into a cove so the boat traffic and waves aren’t too bad. There a couple of things that we thought could be added to make the stay a little more enjoyable. The outdoor seating at the house could be more comfortable. Two of our group were in their 70s and couldn’t make the trek down to the boathouse and back so it would have been nice for them to have a comfortable outdoor area in which to lounge. Also the kitchen could have been better equipped. There really aren’t adequate pots, pans and cooking utensils for large groups. Cooking is a must as there are no restaurants nearby which is part of the charm of the cabin but it would be nice to have a kitchen that is a little better supplied for this circumstance. We had read this same comment on an earlier review so we did come somewhat prepared but bringing the needed things was cumbersome. One other thing to mention is that the cell coverage for certain carriers is not very good in the area which can present a problem. We weren’t sent the door code until right at check in time and I had no service to get to the VRBO app. I’m not sure what I would have done other than travel about 30-40 minutes back to an area where I could get service if one of our party had not had ATT. In order to get code I had to download the VRBO app on his phone to get to the message section. I tried the host contact number several times and checked the app for check in details about an hour out from arrival with no response until after check in time.

Our family traveled to Crane Hill for a week long stay at Carlos's cabin to get in some quality time together. As someone who had done quite a bit of research on the area and cabin, I thought I had a good idea of what to expect -- but as soon as we arrived, those expectations were exceeded. The views to the lake, the lake itself, the comfort and inspiring style of the house, the outdoor space to explore (porches, walkway down to the water, the dock, fire pit) -- made our stay inspiring and will keep Crane Hill and Lewis Smith as a special place in our hearts.
 A few items to note and tips we want to pass along: - pack everything and confirm with the host on what amenities are already on site. Take food and supplies you'll need with the intention to not make a grocery/store run as the nearest market is quite a bit away.
 - the house location is in somewhat of a cove that was perfect for adventures in the kayaks we brought along. But we also went ahead and sprung for a Pontoon boat day rental at Duskin Point Marina (about a 30 minute drive). The dock made it super easy to access the boat and house for stops throughout the day.
 - the VRBO listing indicates a canoe is available for guests but when we messaged about it we were told this was not included. If you’re planning on the canoe, you may want to reconfirm whether or not before you book…as it’s still unclear whether it would have been included or not…
 - if you have trouble navigating stairs, you may want to consider another property. One that’s closer to the water. This property is on about a 80-90 foot cliff. And while the views are breathtaking, it equates to about 100 stair steps down to the dock. - if you're planning to cook, bring some of your own supplies! Our family is big on cooking and found several basic items lacking in the kitchen. No measuring spoons, the knife set was horribly dull, only 1 cutting board made it hard for more than 1 person to do prep, no spices on site outside of salt and pepper... - pack slippers if you get cold easily, lower level is all concrete floors. - only criticism of this property is scarcity of paper products (1 paper towel and 2 spare rolls of toilet paper for an entire week stay. The property manager apologized and offered to reimburse a market run for these...but again, the property is remote. It was a bummer to leave and drive to a market. Overall, I can not recommend this house enough. Lewis-Smith Lake is a super special place!

Our family traveled to Crane Hill for a week long stay at Carlos's cabin to get in some quality time together. As someone who had done quite a bit of research on the area and cabin, I thought I had a good idea of what to expect -- but as soon as we arrived, those expectations were exceeded. The views to the lake, the lake itself, the comfort and inspiring style of the house, the outdoor space to explore (porches, walkway down to the water, the dock, fire pit) -- made our stay inspiring and will keep Crane Hill and Lewis Smith as a special place in our hearts.
 A few items to note and tips we want to pass along: - pack everything and confirm with the host on what amenities are already on site. Take food and supplies you'll need with the intention to not make a grocery/store run as the nearest market is quite a bit away.
 - the house location is in somewhat of a cove that was perfect for adventures in the kayaks we brought along. But we also went ahead and sprung for a Pontoon boat day rental at Duskin Point Marina (about a 30 minute drive). The dock made it super easy to access the boat and house for stops throughout the day.
 - the VRBO listing indicates a canoe is available for guests but when we messaged about it we were told this was not included. If you’re planning on the canoe, you may want to reconfirm whether or not before you book…as it’s still unclear whether it would have been included or not…
 - if you have trouble navigating stairs, you may want to consider another property. One that’s closer to the water. This property is on about a 80-90 foot cliff. And while the views are breathtaking, it equates to about 100 stair steps down to the dock. - if you're planning to cook, bring some of your own supplies! Our family is big on cooking and found several basic items lacking in the kitchen. No measuring spoons, the knife set was horribly dull, only 1 cutting board made it hard for more than 1 person to do prep, no spices on site outside of salt and pepper... - pack slippers if you get cold easily, lower level is all concrete floors. - only criticism of this property is scarcity of paper products (1 paper towel and 2 spare rolls of toilet paper for an entire week stay. The property manager apologized and offered to reimburse a market run for these...but again, the property is remote. It was a bummer to leave and drive to a market. Overall, I can not recommend this house enough. Lewis-Smith Lake is a super special place!

the only issue was the venture to the pier. When we booked we thought the trolley was included. That wasn't the case. We were told last minute it was out of order. This was a problem for some who were with us. We had to carry them by boat to a place we could pick them up in a car.

the only issue was the venture to the pier. When we booked we thought the trolley was included. That wasn't the case. We were told last minute it was out of order. This was a problem for some who were with us. We had to carry them by boat to a place we could pick them up in a car.

Beautiful property and excellent vacation. 120 steps to and from pier was a bit taxing for elder but otherwise spectacular experience!

One of the nicest rentals we've ever stayed in! The views from every level are incredible, and the decor/style is beautiful. The kids loved the movie room, pool table, bunk room, and of course swimming in the lake. There are a lot of stairs to get down to the lake, but we got used to it, and it was well worth it once you are down there! We hope to stay here again in the future!!!

Beautiful property and excellent vacation. 120 steps to and from pier was a bit taxing for elder but otherwise spectacular experience!

One of the nicest rentals we've ever stayed in! The views from every level are incredible, and the decor/style is beautiful. The kids loved the movie room, pool table, bunk room, and of course swimming in the lake. There are a lot of stairs to get down to the lake, but we got used to it, and it was well worth it once you are down there! We hope to stay here again in the future!!!

We really enjoyed our week at this home - the house was clean, bright, and worked well for our two families. The views were AMAZING! There were a few disappointing issues, but not deal breakers, just wish we would've known ahead of time. About a week prior to our stay, we received a text with check in instructions, with a note that the Tram listed in the listing would not be available to us to use and we would need to use the steps. Because we are all healthy and able, using the stairs (while a great workout!) wasn't a problem for us. But could be an issue for some people (and there aren't really any pictures in listing that show the full scope of stairs - there are a LOT). A few days before we left, I checked in to see if there was a bathtub (again, not a huge deal, but adding pictures of the bathroom to listing would be helpful!), and when the Property Manager responded, she also let us know that we would not be able to use the Canoe OR the Jumping platform in the listing (due to insurance liability). Because we had access to a boat, neither thing was a big deal, but for someone looking for things to do while staying, this might be an issue. We were also told there were fire starting logs, but when we got ready to do a fire, none to be found. The response we received was that if they weren't there, the previous guest must've used, and we could get more up the road at a gas station up the road. We were able to start a fire with cardboard boxes we had, and if they hadn't been mentioned in the check in info, we wouldn't have even known to look for them. Overall, an awesome property, I would just recommend asking for verification on availability of anything in the listing that you NEED to have, before booking.

We really enjoyed our week at this home - the house was clean, bright, and worked well for our two families. The views were AMAZING! There were a few disappointing issues, but not deal breakers, just wish we would've known ahead of time. About a week prior to our stay, we received a text with check in instructions, with a note that the Tram listed in the listing would not be available to us to use and we would need to use the steps. Because we are all healthy and able, using the stairs (while a great workout!) wasn't a problem for us. But could be an issue for some people (and there aren't really any pictures in listing that show the full scope of stairs - there are a LOT). A few days before we left, I checked in to see if there was a bathtub (again, not a huge deal, but adding pictures of the bathroom to listing would be helpful!), and when the Property Manager responded, she also let us know that we would not be able to use the Canoe OR the Jumping platform in the listing (due to insurance liability). Because we had access to a boat, neither thing was a big deal, but for someone looking for things to do while staying, this might be an issue. We were also told there were fire starting logs, but when we got ready to do a fire, none to be found. The response we received was that if they weren't there, the previous guest must've used, and we could get more up the road at a gas station up the road. We were able to start a fire with cardboard boxes we had, and if they hadn't been mentioned in the check in info, we wouldn't have even known to look for them. Overall, an awesome property, I would just recommend asking for verification on availability of anything in the listing that you NEED to have, before booking.

From the minute we arrived through the front door, we were impressed with the cleanliness and decor. The view was amazing from every level. We will definitely be back!

From the minute we arrived through the front door, we were impressed with the cleanliness and decor. The view was amazing from every level. We will definitely be back!