My family and I spent the middle of the week at the VRBO in Hamilton Branch. After the past year of COVID lock down we were ready to get out of our house.
After a long drive, we arrived an hour earlier than expected and found the VRBO freshly cleaned, ready for us to relax. The initial attraction was to go inside to explore and let the kids stake out their rooms, but our attention quickly turned to the back porch overlooking the fast-flowing creek. It was at this time we realized we arrived at a perfect vacation spot for us.
Over the course of the next five days, the patio was one of the high points to the property to simply sit and relax to the gentle sound of the creek. Yes, it was cold, low 30’s to high 40’s, but after all, it was the month of March in the Sierra Mountains. It was what we wanted and expected.
The house was comfortably furnished and provided plenty of distraction for the kids to play ping-pong, learn how to play pool and poker, plus there are plenty of board games, too. If I had to select one negative thing about the house, I would say the two leather sofas were not comfortable, but I did manage to take a nap on one.
The bedrooms provide ample space for the kids to spread out and all rooms, except one room downstairs, provided views of the creek. Our bed was very comfortable, and the sheets and blankets provided the needed warmth without the bulk. I appreciated both the comfortable mattress (I do not say this lightly as I have a bad back) and the no bulk blankets. We enjoyed the gas fireplace and used it often, especially after sitting on the back porch. We purposely did not use the wood fireplace, but it was prepped, clean and ready for use.
As the cook of our household, I appreciated the diversity of pots, pans, dishes, and utensils provided. We cooked all our meals and were able to accomplish his with all the kitchen appliances provided (perhaps a larger cheese grater would have helped for our cheese hungry kids), but I found the kitchen to be more than sufficient. I am not a fan of electric stoves, but it worked well without issue.
Overall, we really enjoyed the house and its amenities, and we would return for anther trip to the Lake Almanor area.