The lodge itself was spotless and had everything we needed and then some. The high-speed internet was actually a huge draw for us since this was a working vacation for both me and my husband. And since it ended up raining 2 days while we were there, the teenagers very much enjoyed the Roku TVs! With limited restaurant options and not wanting to feel like we were slaving over dinner every night, the grill at the unit was a huge bonus! We made a grocery run into Ash Flat to Walmart the night we arrived and another quick stop at the local grocery store mid-week. Justus was super responsive with any questions we had!
The only downside is the former beach club resort this property sits on. When you first enter the resort, you see the old grown-up pool, tennis courts, and basketball courts. It does give you a "what have we gotten ourselves into?" feeling when you first arrive. We went ahead with this rental instead of one with a pool at nearby locations, thinking we would be able to enjoy the lake. Having access to the paddle boat and kayaks would be great if the lake was cleaner. We grew up swimming in ponds and lakes and usually have no issue with this, but this lake hasn't been drug in years. The algae and moss are at least 2 feet deep in spots and there is no aeration of any kind so the stagnant water is beyond unpleasant. We tried fishing but only saw evidence of a few carp. This is no fault of the owners of the property, but these rentals could do so much better if the lake was as nice as those just a mile up the road at Cherokee Village. The owners of the Kiwanie Lodge have done a great job updating the unit and making it comfortable and enjoyable. At the final rate we paid for the week, it would be nice if the surroundings were just as nice.
We did go down to Buford/Hardy Beach on Spring River on 2 different days to be on the water. It's just a 5-minute drive from the cabin.
