The Acra Residence
Perks for the Parents
This 150-year-old Hudson Valley farmhouse, owned by a former interiors editor for magazines, is set on 16 acres of land backed by a mountain preserve. The area is a great place to explore with kids. It is just 10 minutes from Windham mountain, a fantastic ski resort for families. The great room is the heart of this beautiful house, and it has WiFi, an Apple TV, and a video projector to watch movies at night, as well as smaller TV with DVD player.
Why Kids Love it
There is something to enjoy here at every age - young children ride bikes, go hiking, play in the woods and go fishing, while older children and teens can ski in the winter. It’s a great place to play. The kids rooms include an attic bedroom, best for age 6+, and a fun guest cottage with camp beds for the summer months. Toys and children’s books are provided. Bring your own portable high chair and crib if necessary. There is space for a crib, and 2 junior beds are available.
Things to Know
Minimum stay: 2 nights. The house can sleep up to a maximum of 10 people + 2 babies, with various sleeping arrangements possible in bunkbeds and trundle beds. The large loft bedroom sleeps 4 and is accessible only by library ladder so is not suitable for small children or older adults. The loft is also above the great room, and is open with a half wall, so does not suit young kids if adults plan to stay up. One of the other guest rooms, with a full bed, is on the main floor and also off the great room, but has a large sliding barn door so the sound isn't as much of an issue. There are window air conditioning units in the main bedroom, kids room and larger guest bedroom and a freestanding portable unit that can be moved around the house (no central air conditioning). There may be a little poison ivy in the woods at the back of the property. Please note that for parties of 8 or more, there will be an additional $20 cleaning charge. No more than 10 guests plus 2 babies are permitted to book the house in order to uphold the integrity of the home's old bones and septic.
About the Location
The residence is in Acra, in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, around 130 miles north of midtown Manhattan. The town of Windham, 10 minutes away, has restaurants, a movie theater and antique shops. Hudson also has tons of restaurants and fantastic shops, and is just 25 minutes away across the river. Non-drivers can reach the area in 2 hours by Amtrak from Penn Station to Hudson, NY, which is 25 minutes across the rover (taxis are available, but a car is needed to get to grocery stores, restaurants, etc). Windham Mountain is fantastic ski resort for families with kids of all ages and is just 10 minutes from the property.
Accommodation Details
This 5-bedroom farmhouse centers on a 700 sqft great room and consists of original and new additions. The main bedroom has a queensize bed and is upstairs in the older part of the house. The kids' room is also on this floor and features a twin-over-full bunk bed (the top bunk is child's size), plus a pull out trundle bed. A larger queensize guest room is just below the owner's room on the ground floor. There is a full bathroom with a tub upstairs, and a second full bathroom with a walk-in shower on the ground floor. Rounding out the original part of the house is a sitting room with with a TV/Apple TV, the mudroom and the kitchen. The newer addition features a 700 sq foot great room/dining room with a dining table to sit 8-10 people. There is a small guest room on the ground floor with a full bed and is separated from the dining area by a sliding door. Over the great room there is a loft space with a bedroom with a queensize bed and two twin beds, and plenty of room to relax. The loft space is accessible by library ladder, and it's open to the great room below with no door, so it is not suitable for younger kids or older adults. Outside is an ample back field, an apple orchard, a large pergola with seating and dining area.
Style Notes
Owned by a former interiors editor for magazines, this light and bright 150-year-old farmhouse is filled with beautiful desirable homewares that they have accumulated over the years. It is light and open and unfussy, a place that all families can relax in and enjoy. We love the bedrooms in the eaves - slanted ceilings always look so intimate - and the vast open living space with a family dining table made for long leisurely meals. The residence is available for events and photo shoots (contact host directly for further details).
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Air Conditioning
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Baby Bath
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Baby Monitor
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Babysitter / Nanny
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Backyard / Garden
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Balcony
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Bathtub
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Bed Rails
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Bicycles
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Cabinet Locks
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Changing Table
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Chef / Catering
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Children's Dinnerware
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Corner Guards
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DVD Library
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DVD Player
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Dishwasher
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Elevator
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Fireplace Guards
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Game Console
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High Chair
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Housekeeper
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Outlet Plugs
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Parking
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Pet-friendly
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Pool
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Pool Gate
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Stair Gates
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Television
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Toys / Children's Books
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Washer / Dryer
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Wifi
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Window Guards
Catskills, Hudson Valley
The woods are lovely…
It’s no surprise that artists, musicians and writers have fallen for the Catskills. Around two hours north of New York City, this refuge from urban life is all mountains, deep forests and pretty historical towns, and is the ideal place to introduce your kids to the great outdoors. Start them young at organic farms with tractor rides, corn mazes and fruit to pick, then graduate on to forest walks, tubing, spotting bald eagles from mountain railroads and petting goats in animal sanctuaries. Skiing on Hunter Mountain, horseback riding and splashing at Zoom Flume water park are just a few of the area’s top attractions for families.