The Bear Den at 'Blue Heron Watch' Nature Getaway

Lovely cottage feel away from everything but close to the heart of New Paltz. Everything you need in a home-away-from-home. Host was very communicative. This isn't a skiing location (that I'm aware of) and we stayed in October so that question threw me.

Great communication from our very helpful host. The space was perfect, just as pictured. Cozy, with everything we needed. The town nearby is cute and it was easy to get to. Thanks so much! Would definitely stay there again.

Everything exceeded expectations! Jon was an incredible host. Great communication before and during our stay. He sent clear instructions (including photos) on how to access the unit and checked shortly after our arrival to make sure we had what we needed. He provided extensive resources on shopping, hiking, and dining. He was easy to reach and responsive to any of our questions. The on site caretaker was also friendly and available—Matthew, the young man at the caretaker’s space even brought us warm brownies on our second night. The right combination of attentive without being intrusive. The space was clean, comfortable, and had a very well equipped kitchen more than able to handle simple meals. We certainly appreciated the Keurig coffee and the assortment of teas. The rental unit was very modern and homey at the same time. Great collection of varied reading material including many volumes on local history, flora, and fauna. Speaking of fauna—right outside our sliding glass door to the little patio with fire pit and view of the backyard pond we were treated to numerous sightings of great blue heron, woodchuck, and deer. The location was ideal for us, a little removed without feeling isolated and centrally located for all of the things we wanted to see and do—Huguenot Street in New Paltz, Mohonk Preserve, John Burroughs’s Slabsides and the home of FDR in Hyde Park. So much more to see and do in this area. Hope to return and hope to be able to stay at “Blue Heron Watch.”

We had a wonderful stay with our 2-year-old. Jon’s property was clean, stocked with amenities, and very accommodating for young children. He even had a pack-n-play set up for us when we arrived. Would recommend this stay for any families traveling to the Hudson Valley!