Entire home

2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS!

Photo gallery for 2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS!

cozy and welcoming living room
Summer scene from back porch and back of house
.summer on the back deck
wall of windows to bring the outside in
Beautiful autumn view from hot tub

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 10

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Washer

Explore the area

View map
McHenry, MD
  • Place, Wisp Resort
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Deep Creek Lake
    ‪8 min drive‬
  • Place, Lodestone Golf Club
    ‪10 min drive‬
  • Airport, Morgantown, WV (MGW-Morgantown Municipal)
    ‪58 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 4

4 Single Beds

pull out twin bed in downstairs family room

1 Single Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS!

Relax, recover and unwind at Writers' Refuge, a beautiful secluded and modern mountain chalet. This is a spectacular opportunity to enjoy all that Deep Creek Lake has to offer.

Whether skiing in the winter, boating in the summer or admiring the changing colors in Autumn, Writers' Refuge at Deep Creek Lake has something for the whole family to enjoy. High-speed Internet access is included and provides an excellent opportunity to take an extended vacation and catch up on work, if necessary. (desk and computer monitor included in downstairs bedroom) Well behaved pets are always welcome. Our beloved yellow lab spent 14 years hiking with us around DCL--we cherish the memories and understand that four-legged family members are just as important as the rest of our family members. We now have two new labs, Ama and Lucky, that have joined our family and are loving the wonderful hiking trails in the area.

This beautiful three-story chalet has 4 bedrooms: Bedroom 1 on the main floor (queen) with sliding glass doors to the back deck and connected door to main bath; Bedroom 2 on top floor (queen); Bedroom 3 on top floor (full); Bedroom 4 on lower level (2 twins and 1 single trundle/total for twins) with sliding glass door to backyard; Two bathrooms--one on main floor and one on top floor. The upstairs bathroom has a tub, the main floor bathroom has shower and tub.

The house is located 2 miles from Deep Creek Lake and 1.5 miles from the WISP Ski Resort entrance. It is fully furnished inside and out with lots of quilts and very cozy furnishings. We now include linens and quilts with each bed and include a set of towels for each guest.

Enjoy the view overlooking the woods from the deck, relax in front of the wood-burning stove or gaze at the stars from the outdoor hot tub. Grill out and relax on the large back deck overlooking the woods. The chalet is just minutes away from beautiful state parks, including: Deep Creek Lake Park, Swallow Falls and Herrington Manor.

Guests of Writers' Refuge have complimentary access to Deep Creek Fitness...enjoy your workout!

High-speed WIFI access is included. We recently over-stocked the kitchen with new pottery dishes, pots/pans, glass and barware. We upgraded the appliances a couple of years ago with all stainless steel appliances, new gas stove added in 2020 and we upgraded the washer/dryer with stainless steel as well.

In the summer we have a window Air Conditioning unit on the main floor and we've added circulating fans in each of the bedrooms. And we recently completed a refresh of the house: new paint in each room, new light fixtures throughout and a kitchen refresh as well as an extended driveway/pad area and upgraded walkway/decking in the front of the house.

Well-behaved dogs are welcome with a $125 pet fee, per visit.













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Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
$125 pet fee per visit
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

McHenry

Located in McHenry, this holiday home is in the mountains. While the natural beauty of Deep Creek Lake and Deep Creek Lake State Park can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can explore Wisp Resort. Funland and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
McHenry, MD

What's nearby

  • Wisp Resort - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Adventure Sports Center International - 6 min drive - 3.2 km
  • Deep Creek Lake - 8 min drive - 6.6 km
  • Lodestone Golf Club - 10 min drive - 5.6 km
  • Deep Creek Lake State Park - 19 min drive - 13.6 km

Getting around

  • Morgantown, WV (MGW-Morgantown Municipal) - 50 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪UNO Pizzeria & Grill - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Brenda's Pizzeria - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Perkins American Food Co. - ‬5 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is 2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.

What time is check-in at 2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at 2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS!?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is 2 mi from WISP & lake, outdoor hot tub, wood burning stove, luv DOGS! located?

Situated in the mountains, this holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Fork Run Recreation Area and Wisp Resort. Youghiogheny Wild River Natural Environmental Area and Adventure Sports Center International are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 127 out of 152 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 152 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 152 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 152 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 152 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Melinda L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet cabin in the woods

A charming house perfect for a family getaway. Convenient location and dog friendly!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amber C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great destination for Family Gathering

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here; would highly recommend! Hosts were wonderful and great activities nearby.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Meagan L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Winter getaway

The house was cozy and welcoming. The location was amazing. The hosts were responsive and helpful. We stayed with another family and there was plenty of space for everyone to enjoy themselves!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Richard L., Portage PA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend stay

Property was clean, quiet, and all around a great place. A great place for a weekend stay with lot to do nearby.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sarah R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful repeat visit

This was our second time staying here and loved it yet again! Highly recommend for couples and smaller groups :-)
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Victoria K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family relaxing

The place was very comfortable, clean, and exactly as described.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

BETHANY M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy Cabin in Deep Creek

We stayed at this rental with 2 families (4 adults and 4 kids). There was plenty of space for everyone to spread out and enjoy their stay. The basement was a great ‘hang out’ space for the kids. We enjoyed playing games in the evenings at the kitchen table. Loved the privacy in the woods but also proximity to restaurants and activities.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Dan S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Deep Creek House

We enjoyed!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Chris M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mountain & Deep Creek Lake Escape

Long weekend stay to enjoy mountains and lake activities. Beautiful rustic mountain home with plenty of space and privacy. Patty made trip and check-in process very easy. She provided great tips for activities nearby as well!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Winter Escape

Wonderful location and beautifully decorated. Family was a big fan of the hot tub and proximity to Wisp!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jamie G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house in a great location

Our stay was exactly what we hoped for. It is a nice little house away from the busy areas of Deep Creek.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Juan Carlos P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

NIce place

We really linke the cabin. Very confortable and very well equipped. We had a wonderful time!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Elsie B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Memorial Day Stay

I was very pleased with the lodging of how it was fully equipped with all of our need’s getting ready to get going thank you for your hospitality and late check out thank you again look you up next time
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Neal H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

peace & quiet in relative summer cool in mountains

There are few things better than sitting in a hot tub outside just after twilight, looking at the stars, when it's comfortably cool. Especially in July in the mountains, away from the heat of DC and the racket of the city fireworks. Just sat in it for 45 minutes each evening, letting the toxicity of the news and life just melt away.The setting is beautiful, with a lovely deck at leaf level. I loved eating meals at the table and reading on one of the small sofas, with just the birds. At night, with the fans turned off and the sliding doors open, I could hear the bullfrogs (Jeremiah, maybe :-)? croaking away in the neighbor's pond a few hundred feet away.The cabin is only about 5 minutes from Wisp, and 15 minutes or so from some restaurants and shopping. It's quite close to Swallow Falls State Park, one of Maryland's best.The kitchen is very well equipped, but oddly, no spices or condiments. I wasn't doing any cooking other than leftovers, but something more than just a salt grinder would have been helpful.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amber R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This cozy house has plenty of space for a group to stretch out and enjoy. The deck was beautiful - it was really peaceful in the mornings out there. The kitchen was equipped with plenty of bowls, plates, glasses and more. A full fridge / freezer, dishwasher and microwave made things super easy since we had two toddlers in tow for our trip.There is no central air - so keep that in mind for summer months. Our stay was in August and it got pretty hot and uncomfortable during nighttime in each bedroom. There were some standing fans but they didn't do much. The bedding on the beds was warm (beautiful! but warm) but we made the best of it. The upstairs bathroom has only a tub (we didn't use) but the main bathroom downstairs has a shower. The family room on the bottom level was lovely for having a movie night with the kids. The carpet was comfy too. There's a little bit of a smell downstairs - couldn't figure out what it was. All in all, the house was really great honestly. Perfect location for getting to attractions around Deep Creek Lake. The turn off to get to the house is easily missed so pay attention to your GPS - the road is marked weird. I had to double back the first time we drove in.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Larry B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great weekend

We planned a big gathering to attend the PSU-WVU football game. This place worked out very well. I was joined by my wife, son, parents, sister & her hubby and my best friend & his son. We had a great weekend.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joe B., Annapolis, MD

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place!

Location, location, location! This unit has not only location, but also great communication at a very reasonable price. We were thankful to stay here for the weekend.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cierra H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Bachelorette Party

Spent the weekend with my 5 bridesmaids, mom, and future mother in law, loved the hot tub! Ate at the Green Turtle, got donuts at Dazed and Confused and coffee at Canoe on the Run, took a trip to view the waterfalls, and enjoyed the scenery and privacy!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Emily C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

New Years Getaway

We had a great time at this perfect cabin! Good number of bedrooms and space to hang out. Hot tub was great to relax in after a day at Wisp! Very close to everything Deep Creek has to offer. The snow was definitely a bonus and made this property even more beautiful!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mark I.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

House Was Great!

House was great! The communication with the property owners was awesome. They answered all of our questions promptly. We really enjoyed our weekend stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jess R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute cabin

Everything was perfect! Very easy to communicate with Patty. Close to many of the attractions. The cabin was very cute and had everything you could need. Would stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Shannon D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We loved This Charming Cabin!

The cabin was both cozy and spacious enough for everyone to spread out and relax separately. It is also in the quiet woods (with excellent star gazing because of so little light pollution) yet super close to everything you want to go do in the Deep Creek area. The owners were super responsive and helpful. Very easy and pleasant communication all the way around. The overall cleanliness was great, especially for a cabin in the woods where you know mud is easily tracked inside. The floors were clean, linens well kept, bathrooms and surfaces very clean throughout the house. We all agreed we would stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Deep Creek Lake Area Getaway

The house was lovely, quiet and secluded, but conveniently near to many wonderful hiking trails, the Deep Creek Lake park with beach and swimming, and, of course, mini golf and the best pizza in western Maryland! We greatly enjoyed the hot tub, as well as the cozy downstairs den for watching movies. The house was large enough so that we could stay out of each others' way when needed! A happy spot!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved it! Great Location!

My husband and I stayed here for a week for our vacation and his birthday. We absolutely loved the house and the location was perfect. Close to the parks for hiking, far enough away from town that we were nice and secluded, but close enough that we could run over to one of the coffee shops or restaurants very easily. Would definitely recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Austin M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good vacation

It was easy to check in and checkout. No problems and the place was clean. Thanks for the good experience.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023

About the host

Hosted by Patty Brown and Lane Cooper

Host profile image
We are a family of writers and communicators based in Washington DC. Mom and Dad have been journalists since the late eighties...and there is a good chance that our son will follow in the family business. Writing is what we love to do. But it is also a deadline-intensive line of business. So every chance we get, we head for Deep Creek Lake and Writers' Refuge.

Why they chose this property

It is a chalet-style house and we fell in love with it the minute we drove up the driveway. It was off the beaten path while still being convenient to all the best the area has to offer. You are five minutes away form the the lake and the slopes. Or you can just curl up with a book in bed...or on the deck...and get lost in the rustic surroundings.

What makes this property unique

The chalet is completely surrounded by the woods...away from all distractions. The views are gorgeous...especially at night...from the hot tub when you lean your head back on a starry night.

Languages:

English, Spanish, Finnish, Swedish

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests