2024 CHARLESTON LAKE RENTAL COTTAGES - Information Page

NEW FOR 2024:  RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED STARTING FEB 1, AT 8:00 a.m.
*for this year if you did not see this notice in time, reservations will be accepted as received, starting at 12:01 a.m. but in future will start strictly at 8:00 a.m. to eliminate early morning angst.  Reservations will be acknowledged within 12 hrs of receipt if not sooner.  Thanks for your patience while we transition to this time frame.

NOTE:  WE DO NOT DO EXCHANGE; If you are Canadian and your bank is Canadian, you pay in CAD funds via e-transfer.  If you are American (may use e-transfer Zelle only) and your bank is USD, you pay same advertised rental rate but in USD. To pay in CAD, an American may use their Canadian Bank Acct, no problem.


COVID info:
Kelsey's Marina or Cottage Rentals accept no responsibility for Covid advice.

For your convenience (please advise us if any of these numbers have changed or need others added to this information):
Entering Canada:
Canada Customs - leave NYS, enter Canada via 1000 Islands Bridge, at Lansdowne, Ontario: 613-659-2301
Canada Customs - leaving NYS entering Canada via Ogdensburg bridge: 613-925-4225

Entering USA:
US Customs - leave Ontario, enter NYS via 1000 Islands Bridge at Alexandria Bay: 315-482-2261
US Customs - leave Ontario, enter NYS at Ogdensburg Bridge: 315-393-1390


US Citizens: Should you make a reservation that results in the inability to cross into Canada, rental monies will not be refunded.  We will try to work with you in every way but our main goal is to keep rental money going to our cottage owners and reduce cancellations for them.  You may use online banking for submittal of your $300 deposit and final balance at least two months prior to arrival.  If you don't have a Canadian bank account, you can use Zelle to submit in USDollars.  Sorry but we do not have a way of fairly configuring or keeping track of exchange rates, so in lieu of a Canadian dollars account, we can only accept same amt but in US Dollars.

COTTAGES CONTACT:  [email protected] (Please DO NOT contact Kelsey's Marina for cottage particulars; we use their website to post rental information but they are IN NO WAY responsible for cottage rentals or fielding questions regarding such)

CHARLESTON LAKE RENTAL COTTAGES via GOOGLE MAPS (our cottages show as gold stars on map; note that island cottages are closer to water than shown on map).  Not all cottages shown on the map are still available in 2024; please check the cottage listings index page, per se, on this site.

CHARLESTON LAKE VILLAGE is at northeast end of lake, approx 5 mi from Athens, ON; The Outlet is located at southern end of lake, closest to Lansdowne, ON.


Booking Procedures, Parking, Pets, Garbage, etc:
  • Note: Cottages are privately owned by summer residents and are not a part of the marina business AT ALL; the Marina or staff are not responsible for ANY questions or issues.  Please  email us for cottage accommodation info, NOT Kelsey's Marina.
  • Move-in will not be allowed without prior full payment.  See below.
  • Season: Approx May 15 to Oct 10, unless otherwise advised, online calendar or email.
  • BOOKINGS BEGIN: FEBRUARY 1 at 8:00 a.m. (as opposed to the former 12:01 a.m.) of current year only; no prior year reservations, except for owner's.
  • ALL BOOKINGS IN JULY and AUGUST are by the WEEK ONLY (Sat to Sat for all, but Fri to Fri for Island Lane {Foster's Bay} only) unless cancellations occur (see cottages' calendars). Please keep checking for cancellations on the website calendars, as we will not notify you.
  • See cottage index page for off-season nightly rates (minimum of 2 nights) for each cottage.
  • CHECK-IN not before 2:00 pm and CHECK-OUT BY 10:00 am  (*Please note that we have several cottages to check cleanliness between 10 am and 2 pm, which is why you must vacate BY 10:00 am.  Most are not near each other, so it is imperative that you check out on time and leave the place as clean as when you arrived, as part of your contract.   Late charges and/or cleanliness charges may apply.)
  • KEYS:  Most cottages will not require key pickup or return; check with agent if yours has a regular key, but please DO NOT lock them in the cottages; you will be informed as to where to leave them! Those with lock boxes will have an entry code, which will be given when you have paid in full.

NOTE:
  • NEW: BOOKINGS BEGIN: FEBRUARY 1 at 8:00 a.m. (as opposed to the former 12:01 a.m.) of current year only
  • Bookings are confirmed in order of date/time received (which can be different than time sent); there is sometimes a lag between contact and online calendar that may not show up immediately on the online calendar.
  • Please note that online calendar shows NIGHTS that you have booked; i.e, day of check-out will not include that night of departure on calendar unless booked by someone else for the next week.
  • Keep checking for cancellations on your preferred dates; we do not notify of cancellation openings.
  • We are able to keep reasonable rental rates by requiring that all renters leave their cottage as clean as it was upon arrival.  Floors should be swept/mopped/vacuumed, dishes washed, dried and put away (including out of dishwasher if available), sinks, tubs and showers to be cleaned, countertops cleaned, fridge wiped out (please do NOT leave items in fridge even if you think next renters may use them).  If there is anything you find amiss when you first arrive, please notify us the first day, so that you are not later charged for it.  
  • Please also clean up around the outside of the cottages.  No cig butts, empty containers, wrappers, puppy poop, bottles, caps, cans, glass, fire pit debris, etc.  Help us keep our beautiful Charleston locations beautiful.

Kayak'ers and Canoeists: Sorry, while we don't mind you using your kayaks/canoes to get to the cottages, for safety-sake, it will be necessary to have alternate plans for windy days on arrival and departure days. We are not responsible for your safety, should anything unforeseen happen.  If you do not own a boat, use  Kelsey's Marina water taxi service; it simply is not worth it to play with someone's life.

**PLEASE BRING WATER SHOES FOR SWIMMING DUE TO ZEBRA MUSSEL INFESTATION IN SOME AREAS OF CHARLESTON LAKE, and WATCH YOUR DOGS' FEET!**  WE ALSO RECOMMEND POISON IVY MEDS and Bug Spray, esp in woodsy areas, just in case.

CELL SERVICE:  Two towers in the area make service good, but if you may need to go to top of Charleston Hill to get thru.  If your cottage does not have Wifi/Internet, best to get a data plan on your phone for the duration of your stay, or consider the purchase of a Wifi stick, see below. 
Email or text are the ONLY ways you can contact us during your stay.

WIFI: Free WiFi at these cottages: Bull Island, Hen Island, Arrowhead Lodge

PETS: see below

From one of our annual renters:
WIFI alternative that works where there is cell service:
1. Go to Bell Mobility, ask to buy a wifi stick 
2. You can pay it outright, which is better, but can put on payment plan.
3. Ask them to put you on a plan for the week you are at cottage . I did the “high end” plan for the week ($65)
4. The plan allowed all of my children to use the password all week for their devices (meaning they did not have to use their own data) . My daughter has a job online, and she was on all day from 8 am to 4pm with perfect service . She also has to take exams for university courses she took in the summer (no problem, and great Wifi service )
5. A very important note: you must activate the wifi stick by PHONE first —it will not automatically come on —you talk to a bell mobility person by phone and it is activated on their end —not yours .
6. Once it is activated you turn it on and it will say “wifi on “ you just press it . 
7. It worked perfectly at our rental cottage in Charleston Village .
8. My daughter and the kids (and myself ) did go over our limit so the total cost of using it was really 200 dollars for the week, but well worth it . 
9. I use it at my sister’s cottage at Graham Lake when I visit there, as long as there is a nearby tower.  Usually if your phone works, the Wifi will.
10. It will not work for places such as Donaldson’s Bay —too far out . 
NOTE: Not something you would buy on your way to the cottage recommend you buy at least 3 -4 weeks ahead . You keep it forever and you can do a solid plan at 10 dollars a month or you can buy it outright.
**The week before we go to our cottage, I call Bell Mobility and ask for “the high end amount of wifi for the week “.  I have it activated, plug it in at the cottage and press “wifi on “.  Works great!**



PARKING:  other than limited parking at each land-based cottage:  Off-road truck/car/trailer parking can be arranged at Kelsey's Marina upon check-in (parking fees can be applied to your credit or debit card).  BE SURE TO GET MARINA PARKING  STICKER FOR YOUR DASH and trailer ticket.  Or, there is free on-street parking in Charleston Village, if you are lucky enough to find a spot, if you prefer.

GARBAGE: Please either take your trash with you or give to marina attendant upon check-out, by 9:00 am the day you leave; ask them for their usual service fee.  NO FISH GUTS!

PETS: are allowed at most cottages, must be declared upon booking, and responsible ownership/pickup will be expected.  Should droppings or damage occur, we will be forced to use your credit card for damages to reimburse cottage owner for cleanup or repairs.  NO PETS IN BEDROOMS or on furniture.  If your pets are kept in the cottage, please confine to areas where there are no carpets, and make SURE all pet hair is vacuumed from floors and furniture, wherever they have been and before you leave.  Some people are allergic to pets and everything MUST be vacuumed well; our cleaners do not have time to spend hours vacuuming pet hair between renters.  If you are not willing to do this, please do not bring your animals.   We are dog/cat folks, but not everyone else is.
So, well-behaved family pets are welcome at all our cottages, but they need to have responsible pet owners.  Clean-up is mandatory outside as well as inside.  No pets in bedrooms and please no wet dogs in the house until they are dry.  If there are any unintended damages to the property by your pet please let us know right away.  Depending on what the issue is, there may be a damage charge.  Please be responsible with your kids and your pets!! LOL!

THE ISLAND COTTAGES: THERE ARE NO BRIDGES TO THE ISLANDS, no paved paths; bring poison ivy, bug meds and water shoes to rentals that provide large expanses of land or woods or swimming areas.  If you don't have your own boat, you will need to rent one or arrange for the marina taxi service. Bull Island is the only cottage that includes a small runabout boat.

BOATS and BOAT RENTALS: Take a boat (yours, or rent at marina!) The marina usually doesn't book the boats until after May 1, but you can email them or call 613-924-2568 to book ahead, if you like (they are not there daily during the winter but occasionally check phone messages).
GO TO BOOKING AND CANCELLATION PROCEDURES PAGE HERE
CHOOSE YOUR COTTAGE HERE - COTTAGE INDEX PAGE