The condo was very nice. It was remodel beautifully. The beds were all very comfortable. The house was clean and ready when promised. The condo was conveniently located to downtown. It is difficult to find in the winter as the snow plows push the snow to one end of the street which blocks the road entrance (and Google Maps did not acknowledge it). Penny (the owner) did provide us alternative directions through a bank entrance, which was the best way to enter and exit. If you go in the winter, you need either an AWD or 4WD to access the property. You are in a mountainous area, so that should be expected. The fireplace worked well, as did all the appliances.
There were a few reasons I didn't give the property 5 stars. These reasons may not be important to every renter, but they did impact us.
1- Storage - although there were plenty of closets, most of them were marked as private. As a very neat person, I hate living out of a suitcase. There really was no where to store clothes in any of the rooms. I understand and respect that the owner needs some personal space, but part of the concept of HomeAway is to feel like you are at home.
2 - There was no microwave. I am very careful about eating whole, fresh foods, so for me personally, it wasn't a big deal. The teenage boys, on the other hand, were extremely distressed. They brought it up everyday.
3 - The internet connection was inconsistent. The boys are on a data limited plan on their phones, so without the internet connection, they were separated from civilization. Although I had plenty of data, AT&T does not work well in the Lake Placid area. So, I too was stranded (although I was not as upset about it). I think it may have had to do with the large amount of snow we had, as people were working on the roof to clear it.
Other than those items, the place was beautiful and well-kept. The owner was responsive. The teenagers enjoyed skiing at Whiteface, and the non-skiers enjoyed the different venues in town. I would definitely recommend the condo.
With respect to skiing, Whiteface is a 20 to 30 minute ride. The free ski bus does not pick up that close to the condo, so I ended up driving them to the slopes every morning. In the afternoon, they took the bus back to town. The driver would drop them off at St Agnes Church, which is very close to the rental.