Canine Tested, Upstater Approved

  |  February 9, 2015
Petfinished

Today’s menu of unique weekend rentals is for anyone with special furry friend back at home. And no, we don’t mean the roommate who hasn’t shaved since last last October. Pets may not be able to appreciate the captivating design details on display at the following three homes (or maybe they can?), but they will love the big ol’ yards and the traffic of upstate NY wildlife. After all, our animal friends are great at adapting to their environments, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t benefit from a vacation spent climbing, running, and gnawing on nature. And regardless of whether you join in the climbing, running, and gnawing or not, a couple days spent at any of these lovely rentals would do great things for any human’s mind and body.

1) Hudson’s Miller Road Stone House

Pet4

Price/night: $250-$400
Accommodations: Full house, 4 bedrooms
Max guests: 8
Min stay: 2 nights
House description:
The Miller Road Stone House features two separate buildings and sits on what we would call an idyllic stretch of Hudson Valley land. Apple trees? Check. Berries to pick in the summer? Check. Amazing views? Check! The main house can comfortably fit four people and includes a cozy living room with a wood burning fireplace and flat-screen TV, a new spa built to accommodate seven, and a dining room with seating for eight. The library house has its own kitchenette, wood-burning stove, and library!

Sample reviews:

“My mom and I stayed at the Miller Road Stone House for our annual mother/daughter vacation. The house, with guest houses was more space than the two of us needed but we really enjoyed the sprawling property and it was perfect for my dog who had the time of her life on her first vacation with me. The listing description was accurate, I think the house and property were better than the pictures depicted, they had everything we needed with nice extra touches of comfort and the owners were helpful in answering our questions leading up to our visit and sending us an email to make sure we settled in alright. The house is unassuming from the front but opens up quite a bit at the back, is clean, very charming in its details, has a beautiful spacious deck with hot tub in the back and had everything we needed for our stay. While we did not use them, the guest houses looked quaint and comfortable and one looked to have been newly remodeled with nice finishings. The combination of the house and guest houses would be great for families or a group of friends to get together for a long weekend or week. The little touches (large deck, adirondack chairs, grill, hot tub, hammock, fire pit w/ wood pile, tiki torches, tree swing, etc.) the owners put into the house and property were excellent and made for fun and relaxing times. The property itself is large, beautifully maintained and quiet with a nice little creek running around it that you could hear from the bedroom window in the main house and on the deck. There were lots of deer and a short trail leading off the back of the property which led to beautiful sprawling views of the surrounding area. There was plenty of space for my dog to relax in the sun and shade, run and play frisbee without being near the road, without immediate neighbors or other dogs to worry about and without being out of view. Because the house and property was so nice & comfortable we spent much of our time there. It is however very conveniently located for outings and is just a short drive to the center of the town of Hudson, flea markets, farm stands, hiking, etc. I hope to be able to stay here again sometime with friends or family and would definitely recommend it as a great place to stay in the Hudson area.”

“A group of 6 of us stayed here during Presidents Day weekend. We had such a great time and would definitely rent this place again!! It is great for a group of friends or couples, because there are 3 separate living spaces. We went skiing at Catamount and Butternut during the day. Coming back to the huge hot tub afterwards was fantastic! And the owner is great to work with! Would highly recommend this place!!!”

2) Livingston Manor’s Steele Farm

Pet1

Price/night: $275
Accommodations: Full house, 2 bedrooms
Max guests: 8
Min stay: 2 nights
House description:
The Steele Farm has all the necessary amenities for your pet’s perfect Hudson Valley getaway. The wraparound porch makes for the ideal deer-spotting headquarters, and forget branches – the surrounding yard is big enough for a game of fetch with a tree, though we’re not sure how the hosts would feel about this. Humans, take note as well – the interior of this farmhouse is simultaneously quite chic and quite comfy. Bring the pooch, bring the kids, and have yourself a grand old time down at the farm!

Sample reviews:

My wife and I – and our little(ish) dog – spent the July 4th weekend at Steele Farm and, without doubt, it is one of the best VRBO vacations we ever had – and we’ve had quite a few! The farm is just beautifully and quietly situated and for once we really felt that we were “getting away from it all”. The start of our long weekend at the farm certainly had its challenges. There were torrential rainstorms on the Thursday which made us late leaving the City and the drive up to the farm was not so easy. We arrived at about 11 PM only to find that the power was out because of the storms – but Tim was quick to help via text messages and soon we had the candles lit and were well settled in. In the morning we got to appreciate the beauty of the place. The house is in a delightful location and we had every meal outside on the deck – it’s so beautiful overlooking the ponds and listening to the countryside. We also enjoyed exploring the fields and woodland and we had more than a few sightings of deer – they were breakfasting on the lawn one morning. The farmhouse is really well equipped – anything you need is there, period. Also, even in early July the evenings were cool and the log fire was in action, which was another treat. We enjoyed being at the house so much that we didn’t feel the need to venture further than nearby Livingstone Manor. Breakfast at the Brandenburg Bakery is a great way to meet the locals, and the baked goods there are just totally delicious – don not miss it – you’ll be very pleased you went there. You can get pretty much anything else you need from the small supermarket in town. Tim Steele is super-helpful when arranging a holiday at the Farm and another added bonus is that his neighbor and caretaker are also really, really kind and similarly helpful should you need any on-the-spot assistance with anything. All in all, Steele Farm justifiably rises to the very top of our VRBO list – and we will certainly be back!

3) Welcoming Catskills Farmhouse

Pet2

Price/night: $200-$262
Accommodations: Full house, 4 bedrooms
Max guests: 8
Min stay: 2 nights
House description:
This Livingston Manor rental is dog-friendly, but unfortunately for the cat lovers amongst you, there is a no-feline policy in place at this popular retreat. We’re not sure if this is related to allergies, or to the fact that cats tend to have a cunning, unscrupulous air about them that maybe the hosts cannot abide, but we just had to include this location on the list! The house is spacious and very liveable; previous guests have had no trouble turning the retreat into a real home (in the nostalgic sense of the term) for the weekend, and with several years of hosting under her belt, Julie is a knowledgeable and responsive resource if any questions arise.

Sample reviews:

“We were a group of 7 friends (all in our late 20s/early 30s) getting away from the city for a long weekend in a cabin, and this was a great place to stay. We originally were planning a ski-trip weekend, but we all decided we’d rather just eat well, drink well, and enjoy each other’s company. The house itself was perfect for sleeping 7 adults and had two living room spaces, a really excellent rustic feeling dining room and a great kitchen with an old, awesome stove and oven. We made chili, hot dogs, chicken roasts, mashed potatoes, breakfast tacos, biscuits and gravy, brownie muffins, and a lot more in the kitchen without any problems. The backyard was great too, a big hill, and some flat area, we played a game of tag football one day. And it’s relatively easy to get into town and the surrounding area. We feel in love with the downstairs shower, too. Two shower heads out of the corner–you were hugged in water. It was great. Definitely would come back here and would recommend it to someone else.”

“This is the ultimate private vacation. The location is secluded, yet accessible to lots of hiking, concerts, restaurants, etc. The photos are exactly as the property appears, and was in beautiful condition. The owner responded almost immediately by text about one or two items of confusion and cleared it right up. I would definitely recommend this property to everyone. You can cook your own meals if you want, and if you don’t want to get too rustic, there is cable TV and wifi. It’s fun to sit on the deck and watch the dear and rabbits coming out for dinner in the evening. Great property.”

About Elizabeth Wilson

Elizabeth Wilson is an Upstater born and bred with a generalist’s education and a specialist’s passion for the Hudson Valley. Ask nicely and she’ll make you a bagel sandwich. Ask really nicely and she’ll accompany that bagel sandwich with a Bob Dylan impersonation.

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