Intial Thoughts

I’ve always wanted to go to a Getaway house, but initially fear and my preconceived thoughts about the distance always stopped me. I was afraid of being in the middle of nowhere in somebody’s woods, where there would be wild animals and who know’s whatever else out there. I also always thought the getaway houses were so far away and wasn’t interested in taking a long ride.

What cHANGED my mind?

As we’ve entered year two of still dealing with the effects of COVID-19, I haven’t been too interested in flying, therefore, I have been exploring more opportunities for roadtrips. Additionally, over the years as I have been in tapping into my growth mindset and enhancing my wellness practices, I have become more open minded about trying new things. In my experience I found that I held myself back, by counting out things or experiences before even giving them a try to decide if I like it or not. I learned that If you end up liking it, you’ve now discovered something new that you like and if you decide you don’t like it, then you gained more insight about what’s not for you. So it’s a win/win.

What was it like Getting There?

I began my trip from the New Jersey/New York area to travel to the Eastern Catskills location. When doing my research weeks prior to the trip, I search the general area, which gave me an estimated time of about 2 hours and 30 minutes (once you book your Getaway House you will receive the address). Once I booked the Getaway House the estimated travel time was accurate, however, with traffic it was about 2 hours and 50 minutes. When I arrived I followed the map and had no problems finding my cabin.

Additionally, after booking the Getaway House, I really appreciated that they text you and keep you updated until your arrival (I love great customer service). They sent me a reminder about my trip, information about what to bring, details about the Getaway House (here’s a guide), information about nearby resources, the name of my cabin, the code to unlock the cabin, and a map of how to get to cabin.

What was it like At the getaway House?

When we arrived at the Getaway House, it seemed smaller than what I expected (it was a good size). It was clean, quiet, safe, and exactly what I expected based on photos.

The cabin featured a stovetop, utensils and cookware, a mini-fridge, a table with chairs, s’mores and other items for sale, a radio with bluetooth compatibility, a comfy bed, a bathroom with soap and towels, heat, books, cards, etc.

While there I cooked and had a candle lit dinner (I packed and prepped a simple dish to cook), had wine, listened to smooth jazz and meditative sounds, made s’mores, journaled, reflected, played cards and learned a new card game, read, rested, relaxed, quality time, did nothing, unplugged, enjoyed the views of nature.

Pros and Cons

My pros definitely outweighed the cons. Here’s my list:

PROS

• On Demand Customer Service- (I had question about the shower I texted them and they literally texted me back in minutes.)

• Cleanliness

• Cellphone lockbox (I was really intentional about unplugging)

• Safety (Locks and landline phone)

• Peace and Privacy- I enjoyed that it was so quiet and peaceful and I appreciated the distance between cabins.

• The view- It was like being in nature without being in nature, it was great to sleep with the shades up.

• Stovetop and utensils- it was great that I didn’t have to worry about bringing these items.

CONS

• Hot Water ( the hot water only lasts for 5 minutes (the hot water was great), but returns after 30 minutes) I love long showers, but this also made me think about how I can conserve water at home.

• Weather-luckily this week the weather in the upper 40’s and 50 so that was great, however, there was still snow out, so I didn’t get to explore outside like I would’ve wanted to, but that also allowed me to just relax.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed my getaway experience and returned home with some reflections and practices that I would like to implement into my daily life. I would definitely be back, (most likely during the warmer months) and I definitely think you should allow yourself the opportunity to experience a getaway house. Use my link to receive $25 off your getaway experience!

Please leave any questions and/or comments below!