Hudson Valley Mill
Hudson Valley Mill is located in Dutchess County in Upstate New York just 2 hours north of NYC, offering a quiet vacation rental retreat from city life.
The Getaway is a place to have a conversation with nature.
What was your inspiration to create The Getaway?
My husband and I have lived all over the United States, from the beaches of Florida to the deserts of Arizona. In my formative years, I lived in the central part of Arkansas and, as a young woman, I came to the Ozarks. It was springtime and just spectacular with the dogwood trees in bloom.
When we were living in Colorado (and later Arizona), we saw the early signs of water shortage and experienced forest fires. We began wondering how sustainable it was going to be to stay there in our retirement. We knew that when we retired, we wanted to be somewhere with more space and more connected to the Earth.
So we began looking for places to move to and eventually decided on Fayetteville, which is a cool college town in northwest Arkansas. The county is underpopulated, with lots of agriculture. We got an apartment and eventually found this beautiful property on a former horse pasture. It was just rolling hills (it looked like a golf course) and I knew we could do something there.
The idea was to create a cosy place where guests could stay while knowing it would be there for us in our retirement years. I knew the architect, who works only in passive solar design and who trained under Fay Jones (the architect whom the University of Arkansas’ School of Architecture is named after). Fay Jones was an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright.
I have always had a thing for feng shui homes and am also into the Danish concept of hygge, so I wanted to create a home that embraced both. I grew up building with my dad, so I took charge of the construction and sought the most environmentally friendly materials I could — recycled, responsibly sourced and nothing with chemicals. I also hand-oiled all of the floorboards, furnishings and kitchen cabinets. My husband has a lot of allergies and I wanted to create a place where guests could stay without worrying about theirs.
How would you describe the atmosphere of The Getaway?
It has a big, open, cosy feel. It’s like being in a womb. People feel protected and comforted. We used cellulose foam as insulation, which helps to create that feeling. There’s not a lot of distraction, like things hanging on the wall, which helps to make it a place where people can retreat.
I receive a lot of feedback from guests during their stay and many of our guests say they planned to see all of the local sights but found the vibe and energy of the home so relaxing and comforting that they ended up staying at the house most of the time.
The layout of the property is very open, with a relaxing living area that connects to the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s a fully-equipped kitchen and a light-filled dining area, a living room, as well as a desk space with comfortable chairs if you need to work.
We have two suites — a king and a queen — both of which have ensuite bathrooms with walk-in showers, heated toilets and towel warmers. The main difference is that the queen suite has a Japanese soaking tub while the king suite has an oversized bath tub. All of the toilets have doors for privacy and the ensuite bathrooms are also separated by sliding doors. We also have another half bath and a laundry mudroom area for shoes and coats.
Outside are three patios and a fire pit that’s stocked with wood, plus a barbecue grill for outdoor cooking. We’ve spent the last year planting native trees and pollinator-attracting plants, including some that are hosts for specific butterflies.
The home could be unfavorable for children due to the glass windows and shower walls, and concrete floors. Small families can be comfortable during a stay with 4 guests, up to 6 with use of the super queen sleeper sofa.
Amenities:
You can select any of the concierge services that are available to guests. From our vetted chef for inhouse meal preparation or order prepared meals from an exclusive curated menu, grocery shopping, house keeping and massage therapy inhouse.
We’ve recently added a garage and a gym that’s equipped with workout machines, as well as a meditation and yoga room. We have a massage therapist who can be booked on request and uses the yoga room for treatments.
Aside from providing tea, coffee and organic creamer, we also leave homemade banana bread and something like kombucha or sparkling cider, depending on what our guests’ preferences are. If they are holding a birthday or wedding at the property, we usually provide a small cake, and I like to make floral bouquets in the summer months.
I always try to put a little “wow” into the experience. I have always worked in the service industry — first retail, then cosmetology — and want to create spaces where people can retreat, getaway. Everyone is suffering from something in their lives and I want to be that person who can help to make others feel better.
The home is passive solar, which means that in the winter the sun comes into the home to warm it. The home is heated and cooled with zone controlled mini-split system, allowing each guest to sleep in their preferred temperature. There is a fireplace that burns Duralogs instead of wood. One log per night is provided for your enjoyment.
One of the jewels of the area is the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which houses the private collection of Alice Walton. People come from all over the world to see it and she has also been responsible for lots of outdoor art installations and sculpture trails in the region.
Fayetteville Arkansas is home to the University of Arkansas and many live music venues, shops and dining options.
Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville are within 30 minutes to 50 minutes away with a large variety of shopping, performing arts and dining. Northwest Arkansas has gained the title of Mountain Bike Capital of the World, with skill-level bike trails for any age family member.
Nearby War Eagle and Kings River are used for kayaking, canoeing and fishing. A local fishing, hiking or kayaking guide service is available for full day or half-day trips. Beaver Lake is 35 minutes away with boat rentals and also fishing. The surrounding area offers Lake Leatherwood for hiking, biking or fishing, just outside of Eureka Springs. Guests can take advantage of our local vetted hiking and kayaking guide service, Ozark Adventure and Recreation, in Huntsville on the town square.
We can also organize helicopter tour's across the Ozark region. But to be honest, lots of people arrive at the property and don’t want to leave to do anything. You know that saying about needing a vacation after your vacation? We hope The Getaway provides a space where guests can make memories together and just feel rejuvenated. It’s a culmination of a lot of things that make me happy and my contribution to the world.
The Getaway is around 35 minutes’ drive from Fayetteville and 40 minutes from Eureka Springs, which is a very eclectic city with lots of great restaurants and a strong arts scene. People come here from everywhere and just end up staying. It hosts lots of collector car shows and a big gay pride parade each year. We are seven minutes from Withrow Springs State Park and close to the Buffalo National River.
The home is in a rural area with a short drive on a gravel road to reach the property. There are very few lights in the area, which lends itself to stargazing. There are 3 homes within this small covenant controlled neighborhood. You will not be able to see any of the homes well as they are all 4-5 acres away.
All four seasons are beautiful in this corner of the state. Fall foliage and scenic drives are best during late October to early November, determined by the first frost. Cooler days for hiking and exploring the outdoors are late October through November. Spring dogwood and serviceberry trees are best visited from March through the end of May. The months of June through September are warmer. For kayaking and waterfall chasing, the best months are late March through June. The area is beautiful during snowy season, which varies year to year. Most snow events are dustings or less than 2". There can be larger amounts of snow from time to time. Roadways are kept clear by the highway department. Cooler temperatures are usually late November to March. Each season brings a wide variety of outdoor activities.
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