As I make plans to begin construction on short-term rental cabins in Lower Greenwich, New Brunswick, I’ll be embarking on a tour over the next few months of other short term rental properties to gather ideas and best practices (and things to avoid). 

Trapper’s Cabin

This weekend, I visited a couple of properties. The first was a (very) rustic cabin in Upper Kintore, New Brunswick.

This tiny log cabin was out a rough dirt road, into the woods behind an old farm. Measuring just 12 feet by 16 feet, it was sparsely furnished with an old couch and table, and a twin-size bunk bed. With electricity available only by generator, the cabin was heated with a wood stove. 

The cabin received 5 star reviews from a couple of previous guests, who clearly appreciated it for its rustic charm. I was a bit taken back by the generator situation, not realizing before arriving that there was no consistent source of electricity. I felt that should have been proactively disclosed in the listing. The listing also failed to mention that the cabin is not accessible without a truck or SUV—I didn’t find that out until after I’d requested my booking on AirBnB. And at $100/night I was surprised the host hadn’t splurged on a couch that was less than 30 years old. It wouldn’t take much to turn this very sparse unit into a really cute, cozy getaway. As it is, it would be suitable I suppose for someone heading out for moose hunting or rabbit snaring. I just that that should have been more clear in the listing.

Given that my cabins will be easily road accessible and be wired for electricity, I won’t have to worry about disclosing those concerns in my listings. I plan to build cabins slightly larger than the Trapper’s Cabin, with a few more amenities, although if a person is looking for a truly remote and disconnected experience, the Trapper’s Cabin might be right for them. 

One really cool feature of the cabin was access to a large average of woods and trails. There was a covered bridge under construction not far from the cabin.

Apparently there’s a massive Red Spruce tree just a few meters away as well, which is features in a book of Great Tresa of New Brunswick. (I didn’t realize until after I’d left, so I didn’t check it out.)

I should note as well that the cabin had no plumbing, but the outhouse was actually pretty cute, and doubled as a woodshed full of firewood for the stove.

Not far from the Trapper’s Cabin, a more substantial Lookout Cabin is under construction, which will have indoor plumbing and features incredible views. I’ve asked the host to let me know when it opens for bookings so I can come back and check it out.

Wellness Retreat Cabin

The second night was at a (much) more modern facilities. Part of the Jolie Vie Wellness Retreat in Drummond, New Brunswick, the self-contained unit was brand new and filled with modern comforts and conveniences. 

One of the core features of the unit was a combination sofa/murphy bed. It made for excellent use of the space, but it was a bit inconvenient to have to choose between sleeping setup or sitting room setup. The coffee table lacked enough space to set up a board game, so Michael and I found ourself lifting the bed out of the way and sitting on the floor. 

Promoted as a place to disconnect, there was intentionally no wifi or TV. Instead, there was a beautiful electric fireplace inside, as well as a propane fireplace in an outdoor private patio area. (I couldn’t get the propane fireplace lit, but to be honest I didn’t try very hard because it was too cold out to enjoy spending time on the patio.)

The unit was part of a wellness retreat which I didn’t take advantage of, but would consider checking out another time. They spared no expenses, with modern finishing throughout and quality fixtures. At only $30 more per night than the Trapper’s Cabin, I felt either this place was underpriced, or the woodsy cabin was overpriced. I think both are true. 

I appreciated the electric blinds, although I’m not sure that’s an expense I’ll splurge on when I first construct my cabin. The patios with privacy fencing allowed 5 cabins to be placed fairly close to one another, so I took note of that. At about 20 feet by 12 feet, the unit was similar in square footage to my planned cabins. These units were fully wheelchair accessible. 

I really appreciate the work that was put into the welcome book, including instructions with photos on how to use the propane fireplace, and QR codes linking to a video of how to operate the murphy bed.