Modern 'Dwell' Home - Private Haven-H. ISTO. S & HUNTER mountain

My family (which includes a 2.5yo and a 4 month old) stayed here for a week and loved every minute of it. As a family with young children, we know that whatever place we choose is not only going to be "a place to sleep", but also a place where we're going to spend a decent amount of time. If you're just looking for a place to sleep at night, this place will obviously work, but you're not really utilizing it to its full potential. I'm going to break my review into two parts -the owners and the house.

THE OWNERS

Anna was nothing but helpful. She was responsive before we arrived, sending us info, asking whether we needed anything set up, etc. She was able to set up a crib for us and a mini-crib before we arrived, saving us from having to bring two pack 'n' plays. She refunded our security deposit quickly (after confirming no damage) --I believe in our case it was refunded within two days of departing.

THE HOUSE

I'll start off by relaying my obvious bias: I was an avid read of Dwell for a number of years, thinking about how I could own one of the houses in Dwell. Unfortunately, I don't own one of those houses yet, but I was able to stay in one (just note that if you have always dreamed of a Dwell house, you will spend part of your time thinking about how you would have set things up in the house). The house is well maintained and everything we needed was there. As far as I can tell the pictures here were taken before the house was really "lived in", so its not as uncluttered/minimilistic as it would appear in the pictures but its still much less cluttered than my house with the kids stuff everywhere :-) If you have more than one child, just note that one bedroom does appear to be downstairs (if you'd rather have everyone sleep on the same floor) and the kid's bedroom on the second floor doesn't have shades (if you were hoping to sleep in late and not have your kid wake you up at 6:30am). If you have younger children, there are a lot of toys they can play with. If you've got older children, there are two TVs as well as a good amount of outside property for them to run around in. We had minimal issues in the house --I did need to reset two light switches which just involved a Google search for the exact steps and there was some expired food in the fridge (some hummus was 3 months old), but that is about the extent of my "complaints".

Overall, great house and great owners. Would definitely come back again!

We loved our week in this home and could not have been happier there. The house is lifted right out of the pages of an architectural magazine but is entirely comfortable and functional. It is so thoughtfully designed and solidly built that we took copious mental notes for a future home of our own. We loved the ability to open windows and sliding doors to listen to the rain or the wind moving through the trees. It feels very isolated and is wonderfully quiet, although a charming town is only a few steps away. Because it is so centrally located in the Hudson Valley, a short drive (never more than 40 minutes) in any direction yields a fabulous meal, hike, shop, or any number of activities that the area can offer. While it was sometimes hard to find motivation to leave the house, we really enjoyed exploring the Hudson Valley from such a perfectly situated base. Also, only ten minutes from the house is a world class tennis facility and horse backriding, so there really is no end to activities to pass the time! The house is definitely family-friendly with lots of amenities for small children and plenty of appointments for adults to enjoy as well, from hammocks and fireplaces to a chef's kitchen and backyard grill. It really was an ideal week, and we can't wait to come back.

This home is both stunningly beautiful and totally comfortable. We were two families with young children and stayed only for a short time, but we will definitely try to go back. The house is gorgeous, quiet and clean with a beautiful kitchen and lots of windows with views of the surrounding woods. It's perfect for families with small children - our kids loved the sandbox and the toys inside the house, and it was not difficult to keep them entertained. The host was incredibly helpful, and always responded to inquiries within a few hours. I can't recommend the house more highly and can't wait to visit again!

We were so happy to be able to come back to this house for a second visit. We were there with a toddler and a baby, along with another family and their baby. Our toddler loved the sandbox and all the toys and puzzles throughout the house and we appreciated all of the baby supplies (crib, changing pad, etc...). The house is a great home base for excursions. Also, Anna was incredibly helpful in trying to accommodate us and our various sleeping arrangements. We hope to be back soon!!

Light and air filled modern house to stay in while in the Catskills. Owner gives a very nice list of things to do in the area which are spot on. Very nice kitchen. Perfect for quiet retreat.