With so many cabins to pick from in the Hochatown and Broken Bow, Oklahoma area, how do you narrow down your search for the perfect cabin?
We all know to look at prices and reviews to rent a cabin, but what are the other things you should consider when renting a cabin.
Here are three other considerations when picking a cabin in Broken Bow that you may not have thought about. We suggest ranking the considerations from your most important to least. Start your search with whichever consideration you rank highest and then work your way down the list. For example, if amenities are the most important because you love shuffleboard, then start with cabins that offer shuffleboard first, then look for the other things on your list. If location is most important, start with that and then continue to the next item on your list.
- Cabin
- The feel of the cabin. Some people like the rustic log cabin with wood furniture, some like modern-style cabins with modern furniture, and some like the styles in between that range. With thousands of cabins in Broken Bow, you are sure to find the style you like.
- Amenities. Amenities range from fun stuff to do at the cabin, stocked items in the cabin, what is on the lot, and other features. Think about what you are trying to do on this vacation and who is coming with you. If you are bringing your boat or ATVs, finding a cabin with a large and long driveway would be important to you, and it may be super important to get one with a U-shaped driveway so you don't have to try to back up your trailer. Want to keep your little ones entertained? Look for cabins with playgrounds and toys for kids. Do you want to enjoy water features without driving away from the cabin? Look for a cabin located in front of a creek or river! Tip: There are no cabins on the lake.
- Bedrooms and baths. Maybe you'd like a certain number of bedrooms for privacy, or you have lots of little ones and need more bathrooms or tubs to bathe in.
- Floor plan. Some traveling might want at least one bedroom downstairs to avoid stairs. You might even want some physical separation between the bunk rooms and the rest of the cabin. You may prefer an open floor plan or one with doors for sound and privacy.
- Road Conditions -- Roads to the cabin can matter for you and for emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicles weigh more and are generally wider and will have a tough time getting to the cabin, or may not be able to traverse the road at all. Also, keep in mind, in Hochatown, once you turn off Highway 259, it is rare to have street lights, so visibility will be low in dark conditions.
- Paved vs unpaved. Some roads are paved, some are graveled, some are just dirt. Roads that are paved are good for all types of cars; they make for a smooth ride, you don't need a high clearance vehicle, and it minimizes damage/repairs on your car. Graveled roads vary in the thickness of graveled laid, how the gravel was compacted, and size of gravel, which can impact your ride, how fast you can go, and how much difficulty you put your car through, among other things. Some cabins are on dirt roads, which can help give it a more remote feel, but these roads can be very dusty, tend to have large and deep pot holes which can be damaging to cars (especially cars with low clearance), can get very muddy, can have deep ruts, may have large rocks embedded or loose in the road, and some flood after rain. With unpaved roads, you may want to consider the risks to your car, whether it is damage or a part wearing out faster, eg. tires, alignment, brakes, paint/car's surface, suspension, undercarriage, puncturing oil pan, etc. You should ask your host about the type and conditions of the roads leading to the cabin from Highway 259, if these are concerns of yours.
- Steep incline/decline. Some cabins don't look like they are situated on terrain with inclines and declines so it's best to ask. Cabins that have a great view off a high setting will likely come with a steep incline or decline road along the route to the cabin. Some people may not like or are unable to drive these types of roads. There are cabins at the bottom of steep declines and to get out, well, you'll also have to drive up a steep incline. There are also cabins that are at a top of a steep incline, and to get out, you have to go back down. Depending on your car, you may have difficulty getting in and out. Add to it, weather conditions, such as moisture, whether it is fog, mist, rain, sleet, snow, or ice, that can make the journey in either direction especially scary, or even perilous because of the road conditions. Some guests have been trapped in these conditions. Make sure your car is in good maintenance, have lots of good tire tread, great brakes, the power and torque to go up and down, know how to shift into a lower gear (whether in automatic or manual shift car), and bring someone who isn't afraid to drive up and down steep roads. Also, bring extra food as a precaution in case you can't get out, especially if the weather looks like it will be less than ideal. There have been guests trapped in cabins because they can't leave with rain, snow, or ice on those steep roads.
- Road widths and safety. There are a few roads and even cabin driveways that narrow down to a little more than a car's width next to the edge of drop off with no guardrails, or even narrow driveways that run straight down then abruptly turn with no guardrail at the bottom to let you know the driveway/road stops going straight. You may even consider the type of car you driving and forecasted weather. In particular for these type of roads, consider whether there is a chance of ice or snow. There is no public snow shoveling or de-icing road programs in Hochatown, so you may not able to see where the driveway or road's edge is located. Some of these roads may even just be dirt roads, in which case rain could make the dirt turn to slick compacted mud and make it slippery on these mountain edges.
- Rain/Floods. There are roads that are made to flood. What does that mean? Well, there are roads that were built to get some place, but the builders knew it tends to flood there, so the roads are made to withstand the flood; maybe the road is next to a body of water that overflows or it's just in a location that tends to flood because the water tends to gather there. While the road is made to not wash away with the floods, it doesn't mean that the roads are safe to cross when it floods. Use your judgment and take into consider the water and road condition, as well as your car. If you can't see the road, don't cross. If the water is rushing, don't cross. A local resident recently decided to drive across a road that flooded, but because of the water, she didn't see the large rock in the road that ended up tearing a hole in her gas tank-- that was an expensive lesson to learn. Generally, water will recede a couple of hours after the rain stops, which could delay your plans. Be sure to ask your host whether the route to the cabin includes a road that floods during heavy rain, if you are on a tight time schedule to get to the cabin or depart for your trip home.
- Area
- Proximity. There are no vacation rentals in the city limits of Broken Bow due to city ordinance. If you want a vacation rental, focus on the outside of the city limits and in Hochatown. Hochatown, about 10 minutes north of Broken Bow, is where most of the vacation rentals are actually located. Most people say they are going to Broken Bow, when in reality, they are going to Hochatown; Broken Bow is just the nearest "large" city. Hochatown includes Broken Bow Lake, Hochatown State Park, and Cedar Creek Golf Course at Beavers Bend. Decide what's important to you, such as close proximity to the lake, close proximity to the mountains, close proximity to restaurants, or maybe it doesn't matter as you long as you get away. If you are vacationing during peak seasons, your location maybe more important if you plan to do outings; you might want to plan to stay closer to certain things to avoid the traffic on Highway 259, which is one lane each way, and the main street running north to south connecting Hochatown and Broken Bow.
- Neighborhood. Even though we are remote, we still have "neighborhoods". Some developments are brand new. The upside could be that you are staying in a newer cabin, the downside could be that there are cabins around you that are under construction or areas are still under development in that neighborhood. Sound carries pretty far in Hochatown. Some neighborhoods have quiet hours. Some do not and it is up to the owners or property management to enforce quiet hours. This means, you could have the sounds of construction early in the morning or on the weekends, which can make your stay less relaxing or less enjoyable. You can stay in more mature neighborhoods to lessen your chances of construction noise. There may still be a property in those mature neighborhoods that never got developed until now, or there may be an existing cabin that is undergoing repairs or improvements, but the chances are lower.
If you have other things to add to the list, let us know!
Aiukli Creek View Cabin and Aiukli Pine View Cabin are conveniently located near attractions with many that require you to get on the highway, on paved roads that don't flood, and in a mature neighborhood.
Did you know "Aiukli" means "beautiful" in the Choctaw language? It is nod to the Choctaw native indians that settled in the area. Aiukli is pronounced eye-yuke-lee.