A rare find — enjoy pickleball without leaving the property.
Sleeps 14•7 bedrooms•7 beds
Popular amenities
Spa pool on site
Onsite parking available
Pet-friendly
Kitchen
Washing machine
Air-conditioning
Explore the area
Albany, OH
Ohio University
Place, Ohio University
13 min drive
Peden Stadium
Place, Peden Stadium
15 min drive
Court Street
Place, Court Street
15 min drive
Rooms & beds
7 bedrooms (sleeps 14)
Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom
1 Double Bed
Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
3 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom 2
Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom 3
Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve
Relax and stargaze around a firepit, or watch an amazing sunrise. The 5acre Lake offers some great fishing, canoeing or kayaking, and some muchneeded R&R. Take a 45-50 minute drive from your cottage/retreat to visit Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkle’s Hollow, or Rock Bridge located in Hocking Hills State Park. No matter the season, you and your guests won’t be disappointed when visiting all the beauty Hocking Hills offers!
Island Retreat comes with two houses situated together on a 6 acre lake and is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! You and your guests will be amazed with the lake view this vacation rental offers from the multi-level large back decks. Spacious living between two retreat rentals with three living rooms, 3 kitchen, 3 dining area, 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms,. The property is located just off the road of State RT 50 in a quiet setting that offers plenty of relaxation for you and your guests.
Relax and stargaze around a firepit, or watch an amazing sunrise. The 6-acre Lake offers some great fishing, canoeing or kayaking, and some much-needed rest and relaxation. Plenty of nature in the nature preserve from deer, fox, ducks and geese. Take a 45 minute drive from your vacation rental to visit Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkle’s Hollow, or Rock Bridge located in Hocking Hills State Park. No matter the season, you and your guests won’t be disappointed when visiting all the beauty Hocking Hills offers!
Island retreat is located 7 miles from Athens and Ohio University. Perfect for families wanting to spend time with their students studying at OU. The nearby State Park offers over thousands of acres to explore by hiking, off-highway vehicle riding, mountain biking, or horseback riding. Guests will want to visit Athens and Ohio University or Nelsonville’s Historic Square Arts District, Stuart’s Opera House, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, or the Nelsonville Music Festival that is held every year at Hocking College. If guests venture 1 mile to Lake Snowden you can enjoy the waterpark with family and friends. Lake Hope State Park located in Zaleski State Forest. Guests can enjoy some fine dining at Lake Hope Lodge or a day of picnicking and swimming with family and friends.
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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
Parties and events (including weddings) are allowed on site
Note from host: Weddings & private parties
Host has indicated that there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
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
Albany
Located in Albany, this cottage is on the waterfront. Hot Dog Museum and Southeast Ohio History Center are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Shade Winery and Fun Barn. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Convocation Center or Peden Stadium. Kayaking and rafting offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and mountain climbing nearby.
Is Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve?
As of 3 August 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve on 21 August 2026 start from NZ$2,324, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Island Retreat Cottage Overlooking 5 acre Lake on 20 acre Nature Preserve located?
Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is within 12 miles (20 km) of Waterloo State Forest, Convocation Center and Peden Stadium. Ohio University and John Calhoun Baker University Center are also within 12 miles (20 km).
Reviews
8.6
Excellent
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Very fun long weekend at a relaxing property with 7 large bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Three kitchens! Plenty of paper towels and toilet paper! Weird I know, but some rental leave you one roll of paper towels and two rolls of TP! The water was beautiful - just a relaxing getaway!
Marlene B.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 22 July 2026
Thank you for taking the time to write a review on your stay with us! We are so glad you & your guests were able to enjoy a relaxing getaway at Island Retreat. Happy to know that there is enough paper products! We aim to make every stay as comfortable as possible, and comments like yours help us improve. We would host you again anytime!
Verified review
8/10 Good
Melissa S.
17 July 2026
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
We were on a motorcycle trip with 11 people, 3 tow vehicles with trailers, and 6 motorcycles. The house is a bit of a hot mess, but it had plenty of bedrooms, bathrooms, and parking for everyone. We enjoyed the lake view and decks at night. We did not cook or use the hot tub. Lucky's and Ray's Harvest House are very close and both were excellent. Athens is close for other restaurant and grocery options. This is a great location if you want to ride Ohio's Windy 9!
Melissa S.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 20 July 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and leaving such a good review, We're so glad our property was able to accommodate your group's vehicles, and that you enjoyed the views and relaxing evenings on the deck. It's great to hear you had a chance to visit Lucky's and Ray's Harvest House while exploring the Windy 9 routes. We hope to welcome you and your riding group back for another adventure in the future!
Amazing property! We had a blast staying here for my birthday! 10/10 recommend, and we will definitely be back.
Maddie S.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 30 March 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you appreciate the beauty of the area as much as we do. It was a pleasure hosting you, and we hope to welcome you back for another relaxing getaway soon!
Thank you for staying with us at Island Retreat. I'm glad to hear you had a 5-Star stay! We hope to host for your next relaxing getaway to Hocking Hills!
Great stay, straight forward easy check in, clean very spacious and they even provide streaming services for guest, had many recreational activities and things to do on the property, close to Athens with may things to do in a peaceful charming little town and state parks were gorgeous , trains in the back were very quiet and cool to see passing through, hot tub was nice very peaceful area, perfect for relaxing hard and playing hard.
Angel S.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 5 February 2026
Thank you for staying with us at First Choice Lodging! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay, and we hope to host you again in the future for your next Hocking Hills adventure!
Great location to get to Athens during a big football weekend. Plenty of seating, rooms. We had a wonderful stay!
Karen S.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 7 September 2025
Hi Karen,
Thank you for staying with us at the Island Retreat! I am so happy to hear the retreat accommodated you and your guests well and you were able to spend some time in Athens. We hope to see you again soon, go bobcats!
Hi Sam, thanks so much for leaving a review on our Island Retreat! We are glad to hear that you and your guests enjoyed your stay with us. This property is perfect for those looking for a lake getaway while also being in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains! We hope you choose to visit the Hocking Hills region again soon, and of course, if you stay with us here at 1st Choice Lodging again, you’ll get a 10% discount!
We did a holiday weekend stay and had great weather for hiking the nearby Hocking Hills trails which were just beautiful. The kids really enjoyed fishing right off the deck and the hot tub was good for the after hikes.
Joyce P.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 12 July 2025
Joyce, thank you very much for your review and staying with us at our Island Retreat!
We're so glad to hear you had a great holiday weekend and enjoyed hiking in the area as well as fishing at the property!
Thank you again for staying with us and we hope to host you again in the future!
Verified review
8/10 Good
Melissa C.
2 September 2025
Liked: Communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness
Loved the location, amenities, and size of the place. It was a perfect fit for my family. I wish it had less cobwebs and dust inside and was a little more kept up to though.
Melissa C.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 8 December 2025
Thank you so much for your review! We’re happy to hear that Island Retreat was a good fit for your family and that you enjoyed the location, amenities, and space. We really appreciate your feedback about the cleanliness and upkeep, and we’ll be taking steps to make things even better for future guests. We’d love to welcome you back anytime for another relaxing stay!
The space itself was absolutely amazing, and the outdoor features really stood out. The pond was perfect for fishing, and the paddle boats were a fun and relaxing addition that we truly enjoyed. However, there were several noticeable maintenance issues that took away from the overall experience. There were holes in the walls, missing trim, and peeling ceilings that made parts of the home feel dated and neglected. The pool table baskets were broken, and the hot tub cover was falling apart. Although the lights were labeled, they were still very difficult to figure out. Unfortunately, the hot tub also had an unpleasant smell. With some basic upkeep and attention to detail, this place could truly be incredible.”
Sondra A.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 11 April 2026
Thank you so much for being our Guest and sharing a stay in Nelsonville & Hocking Hills. We greatly appreciate you & your guests for selecting 1st Choice Lodging as your vacation rental destination. As a family owned & operated business, we strive to provide the highest quality service & care deeply about how our work affects customers like you.
We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction. We want to thank you for your business & are committed to delivering the highest quality to our customers. If you are planning to visit again, please give us a call because we like to extend our repeat customers a 10% discount. Use DISCOUNT CODE: LOYAL10 when booking your next stay!
We hope you had a 5-star stay with us here at 1st Choice. Your reviews are important for a small business, like ours, & we would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to leave us a review. We hope to have you back for another getaway to the beautiful rolling hills of Southeast, Ohio
We loved the place. The lake was iced over so we didn't get to use the water. It was very comfortable. LOVE the view! Grill & washing machine worked great. It's huge for the money. The fire pit is great. I do think some city people may find fault with a few things. I never got my bedroom light to turn on and we never to the Wi-Fi to work in the apartment which was kind of a bummer because we got that part for my son and he didn't end up staying in it much because he couldn't use his computer. Some other areas could use some tlc however we loved it and will stay again for sure! Very peaceful and relaxing. Only regret is that I didn't get it longer!
Mindy G.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 26 February 2026
Hi Mindy, we are so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay. We hope to host your family again in the future.
We stayed here while visiting the university, huge space and great view. Plan to go back in the summer.
Jerrod G.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 8 December 2025
Thank you for your review! We’re glad you enjoyed the space and view at Island Retreat and that it worked well for your visit. We’d be happy to welcome you back this summer!
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
David
23 April 2023
Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Very nice retreat and spacious tuck away from the hustle bustle of the city. A great place to regroup.
We stayed here with our entire family. All of the kids loved it! They enjoyed fishing off the deck more than anything and also enjoyed the hot tub. It was perfect! We stayed on Easter and had an egg hunt for the kids and grilled out. Def a trip to remember :) We plan on making it a yearly tradition.
Ashleigh D.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 26 May 2025
Hi Ashleigh, we are so happy that you had a wonderful stay at our Island Retreat in Albany, OH. We agree, the fishing pond and hot tub are awesome amenities at this property! We are so happy your family loved it so much! We hope to host you again!
This place is wonderful. Great for fishing and just sitting on one of the decks watching the geese. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves. We will come here again.
Gail S.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 9 December 2025
Thank you for your review! We’re so glad you enjoyed your time at Island Retreat, especially the fishing and relaxing on the decks. It’s great to hear your family had a wonderful stay, and we’d love to welcome you back again!
We really loved the privacy and size of the rental property. The property needs some updates especially in the bathrooms and the hot tub but overall we all had a great time!
Kathy C.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 16 August 2023
I am glad to hear you enjoyed your stay with 1st Choice Lodging, and we look forward to your return soon!
1st Choice Lodging
We had a wonderful stay. I few minor hiccup, please change the cracked toilet seat, and the hot tub was not working. The location was very nice and the lake was nice, all and all we had a great time.
Kim H.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 9 December 2025
Thank you for your review! We’re glad you had a wonderful stay at Island Retreat and enjoyed the location and lake. We appreciate the feedback about the toilet seat and hot tub. We’re happy to hear you still had a great time and hope to welcome you back again.
Thank you for your review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the updates and found more to do this year at Island Retreat. We look forward to welcoming you back for another great stay!
It was super fun there was plenty to do everyone had there own space and I would 100000% recommend this house!!!!
Hannah D.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 19 April 2025
Hi Hannah,
Thank you so much for staying with us at the Island Retreat and taking the time to leave a review! I'm happy to hear you were able to experience all the lakeside retreat has to offer. We hope you'll stay with us again next time you're in the area!
About the host
Hosted by 1st Choice Lodging
Grab 14 of your closest friends or family because our Island Retreat is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! You and your guests will be amazed with this two cottage three suite retreat that sits on a private 5 acre lake. Spacious living in this two story cottage/retreat with living room, open kitchen, dining area, 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. The second cottage/retreat has two suites with 10 person occupancy full bathroom, living room and kitchen areas. If you have three families wanting to spend time together this is the perfect spot for you! The property is located just off the road of State RT 50 in a quiet setting that offers plenty of relaxation for you and your guests.
Why they chose this property
Island Retreat sits on a 5-acre lake and is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! You and your guests will be amazed with the lake view this vacation home package offers from its large back decks. Spacious living in this ranch style retreat with two living rooms, open kitchen, dining area, 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms a second apartment with 2 bedrooms 1 full bath and kitchen. The property is located just off the road of State RT 50 in a quiet setting that offers plenty of relaxation for you and your guests. Island Retreat Retreat sits on a 5 acre lake and is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! Relax and stargaze around a firepit, or watch an amazing sunrise. The 6-acre Lake offers some great fishing, canoeing or kayaking, and some much-needed rest and relaxation. Plenty of nature in the nature preserve from deer, fox, ducks and geese. Take a 45 minute drive from your vacation rental to visit Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkle’s Hollow, or Rock Bridge located in Hocking Hills State Park. No matter the season, you and your guests won’t be disappointed when visiting all the beauty Hocking Hills offers! The Island Vacation Rental Luxury Home is nestled in the rolling hills of Southeast on 20 acres of nature preserve while still remaining close to nearby restaurants, shops, and local attractions. The cabin boasts 4 comfortable bedrooms, large living spaces, and a spacious kitchen. Traveling is a breeze when you stay with us as the lakeside lodge retreat is fully equipped with great amenities. Property offers an outdoor hot tub, fire pit, and great quality time. State Parks, lakes, canoe & kayaking, ziplining and so much more all located within a short distance from the property.
What makes this property unique
Island Retreat sits on a 5-acre lake and is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! You and your guests will be amazed with the lake view this vacation home package offers from its large back decks. Spacious living in this ranch style retreat with two living rooms, open kitchen, dining area, 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms a second apartment with 2 bedrooms 1 full bath and kitchen. The property is located just off the road of State RT 50 in a quiet setting that offers plenty of relaxation for you and your guests. Island Retreat Retreat sits on a 5 acre lake and is the perfect destination for you in Albany Ohio! Relax and stargaze around a firepit, or watch an amazing sunrise. The 6-acre Lake offers some great fishing, canoeing or kayaking, and some much-needed rest and relaxation. Plenty of nature in the nature preserve from deer, fox, ducks and geese. Take a 45 minute drive from your vacation rental to visit Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Rock House, Conkle’s Hollow, or Rock Bridge located in Hocking Hills State Park. No matter the season, you and your guests won’t be disappointed when visiting all the beauty Hocking Hills offers! The Island Vacation Rental Luxury Home is nestled in the rolling hills of Southeast on 20 acres of nature preserve while still remaining close to nearby restaurants, shops, and local attractions. The cabin boasts 4 comfortable bedrooms, large living spaces, and a spacious kitchen. Traveling is a breeze when you stay with us as the lakeside lodge retreat is fully equipped with great amenities. Property offers an outdoor hot tub, fire pit, and great quality time. State Parks, lakes, canoe & kayaking, ziplining and so much more all located within a short distance from the property.