Getaway – Catskill East

I wanted to love this trip. I really did. But There was a lot left to be desired. First and foremost I’ll keep this strictly on the cabin and not the rest of the weekend. Perhaps I’ll tell you more about the weekend in another post. But for this let’s stay on Getaway shall we?

My tater tot and I arrived just after 3p. #p being check in time. I appreciate that during this pandemic (and always at Getaway) there is a keypad on the door so you don’t have to actually see anyone. However the code didn’t work. I’ve done a lot of traveling and often look for places with key-less entry as I’m not a huge fan of conversation or small talk with people I don’t know but would see me at my worst (right after traveling a long distance or first thing in the AM. Or even still, in my younger childless years late at night coming home from somewhere!) So when I punched in the code and saw nothing happen I knew there must be something wrong. I checked the code again to make sure I punched in the correct amount of numbers and tried again. Still nothing, it didn’t light up red which typically means wrong code, it didn’t light up green which means correct code, it did nothing. So I knew there was something wrong. So I called the number that is our “emergency number” that they tend to want you to use until 8 pm only. So first she told me to punch in the code that I had already been giving that she gave to me again, nothing then she told me to try another code after I explained it wasn’t lighting up. After that she said that there was probably something wrong with that system which I already knew from the first time I punched a number in. She told me where to find a key.

There was a lock box she was going to give me the code for it. I said welp the box is already open. Luckily the key is inside. She tells me when I leave to leave the key on the table inside but gives me the code for the lock box anyway. I didn’t bother to write it done, because why in the world do I need it? This made me feel unsafe for a multitude of reasons. 1. How well was this cabin cleaned in a pandemic world if they key was put back into so sloppily that the lock box wasn’t even locked? 2. What is someone decided to come back to the cabin that knows where the lock box was? It took me awhile to find the deadbolt. And even then with how poorly the condition of the cabin was being handled I didn’t trust it to hold. Third, again with cleanliness if they’re being so sloppy as to not fix the key-less entry, as I assume it’s been a problem for awhile as the lock box was open, then again, how well are you cleaning? Also, if they knew the key-less entry was a problem they probably should have stopped the automated email that was telling me to use the key-less entry and just given me directions to the key so that I didn’t waste my time. Cell service was somewhat poor, better than I expected by what their e-mails were saying, but what if I couldn’t get a signal? What then?

Upon getting inside there was a note left telling me to enjoy my stay. That was cute, except that it was addressed to someone named Cecilia, that is not my name. So again, sloppy. I had brought sheets, and blankets and such with me to change the bed but the kiddo jumped right onto the bed upon our arrival so that idea went down the drain quickly.

When I was bringing the food out to cook on the camp fire I was going in and out a few times. The screen door broke on me. The frame that held the glass fell out and almost landed on my foot, right after the frame that should have held the screen (there was no screen) also fell out. I had a toddler and a fire so I couldn’t deal with it then, but later I was able to pop the frame with the glass back in. The other I left behind the door as it was cracked and wouldn’t go in. Luckily the glass didn’t shatter as I didn’t see a broom around.

From there, there were bugs everywhere. I don’t think many got in while cooking as I kept the key-less entry door (that I needed a key for) closed while cooking so the bugs wouldn’t get in. Now I know that it’s the woods, you can’t control the bugs. But these suckered flew and they were awfully loud. So I spent a ton of my time catching and re-releasing the bugs outside because #nature #protectourplanet #letmehavesomequiet. But I found them as I pulled back the covered, I found them as I unrolled the shades, they were on the walls, the ceiling. Everywhere. They weren’t bedbugs nor mosquitoes, just beetles of various sorts, but it was a lot. Again, I know you can’t help bugs in the woods, but to pull back the sheets and find beetles was not a cozy and warm feeling.

Speaking of cozy and warm. The kid went to bed and fell asleep a little after 8. (He’s 3, he stayed up a little late because we’re shifting for daylight savings time at the end of the month) sometime around 9 or so the heat turned off. No matter what I did I could not \get it to kick back on. All windows were shut and the doors were shut (only opened to release another bug, which did happen often enough to release too much heat). Now I know the emergency number probably would have picked up even if it was after 8 but I don’t know if you’re familiar with toddlers and tiny houses. If someone came in to fix the heat or if we had to move cabins then in the dark with all the stuff needed for a toddler it would have been a nightmare. Luckily the blankets I brought with us came in handy. The heat did decide to kick back on sometime in the morning after we woke up. For awhile as I read I sat by the stove burners leave them on to generate heat. At one point in the middle of the night the kiddo woke saying he was cold. I got up and turned the burners back on and forced myself to stay awake for awhile until I felt the temperature rising a little bit. It didn’t help that the bathroom window appeared to be stuck open and that was letting in the cold winter air.

The final issue? When I went to read to the kiddo before bed the two bedside lamps both were broken.

Was the view gorgeous with the changing falling leaves? Yes. Were there any directions on how to start a fire? No. Where the provision boxes a good thing? Yes (though I brought my own food) Did they charge me for 2 fire starters when I only used one? Yes. But did the charge me for the partial bundle of wood I used? No, so I didn’t mention the fire starter.

So again, I really wanted to love my stay but with all of the problems with the cabin it just wasn’t possible. I had high hopes for this as I had been thinking about going for month. Even if I didn’ have the kiddo with me havign someone come and fix the heat or moving cabins would have really ruined my opportunity to relax.

Are all the cabins in all the outposts this problematic? I couldn’t say. I can say online Catskill East did get far better reviews than Catskill West which I why I choose East, even though the cabins are closer together there. Boston’s are pretty equal distance from me, perhaps that would have been a better choice? All I can say is right now, I don’t think I will give Getaway anymore of my money as they’ve already gotten too much for the experience I had. Relaxation while freezing and changing bugs? Yeah no.

UPDATE: Getaway has reached out and has attempted to try to make things right.