Fenced Yard: Fox River Grove Home, Dogs Welcome

Great house, amazing host!

We had another great stay at this property. It was very clean and fully stocked with everything we could need. Host is so helpful with any queries. Perfect for us.

Lovely stay during a heat wave

We had a wonderful stay in Fox River Grove. The house was conveniently located to all the areas in both Lake & McHenry county we were visiting. The house was cozy and cool (we visited during quite a heat wave). Perla, the onsite host, was incredibly accommodating and very responsive. She even offered us a baby bath once she knew we had a baby with us. I would recommend this house to anyone else visiting the area needing a place that comfortably fits 6 adults (and a baby!).

Not a bad stay, but definitely not the best

Let me start off by saying the owner of the home was very nice and supplied us with a little hand written note as well as a binder with tons of useful information inside. When we had a question about a water softener being used, she was able to answer our question quickly. However, there were a few things about the home that were off putting. When you first enter, there is a bedroom right off the foyer. The couple that was with us claimed that room, so that we could be close to our children in the main area of the house. Upon entering the room off the foyer, the bathroom had urine in the toilet. At first we thought it was the color of the hard water, but after flushing we found out otherwise. There were loose screws, a vent cover completely on the floor (exposing the very dirty and dusty hole in the wall) and the window sills were dirty and had dead bugs and cobwebs as though the room hadn’t been cleaned in some time. My friend’s husband cleaned the bottom of the shower and was surprised at how incredibly dirty it was. The baseboards also weren’t the cleanest. The walls were a weird shade of black that wasn’t quite filled in, and there were names written on the walls as well. Our friends ended up not feeling comfortable sleeping in the room, and instead slept on the futon in the living room. The house is old, but has lots of character. Our bed in the main bedroom was very comfortable. The rest of the house seemed very clean. Also, it may be our fault, but we didn’t realize the owner stays on the premises in an RV. It wouldn’t have been a problem had we realized it sooner - but that was a bit of a surprise too. Overall, for the nearly thousand dollars we paid, I did expect it to be a bit cleaner. We ended up leaving a night early just because our friends really weren’t comfortable on the futon, and that room off the foyer just wasn’t clean enough. I did take photos of everything just incase. This could be a great spot to stay. A wonderful brunch spot around the corner was definitely the highlight of the location (The Brunch Cafe). I would just recommend maybe updating that room a bit and making sure it’s as clean as the rest of the house.

Convenient, Family Friendly Home

If I could give 4.5 stars I would, as this property was a great home base for my family’s recent trip to the Chicago area. The home has a nice layout that can easily accommodate a whole family, and even comfortably hosted additional visitors for dinner. We didn’t cook much (Yummy Asian Bistro was a particular hit) but the kitchen was well-stocked to do so. The foyer with skylights was a lovely space for me to practice yoga in every day, he yard is relatively large, and there are many other thoughtful details, especially helpful for those with young children, such as most outlets being protected. The street on which it is located is peaceful and quiet, and although it isn’t the ritziest neighborhood in the area, it is very conveniently located to many stores, restaurants, etc., and also to major roads & highways to get to other areas of the suburbs or to downtown Chicago. The property owner is very friendly and welcoming, and check in and check out were smooth. My only disappointment was with the sensitivity of the plumbing - while I appreciate that homes with septic systems need a little more TLC, the water pressure in the en suite bathroom was uncomfortably weak (all of us ended up sharing the shower in the second bathroom, which was good), and the need to dispose of used toilet paper in the wastebasket was, in my opinion, a bit inconvenient and unsanitary. But, given the lack of good accommodations in the area and all the other advantages of the property, I wouldn’t consider that a deal-breaker for a return stay. Thanks very much!