The Peaceful Retreat Near Birmingham

Please read the following DETAILS and RATES THOROUGHLY for important information about check-in/check-out times, amenities, Extra Guest Fee for 3rd or 4th guests, and other policies such as for Pets or Smoking. When submitting your inquiry please tell us something about yourself and those accompanying you, and a bit about the purpose of your trip. Thanks! PLEASE CLICK ON THIS PAGE TO OPEN IT AND READ THE DESCRIPTION....

You don't have to sacrifice tranquility and beauty for convenience. Meadow Lake Cabin is relaxing, private, and cozy, with a picturesque meadow, stream and fishing lake just a few steps from the porch swing. Yet nearby are parks, restaurants, and shops. It's the perfect accommodation for couples, solo adventurers, and business travelers. While the owners live in another house on the property, guests have the cabin all to themselves.

Meadow Lake Cabin is a hidden gem in scenic Shelby County Alabama. Though convenient to shopping, restaurants, recreation venues, and the city of Birmingham, sometimes locals are surprised to find out about our "hide-away" in the heart of Chelsea.

The cabin has a large room downstairs with a living room (sleeper sofa, chairs, desk, & stone fireplace), dining area (seats 4), equipped kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom features an antique claw-foot tub for baths or showers. Upstairs is a sleeping loft with a queen-size bed. The full-length front porch is furnished with a swing, love seat, and charcoal grill. The cabin is surrounded by woods, flowering shrubs, and a bamboo grove behind, with open views of the meadow and lake in front.

Please see the “Amenities” tab for a list of what the Cabin offers, or doesn’t. You’ll see there that TV and Internet are NOT offered in the Cabin, only a small radio. This is by design, not neglect. We try to make the Cabin as restful as possible, where guests can relax, disconnect, and unwind. We rent out “Meadow Lake Suite,” a walkout basement apartment on the same property as the Cabin, which has a SmartTV (allowing guests to access programming they subscribe to, such as Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, etc.) and Internet. You’ll also find it listed on HomeAway/VRBO.

Our check-in time is 3 p.m. Central. Check-out time is 10 a.m. Central. Please DON’T assume we're okay with arrival or departure times different from these. These times are based on our personal schedules, that are necessary for hosting you and others, and arriving early or departing late isn't acceptable without previous approval.

Our breakfast items usually include fresh fruit, several cereal choices, milk, good coffee, tea selection, half & half cream, fresh orange juice, pop tarts, jams. and butter.

We're situated on 3.5 acres. Guests have access to the front meadow, a seasonal stream, views overlooking a 6-acre lake, dock (fishing only on our end of the lake, which is small but productive, and is catch and release only), lakeside benches, and our (unheated) salt-system swimming pool with patio dining tables (located behind our home). The owners live in another house on the property. Guests have the Cabin and its surrounding lawn area to themselves. Meadow Lake Suite, a walkout basement in the owners' home, may also be rented through HomeAway, so that groups of up to 8 can be accommodated simultaneously. Both Cabin and Suite guests share use of the pool, dock, and grounds.

Our lake is home to Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Gar & several turtle species, and is periodically visited by Great Blue & Green Herons, Canada Geese, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Kingfishers, Muskrats, & Beavers.

We believe informality is a key ingredient of relaxation, and it begins when you arrive. We allow guests to let themselves in and get settled, and enjoy meeting them later when possible. We're always glad to recommend places to visit, shop, or eat at in our area, or otherwise make ourselves available to help.

Our cabin is located just off a county road, but on a private lane that's only used by the few residents living on it. Because of its proximity to the county road, there may be some daytime commuter traffic noise, and there is a railroad crossing within 1/2 mile. The county road is also being re-directed, so construction equipment is active nearby building the new roadbed from 7am to 5pm on weekdays. Chelsea has small-town character, but easy access to big-city amenities. Surrounding Shelby County has many quiet and scenic roads to explore. Within 15 minutes you can find great dining and shopping options, a large cinema, and any number of services. Our county seat, Columbiana has a pleasant Main Street to stroll, complete with a drugstore soda fountain. Columbiana also lays claim to a small gem of a museum with the second largest collection of George & Martha Washington memorabilia outside of Mt. Vernon!

Meadow Lake is approximately 30 minutes drive from downtown Birmingham, 40 minutes drive from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (23 mi or 37 km), 2.5 hours from Hartsfield-Atlanta Airport (152 mi or 245 km), 30 minutes from Amtrak Birmingham rail station (19 mi or 30 km), and less than 30 minutes from Interstates 65, 20, or 459.

Here are some important Rules of the House that our guests should know:

- We respect our guests' right to a quiet getaway, and ask them to also respect the peacefulness we enjoy. Evening quiet hours are from 10pm to 7am, but we like for Meadow Lake to be a tranquil place all day. Loud volume music or other entertainment isn't allowed on the property. Full disclosure: on weekends (mostly on Sundays) our children and grandchildren occasionally enjoy the afternoon in our home, so there is more activity on the grounds at this time (usually from 1-6 p.m.).

- No smoking is permitted in the Cabin, pool area, or the immediate area of our house. Smoking is permitted on the lawn, and guests must dispose of cigarette butts in their vehicle ashtray or a water bottle.

- We require an accurate statement of the number of guests in your party, and that if there are 3 or 4 that the extra person fee of $12 per person per night be paid through HomeAway in advance of arrival. Cash will not be accepted. There is a limit of 4 people who can be accommodated in the Cabin. There is no extra person fee for children under 1 year old.

- Guests of ours may not invite their own guests, friends or family into the Cabin or onto the grounds. No exceptions are allowed!

-Early check-ins and late check-outs cannot be accommodated. 3pm CENTRAL and 10am CENTRAL are our check-in and check-out times. Please plan accordingly.

- Personal firearms may not be carried openly on the grounds or brought into the Cabin.

- Minors using the pool or lake must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.

- Our Cabin and grounds may not be a good fit for some children, because of proximity to a paved road and unfenced access to the lake. We ask that parents/guardians be the judge of this and be vigilant. They will be the only guarantors of the safety of minors on the property. We are glad to answer in detail any questions regarding this.

- We welcome non-crawling infants, and porta-crib is available for your use. There are hard and sharp surfaces in the Cabin, and the wall-mounted heater and kitchen supplies are all within reach of toddlers. The stair treads in the Cabin have gaps that a small child could possibly crawl through.

- Please be advised that the Cabin may not be a good fit for elderly or those with restricted mobility, as there are stairs into and within the Cabin, and one must step over a high tub wall for bathing or showering.

- A canoe is available for guests, but passengers must know how to swim and wear a PFD (personal flotation device) at all times.

PETS:
We will consider allowing dogs on a case-by-case basis. There are nearby kennels for cats, but they aren't allowed in the cabin.  We require a fee of $10 per night to accommodate dogs. This fee covers up to 2 dogs for 1 night. Prospective guests must select to pay the Pet Fee from the booking options when making their reservation. Please note that the VRBO reservation app unfortunately does not multiply the Pet Fee by the number of nights stayed, as it does for Extra Guests. If you are staying only 1 night the fee will be paid in full, but if you are staying multiple nights we will have to make a Pet Fee Request of $10 per night through VRBO for any additional nights.

Our policy for allowing dogs is is that they be house-broken, that damage to the cabin or property be absolutely prevented at all times, that they not be allowed on any furniture or bed, that they be kept on a lead/leash when outside the cabin, that they be given frequent opportunities to relieve themselves outdoors and picked up after, that they be crated if left alone in the cabin (and not left alone for more than a couple of hours at a time), that they be free of any sickness that could be passed to other pets, and that they be current on their flea medication. If the property is damaged by the dog (including urine on furniture or floor), or if there is a flea problem after check-out, it will be paid for from the Security Deposit that's required. Dog supplies (bowls, beds, leashes, crates, etc.) aren't provided and must be brought by the guest. Guests may not allow pets to eat from Cabin tableware or kitchenware under any circumstances. Before your check-out we may do a walk-through with you to verify there were no problems, so neither party will be surprised to learn of something afterward. Our guests must agree to strict compliance with all these points, for the protection of the property, for the comfort of future guests, and for the well-being of your own pet. If all of the above is agreeable to you then you are welcome to bring your dog(s). Guests may not bring any other pets, such as cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, etc.