For a week in the off-season it was both relaxing and beautiful and still kind of overpriced to rent from a homeowner via AirBnb. We enjoyed the outdoors, and for a bit had the lake to ourselves. However, I can't imagine peak season when there would be more boats on the lake - it's a nice distance to kayak, but as soon as others are on the lake it doesn't feel very bit. While we were out, there was a very irresponsible boater who essentially circled us at a high speed and sent our kayaks wild when the waves converged. Luckily we are experienced and didn't tip and find ourselves swimming in the lake - but that boater was truly a jerk. So, if you're looking to rent a place for a week - my recommendation is going in the off-season and keep an eye out for bad speed boaters. :) read more

I moved out of the Hideout years ago because the Short term rentals (STR) were out of control. Just look at Court records because the HOA took owners who rent to court and The Hideout lost. I hear on the weekends more Shirt Term rentals occupants than owners are there. Plus the weekend renters feel like they should be treated like guests at a Sheraton. I'm currently looking at WLE because complaints are from Weekend renters. Owners that live there are happy. read more

Let me set the scene. It's 6:45 AM. Birds are chirping, my leggings are high-waisted, my smoothie is still cold. I stride into the community center gym with a heart full of hope and a screenshot of their online brochure boasting -- nay, promising -- FOUR treadmills. FOUR. Count them: 1 2 3 4 You can imagine my devastation when I arrive -- sweat towel folded like origami under my arm -- only to find... three. THREE. Three tired, slightly wheezing treadmills, blinking at me like they know what they've done. The fourth treadmill? MIA. AWOL. Ghosted like a bad Tinder date. I ask the front desk. "Excuse me," I whisper, trembling, "where is the fourth treadmill?" They shrug. SHRUG. "It's been broken for months." Months. Months?! Like this is normal behavior? Like it's okay to falsely advertise a full set of quadrupedal cardio machines and then pull a Bermuda Triangle on one of them? Let me be clear: I rearranged my entire schedule for this workout. I skipped my cat's Zoom therapy session (don't judge). And now? I'm stuck waiting for a machine like it's a theme park ride on a holiday weekend. I had to pretend I enjoyed stretching for 22 minutes. No one enjoys stretching that long. Not even yoga instructors. If you're the type of person who enjoys lies, betrayal, and the thrilling suspense of maybe-not-getting-your-run-in, then by all means, this is your place. Otherwise? Pack a jump rope. And your emotional resilience. #WhereIsTreadmill4 #JusticeForCardio #FalseAdverFITting read more

Mixed feelings about the hideout. We visited during winter and the tubing lift was broken through the entire time we were there. Nice community and very nice folks. The food was surprisingly good at the restaurant. We visited twice and enjoyed the bar food. Very sweet staff everywhere we visited including indoor playrooms, dining areas and more. The reason for the 3 stars is due to the non functioning tube lift, the annoying entrance gates and outdated indoor sports complex, gym, library and arcade. read more

Man at the trash site was incredibly rude to me and my boyfriend. He made nasty condescending comments after we asked him to clarify where to throw the trash out. Was a very unpleasant experience and did not make us want to come back. Plus The Airbnb didn't list the hours of the trash facility and we went during off hours which was a waste of time. The Airbnb was nice but getting through all the gates was confusing. It took my friends and I multiple tries because the directions were incredibly unclear especially harder at night. There's only one gate for visitors which wasn't mentioned and the rest are for members only. It took us 30 minutes plus just to enter the community. If you're looking for place to relax look elsewhere. read more

I was a homeowner here since 2009- when I first purchased my home, the Hideout was super clean and friendly. Staff was AWAYS miserable but my family dealt with it. The Hideout police are amazing. They are all helpful and kind and on their game. Things changed so much so I sold the home. Riff raff is moving in and there's trash everywhere. When I saw a NY tag with resident tags throw their entire McDonald's bag out the window of their car- I knew it was time to bail. Beaches used to be pristine, but sadly there is trash and the smell of pot in every direction. Restaurant used to be delicious and for years that went down hill to a "grade D but edible" menu. "Bar flies" regulars were always nice and you cannot mess up a pint. Enjoyed the company to the end. It's changed so much and it's a darn shame. read more

We are a family of five and I just want to say we've rented here for about 5 years and unfortunately we have to move. I just want to say thank you to the two wonderful, kind and generous owners who let us stay in their home and quickly responding if we needed assistance and just for being so wonderful. We will definitely miss living here and being around so many kind and wonderful people. Thank you Hideout, you will stay in our hearts and minds forever. This have been a wonderful experience for us. read more

Although the Hideout is listed as a vacation rental on Yelp it is not just that. It is a beautiful private community with unbelievable views amenities and homes. Some people do rent out their homes and that is where some of the other reviews come from. We recently purchased a vacation home here which we plan on retiring to when we are ready. The community is very well kept and security is on the ball. ( which is great because not every homeowner is here all the time and it's nice to know your community is being patrolled regularly . Every home is different from chalets to lake front homes. It is affordable and convenient from NY. We are so happy to be a part of this wonderful community. Definitely check out the amenities they are endless! read more

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If you are looking for a place to purchase a vacation home or want to move to the Poconos, cross The Hideout in Lake Ariel off your list unless you are very wealthy and can afford all the extras that they bill you for. Their water department bills you quarterly at over $400 per quarter ( over $100/mo. Who uses that much water? HOA fees are almost $2000 per year... Oh, and don't even consider them as a place to purchase investment property like for an Air BnB, as the HOA has just passed a rule that you can only rent out your property 3 times a year. The quality and quantity of amenities have diminished over the years as well. They spent $$$$$ to upgrade their ski area, new lifts, etc. but the slopes are always closed in the winter, because it isn't cold enough, their snow making machine won't work, lift has issues, etc. Trash dump is only open during certain times of the day... so if you leave early in the AM to get to work in the city and don't get home until after 7 or 8, you are out of luck dumping your trash. If you have financial troubles (I lost my job, then covid, etc) and struggle to keep up with their endless bills, they will put a lean on your property and hinder access to the gate to enter the community. The HOA is run by old boys network, harass any new members that get elected to the board, and are constantly being sued by property owners. Consider this your warning. read more

The Hideout is a 5 star fantastic place. The website shown is for The Hideout Association. The address (640?)and reviews for a house are for a RENTAL PROPERTY! NOT REVIEWS for all Hideout properties. There are many properties in this 3000+ gated community (on its own water and complete sewer system - not septic tanks). There are 3 main lakes - Brooks is small, Roamingwood is power boat lake, and Deerfield Lake is great for electric motor fishing and canoes. There are many different amenity areas in The Hideout including tennis courts, pools, game room, 9 hole golf, etc. Check out many private and "company" managed rentals. read more

Not too bad. They need to clean up the front entrance - looks pretty shabby. Thinking about buying here but work needs to be done. Wall falling apart. Clean up the lanes and keep up with the painting of lanes and speed bumps. It's the little things. No safe lanes to walk or ride bikes. Some trails off of the toad would be nice too. Security is so friendly and very visible. Woman at golf course is absolutely horrendous! Should not deal with the public. So rude. Is making us look at different places to buy and stay away from here. Course was nice. But she turned us off. She should be hidden from the public. read more

We vacationed here from the mid 90', and liked it here so much we moved here in 2014. We built a home I a member of a gun club and target shoot a couple of times a week. There is a sense of community here but you can enjoy a quiet private life, too. Bottom line is you can make friends and keep as busy as you want or keep to yourself and be sedentary. It is your prerogative. I read a couple of negative reviews here that just dont make sense. If you get a rental in poor condition, call the agent or owner immedietly and request resolution. Come and see the place for yourself, it is a gorgeous mountain com read more

If you enjoy vacationing in a gated community with faux swiss chalet houses crowded together around a lake filled with seaweed and jet skis, this is the place for you. The community has two small beaches- one is really crowded (the Lodge), and the other (North Beach) is OK, with a small swimming area. It's difficult to walk anywhere because there are no sidewalks or waking paths, and you risk being hit by an SUV piloted by a desperate housewife on the phone, going way over the 25 mph speed limit. I would NOT recommend our rental home. The septic tank pump broke twice during our stay, leaking sewage on the bottom floor and making it impossible to use the bathrooms, showers or sink for two days. The plumber then had the gall to tell us we used too much toilet paper or maybe we were putting paper towels in the toilets. Perhaps the Hideout should include a caveat with their rentals that, similar to places in rural Central America, you should put toilet paper in the wastepaper basket and not in the toilet. The entire community is on septic, which is a bit frightening when you consider how many people swim in the lake, but they are converting to a sewer system. The rental was over-priced, the walls were like cardboard, and the house and dock never get direct sun so you're in perpetual gloom. The Poconos might have been lovely years ago, but it's so over-developed here that it's almost comical that people in the Hideout consider this "living the mountain lifestyle." A sign in our cabin read "At the lake, you forget to count the days." This is true--at the lake, we were counting the hours until our departure. read more

Nicest gated community in the area! There are 2 olympic size swimming pools, 2 beaches on the lake (Main Lodge and North Beach), skii hill, golf course, ceramics and a tremendous amount of activities and events for all ages. The Main Lodge has a very good restaurant and a Tiki bar that overlooks the lake. The 4th of July firework celebration is absolutely amazing. Everyone gathers at the Main Lodge to watch the fireworks being lit from nearby Holiday Park. They have Bingo once a week, Teen dances, a swim team, big beach parties with DJ's and food. My parents bought a house here years ago and I spent every summer here while growing up. It was the best time of my life! Literally, I would cry whenever I had to go home to NY in the fall. It's a great summer home community! read more

Do not rent here! It is a total scam. The place was filthy and there were no cleaning supplies to use. The paddle boat was filled with brown scummy water and they wouldn't give us our deposit back because of it. It was like that when we got there! Oh and I think we left an unopened can of beer in the fridge. The horror!!! Not only that. They harassed my girlfriend at work being totally unprofessional, calling her names, etc. When I called remax, I was hung up on 3 times before I got someone to listen to me. The agent we dealt with is named Phil Eckert. Supposed a real estate agent for 20 years. What a crock. Any agent worth their salt knows their reputation matters. STAY AWAY!!!!!!!! read more

Just to let renters know we do not have septic tanks we've had a sewer and water system for over 30 years were in the process of replacing get your facts right TE read more

I have had a vacation home in the Hideout for 14 years now and my family and I couldn't imagine spending summer of winter vacations anywhere else. The Hideout has something for every season! The ski hill is perfect for my kids to learn skiing with low prices for tickets and rentals and a small hill with a ski lift and 3 ski runs. The 2 beaches are beautiful and only get very crowded on holiday weekends. It is true there are no sidewalks, but security is very active in enforcing the 25 MPH speed limit so walking and biking is very safe. I walk my dog on the side of the road daily without a problem! We do not have a septic system but instead have a sewer system which is currently being replaced. There are many activities for the kids and adults to enjoy! There is a 9 hole golf course, Indoor and outdoor tennis (Tennis lessons and a tennis pro too!), daily camps and sports camps (soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, golf camp) for the kids, bingo, ceramics at the art center, a fun and active swim team which summer residents and year round residents can join, waverunners, kayaking and boating on the lake. There are 2 restaurants here too one overlooking the golf course and the Tiki bar overlooking Roamingwood lake - eat here at dinner time to watch a beautiful sunset after enjoying yummy food and finish by playing ball on the beach with your kids for a perfect evening. My kids get very upset when the summer ends and they have to leave. It is a wonderful, year round community! I am not sure if TE actually stayed here! read more

I am new to the Hideout. Just purchased a house last February. I live on a street with friendly neighbors who seem to really enjoy their homes and community. Some have been there since the beginning which shows it must be good place to live and vacation if they have been here over 20 years! Love the lake, it's beautiful, looking to get a boat this year so we can actually enjoy some water sports. The beaches are beautiful, the ski hill is cute for beginners and children. There are restaurants, golf course, indoor sports complex, activities for the children an art center and lessons of all kinds! You should never get bored here. Also the homes all look very well kept which is a plus when your renting or selling. I would recommend this community to rent or to purchase in if you are looking for peace and quiet or a vacation with many activities. You choose, but whatever you decide coming to the hideout at any season won't disappoint you! read more

Helped my Dad build a place here 20+ years ago, seemed like an ok idea at the time. Since that time the Hideout along with the Poconos in general has become overrun with people from New York and New Jersey. I find that many out of staters are rude, they leave litter behind, fish in the lake without licenses and in general do not respect the property or the area. One source of enjoyment was that I could always take my dogs to the lake for a swim, now because of thoughtless dog owners that do not clean up after their pets the privilege has been taken away. Would like to sell the house now and find that even though it is not a rental property and still in excellent shape you almost have to give it away, property values do not do well here. I get more solitude at my home in bucks county than what is available in the overpopulated community that is the Hideout and for that matter much of the Poconos too. IMO The hideout is not country or mountain living unless of course you are coming from the Big city. read more