Avis Big Lake Mushamush - clear lake 3 BR cottage between 2 beaches

Me and my family had a great and relaxing time at this charming and secluded cottage. We made good use of the kayak, paddle boat, and the beaches and loved spending time on the deck overlooking the water. Even with some rainy weather, we found plenty to do in nearby towns and made use of the board games and puzzles. The cottage is off the grid and powered by generator/solar but it is easy to manage. The host was very friendly and helpful.

My husband and I booked this cabin for a stay from August 4 to August 20. Unfortunately, there were a few things that we did not expect, based on the pictures and the description. First, this is an off-grid cabin … not an on-grid cottage. For power, there was an unreliable generator that was difficult to start, difficult to keep running and (sometimes) difficult to turn off. It was so unreliable that it had to be serviced while we were there and even then it was still unreliable. The cabin also had a solar power system but that had been powered off when we arrived - unknown to us. In addition, the solar system would not run the water pump. So anytime water was required we had to switch the power system back and forth between the generator and the solar system. That was a manual multistep process of toggling fuses at the power panel. If you’re into that kind of thing, OK. Not enough gas was provided for the generator for our stay and we had to lug a large can of gas from a nearby property - per the host’s instructions. Our son-in-law was the only person who had enough strength to get the top off the generator’s gas tank. To keep things running, we had propane available for the stove, fridge, and hot water, which was a welcome comfort. However, the water supply was tied to the generator, and it was rather limited. There seemed to be an issue with the water tank, as every time we needed water (flush toilet, wash hands, shower, dishes) we had to pump up the water tank.

I highly recommend this property for family vacations. Cozy cottage with all necessary amenities. Amazing lake location with swimming and boating on site. Pet friendly. Host was proactively communicative and genuinely cared that we had a good time. We hope to be back... thanks Allen!

We loved our stay at Allen’s cottage! It was extremely peaceful, relaxing and VERY private. We arrived the night of the historic rains and floods for Nova Scotia (July 2023) but we were safe and secure in the cottage. Being off grid using a generator and solar was a new experience for us and it worked out perfectly. It was disappointing that the beaches on the property were flooded for most of it but we made the most of it by sitting up higher on a small hill. We used the kayak and paddleboard provided and brought our kayaks and canoe so we could all enjoy the lake together. It was a special and memorable trip that my family and I will remember for years to come. I hope we can come back again next year!!

We definitely would have prepared differently if we were made aware of the lack of options that were available to us. When we booked this cottage, we thought we were getting a beautiful lakefront vacation for 4 days. The cottage itself was nice; the pictures were accurate, although the rooms were a bit small. BUT…..there was definitely false advertisement and lack of information provided upon booking and prior to arrival. On the day of arrival, we received an email explaining check-in instructions. It was at that time that we learned we would be living on solar power for electricity and generator for water. Although a bit annoyed to just learn about this, we thought we’d make the best of it regardless. The system didn’t seem like a super big deal, at least we would have running water, sewer, and electricity. Entering the property was simple; the address was easy to find. When we arrived on the property, we noticed that while the outside had so much beautiful potential, it was not well kept up. The firepit was overflowing and quite disgusting. The outside of the house had cobwebs, and there were some large junk items lying around, what appeared to be an old generator, panel, windows, etc. As we entered the house with our belongings, we noticed that the inside was not very clean. The ad said that high top surfaces would be cleaned. We certainly didn’t understand that to mean that the floor would only be cleaned in the middle and the doormat wouldn’t even have been swept. When