Spent 2 nights here with my husband, 6 year old daughter and mother and we absolutely loved it. We were in cottage 3, two bedrooms with a queen bed in one and twin and double in the other so it was truly made for our needs. It was our first family vacation and first time to PEI for all except my husband so I did a ton of online research about where to stay. The reviews were what sold me on The Pines.
Starting with location, this place is a real diamond. 15 minutes down the road from Cavendish Beach and Sandspit. Right on the river, with a restaurant at the end of the road (pricey food but a patio and it's all part of the experience). Most notably, after driving around and seeing how exposed or cramped or right on the main road the other properties were, we felt spoiled with our location that has a sprawling yard with privacy thanks to the river and being in off the main rode. Cottage 3 especially removes you from the world as it looks out onto the trees between the property and the river. It's also right by the play structure so I could watch my daughter play from our deck or living room window. The pool was a huge hit with her too, and she was in there 3-4 times. It's 5 ft at the deep end so better than most hotel pools! There are Adirondack chairs, loungers, pool noodles and floaties supplied and towels are available for the pool from the office.
When we walked into the cottage, we could smell cleaner. Not offensively strong, just enough to know the place was thoroughly cared for between guests.
We truly wanted for nothing in this cottage. All amenities were there to be found, even a barbecue lighter. Each bedroom had a fan, there's an AC in the living room, and a spot to hang coats behind the TV. The space is utilized very smartly. Special shout out to the beds, which were AWESOME, with nice soft pillows. Extra blankets were found in the dressers.
There was also a handy binder on the table with all the property information and furthermore about the town and all nearby attractions and resources, like where the closest pharmacy was for example.
Because we were there on weekdays, it was quiet. We didn't see many other guests, though there were other vehicles. It made for relaxing nights and easy sleeping.
Lastly, the owner? What a lovely guy. So personable, very easy to talk to. A call away at any time, and easy to find when we checked in and out.
We were so happy here, we plan on returning every summer and always to cottage 3 if possible.
One thing to note was my GPS took us down some sketchy one lane dirt road about 15 minutes before our arrival. No idea why, but the owner said several people mentioned it to him, because I'm sure like us they were confused and a little scared lol so perhaps double check your routing if you're using GPS. The main roads will get you to The Pines easily.
