Sandy is a delightful hostess who makes you feel right at home. Location is minutes from everything in the Cashiers area. An exceptionally large apartment with beautiful views.

George and Sandy are fantastic hosts and this is exactly as described. Immaculately clean, well decorated, comfortable, and very quiet--just what I was looking for! Thanks G&S. Clearly this is not an expectation, but the homemade piece of cake at check-in was fantastic and well appreciated. The enclosed garage (which is your private entrance with a clicker) was something not mentioned, but a great asset on a bike trip in the NC mountains! I had a wonderful experience which was my first with Airbnb.

We had an amazing time visiting the Saphire/Cashiers area for our nephews wedding. The place was absolutely perfect. So much nicer than staying at a hotel. We had room to stretch out and the beds were so comfortable. We only wished we had more time to spend in the area and at the Beautiful Cozy Mountain Retreat!

We had a wonderful time. Our hosts were there ready to meet us, we had our own secluded entrance and a garage to park in. Our hosts were lovely and we enjoyed the times that we interacted with them.

Sandy is a wonderful host. She greeted us with a bucket of ice and some homemade goodies. The room is beyond spacious and immaculately kept. Having access to the garage makes everything so convenient, especially on those rainy afternoons in the mountains: loading and unloading luggage and groceries is so easy - directly from the car to the room adjacent to the garage. I loved the huge deck: I had my morning coffee out there while my wife and two granddaughters slept. Will definitely come back to Sandy's Cozy Mountain Retreat!

Mr. and Mrs. Park have created a cozy, comfortable and clean space for those who enjoy the mountains of North Carolina. I stayed for 2 nights with my three "almost" adult daugthers and each one of them assessed the space as spacious yet homely, with good taste decor and having the amenities that they needed. Mrs. Park was very welcoming and willing to provide any guidance for our daily trips. From now on, Beautiful Mountain Retreat will be my home away from home when I visit the Cashiers area!

Sandy was a wonderful host!! We could not have loved our stay more! Sandy gave us very specific instructions at check-in and went through a list of all possible questions we may have had (this was very helpful). She gave us many suggestions for hikes, restaurants, etc. I highly suggest going to the High Hampton Inn for lunch! (Thanks, Sandy) The downstairs space was extremely clean, and the beds were very comfortable! Also, the large flat screen TV came in handy for the football season kickoff. Overall, we enjoyed our stay very much.

My husband and I loved staying at the beautiful home of Sandy and George! The house it completely secluded (built on a hillside in the forest) with great views from your very own private balcony! Sandy and George were seriously the nicest folks I've met in a really long time; very accommodating, reliable and laid back. They respect your privacy where you can come and go as if it were your own home. Nice perk is that you have direct access to park in the garage with a single point of access directly into the bottom floor where we were staying - so basically the garage comes with the rental ;) Very clean place! And also, the beds were soooo comfortable! Great furniture and spacious lay out. Great big flat screen tv with satellite television too! It was just my husband and I but 4 people would even be extremely comfortable in the amount of space provided. Highly recommend this rental ;)

Room and en suite bathroom were great. Easy to come and go without feeling like you're disturbing the host. Retta was so welcoming and helpful.

the place was nice and quite comfortable. We loved it, Definitely going to go back there.

Lovely, relaxing mountain home. Easily accessed by scenic highway. Incredible view from the screened-in porch. Lovely large bedroom with dressing area and sink, attached bath. Bedroom is in front of house, away from common areas, so it feels very private. Host is truly laid back and allows privacy or you can cook, join tv watching, or just see that amazing sunset. Gorgeous nature, hiking, shopping nearby. All the amenities of a hotel and the pleasure of having a kind host.

Very good communication and warm, friendly hosts. Pleasant but not intrusive. The guest room is perfect for an AirBnB with a queen bed and private dressing area adjoining a full bath. It could be a mini hotel room for that matter! Very quiet in a amazing scenic setting. Thanks for the night.

This is a great place to stay. The owners were very nice, the room is good sized and the private bathroom is great. The bed was comfortable and I had a great night.

Clean, Friendly, very nice people and a beautifull neighborhood !!

A great couple with a beautiful home and area to explore. They also let me bring my dog and she had a great time. Would definitely come back!

My mom and I stayed at Retta's place for a night after trekking in the mountains all day. The house is perfectly located for those looking for a good night's rest after exploring the mountains and waterfalls. The property is very beautiful and we spent time walking around and soaking in the sounds of nature! The room is very comfortable, spacious, tastefully decorated and private and Retta even provided us with breakfast! Larry and Retta are very respectful and made sure we had a comfortable stay.

The host canceled this reservation 20 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.

Beautiful house in a great setting. I wish we could have stayed longer!

Karen is very easy to work with and her place has a lot to offer for a very reasonable price. This is a great home for adults and kids (even toddlers) as there is something there for everyone. I would definitely consider coming back again.

This is truly a beautiful house. Very clean, well maintained, very well furnished and beautifully decorated. In a very quiet area of the Sapphire Valley woods. We spent our family Christmas here and loved sitting by the fireplace, the fire pit, the large deck or one of the porches and just relaxing and visiting with family. Big modern kitchen with high end appliances, a huge washer/dryer, books, games, grill, etc, (URL HIDDEN) is one of the best furnished and equipped rentals we've ever stayed in!

The cabin exceeded our expectations in every way. If you're looking for a great place to stay when your in the area I'd recommend this cabin. We had a great stay and look forward to returning someday in the future.

We brought my two sons and nephew, ages ranged from 9 to 13, for a week of fishing, lake life, mountain relaxation and fun for their fall break from school. Our expectations were surpassed in almost every way. The house is beautiful, immaculate and nestled away in the mountain forest. The Whisper Lake is just down the road a short distance. It has a private dock with fishing and was not very busy (we went in September). We enjoyed fishing from this spot immensely. The owners do not provide any watercraft (they did indicate that they might be working on this in the near future) and we decided not to haul our boat. If you find yourself in this situation, don't panic. Fairfield lake, which is about 3 miles from the house and an easy drive, rents all kind of watercraft (non-gasoline powered) including kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, motorboats (trolling motors), and paddle boards. They also rent everything you need for fishing. These rentals are for use on the Fairfield lake only, but the lake is large, quiet and beautiful. The house has 5 bedrooms, with the master on main. Our boys slept downstairs in the bunk bed room and another bedroom. Downstairs also contains the TV room and the Projector room. The TV is a UHD capable curved 65" from Samsung. The projector is bright but only accepts input from (SENSITIVE CONTENTS HIDDEN) Cast, which is a bit cumbersome. We brought one of our Roku's and took advantage of the available HDMI ports to watch our own movie collection at night. The kitchen is well stocked with almost everything you will need to cook wonderful dinners. The upper deck is a perfect place to take morning coffee or tea. All in all, we absolutely enjoyed our stay and will be back again. Thanks Karen!!

This is the most beautiful house! It was the perfect size and space for all 12 of us. None of us wanted to leave! The lower level was the kids home base for the weekend especially the movie room. They watched a ton of movies and played lots of video games(we brought our own XBOX). My favorite part of this house was the main level back deck! There was 2 heaters above the long table and big stand alone heater. Both of these allowed us to use the outdoor space even during the colder weather. We actually were able to enjoy our Thanksgiving dinner outside overlooking the woods! It was wonderful! Karen was awesome, quick to respond, and very helpful! I have no suggestions for this house as it was perfect! We will be back!

What a wonderful haven we have found! This immaculately clean mountain home is a sanctuary of peace and comfort and feels so cozy and inviting that you’ll never want to leave. I cannot say enough good things about this place starting from the very accurate description and helpful photos displayed on the site to the helpfulness of the hosts even after check-out. The owners are swiftly responsive and helpful; you will lack for nothing due to their knowledge of what guests would need. It boasts spacious bedrooms with very convenient bathrooms, open living spaces with beautiful and thoughtful furnishings, and a gathering place porch fit for making memories. The charming decorating style, cotton sheets, and extremely comfortable beds made one feel at home. Additionally, the plush towels, well stocked kitchen, and ease of everyday things as well as the attention to detail throughout the entire place were remarkable. One space we loved was relaxing on the wonderfully comfortable couches in the still dark early mornings, taking in the delights of the dancing flames of the fireplace and the sounds of silence; it was tranquil. The magical charm of this home will whisk you to a mystical place. Be ready to fall in love! By far, this is the best experience we have ever had with renting a vacation place.

What a wonderful gat-a-way spot and a wonderful host... Karen was very quick to respond to my questions prior to booking our reservation and even kept us informed of the "no burn" ban (because of the NC fires) during our stay. Had we had any issues while there, I felt very confident that she would have been very helpful, quick to respond and easy to communicate with. As for the home, it was very cozy and well appointed. There was plenty of room for my husband and me, our son, my mother-in-law and our daughter and three of her college friends. The young adults enjoyed hanging out with us on the main level in the kitchen and around the fire. They also enjoyed having the option to escape to the downstairs to sleep, lounge and watch movies. Our teenage son, who has Down syndrome, loved his private room and bath on the upper level...his bed tucked into a "cubby" which he thought was very cool. My mother-in-law also had a private room and bathroom on the upper level...she too enjoyed having her own space. The master bedroom on the main level was spacious, had a beautiful view/access to the porch and a master bath with individual sinks and an incredible claw foot tub...truly a space that provided much rest and relaxation. The home was clean and clutter free. The decor and antiques were very fitting for a mountain retreat. While visiting, my husband and I enjoyed morning walks throughout the neighborhood (Living in the lowcountry of South Carolina, some of the hills were quite a challenge!) We visited local parks, the Sapphire Valley Resort for a round of putt-putt, a few shops and a restaurant in Cashiers for lunch one day. We cooked all the other meals in the kitchen or on the grill at the home. Other than our own groceries, everything else that we needed for cooking and serving was available. Whether it's the 8 of us again, or another group of friends, we look forward to returning to Karen's home in the future.

We loved staying at the lakehouse. There were clear directions written around the house. The decks and dock were our favorite places to hang out. Swimming and kayaking in the lake was awesome! The house had everything we needed. It wasn't as secluded as some other places I've stayed, but it was still very private. Plus, it made it a lot easier to get to since it wasn't ridiculously high up on a mountain. We will definitely try to stay here again next time!

We had a great time at the lake house! The many balconies and patios were wonderful to relax on. The kitchen had everything we needed including a nice coffee pot! Wish we had more time to stay there and enjoy the lake.

Great location. Suzanne was excellent and easy to work with. Kayaks on the lake and the free Sapphire Valley membership provided some fun entertainment (kids loved pool, soccer golf). House was cozy, clean and well provisioned - wifi, kitchen, satellite TV. Very enjoyable stay.

The house was lovely and fit the listing description to a T. The host made us feel very welcome. Fresh linens, a large coffee pot and all the dishes etc we needed. Being Floridians, we were pretty cold the first night waiting for the heat to catch up, so if you are used to warm, turn it on as soon as you walk in the door. Thank you for a lovely weekend!

We really enjoyed our weekend in this house! The setting is beautiful amidst the trees and lake, and the three decks gave us lots of choices for outdoor relaxation. We had a rainy weekend, so we spent quite a bit of time on the screened porch, which allowed us to enjoy being outside in what felt like a treehouse. When the rain stopped we hiked on Panthertown trails and kayaked on the little lake. Don't miss whitewater falls which is just a few miles away.

Our stay at Suzannes place was unforgettable and memorable. It's a cute cozy cabin right above the lake with everything our family needed for a warm, cozy NYE weekend together. Wifi worked well, kitchen was well equipped and washer and dryer was surely useful. Communication was fantastic with our host. Highly recommended to travelers spending time in Sapphire. We surely look forward to our return. :)

Great place. We thoroughly enjoyed the house and area. There's an Italian restaurant ( osteria something) was excellent.

We enjoyed our time at the lake. The leaves looked great and the weather was nice. They few days of quiet is just what we needed.

My wife and I had a great trip to Sapphire Valley and Tammy's place made it that much more special. The house is beautiful and was in a wonderful location. We were so busy for a wedding, we just wish we'd had more time at her home. Hopefully we'll get to come back and stay there again.

This cabin house is amazing. We had six couples (twelve adults) stay here New Years Eve weekend. The cabin is large enough to sleep everyone comfortably. The kitchen was well equipped with all cooking utensils, pots, pans and dishes. The kitchen table was plenty big enough for our whole group to sit down together. Both fireplaces kept us warm in the cabin while playing games and watching TV. We were able to listen to music from our phones though the bluetooth speakers. The wrap around porch had amazing views and we made a bon fire in the fire pit outside to the right of the house. There was plenty of parking space for our vehicles. Dennis is a wonderful host. I definitely recommend this cabin for a large family group or couples weekend.

Everything was great. I was very please with cabin. We had a very enjoyable time.

The entire experience was fantastic. Everyone was very impressed with the accommodations. We were there to hike the Panthertown Valley so it was very convenient. The neighborhood was beautiful, we would have loved looking out on the 4th hole had we not been on the trails all the time. The coordination was smooth, everything is well labeled, everything we needed was already there. The electric recliner was a hit after the long hike!

We loved everything about this experience. We felt right at home and can't wait to visit again soon.

Great scenic view. Comfortable home with spacious rooms. Very clean and organized. Great customer service. I was able to call the host whenever and he always answered. Home equipped with games, televisions, sport equipment such as sleds and balls we could use for our enjoyment. A fireplace. Kid and pet friendly. minute away from market, ski resort, pools, kids playground, restaurants, hiking trails. And to top it all off, it snowed on our last day. Perfect vacation

This place was awesome. Not far from home. Just what we needed. The time moved so slow which was perfect for a Mini Vaca. Great views, convenience and just the perfect family getaway. Anxious to return.

This is the second time we've stayed here and absolutely love it! We'll definitely be back!

Marshall's Sapphire Valley home is lovely, comfortable, and has everything necessary for a relaxing vacation in the mountains. The house is located within an established HOA neighborhood, built on the edge of a hill, which drops down to a golf course in the backyard. Our little dogs thoroughly enjoyed sniffing around the yard and walking along the golf cart path. The area is very dog-friendly. We also enjoyed the recreation center, with amenities including pool and ping pong tables, a workout room, an indoor swimming pool and hot tubs. We were able to ski and snowboard on our final vacation day. They also provide bike rental, snow tubing, and a zip line. Guests must pay a fee to use the amenities, and all extracurricular activities are located 3 miles down the road, outside the neighborhood. The quaint town of Cashiers is only 10 minutes away, including an Ingles grocery store with Starbucks inside, a few Mexican restaurants, a great pizza place (Slab Town Pizza), and a variety of little shops. The roads are well kept and well marked. We did some hiking nearby. Panthertown Valley is enormous and hilly, offering gorgeous scenic views and multiple waterfalls. It was recommended to us that we should purchase a trail map before entering. There is a 2.5 mile hiking trail around a local lake within the community, called Fairfield Lake. Boats and canoes are available for rent in the summer months. The house is very comfortable, with 3 bedrooms, 1 queen bed in the master, with a full bathroom, and 2 twin beds in the other guest rooms, 5 beds total, as well as an additional bathroom. There is a formal living room, comfortable family room, which is the room pictured, a dining room, and kitchen. The laundry area is located in the kitchen and a garage is also available. Everything you might need in a home is provided: sheets and towels, plates, cups and silverware, pots and pans, 2 coffee makers (one is a Keurig), spices, toilet paper (we did purchase a few extra rolls), shampoo and soap. There is even a gas grill on the back porch. Marshall and his property manager, David, are very responsive when contacted. If you desire fast-paced city life, big box stores, and public transportation, this location is not for you. If you want to enjoy the great outdoors as well as some peace and quiet in a comfortable, well maintained home, Marshall's home is just perfect.

This house was absolutely perfect! We enjoyed the view of the golf course and the quiet area. The pictures really didn't do this house justice. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a kitchen, 2 living rooms, and a dining room. I would definitely come back. The information provided about the surrounding area was great and very useful! Also it is easy to get places because the house is right off of the main highway.

I loved the home and the view was beautiful. Everything was perfect, clean and worked perfectly. The only thing I wish I had known was that there was a Keurig to make coffee in the morning. Clean and very comfortable. I can't wait to go back. The folks available to answer questions went above and beyond. Great dinner recommend from the house notebook.

The house is very spacious and even better in person! Beautiful woodwork, spacious bedrooms and bathrooms, large comfy beds all a plus. Restaurants and bars are only 5 miles away. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quiet getaway.

Great stay. Large, comfortable beds. Cozy dining and kitchen area. Close to Gorge's State Park.

Buddy was a great host and very thoughtful! Cozy little spot tucked away in the mountain

Great experience, everything was as promised, beautiful house only minutes away from all the sights but still feel secluded.The house is clean ,equipped with everything you need for your stay,just bring your luggage. Even put up a Christmas tree for us in the living room!Safe and quiet neighborhood on the side of the mountain. The owner came to greet us when we got there to show us the house and also took us sightseeing around the town!Higly recommended for everyone who wants to relax and explore outdoor living in the mountains!

Everything from the cabin to the host, Buddy, was excellent. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a place to stay in NC.

Its an amazing experience. We had two days here and the whole area is merged in the forest. There are 7 beds on the 1st and 2nd floor. And there are 2 beds in the basement! We enjoy the mornings here and the whole conditions are just fit for the holiday life. Thanks for the great reception!

Hal and Bob were excellent hosts!! From the clean house full with all the amenities needed, to maps of the area and recommendations of what to do (even for our small children), and availability to answer questions within minutes of receiving a text. There was plenty of room for 4 adults and 4 children. The screened in patio was utilized nightly and was very relaxing, including a ring on a string game that was very addictive. The basement has a ping pong table and media room which came in handy for the kids. I would highly recommend staying here to anyone looking for a quiet and relaxing getaway or if you have a lot of people who want to stay in a beautiful area in the mountains.

My family stayed in Betsy's Mountain Hideaway for our cousin's wedding weekend. It poured rain the entire time, but boy we couldn't have been happier to stay in such a cozy, comfortable home. We were sad that we weren't able to explore the gorgeous outdoors because of the rain, but we did enjoy gazing out the window at the home's beautiful surroundings. We are so happy to have chosen this home. We had a wonderful time.

This place is the perfect mountain getaway! Rented it for a reunion and had an absolute blast. Beautiful, clean, inviting home, and perfect for big groups. There is something for everyone! A great patio and basement for entertaining. Quick to respond and friendly hosts made it all so easy to plan! Also, conveniently located near a brewery where you can have a good meal and a beer or two! We are definitely coming back!

My family's stay went great. No one had any trouble finding the place and it fit everyone very well. The rooms, bedding and bathrooms were all very clean when we arrived and there were clear instructions left by the host. Another fringe benefit was that it seems the upstairs and main level are pretty separated noise wise, our 6 month old slept fine even as the rest of the family was all downstairs awake. Overall a very solid pick and a far better choice over getting a hotel. It was a great place for everyone to come together, and is a great location.

The house was so clean and what an amazing porch! We had a great time just doing some southern porch sittin and ordered some great bbq from nearby cashiers. We also went on a short hike to a waterfall and swimmin hole in the neighborhood.

We had a wonderful Labor Day weekend at Betsy's Mountain Hideaway. The Farnsworth's welcomed us with a personal note and a notebook full of helpful information about the area. The house was perfect for our family of five, but had room for several more. It was well appointed with everything we needed, and was exceptionally clean. During the days we played in nearby waterfalls (we had the one in the neighborhood to ourselves), and in the evenings we made s'mores over the fire pit. It was a great way to spend the long weekend!

We just returned from a great weekend celebrating my 40th birthday with my entire family. We had 11 people including a few kids and it was excellent. The house has a lot of room and is very spacious. We loved the outdoor fire pit and the hammock was a hit with the kids. Definitely plan to return!

We have two children, so the flat back yard, recreation items for use on the lake and golf cart were great for us. We appreciated the cribs, toys and child amenities, so this home is great if you have young children. I agree with the other reviewer that the fridge/freezer situation is frustrating because you have to stop at the grocery store on your way in (not nearby), and then arrive to find there isn't much room for your food. On vacation, I don't want to be sorting through a packed freezer to see where I can make room. But, there are plenty of pantry items and cookware if you forget anything. We liked that the house had a nice, flat grass yard in back, but we couldn't take full advantage of the lawn most of time as it was uncut and then had piles of wet clippings from yard man on last day. Unfortunately, we feel we paid too much in a nightly rate for the time we stayed (mid-week) and compared to properties nearby. I also feel that for this rate there should be high-speed wireless internet. With some small fixes and rate adjustment, then this could be a better value for families.

The host canceled this reservation 2 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.

This is a lovely home for a group to hang out. We enjoyed the back porch and yard immensely. We also cooked several meals, and I was pleased at how nicely stocked the kitchen is with knives, bowls, casserole dishes, etc. The NC mornings sitting on the porch and looking over the lake were really lovely. We brought our two little dogs, and enjoyed the fact that the porch is gated, and the back yard (while not fenced in) is fairly private and quite large, and they enjoyed running there. The house is really close to Gorges State Park, which was a great hiking activity one morning while we were there. Frank was super friendly and easy to get in touch with, and communication with him was smooth from booking through our stay. A few things to note: -there is a lot of baby stuff in this house! If you have babies or young children you might really find this to be helpful. For our group, we wished that more of it had been put away as there were a lot of items that we had to move out of common areas and work around (i.e. baby seat left at the dinner table). -the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms actually have full beds (not queens) -future guests may want to consider communication with the host about use of the fridge. We packed lots of groceries, as this was a family weekend, and the house itself was a big part of our destination. Upon arrival, we were surprised to find that the fridge was completely full of the hosts' perishable food and beer. There was no indication that any of this was left as a convenience or courtesy for us; it was just there. We had to move A LOT of beer to be able to refrigerate our food, and even then it was really tight, and we were asking each other all weekend who-brought-what in order to avoid eating food that was not ours. This may have been a misunderstanding on my part as far as what is standard for Airbnb?? I'm not sure, but given the type of property and location, I would think that many future guests would like to have space to bring and cook their own food(URL HIDDEN)

That place is a piece of heaven! Everywhere that you look is pretty... Frank is a great host. Easy to find and he answers the questions on time! My family had a blast there. Thanks a lot Frank and family. Happy New Year!! Pereira Family

He called me personally and answered questions.

Had a very nice time over Labor Day weekend. The private lake felt very safe for 4 kids (4-9 years) to be on paddleboards, canoe and kayak without any crazy boaters or jetskis around. Enjoyed catching several largemouth bass 1.5-2.5 lbs, and many bream, including a citation-sized bluegill at over 1.5 lbs. A highlight was discovering the waterfalls on Whitewater creek, hidden deep in the neighborhood. A very cool swimming hole! Overall, a very good, memorable family experience.

Our Family of 5 stayed in this beautiful home for 7 nights and had an incredible time. Frank made us feel very much at home with his welcoming and warm approach. The house is very well maintained and the furnishings are beautiful. The appliances are all new and top notch! It was great having access to the canoe, paddle boards and kayak. Waking up each morning with a cup of coffee and the view over the lake was a great way to start the day. We enjoyed playing on the lawn by the lake and feeding the swan and ducks each day. The house included some kids toys so it worked out really well for our 4 and 2 year olds. The sleeping arrangements were great too as there were cribs available for the little ones. Our stay was really a 10 out of 10 and could not have asked for more. We cooked out each night on the deck and enjoyed the wonderful NC mountain air. I recommend this home and Frank very highly.

The host canceled this reservation 131 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.

Julie was so very accommodating with leaving me the key and information to my room since I was arriving pretty late. The room itself is so clean and cozy and upon checkout, I was able to make myself a yummy little breakfast in the lobby area! The inn feels very private and welcoming; it comes highly recommended!

A very clean and quite place to stay.

Travis and Kristen are by far the best hosts! They were very organized, accommodating, and thoughtful. I wished all Airbnb hosts were like them :) Their Once Upon A Stream cabin was ADORABLE and VERY clean. We stayed here for Christmas and made a trip up to Cataloochee for a snowboarding day trip. Restaurants and shopping were close by as well.

We loved the house! Great living room with big TV and comfortable seating. Large functional kitchen. Great master with jacuzzi tub. Beautiful views! Great bedroom for kids with multiple bunks and toys. Our daughter played for hours in "her room." The outdoor fireplace and creek was fun, even in the cooler weather. The house is somewhat secluded but in a good location. Close to Cashiers and a short drive to must see towns like Highlands and Brevard. We made trips to both and really enjoyed the proximity to Brevard where we had a great trip to Triple Falls in the DuPont National Forrest with dinner at The Square Root. We didn't try it this trip but this house isn't very far from Asheville if you want to do a day trip to the Biltmore. Our family (plus the dog) loved it!