Our 12 acres overlooking Osoyoos is a million dollar view second to none. This rental apartment has a private entrance, kitchen, 2 living rooms, 2 queen bedrooms, 2 tv's, and a private deck all wrapped up in tasteful Moroccan decor with a Bohemian twist.
The 12 minute drive to town is close to the local amenities yet far enough away for privacy and tranquillity. Lake Osoyoos is Canada's warmest freshwater lake with an average summertime temperature of 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit). The crowds can get hectic in the summer tourist season and this suite allows you to pick and choose when and how you want to engage in the activities and when you want to rest in stillness.
Whether its yoga at sunrise, the spectacular views at sunset, or world-class views, we have you covered.
We welcome guests from all walks of life with open arms.
The Space:
Our large home is almost 5000 square feet and resides on 12 acres of desert landscape and is the natural habitat to wildlife. Big Horn Sheep are regularly sighted on our property as well as yellow-bellied marmots, and birds such as Bald-headed and Golden Eagles, owls (Pygmy and Great Horned), woodpeckers (including the 'sensitive and vulnerable species Lewis woodpecker' according to BC Bird Species List) , quail, hummingbirds and songbirds. We are approved Wildlife Habitat Stewards.
Guest Access:
Guests have access to the 12 acres and there are several benches situated around the property at the higher levels.
The suite is ideal for 2-4 people; we have 2 bedrooms with queen beds. This tastefully furnished second bedroom is quiet and private and built on mountain bedrock so is raised up. The main comment from guests in that bedroom is "it is fit for royalty".
***Please note that if the second bedroom is used there is an additional $60 Fee manually added to cover linens and cleaning fees***
There is a living room between the 2 rooms and a smaller one near your private deck. There is a TV in the larger Master Bedroom and in the larger living room.
There are several seating areas around the acreage that is also available to our guests.
Interaction with Guests:
We often work from home and we leave it up to our guests as to how much contact they want. If you would like to be greeted upon your arrival to be shown around or help with your luggage, we can do that (especially if given notice so that we can book clients accordingly).
The Sahaja Suite (and Sadhana Room) are quite separate from the living quarters of the hosts so enjoy your stay in privacy but we are a text or call away should you need any questions answered or need supplies.
The Neighbourhood:
All neighbours own 10 acre lots or more on the sunny south slope of Anarchist Mountain and enjoy their privacy. It is secluded, quiet and restful. As such, the location is very peaceful and private.
Getting Around:
We are not on a bus route so you will need your own vehicle.
Other Things to Note:
We are an eco-friendly establishment and provide biodegradable shampoo bottles (not just recyclable but completely biodegradable) and earth-friendly supplies. We also have comprehensive recycling bins that we encourage our guests to use (but is not mandatory).
House Rules:
-No smoking
-No children
-No pets
-No parties or events
-Check in time is 3PM - 11PM (or can check in later if we know ahead of time)
-Quiet hours 11:00 pm-7:30 am
- Check-out Time 11:00 am
- Report any damages upon arrival as any costs incurred to repair damage will be borne by the tenant. Please notify us right away so that we may address the situation right away if need be.
Safety Features:
-Smoke detector
-First aid kit
-Safety card
-Fire extinguisher
-Host knows how to do the Heimlich Manoevre
Other Amenities:
-games and puzzles
-BBQ
-sonic aromatherapy diffusers in both bedrooms
-USB plug-in in 2nd bedroom bedframe
-white fluffy robes
-office supplies
-cookbooks i.e. "10 Late Breakfasts"
-water cooler
-Juicer, Blender, toaster, kettle, etc.
-condiments in the fridge
-extremely well stocked kitchen
-'in case you forgot' toiletry box (under bathroom sink)
Availability:
-2 nights minimum stay in shoulder/off-season (mid-September-mid-April) with the exception of Easter and Spring Break
- All other times, there is a 3 night summer minimum stay. However, if you see on the calendar that there are some 2 night chunks of time available, then they are available to book. You would have to make an 'inquiry' first so that we can change the listing temporarily as a workaround for you to book.
About Your Hosts Karen and Herman (Joined VRBO in May 2017):
My partner Herman and I have always hosted guests whether it's friends over for home-cooked dinners, big outdoor parties, or longer visits from friends and relatives near and far.
Both of us have lots to share and we have a wide range of interests (as in very wide) that put people at ease no matter what their walk of life they are from. We are comfortable in the art world, spiritual or consciousness-raising realms, and in nature/the outdoors (ok maybe not politics so much).
Herman loves reading, personal growth, outdoor living skills, exploring and a good cup of coffee while Karen loves music, decorating, painting and a perfect cup of tea. We have recently added grand-parenting to our growing list of interests! Karen's studio is the workshop building on the premises and you can often spot her at work getting ready for a show. She currently has art hanging in the vacation rental suite and at Nk' Mip Cellars/Spirit Ridge just down the hill (has been there since about 2008). Any art of hers in the suite is available for sale.
Endangered Ecosystem
We are in an “antelope-brush ecosystem” of the Okanagan which is one of the four most endangered ecosystems in Canada. It is a pocket of dry grassland dominated by bunchgrasses, the wind (atavatic and katavatic), and the scraggly dark branches of antelope-brush.
They weren’t extensive when European settlement began in the 1800’s, and over the past century more than 60 percent of them have been destroyed and converted to vineyards, orchards, croplands, or urban residential and industrial areas. Much of the remainder has been disturbed and invaded by foreign plants such as knapweed and cheat-grass. Only 9 percent now remains relatively undisturbed.
The antelope-brush ecosystem is poorly known, without the high public profile of an old-growth forest. In addition, grassland habitats are subtle in character, and changes may go unnoticed for a long time.
What is their history? These small ecosystems are remnants of communities with ancient origins, probably dating back 10,000 years. After the glaciers of the Pleistocene melted, plant migration and vegetation changes were widespread. In particular, Great Basin species (those from arid areas west of the Rockies) responded to a substantial warming about 8,000 years ago by moving northward into the hot, dry valley bottoms of what is now southern British Columbia.
Because of its small extent and the formidable threats to its integrity, the antelope-brush community on the lowland benches of the south Okanagan is considered one of Canada’s four most endangered ecosystems. Although antelope-brush grows in small pockets as far north as Kelowna, ecosystems dominated by this species occur mainly south of Penticton, where they cover sandy or gravelly soils at lower elevations. Less than 5,000 hectares remain, and over 60 percent of these areas lie within the Osoyoos Indian Reserve. Very little of the antelope-brush steppe is preserved within protected areas – two small ecological reserves north of Osoyoos protect token tracts, and one of these was almost entirely burned in 1993.
As Wildlife Habitat Stewards we protect our antelope brush which resides on our 12 acres.
