A vacation club we belong to offered this location as an option (Feb 2023) for a very good price. I…read moreknew absolutely nothing about this spot, so here are a few things I learned:
Check-in: This is a gated community. People live here year round as well as 'vacation rentals'. The rental office is before the security gate, down a short road on your right. They will give you a packet of information and 'should' give you a pass to show the security guards. We did not get one, so security made us a temporary pass. Be sure to ask at the office for your security pass.
VERY important to note, you can ONLY enter at the main gate. The rentals are closer to the back entrance which is not manned. Don't let GPS take you that way! Use the rental office address, (1372 Old State Hwy 255) then reroute to the townhouse once you are nearby.
Accommodations: The townhouses are fifteen minutes away from the main entrance. The office did not give us an address to enter into GPS and use a very poor map to explain how to get to your accommodation. We found GPS did have the rental units listed. Save yourself a headache, look up your unit in GPS.
The townhouse is an open floorplan kitchen/dining/living room, 3/4 bath, and utility closet on lower level. A deck runs across the back and over looks a golf course. The kitchen has plates, bowls, wine gasses, water glasses, a few pans, cooking utensils, a cutting board and knife. So basically enough items to prepare and eat a simple meal. You have to bring containers for left overs, cling wrap, and other 'specific' cooking items.
Besides the stove and fridge, there is a dish washer, microwave, coffee pot and toaster available. Housekeeping is not offered daily. Dish detergent, dish rag, paper towels, dish towel and trash bags are available on the counter when you arrive. The sofa is a sleeper; pillows and blankets are in the utility closet, ask at reception for sheets or call ahead. The water heater may need to be turned on if the unit has been empty for a while. A vacuum, iron and board are also in this closet.
The stairs are steep and narrow. Think about this when packing big, heavy luggage. Two bedrooms, one with a King size bed, one with two doubles, and a full bath are upstairs. One pillow per person. An upper deck is accessible from both bedrooms. There are NO hangers or hooks in any of the closets. Both bathrooms have many tiny bar soaps and toilet paper.
The bathrooms and kitchen were clean. The living room furniture looked newer as did the flooring on the lower level. The curtains, bed spreads and carpets upstairs are older. The curtains are quite heavy and did a good job keeping the cold out. Downstairs windows have wooden blinds.
You have control of the heat in your unit. We had plenty of hot water for the two of us. The unit sleeps up to eight with the sofa bed, although there is only seating for six at the table and in the living room. There were a few pieces of plastic deck furniture between the upper and lower decks. Park in front of your unit in a 'turn around' driveway shared with the neighbor unit.
Services: On the coffee table is a binder full of information. Besides emergency services, phone numbers of housekeeping, reception and other services in the community are listed. Many recreational services are available summer only, so no pool swimming in winter.
The office staff were friendly and helpful. We called housekeeping for additional towels and they drop off what we needed to get us through our week's stay. NOTE: they have limited business hours - Read the binder for information. The binder also includes information needed when you arrive at the property, renter responsibilities during the stay and check out procedures such as stripping the beds, taking out the trash and so on. Read that binder.
In summer there are ponds on the property for swimming as well as a recreation center, golf course and activities. Contact the office for information on using these services, costs, availability and so on. There is a gas station, convenience store and gift shop open year round on the main road leading from the main gate.
Location: Dubois is about thirty minutes from Punxsutawney, two hours from Pittsburgh, just over an hour from the Jimmy Stewart Museum, three quarter of an hour to the Elk Country Visitor Center where you can see and learn about elk herds in PA. Historic downtown Dubois has a variety of businesses including a day spa, Hockman Candy (PA famous chocolate shop) Luigi's Ristorante, Aegis Coffee Roasters, Scotty's donuts and the Dubois Historical Society to name a few. Due to fire, these are the oldest surviving buildings in the area and are in a designated historical district. A newer section of town includes lots of businesses like Red Lobster, Walmart, bowling, a small mall and movie theater.
There is much more information needed if staying in summer and I definitely recommend you call for details. Hope my winter visit information helps.
