A True Shangri-La-Country Retreat W/Pond, Gardens and Huge Deck and View

Top rated by guests
Fallscape with Pond and Dog
Large, well-equipped kitchen.  2 sinks, dishwasher, stainless appliances
Dining Room and Kitchen
First Floor, Passive Solar Porch
Huge Deck with Rockers and Dining Table
review stars
10Outstanding
(40 Ratings)
"Everything stands out re: our host, the lovely Mary, the house, the view….Shanghai-La is a haven for humans and wildlife: we enjoyed the magical interior —full of comfy spaces, intriguing artwork and ..."
diane r.
Don't miss out! Price and availability may change
10 / 10
Outstanding(40 Ratings)

House in Massachusetts

6 guests · 3 bedrooms · 2 baths

Reasons to book

Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
High-end valueWell priced for this area

About this house rental

Modern comforts in this gorgeous, passive solar, post and beam house on 50 private acres with a view of the Green Mountain foothills. All season beauty and tranquility; great for family holiday gatherings! High Speed Fiber Optic internet and cell service makes it easy to work reliably and relax.

Two huge bedrooms (450 sq ft) and a third medium sized. One of the bedrooms has a king size bed, the two others have queens. There are two and a half bathrooms - one in the master bedroom. Bedrooms are on the second and third floors accessed by a fairly wide spiral staircase.

Passive solar house (wood pellet / radiant heat - warm floors) is spacious and comfortable; washer, dryer, expansive and well-equipped kitchen, wood floors, large living room/dining room with wood stove and a 34' x 12' deck that looks an amazing view of the Green Mountains.

This property has a little of everything. A third of a mile off a quiet country road with a pond, fire pit, streams, perennial gardens galore, with awesome hiking trails, lakes and cross country skiing nearby. Field stone fire pit and gas grill for great summer and fall hanging out.

Ashfield, MA is a quintessential New England town with great amenities - Elmer's a community owned coffee shop, the Lake House (lunch and dinner right on Ashfield Lake), Country Pie (a decent pizza place) as well as Neighbors (a gas station and convenience store.) So while you'll be out in the woods you're not in the middle of no-where.

Ashfield has a wonderful town beach, town tennis courts (free), and a community golf course available to all. There are well marked town hiking trails in several locations and the DAR State forest just minutes away with swimming, hiking, skiing galore. Ashfield also has the Double Edge Theater, an ensemble of multi-talented artists whose performances are immersive events that are physical, lush and dreamlike.

Minutes from the historic, quaint New England town of Shelburne Falls, MA; 30 minutes from the restaurants, culture and shopping of Northampton and Greenfield, MA, forty minutes from Amherst and an hour to the cultural gems of the Berkshires; Mass Moca, Tanglewood, Jacob's Pillow, the Clark Museum, The Mount - Edith Wharton's homestead, etc.

It is also 30 minutes away from Smith College, 40 minutes from Amherst, Hampshire and UMass/Amherst and 50 minutes from Mt Holyoke College and all they have to offer. Cultural and educational events and museums including the Smith College Museum of Art, Mead Art Museum, Beneski Museum of Natural History and the Eric Carle Museum.

Plenty of sports activities year round including rafting, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, down hill skiing, snow shoeing, fishing and swimming. Check out Zoar Outdoor, Berkshire East, Stump Sprouts, Notchview Nordic skiing for more information.

Dozens of nearby farm stands sell locally grown and produced products including maple syrup, grass fed beef, hard cider, eggs, fruit, honey, yoghurt and raw milk, eggs, vegetables and flowers

Only two hours from Boston; three and a half hours from NYC.

The owner lives mostly on the premises in a studio apartment above the garage; you may see her in the garden or feeding the birds but overall is pretty low profile. Feel free to enjoy fully the yard, the fire pit and the pond (sorry no swimming.)

Room type: Entire home/apt
Accommodates: 6
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.5
Beds: 3 - one King, two Queens
Minimum Stay: 3 nights
Cleaning Fee: $150
Check In: 2:00PM
Check Out: 12:00PM
Country: United States
City: Ashfield
Cancellation: Moderate

Amenities at A True Shangri-La-Country Retreat W/Pond, Gardens and Huge Deck and View

Non-smoking
Pets allowed

Map of Massachusetts


Ratings and reviews

10 / 10
Outstanding(40 Ratings)
10 / 10Outstanding·Feb 2026
Everything stands out re: our host, the lovely Mary, the house, the view….Shanghai-La is a haven for humans and wildlife: we enjoyed the magical interior —full of comfy spaces, intriguing artwork and books, as well as the outdoors —goldfinches, mourning doves, wild turkeys and deer.Even in the dead of winter, we loved our cozy retreat; we look forward to another visit.
10 / 10Outstanding·Jan 2026
Wonderful in every way. Our family of 4 stayed for a week. Mary was a superb host, so glad we got to meet. The house and grounds are beautiful, well-loved and cared for. Books, woodstove, a kitchen made-for-cooking, and even some snow made it a perfect winter adventure. The dog loved it. We will be back!
10 / 10Outstanding·Nov 2025
The house had everything I needed and Mary was an excellent host.
10 / 10Outstanding·Aug 2025
If you want to get back to a slow and beautiful life, rent this place! We ate clean food from nearby farmers and rocked on the chairs on the deck overlooking a gorgeous mountain range every evening with a glass of wine. Flowers everywhere on the property. Deer peeking at you from the woods, a gas cook range, a large bathtub in the master bedroom. We loved our hostess, Mary, who lives in the garage apartment adjacent to the house. Only 1600 people live in Ashfield. The lake is 7 minutes away. I paddle boarded there everyday and ate delicious meals at the Lake House and The Wicked Good Cafe. I actually cried on the way out down the driveway, it was a summer stay that I never wanted to end! The Dogs absolutely were in heaven and so were we!!!!

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FAQs

Is parking included with this house?

Parking is not specified as an available amenity at A True Shangri-La-Country Retreat W/Pond, Gardens and Huge Deck and View. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.

Is there a pool at this house?

We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.

Is A True Shangri-La-Country Retreat W/Pond, Gardens and Huge Deck and View pet friendly?

Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.

What amenities are available at A True Shangri-La-Country Retreat W/Pond, Gardens and Huge Deck and View?

We found 2 amenities for this rental. This includes non-smoking, and pets allowed.