A quiet retreat in the woods, on the shore of a lake. Watch eagles and osprey with your morning coffee. Toast marshmallows on the beach after dark. Close to Redmond, Seattle and the mountains, this peaceful apartment offers a full, well-supplied kitchen, laundry facilities and very comfortable beds. You'll find destination Mountain Bike trails just up the road. Excellent restaurants a quick drive away. And one of King County's most pristine lakes just down the stairs. Pets welcome. No smoking. The space This peaceful getaway is the huge downstairs apartment of the house our family has owned for over 50 years. It's a self-contained unit, with a full, well-supplied kitchen, laundry facilities, very comfortable beds, privacy and quiet. It's hard to say which is the most wonderful feature of the apartment. Is it the extremely comfortable beds? Is it the friendly living room with its lovely gas fireplace? Is it the spacious layout, with enough room to comfortably hold a large crowd, yet which also has plenty of nooks and corners for privacy and rest? Or is it the patio? The gardens? The trees? The flowers? The chickens? Those are all wonderful. But surely the best feature is the lake--Ames Lake, a private, quiet, clean, delightful oasis, home to beavers, eagles, buffle-heads, perch, trout, dragonflies and kingfishers. Internal-combustion engines aren't allowed on the lake, which helps to keep it quiet and peaceful. Please note: This property is not appropriate for people with pet allergies. It is also not appropriate for people who smoke, inside or out. This is the only property we own. We're a family. Not a corporation renting out hundreds of homes. We are so happy to be able to welcome you as our guests. If you have a larger party, or want to do an event, you might consider renting the upstairs Master Bedroom Suite, together with the downstairs apartment. It has the same name as this listing, just with "Master Suite" at the end. Guest access Aside from the apartment, you have full access to the gardens, boathouse, dock and lake. You may use the boats and floats (at your own risk, no lifeguards here!). The main parking for this unit is a side-driveway just at the entrance. If you will be bringing more than two cars, let me know and we'll work it out. Pets are considered extra guests, so please include them in your guest count and let me know they will be here. Thanks! Other things to note Please note that this apartment only has one bathroom, though there is a second vanity and sink in the third bedroom (see pics). If you have a very large group you might consider renting both this space and the Master Suite upstairs. Noise can travel through the house. We ask that guests be considerate of each other and not make too huge of a racket. Smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited anywhere on the property. Though the apartment itself has no stairs, you have to either go down stairs (with a handrail) or a steep path to get the lake. Once at the lake there are various paths in--stairs, ramp, beach, diving. You are on your own in the water and there is no lifeguard on the lake. You can walk around the lake on the road, and just up the road to miles of trails in the woods. You can even hike to Carnation (roughly 3 miles and a very steep hill). Everything else requires a car. Restaurants are 10-20 minutes away, but well worth the drive! Closest grocery stores are 10 minutes away, either in Carnation or on the way to Redmond. There is no bus service here, though Lyft and Uber are usually available. There are cats and a dog on the premises. Though they stay out of the guest suite, if you have strong allergies this is not the house for you. Also, if you plan to bring a pet please include it in the rental! There has been some discussion of late about the fees on AirBnB. I charge extra for extra guests (day guests $5/apiece, night guests $10/apiece), because there is are extra costs (cleaning, utilities, etc.) with more people here. I also charge a cleaning fee. This is actually to keep the cost of the rental down per day, and encourage longer rentals. I do not expect you to clean before you leave, other than doing the dishes and tidying up. My goal is to keep this rental reasonably priced, so that more people are able to enjoy this beautiful property in this stunning location. We want you to feel welcome here. You are our guest! Let this be your retreat from the city, in the woods on the lake.