A Special Place for Your Special Times! Enjoy your stay at The GemStone Home - 2 hr from NYC. Fully renovated 200 yr old stone home, professionally designed by Harleen Mclean Interiors. The home captures the charm of an upstate escape with original hand-hewn beams, wide plank floors and thick stone walls. We marry history with modern design - bringing a mix of pop culture to a country home. We have added all the modern amenities and comforts you’d expect for a 5-star stay.
This is not your ordinary short term rental, it is a luxe experience with artistic surprises surrounding you. Between the aesthetics, the vibrant colors & the thoughtful amenities, you will know you are staying somewhere special.
● Whole House Available: 4 bedroom, 3.5 baths
● Each bedroom has Queen size Hybrid mattress (memory foam/coil springs) with luxury linens.
● Brand new kitchen, fully loaded and ready for you, induction stove, all new appliances - along with a kitchenette in another area of the house.
● 2 Living Areas - each with Smart TVs, games, comfortable sofas and chairs
● 2 Dining Areas - one dining area seats 8 and the other dining area seats 6
● Beautiful hand- made murals and art throughout the house.
● Full Access to Backyard with outside Dining Area, Fire Pit, Adirondack chairs, Hammock, BBQ grill on 2 acres of land, chairs to relax near stream (when rainfall has happened)
● 50” Smart TV in two Living Areas, one in Master Bedroom and another in upstairs bedroom
● Designated Work Space with large monitor to use.
● High speed Wifi
●. Games for your delight
● Veranda facing back yard for your morning coffee.
1. 10 minute drive to the Walkway Over the Hudson (a must-do activity)
2. 7 minute drive to Black Creek Preserve (great hiking)
3. 5 minute drive to the Hamlet of Highland
4. 5 minute drive to Red Maple Winery
5. 10 minute drive to New Paltz
6. 25 minute drive to Kingston
7. 25 minute drive to Minnewaska State Park
8. Antique shopping all around
9. Many wineries and breweries with a short distance drive.
The Gem Stone Home is located in the idyllic town of Highland that has recently been described by the New York Times as the small community with a feel good spirit.
The Space
Walking through the Yellow Front Door, the colorful stairs light up and welcome you to the main living area. On the main floor you will find the Living Room with French Doors off to a veranda; a newly renovated kitchen in 2023, brand new flooring everywhere and a new staircase. Every piece of our home has been touched by the renovation in 2023. We have designed it with your delight in mind and our hope is you will be restored and refreshed by staying here.
Walk out back to the patio with a BBQ, Dining Area, Fire Pit with Adirondack chairs and a Hammock to rest your feet. To the south side of the property is a stream, where we have created a spot for you to sit and relax.
We hope Gem Stone Home will provide a great base for you to relax, recuperate and enjoy the wonders of Hudson Valley.
Additional Amenities:
● Epic Coffee and Tea bar including a Drip Coffee, Keurig, Nespresso, French Press and Tea Kettle
● Brand New Kitchen - high end appliances, induction stove, fully loaded and ready for you to use
● Dishes, glasses, silverware; Pots and Pans
● Complimentary snacks
● Luxury Linens
● Fast Wi-Fi
● Games, Smart TV
THE HOME
We bought the home in 2022 and it had not been tended to for many years. We were smitten by the 200 year old stone home and felt we could bring it back to life. Inside is a carefully curated & professionally designed home filled with unique murals and hand-painted tiles, original art and décor.
LIVING SPACES
There are two living room areas with the main dining table for 8. There is a second dining area for 6 if you want a more quiet space.
Adjacent to the main dining area is the fully equipped chef's kitchen with an Induction Stove and brand new appliances. Everything you need to create a dinner is there to support you.
ROOMS
Two bedrooms have window seats for cozying up with your favorite book, or to take a cat nap. Every room has luggage racks & bedside charging ports on each nightstand.
Room 1 – 1 Queen size bed (downstairs)
Master en suite with a bathroom, with a walk in shower. Has access to the side yard. The Queen mattress is a hybrid mattress of memory foam and coil springs with a pillow top pad. It has a mini-split for both heat and AC, and is very private from the rest of the house. The bathroom has handmade tiles on wall and floor, with a copper vessel sink and a beautifully finished custom wood vanity shelf.
Room 2 - 1 Queen size bed (third floor facing street)
The queen mattress is a hybrid inner spring and memory foam. A substantial closet with a dresser, ironing board and iron gives you a place for your clothes. You have a Smart TV for you to relax if you wish. A skylight to see the beautiful night sky and ceiling fan to bring you comfort. A nod to the past with a stain-glass cubby hole that we truthfully have no idea what it was for!!
Room 3 - 1 Queen size bed (third floor facing back of property)
Has a window seat with a view of the back yard. A comfortable queen size hybrid inner spring / memory foam mattress.
Bedroom 2 and Bedroom 3 share a full bathroom with brand new amenities: A deluxe rainfall shower head; a glass block wall and a hand-painted mural; LED vanity lighting.
The two bedrooms that share a bathroom (Bedroom 2 and 3) are on the third floor and two flights up from the other bedroom (just something to be aware of if you’re traveling with kids).
Room 4 - 1 Queen size bed (loft bedroom)
This room is reached by going up its own staircase and is a loft with a bathroom all to itself. The queen size mattress is a hybrid memory foam/coil spring mattress with a pillow top mattress pad. This room shows the history of the house with a stone wall the entire length of the room. It has a mini-split for both heat and AC, and is very private from the rest of the house.
Guest Access
You will receive a code 24 hours prior to the day of check-in for the smart lock on the main yellow door facing road. There is a parking area to the right of the house. Once inside, you will be greeted immediately by a stairway that lights up to beckon you to the main floor.
Other things to note
This is an old house, and we have taken great effort to modernize it while retaining its old-world charm. The house does have its quirks, but that is part of its charm.
No fires are permitted in the indoor fireplaces. Please respect this and do not light any fires inside the fireplace at all!!
You will NOT have access to a washer or dryer during your stay, unless you are staying for 4 days or longer.
WILDLIFE & MAINTENANCE
Our home is in a rural residential neighborhood with a lot of wildlife. You will often see deer roaming on our property. We have pest control & insect treatments monthly.
We love our 200+ year old home, but what comes with the joys of an old home is, well, tiny crevices, and sometimes there are "unwelcomed guests". We do not want to invite any insects or mice into our home by making it easy for them to eat anything. Please put your food in the cabinets and refrigerator.
You will hear traffic noise because the home is located near a small highway. It is not on the highway, but near it. We provide sound machines for night, and it has not been a problem with any guest. Please be aware that is not completely secluded, especially during the colder months when the tree cover is reduced.
When using the shower there is a slight sulphur smell from the well system. New filters have been added at the beginning of 2024 to handle this. It is not offensive, just something to note.
In the case of forecasted snow, local paved roads are well maintained by the town. We monitor the snow conditions and have it plowed if over 4" of snow.
The house is cleaned according to the Covid-19 sanitization policies of Airbnb.
