The Refuge Cottage on the Shawnee Wine Trail!

Nestled in the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge, 20 minutes from the SIUC campus and located on the Shawnee Wine Trail. The Refuge Cottage offers a perfect place to enjoy beautiful Southern Illinois. Enjoy hiking along scenic forest trails or drop a kayak in a nearby lake! Discover locally made wine, beer, and spirits, or check out the local food scene. If you need a recharge, stay in and read in front of the fireplace, or sip coffee on the screened in porch and enjoy the solitude. Hello future/ potential renters: We want you to know that we are committed to providing safe, relaxing getaway for you. Some basic information about the rentals themselves follow. 1. Our rental is located in a rural area where you have the option to interact only with yourselves. There are neighbors, but there is plenty of outdoor space for you to enjoy at both locations. 2. In between guests, we will continue to thoroughly sanitize all linens, door handles, remotes, etc. This is currently our practice as is, but will be extra vigilant during this time. 3. Antibacterial hand and dish soap are provided at the rentals. 4. We will limit our visiting with guests unless you need us to bring you something, or you would like a fire built, etc. We will remain in contact via text/ Airbnb messaging. Our numbers are provided via the app (once you book, you have the option to call us). Due to spam calls, text is best! Even if you just shoot a text to set up a call-we will get back to you as soon as possible. !PETS: Pets are welcome with a $45 pet fee (covers 2 pets for the whole stay)- message us with inquiries regarding pets! **NOTE** Recreational Marijuana is legal in Illinois! Check out the guidebook on dispensaries for more info or shoot us a message! We are “420 Friendly” but just ask that when partaking in any manner that may create an odor (smoking) you do it outside or on the screened in porch. The rustic yet modern feel of the Refuge Cottage will instantly set you at ease and make you feel at home. Set toward the end of a small neighborhood in the woods, surrounded by the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge, you'll experience the solitude you're looking for on your vacation! Our neighborhood is small, and the neighbors are amazing- we are sort of a small family on our own. We just ask that you be respectful of our neighbors by driving slowly each time you go down the lane, keeping loud music/ noises to a minimum after 10, and not littering. With a full kitchen and 2 bedrooms, the Cottage is perfect for a quick getaway or a longer stay. "Dorothy's Room" features a queen bed. "Jack's Room" features two twin bed, and the living room has two (comfortable- I promise!) Futons that fold down into full size beds - plenty of room for a group or a getaway with friends! We don’t charge for extra guests, and we have no issue with air mattresses or anything being brought In. Both rooms feature ceiling fans with remotes, closets, and cozy bedding! The living/ dining area gives you the perfect, cozy spot to relax in front of the gas fireplace- just flip a switch for instant ambiance. Pop in a DVD, play a board game, or check out one of the local activity guides to plan your stay. The bathroom includes a full size tub/ shower, lighted vanity, pedestal sink. Towels, toilet paper, and assorted amenities are included for your convenience. The open kitchen is perfect for preparing meals while still enjoying your party. A full sized fridge and oven/ stove, sink, and plenty of cabinet space allow you to cook a gourmet meal or make a quick snack. We provide all the kitchen utensils and pots and pans that you may need! Basics such as flour, sugar, salt and pepper, etc. will be ready for guest use! The screened in porch is the perfect place to hang out without having to worry about mosquitos or rain. Relax, enjoy your meal, or just sit and enjoy the sounds of nature. The "Creek Deck" as we call it, overlooks a small creek and is our favorite spot! It overlooks a small creek and provides great background noise after a rain! An outdoor table with seating for 4 and umbrella make it a great spot to spend time. Across the road, you can check out Devils Kitchen Lake. There is a kayak drop in, paved roads that are perfect for a walk or bike riding, and a great spot next to lake for a picnic. Plus, you may get to see the geese that call the lake home holding traffic up. Down the road, you can check out Little Grassy Lake. There's a spot that's perfect for pictures, a secret swimming spot, and a marina where you can rent pontoon boats for the day! You'll have sole access to the whole space. If we need something from the Cottage, we will message you first! * During winter, keep in mind that the cottage is in a rural area and snowfall may hinder your travel to and from the Cottage. * We are in the woods, and that means that you may be exposed to the dreaded "B" word.... bugs!!! You are surrounded by nature and critters come with that experience. Please keep that in mind. You may want to bring bug spray if it's the season for it. We do our best to provide citronella for outdoors. You may see some local wildlife such as deer, raccoon, possum, etc. Please don't bother them, just enjoy watching them! * Cell phone reception may not be ideal depending on the carrier- again, being in a rural area, it's something that comes along with it. Verizon seems to get the best reception, with ATT being okay, and others not as great. Usually, you will be able to find a spot that works for your carrier though! We do not have WIFI at this time (we are looking into it), so please try to enjoy your experience with your group without worrying too much about staying connected. * We love to provide amenities like books, DVD’s, games, and toys for our guests! Please leave them as you found them. If you’d like to take a book, please leave one in it’s place if you have one so that others can enjoy the selection. Books that should not be taken will be marked on the inside cover. * Smoking (tobacco, legal marijuana, etc) is allowed OUTSIDE or in the SCREENED IN PORCH ONLY. *Our neighbors have a feisty puppy named Reba. She is on a collar that does not allow her to leave the yard, but should you see her outside- feel free to pet her- just be aware that she gets so excited she jumps on people! She could knock a child or elderly person down with the excitement!* **PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY DOWN THE LANE** We cannot stress this enough! This goes along with respecting the neighbors, but we have had issues with it in the past. There is no reason to go over 10mph down our gravel lane that is shared with our neighbors. Neighbors have young children who are happy to be able to wander the neighborhood. The person who booked the space is responsible for letting all other parties that are driving know about the speed limit. Please help us to respect the neighborhood! Also- please DO NOT DISPOSE OF TRASH OR CIGARETTE BUTTS on the lane! Save them for the trash please :)