I thought you all had five cabins? What happened to the rest?
You're right: We had Marmot, Chickaree, Pika, Pine Marten, as well as the original Little Owl, until 2025. We sold all but Little Owl. For the foreseeable future, this will be our only rental cabin.
What are the amenities like?
In a word, amazeballs!
Our custom hot tub is designed to look and feel like a natural hot springs, and includes two pools.
Chefs and gourmands will be plenty satisfied with our cooking appliances, cookware and utensils: Café range with induction and convection; Wusthof knives; cookware by Staub and Hestan; a Zojirushi rice cooker, sous vide, Vitamix, and all the bakeware and utensils you could possibly need to prepare a multi-course feast.
Our beds are Leesa mattresses, with pillows and sheets from Brooklinen. If our mattresses are too firm for you, then you'll have access to a two-inch memory foam topper. Each bed will have synthetic down and memory foam pillows.
For the WFH set, you're all set here: 27-inch 4K monitor, keyboard, mouse, laptop stand, ergonomic Steelcase chair, and a ring light in our upstairs workstation.
Drive an EV? We've got your juice: Level 2 charging in our driveway!
Our bath products are all from Rudy's Barber Shop: Body soap, shampoo and conditioner.
Bad coffee is verboten here: We'll provide a bag of Roseline whole bean coffee. We have a Rancilio burr grinder, a Technivorm Moccamaster drip machine, and a Chemex carafe.
Our outdoor grill, a Broilmaster, is a beast! Use our sous vide cooker to get your meats and fish to temp, then bring them to the grill for a super hot and crusty sear.
Can I have my wedding or elopement ceremony at your cabin? Or a couples photo shoot?
We cannot host events of any kind, no matter the occasion or guest count. Also, our cabin is no longer available for couples, boudoir, family, and/or wedding photography sessions, no matter how casual, tasteful or brief. (This includes "getting ready" shots.) You're welcome to take photos of course, and we hope you'll tag us @littleowlcabin when you do; but couples sessions are strictly prohibited for reasons that are too many and varied to explain here. (Before you send us that email, please know that our heels are totally dug in on this one. We will neither consider nor respond to requests for exceptions.)
I'd love to do a product/service photo shoot at your cabin. How do we set this up?
As long as it's not for couples, wedding or boudoir photography, then we'd be happy to discuss hosting your photo shoot. Commercial or professional photography will require a signed agreement by the guest and photographer, and a negotiated fee, depending on the product or service you're proposing to shoot. It's strictly prohibited without prior permission. Send us an email with a description of what you'd like to shoot, and for whom you'll be shooting, and we'll get back to you.
Do you do social media collaborations?
Yes, but we get far more requests than we can feasibly honor; thus, we really can't evaluate and respond to each collaboration request individually.
In a typical year, we'll do no more than 2 collaborations. Nearly all of those are with content providers--mostly amateurs, some professionals--who have stayed with us previously as paying guests, and who posted something that vividly captured the feeling and vibe that we like to cultivate at our cabin. Bottom line: We're more impressed with good content than bajillions of followers.
Can you put me on a waiting list for cancellations?
We don't keep a waiting list, but you can sign up for cancellation notifications at the bottom of our home page. When we get a cancellation, we'll notify our email subscribers first, then announce to social media if we don't get a booking within 24 hours. In addition to first notification, subscribers receive discount codes for canceled bookings.
I booked your cabin through Craigslist. Did I get scammed?
We have never listed our cabin on Craigslist, eBay, or any other non-hospitality channels. The only places where you can legitimately book a stay with us are this website, Airbnb or VRBO. Any listings elsewhere are most definitely scams.
What is your cancellation and refund policy?
That depends on where you booked. Airbnb and VRBO reservations are subject to the terms you agreed to when you reserved, and we won't make any exceptions to policy on those reservations. If you booked direct with us, we'll return 100% of your money (minus a 5% credit card transaction fee) if you cancel 30 days before your scheduled arrival. Within 30 days, you will not technically be eligible for any refund; however, we can usually still issue a refund as long as you've left us with enough time to get another booking for your canceled night(s). Rebooked nights are refunded at the total paid for the new booking, minus the 5% fee.
We will not make refund/cancellation policy exceptions for reasons of illness, accidents, injuries, family tragedies, etc. We recommend the purchase of travel insurance.
Should I book direct, or via Airbnb/VRBO? What's the difference?
Your experience will be the same, whether you book direct or through a third party. We usually mark up Airbnb and VRBO rates by about 15%, before those guys tack on their service fees, so you'll probably save at least 20% by booking direct. Should you need to cancel or reschedule, we can be a lot more flexible with direct bookings than with Airbnb/VRBO reservations.
Is your cabin dog friendly?
Yes! Dogs and their people are our favorite guests. You may bring up to two dogs. We don't charge pet fees, but if Fido is a big shedder, you'll need to clean up to avoid an added cleaning charge.
Your listing is advertised at a much lower rate than I see when I try to book. How do I get that lower rate?
The advertised rate is our base rate, which is typically only offered in low season (during and within a couple of weeks of April and November). In addition to your quoted rate, we must charge a housekeeping fee, as well as local sales and lodging taxes.
How are the roads there in the winter?
We don't get as much snow as you might think. For most of the winter, we're at least 1,000 feet below the snow line. That said, we'll still get a good blast of snow about twice a year, between December and April. We recommend AWD/4WD in the winter months, but if you've got front wheel drive with good tire tread, you'll probably get around just fine. The only instance in which we will issue a refund or allow you to reschedule your stay is if Hwy 12 is closed between Interstate 5 and Yakima, WA.
Do you offer gift cards?
We do not.
Are your rates flexible?
Our nightly rates are not negotiable, but if you're looking to visit on the cheap, we typically discount unbooked weeknights about a month in advance.
Do you offer military, senior, healthcare worker discounts?
Everyone pays the same rate. We don't offer any special discounts.
Where's the nearest major airport?
We are 2.5 hours from both Portland and Seattle-Tacoma airports.
What's the best time of year to visit?
For most, it's summer and early autumn. It can get hot here, but most summer days are totally clear and mild. Winter's also pretty great if you enjoy skiing (downhill or nordic), snowboarding, or snowshoeing. November and April are great for foraging (chanterelles, morels, matsutakes, to name just a few), and otherwise just cocooning in the cabins.
Hiking is hugely popular here, but your options will vary depending on the season. Nearly every trailhead is accessible between June and early November, but you'll be restricted to lowland hikes in wintry months unless you've got snowshoes, backcountry skis and seriously good orienteering chops.
How private or secluded is your cabin?
Our cabin is located in a vacation home community. If you're looking for a truly off-the-grid experience, that'll be a disappointment. We have neighbors, but you'll still enjoy plenty of privacy, immersion in nature, and proximity to sublime landscapes. Our back deck is immediately adjacent to National Forest, and about 30 yards from a lovely stream.
Do you do charity auctions or giveaways?
Yes, but if we offered a cabin stay for every deserving charity solicitation, we'd go bankrupt. Having worked for decades in nonprofit, we appreciate all y'all, but to keep things simple and maximize our impact, we've chosen pet rescue and adoption as our exclusive -pet- charity.
Any flexibility on the person caps?
Sorry, but large groups have just given us too much trouble. We realize that some groups are more respectful than others, but the most usual methods for screening the troublesome ones just haven't worked well for us.
