Clean, quiet, exactly as described. We really enjoyed our stay at the peaceful pinewood retreat. Great communication with host and thoughtful touches. Highly recommended.

Martha & Rick's Pinewood Retreat lives up to its name, and then some. With an astounding 69 out of 70 reviews awarding it a 5-star rating, its reputation speaks volumes. Echoing the sentiments of the 69 previous 5-star reviewers, we wholeheartedly endorse their accolades and offer this perspective. Nestled on the 60-acre Pinewood Lake historically linked – according to Wikipedia – to the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation, this house with its many charming attributes could easily be a picturesque scene from a Thomas Kinkade painting. A commanding long lake view, framed by two walls of floor-to-ceiling glass, provides a serene visual treat from multiple vantage points. If Martha & Rick have us back, we would relish returning seasonally to experience the lake in its full natural splendor. Beyond these visual feasts I’ll offer a few adjectives that best sum up our observations/experience. IMMACULATE – As in eat off the floor clean. ORGANIZED – The hosts have thoughtfully detailed every nuance of the home, right down to the abundance of dimmable light switches, ensuring a perfect ambiance. OUTFITTED – The property is equipped with every household essential making you feel right at home. COMFORTABLE - Whether it's the inviting armchairs or the plush beds, finding your comfort spot here is a given. COMMUNICATION – Clear. Concise. Flawless from check-in to check-out. As for the neighborhood, this Connecticut enclave exudes a relaxed vibe. Book-It Dano!

I do not usually leave reviews. (this is a long one) I definitely wanted to as we had an amazing experience at Pinewood Retreat. First, the property is just as depicted online and in pictures. The location was great, nice neighborhood. House was very comfortable especially with fireplaces being up and downstairs, as well as fire pit on patio which we utilized. Had never played shuffleboard previously and we all had a fun time with that. Everything you could need was provided in the home. From kitchen utensils to games, books, you name it. The lake view was just beautiful. We truly enjoyed morning coffee/tea with the awesome lake view. As far as the owner, Martha was an extremely helpful and attentive hostess right down to every detail. She left several recommendations on places to go and restaurants etc. My daughter mentioned she likes trails, and Martha provided park passes for that. She said she reminded her of Monica Geller on friends and loved her awesome organization. She went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care. We definitely will return when we go back to CT. Our family of 6 had an amazing stay. We highly recommend it.

Martha’s home is pristine and in a great location. My family and I were looking forward to celebrating a milestone birthday all together on the lake. However the start to this week was stressful and extremely disappointing. When we arrived at the appointed check-in time with a car full of perishables we were not able to gain entry with the code provided. I was unable to contact the owner by text, phone or email. I proceeded to reach out to VRBO, and they also were unable to contact the owner. This went on for over 2 hours. This unnecessary stress is not the way to start a holiday. Check in is a crucial time for guests, and it was unacceptable to not have a point person available to troubleshoot with us. Moving on to the home. The overall feeling was that the owner understandably, loves her home and wants guests to treat it with respect. However, the rules, cleaning protocols and not providing basic things such as toilet paper, paper towels and napkins (even though we did find ample available when we arrived, after already purchasing them as per the pre-check-in list the owner sent) made our stay feel less than easy going. After reading the grill cleaning instructions we seriously debated whether to cancel the picnic we had planned due to stress about keeping things just so. Also, If you are late by minutes at depart you'll pay an extra 200.00. These parameters made it feel like we were not in a home away from home, but rather at a reluctant host's home.

This is a very special property and host, a perfect retreat to get away to a quiet, comfortable home with a splendid view. The kitchen is very well stocked for cooks, the lake is a delight for paddle boarding, swimming or just drifting about on a raft. We took our bikes out and walked the neighborhood around the lake daily. Found a neat ice cream creamery a couple of miles away. We'll be back again.

We were celebrating father's day and my dad's 60th birthday. He wanted something low key and close to NYC (where we're from). This was just what we needed! About an hour and 20 mins from NYC, beautiful property, right on the lake, and just like in the pictures. Stunning serene views from every window! The host was great, communicated every step of the way. The house is very well kept, and we especially appreciated that everything is so nicely labeled so we knew just where to find everything and how to use it. You can tell the host put a lot of thought into all the details and we definitely appreciated it! New Haven and Yale is a short 20 to 25 min drive so plenty to explore. And there are some shopping areas too. I couldn't have asked for a better stay! Will definitely recommend to others!!

Perfect for a family gathering. Beautiful property, lakeside, extremely well equipped kitchen. Loved it.

This is the most beautiful, pristine, cared-for, well-stocked VRBO we've ever stayed in. Martha is the consummate host: kind, thoughtful and available to answer any questions. We enjoyed hiking around the lake, taking in the lovely gardens; sitting in peace with our coffee on the terrace in the mornings and chatting over a fire pit in the evenings. The kitchen is so well-organized with photos of how/where to put items back. A+++ accommodation. We hope to be back soon.

Martha is a perfect host. The house is immaculate and has everything you need for relaxing at a lake. We were a family of eight and wanted to be nearby family that live on the lake at Trumbull. I enthusiastically recommend staying here! We hope to come again soon.

The host was incredibly nice and communicative. The house and property are beautiful, though the rain kept us from enjoying the incredible patio next to the lake!! The house is very clean and well organized, with labels and information on everything. It is a convenient drive to everywhere. We would stay here again and highly recommend this listing!!

The property was exceptional; extra clean, well stocked supplies, well organized, all appliances worked as expected, comfortable / quality bedding, easy security access, beautiful views. The hosts were spectacular; great communications, warm, welcoming, helpful. (We especially loved the detailed instructions about how to best enjoy the property.)

Our stay was perfect in every way. The host went out of the way to ensure the property had everything we needed for our little ones. The communication with the Host was outstanding. Next time we are in the area we will be sure to stay again if the property is available.

We really enjoyed staying in Pinewood Retreat! This was the most organized home we have ever stayed in. The kitchen was perfect as was everything else. It’s an older home with so much charm and it’s in great shape. Once you see the view with a cup of coffee in the morning you’ll be hooked!!

We enjoyed our stay! Kitchen was fully stocked and our family enjoyed the home!

I had to quickly find a rental to accommodates a family gathering for my Father’s visitation and funeral. Martha was made her place available to us in very short notice. We were beyond grateful for the peace & tranquility of the property. Martha did not disappoint with her rapid response to any needs. The property is well equipped, neat, tidy and well organised. So much thought and detail in everything. I look forward to renting this property again under different circumstances to truly enjoy all it has to offer.

We loved our stay at Martha’s lakeside home in Trumbull. We were there visiting family and this home was perfect. We had a group of 4 adults and 2 infants and had more than enough space. The house had everything that we needed. The area was gorgeous and it was the absolute best feeling to wake up with the lake in the back yard. We went this October and the fall foliage was amazing. I would highly recommend this home and will definitely go back. One thing to note is that it does get dark in the neighborhood and in front of the home at night, which adds to the calmness of the place!

Our second time staying at this property. Beautiful location and the house met all our needs. The host is a great communicator!

This house is clearly loved and cared for well. It is beautiful, clean, with a great kitchen/dining room setup that is perfect for cooking meals for a large family. The home has a detailed process both internally and with guests using checklists and pictures that help the house get perfectly reset between rentals. The open living areas are great for relaxing together and the kitchen is wide and perfect for allowing multiple cooks to work together and interact with friends and family in the adjoining dining room, as they are essentially one room with lots of windows. We enjoyed one meal outside, and found it easy to move food and so forth between the kitchen and the backyard patio, and in reverse do the cooking outside on the grill and bring the food up with the stairs creating a direct route to the outdoors. There really is a lot to like about this spacious home with high ceilings and gigantic windows, as have many houses I have rented over the years. This one really set itself apart for how well the host takes care of it and how easy it is to cook and clean up after meals.

We greatly enjoyed a few nights in the lake house. If you need to be in the Trumbull area, this is an excellent place to stay. The house and yard are very well maintained and so clean. Beds are comfortable, kitchen fully equipped, and view so peaceful. We highly reccomend it.

Beautiful lakeside home with everything one needs to relax and enjoy company. The home itself and all kitchen items and appliances are kept in terrific condition.

We've stayed in some of the greatest hotels around the world. It was a treat to stay in a quiet, well kept, charming lake neighborhood for a month. Perfect place to read books, watch wildlife or enjoy lake activity. The owner has thought of everything you may need for a blissful stay. We brought our own bikes and went to some trails and a beach front state park for some short rides. We hope to stay again

We were delighted with this beautiful, restful place … like a Swedish cottage. There was ample room when our adult children and their family stopped by for dinner several nights. Water views from every room were breathtaking. The house is well-loved and cared for. It’s the perfect place for a holiday, a week or a month.

There was a miscommunication between owner and renter on equipment use. We are now being fined

Our family from Texas was able to stay together to enjoy my daughters graduation from Yale. Pinewood Lake was relaxing, sitting on the deck and enjoying the view. The recommended places the owner suggested were incredible. I give it 6 out of 5 stars.

Our family of 7 had a wonderful visit to this home. Beautifully clean, so comfortable and outfitted with everything you could need. We cooked together, enjoyed hanging out together around the dining table and having quiet time in the many comfy chairs, took walks about the lake and slept like logs. Would happily return.

The house was beautiful. The lake view was amazing! The house was sunny and spacious. I cannot wait to go back. My family had a wonderful and peaceful vacation. I would highly recommend staying at this house.

Very comfortable, well-appointed waterfront lake home with amazing picturesque views. Lots of room to spread out and relax. Top-tier host with great communication. Great local location near Merrit Parkway. 1 hr 25 min drive to NYC.

Our family of four had a wonderful time at Martha’s rental in Trumbull during our Spring Break vacation. The lakeside house was beautiful; it was very well cared for and had everything that a family would need during their stay. We spent a lot of time just sitting in the living room or on the patio watching the ducks and geese on the lake and enjoying the peace and quiet. Everything throughout the house was well organized and labelled and Martha seemed to think of every detail to make our stay comfortable. Martha was a pleasure to work with and quickly got back to us with any questions we had. The house was well cared for, Martha was a great owner to work with and the location was peaceful and relaxing. We would highly recommend this rental and hope to return to this rental in the near future!

Our family of four had a wonderful time at Martha’s rental in Trumbull during our Spring Break vacation. The lakeside house was beautiful; it was very well cared for and had everything that a family would need during their stay. We spent a lot of time just sitting in the living room or on the patio watching the ducks and geese on the lake and enjoying the peace and quiet. Everything throughout the house was well organized and labelled and Martha seemed to think of every detail to make our stay comfortable. Martha was a pleasure to work with and quickly got back to us with any questions we had. The house was well cared for, Martha was a great owner to work with and the location was peaceful and relaxing. We would highly recommend this rental and hope to return to this rental in the near future!

Beautiful and clean home with incredible view on the lake. Huge highlight is best kitchen with all the utensils you can think of. Perfect for a family who likes to buy local produce and cook at home like us! 10 out of 5 stars!

My family and I had a great stay in this home! The lake view is absolutely gorgeous — truly, the pictures do not do it justice! The house was very comfortable with four adults and two young kids. It had everything we needed and more. Location is excellent as well! Lots of things to do within a 20 minute drive. I highly recommend this home!

This was our second stay at this beautiful lake home and it won’t be our last! Comfortable, clean, beautiful lake views and a great location - pictures just don’t do this property justice. Imagine being cozy by the fire, sipping hot cocoa and watching the snow fall over the serene lake. I miss it already! Plus it’s a short drive to the Bridgeport train station and from there less than 2 hrs to NYC. You can have a busy day in the city then look forward to a quiet night at the lake. We’ve made some great memories here and look forward to many more in the future!