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The Iowa Auntie’s 👩🏼‍🌾Quirky Little Shanty. Better than staying with family! 😉

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Exterior
Interior detail
Dining
Interior
Interior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 7

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Washer
  • Kitchen
  • Air conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Wellman, IA
  • University of Iowa
    ‪32 min drive‬
  • University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics
    ‪34 min drive‬
  • Kinnick Stadium
    ‪34 min drive‬
  • Iowa City, IA (IOW)
    ‪33 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 7)

Bedroom

1 Double Bed

Living Room 1

1 Single Murphy Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo

Spaces

Kitchen
Outdoor play area

About this property

The Iowa Auntie’s 👩🏼‍🌾Quirky Little Shanty. Better than staying with family! 😉

All the comforts of home…..One bedroom shanty with the ability to sleep six plus one on the couch. Refrigerator and cupboards are stocked with breakfast staples and variety of snacks. Fully equipped kitchen including basic cookware. Bathroom with shower. Washer and dryer. Linens provided. No internet but there is a dvd player and a variety of movies. TV gets local stations. Located 30 minutes SW of Iowa City. Variety of attractions and things to do within an hour drive. Kalona historic/shopping, Riverside Casino, Amana Colonies, Iowa City, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Stead’s Children Hospital. Coral Ridge mall, the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk….., English River Wildlife Area offers hunting and non hunting activities. https://washingtoncounty.iowa.gov/facilities/facility/details/English-River-Wildlife-Area-7

Property manager

Jennifer aka the Iowa Auntie
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
Max guests dependent on planned use of space.
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats (limit 1 total)
Ask for special accommodations
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 20
Note from host: Max guests dependent on planned use of space.
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

Wellman

Wellman is home to this holiday home. Wasserbahn Waterpark Resort and Iowa Children's Museum are local attractions and those in the mood for shopping can visit Outlets Williamsburg and Tanger Outlets. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Wellman, IA

What's nearby

  • Riverside Casino and Golf Resort - 25 min drive - 27.1 km
  • University of Iowa - 32 min drive - 39.4 km
  • University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics - 34 min drive - 38.7 km
  • Kinnick Stadium - 34 min drive - 38.9 km
  • Carver-Hawkeye Arena - 35 min drive - 41.0 km

Getting around

  • Cedar Rapids, IA (CID-Eastern Iowa) - 49 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Casey's General Store - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪The Well - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Dj's Casual Cafe - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Stone Wall Brick Oven Pizza - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Cilino's - ‬9 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is The Iowa Auntie’s 👩🏼‍🌾Quirky Little Shanty. Better than staying with family! 😉 pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 1 total).

What time is check-in at The Iowa Auntie’s 👩🏼‍🌾Quirky Little Shanty. Better than staying with family! 😉?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Iowa Auntie’s 👩🏼‍🌾Quirky Little Shanty. Better than staying with family! 😉?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Iowa Auntie’s 👩🏼‍🌾Quirky Little Shanty. Better than staying with family! 😉 located?

Situated in Wellman, this holiday home is 7.3 mi (11.8 km) from Kalona Historical Village and within 20 miles (32 km) of Frytown Conservation Area and Riverside Casino and Golf Resort. Redbird Farms Wildlife Area and Sunset Park are also within 20 miles (32 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 33 out of 36 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 36 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 36 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 36 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 36 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Sandra c.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The Shanty

Wonderful place to stay. Everything was nice and quiet. This was exactly what we needed for a short stay and wonderful price. We really appreciated all the little extras around. If you needed anything this place had it.Loved it and will definitely stay next time we need a place in this area.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

CJ S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Recommended

We had a very nice stay. Incredibly stocked and it was cozy and easy. Will stay again for sure.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joshua

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, communication
Very comfortable and provided several comforts. I hope to stay here next January every year!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lechance S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing house

More amenities than the Hilton, I enjoyed every second of our stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Bob O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy

It was very comfortable
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Andrew O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Home away from home

Quiet area of town. The home had everything and more. Nice place to get away from reality!!!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tom H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A Great Getaway…

Our son was cast in a play at Iowa on a game weekend. Hotels were booked or ridiculously expensive. We found the Auntie Shanty on VRBO and couldn’t be happier. It was just 30 minutes from Iowa City and allowed us to see the show multiple without breaking the bank. The house was very clean. To say that Hennifer went above and beyond would be and understatement.Every possible need was My wife commented that this was
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tim H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love the Shanty

We felt right at home. All the comforts of home. Very clean and cute. Nice and quiet area. We hope to be able to stay again.
Stayed 8 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Barbara S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Sehr zufrieden

Es hat uns gut gefallen und wir haben uns wohlgefühlt
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quaintness Galore

Such a fun and quaint stay with some teens for a volleyball tournament. Met our needs perfectly and the snacks were an added bonus!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amanda H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

5 STARS!!

We love Aunties Shanty! The pups approved too. Cute, comfortable house with everything you need - like home.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kathy

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Wonderful host! Gave great suggestions, very easy to work with, generous snacks and goodies, very very clean and homey! Made us feel at home! Host goes above and beyond! Highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carrie s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

Cute place
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

shannon l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable stay

Cute place and was a comfortable stay for our family while traveling through the area. Lots of little touches that made it extra special.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Liked: Cleanliness, communication
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We loved Aunties Shanty

Everything was clean and was a nice break for us.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

NiCole M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Sister getaway

We arrived Saturday morning after some shopping and linch at the Foundry. Our host was generous to let us in early as we planned for only one day. House was decorated cute and had a fire pit setup. Neighbors were all really nice too.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Much better than the shanties I'm familiar with. Clean and filled with amenities. It was comfortable and quiet. All the provisions and snacks were a wonderful touch. Excellent experience.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stella N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stay in Wellman Iowa

The host, Jennifer really prepared for our visit. Fresh flowers in kitchen with food items in cupboards and refrigerator was so nice to have. A great selection of of coffees and hot chocolate was greatly appreciated. House was very clean and well organized. Even a bowl of candy! We would have liked to have cable tv and wifi. Not having wifi made it difficult to do any task on computers. Overall our visit was really good!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Heather

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Great little place that had everything we needed! The snacks were an added bonus!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Liz S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Oasis on a hot day

Very clean and comfortable. Had every thing we needed and the air conditioning felt wonderful on a 95 degree day
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Paulette W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Their stay in Wellman

It is a beautiful cottage. Big enough to accommodate my mom and my sister. Everything was provided for washing clothes making breakfast and anything else that was needed. Very grateful to have this cottage so close to my home.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Daniel R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A charming stay in a beautiful town

Such an amazing stay and so much extras on the property, felt at home right away and rested very well. Very well equipped property, it was a breeze finding the basics at the house and I can tell there was so much thought and attention to detail from the host 10/10
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Terry R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Time to come and Stay - Excellent

Thank you so very much! We came into town for a Baby Shower and our host was incredible! She even gave a gift for the shower - super incredible. The place was clean and stocked with anything and everything you could think of. Thank you from the Rutland’s
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amber

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Loved everything about this little home! It was so comfortable and was stocked with snacks and drinks galore! Lovely little shanty!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

About the host

Hosted by Jennifer aka the Iowa Auntie

Host profile image
The Shanty was originally purchased to rent to our children but they have both moved to the city to find their fortunes. We found neither of us had any real desire to be landlords so the house was sitting empty. UNTIL I realized that it was perfect to host family that is visiting from out of state. Which just naturally evolved into the idea of listing it as a rental. I was sure that there would be other people that have family in the area that would be happy to find a place to stay locally to avoid all the awkwardness of staying with family. My husband was skeptical but I am happy to say he was proved wrong which he has graciously accepted and now he helps with all the cleaning and preparations. I couldn’t do it without him.
The place got its name from my nephew and niece referring to my sister and I as the Iowa Aunties. I loved the moniker. And I love rhymes and puns and being silly. And hence was born The Iowa Aunties Quirky Little Shanty. Which is a pretty apt description of the place. 👩🏼‍🌾 If I say so myself.

What makes this property unique

The Shanty is quirky in a number of ways. The original house was built in the 1800’s and was added onto a number of times but always in what seems to be rather small additions. What has resulted is a small boxy cabin with floors that are different levels. That is sitting on a spacious lot with a garage/shed that is probably larger than the house.
I have a lot of ideas about upgrades and amenities I would like to add, almost too many…
Definitely will be adding outside entertaining area.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests