Check-In Day: Monday, July 11, 2022
Check Out Day: Friday, July 15, 2022
Booked via: Vrbo (recommended over booking directly at Airsimplicity because the latter doesn’t provide for ANY refunds once you book.)
Purpose of Stay: To revisit memories of our October 2013 hike of Mount Elbert via the Black Cloud trail, but with hopes of summiting. Spoiler alert: we summited!
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Location Rating: 5 stars
Total # of cabins: 4
The Moose Meadow is the one you want to book if you want the best views of the lake from indoors and outdoors and you want the best patio seating. The unit in the back has ZERO views of the lake. I would avoid it for as much as it costs. The units to left and right of The Moose Meadow are set back so doubt the views are as good and the patio furniture is definitely not as nice. However, the unit to the right of The Moose Meadow appears to be better remodeled based on online photos and has no carpet which is a plus in my mind.
The title we wanted to give it on Vrbo: A Pet Hair Lovers Delight!
We toned down our facetiousness and went with: Great Views but Many Issues (Moose Cabin) | Room to Improve
The review we posted on Vrbo:
The location and views of these cabins are fantastic. To get the best views while indoors and outdoors coupled with the best patio furniture be sure to book The Moose Meadow cabin. But pet hair is as abundant as the amazing mountain views.
You’ll probably be reading this review and thinking to yourself, “This woman probably just complains all the time. Everyone else gave it 5 stars. She must be just ridiculously high maintenance.” At least this is how I sometimes think of those who give way less stars than the gross majority. Well, I’m putting proof behind my words. Just web search TheHikingBookworms and there you can find photo proofs and all the details.
The place was not cleaned properly. And we know the cleaning crew was there as we arrived 40 minutes before our check-in time (we waited patiently in our car).
When you first walk in it appears all is in order. New towels. Clean bathroom. Clean kitchen. But then it’s time to go to bed and we both start sneezing. So, the lights get turned on and the inspection begins and the bedding is COVERED in pet hair. The comforter. The sheet. The fitted sheet. Pillows. And even the mattress cover! Pet hair, everywhere. There was an insane amount of it.
Does the Vrbo description say pets allowed? Yes, it does. We knew this going in. This was the first where we encountered pet hair on our bedding while staying at Vrbo-type places.
It was so gross (plus allergies) that we stripped the bed and slept in our sleeping bags.
Note, we do own a dog. But we don’t have his hair all over our bed, let alone hair from a stranger’s dog.
The next day we contacted Airsimplicity and then began the long, ridiculous process of remedying this situation. Vrbo does not allow enough words for me to tell the whole story, but again. Visit our site and there you’ll find photos and details.
Other issues: The welcome flowers were several days dead and swimming in murky week-old water. Kitchen not well stocked, at all. Dish soap that won’t dispense. Utensils were disgustingly dirty. Pots with lids that don’t fit. Online description about internet does not match the check-in details. Mattress was very uncomfortable. There are two bedrooms and BOTH beds were covered in pet hair!
When we pay $250 a night for a place that requires a $300 deposit, we expect more.
I really hope they improve their property’s maintenance because I think competition is coming to Twin Lakes area in terms of rental homes with gorgeous views.
What we couldn’t post on Vrbo due to insufficient word count:
Did we have a great vacation in Twin Lakes? Yes, cause we summited Elbert via the Black Cloud Trail and it was fantastic to be able to stay in the Moose Meadow cabin with awesome views where we could spend a day acclimating to high altitude. Cook up our dinners. Make our lunches. Then rest our weary legs the day after the big hike. But the whole cleaning and how management was handling the situation remained a black cloud over our trip and we constantly had to keep thinking about the negatives.
What we wrote in the guest book:
Proof of the cleaning issue and how poorly it was addressed:
Read the full conversation between us and the Airsimplicity management. Please read it starting with the last page and work your way back to the first page (much like reading an e-mail chain from bottom to top). Note, they never provide a name as to who is responding. It felt like each time I got a different person who never read the prior conversation. I kept having to repeat myself. You can also see me going from nice and calm to highly irritated at which point I give up trying to be overly nice and enjoy letting them have it. I mean, if you’re going to waste HOURS of my time over several days, then well, I’m gonna go for the jugular. (BTW, as of July 24th we are still waiting on refund of the $300 security deposit and the $98 cleaning fee. Note, the $931.40 total doesn’t reflect the additional $300 security deposit we paid.)
In my personal opinion the cleaning fee refund should have been immediately offered up the moment I brought up the pet hair in bed. When they didn’t I had to make it known that I’m expecting a full refund. The whole hassle of having the cleaning lady come out and inspect herself was only made not awkward because Beth was so courteous and she wasn’t the person who was in charge of cleaning our room before our stay. But to ask me to provide photos of the pet hair even though their cleaning personnel had already seen it and took the comforter cover to have it deep cleaned was just ridiculous. At no point did I feel that management was acting in my best interest of having a good stay. Sure, they apologized. But apologies without action to remedy the situation end up meaningless to me.
Proof with photos of lack of cleanliness in The Moose Meadow cabin:
Photos of pet hair in just ONE bed. The disgusting utensils. The dried flowers. Garbage cans that could use a nice rinse and clean. The dish soap dispenser in an olive oil bottle that renders it impossible to dispense from.
The Hiking Bookworms 
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