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People call this neighborhood the SOHO of Santa Fe which locals find amusing. It is really an older friendly family neighborhood W of the Plaza, SITE Santa Fe, and the Railyard District and a short stroll from some great local restaurants and hang-outs, including Dave's Not Here Restaurant and Tecolote Cafe for regional cuisine and Counter Culture, a popular cafe with cinnamon rolls the size of your head. The Biodiesel Gas station is nearby. The W Railyard neighborhood still has lots of authentic Santa Fe funkiness and charm without being a fancy East side neighborhood.
The Bee House is a charming, rustic and simple home; plain on the outside, cozy on the inside. The living room with its traditional kiva fireplace, little woodstove, and oak and pine floors is a pleasant place to relax. This home is light and airy, yet solid because of the thick adobe walls. The simple kitchen includes a 1960’s O’Keeffe & Merritt stove with a griddle.
The main bedroom has a kiva fireplace and a wall of east facing windows for morning light over the mountains. It has a double Tempur-pedic bed, linens and duvet. A new double sleeper sofa with a good spring mattress, a writing table and a built-in closet are in an area off of the living room by the woodstove separated by a stepped half wall. I call this a "bedroom annex" for lack of a better term! Both the bedroom and the bedroom annex have doors onto the public areas of the kitchen, laundry/TV room and bathroom, as well as doors to the outside, so two couples can share the house with privacy. A third single bed in the TV room can serve as a daybed or bed. The futons are true Japanese “shikis;” they are thinner than American futons and designed to be stacked on the floor wherever needed and folded up and stashed when not in use. They also make great meditation pads. The furnishings are a simple and eclectic combination of modern, thrift and antique fare. Kind of shabby chic if you want a term for it.
In case you are wondering why it's called The Bee House... I am a beekeeper. I'll leave a pot of local Santa Fe Garden honey from my beehives on the stove for you. My bees pollinate Santa Fe gardens and provide delicious honey and beeswax for candles or cosmetics.
There are very few electro-gizmos in The Bee House, so you will have to explore Anasazi ruins, hike in the mountains, visit the galleries, soak in mineral springs, or drink margaritas on the Plaza instead. There is a stereo/CD player, and a very old TV (no cable) as well as DSL and wireless if you want it (I can turn it on and off as requested), so you won't be completely cut off from civilization!
In the living room is a basket of gallery guides, local papers for cultural events and information, a hiking guide to borrow and a list of my favorite haunts and other information. There is so much to do here for a small town that it can make your head spin. The Bee House has odd treasures tucked away in different parts of the house for your amusement, such as an Ouija board, games, costumes and other things. This is a house with some personality rather than your standard rental filled with all new Santa Fe style everything. Enjoy yourselves and have a pleasant relaxing time!
The Bee House will begin a sustainability design and eventual retrofit on a tight budget over the coming year. Future renters will be able to enjoy and experience grid-intertied solar energy (the electricity will be provided by solar panels and backed up by city electricity. With solar systems there are no outages and the utility company buys back the electricity the house doesn't use!), energy-efficient appliances, a permaculture garden with water harvesting, and other features. The Bee House will have all the same comforts of home as any conventional house, but with a smaller carbon footprint. The design and retrofit will be documented for guests to track and learn!
GREEN TOURS
Those wanting to book a tour of sustainability sites or green businesses in Santa Fe, please ask in your email. I am hosting occasional half-day and whole-day private tours of some of the wonderful work here by architects and builders, farmers, renewable energy businesses and others involved in sustainability and green design. As a long-time sustainability educator, I can discuss the scope of your tour and come up with a package right for you. These tours are perfect for those interested in meeting professionals or for new explorers interested in learning about sustainability in general.
NOTES ON RATES AND MAKING RESERVATIONS:
A damage deposit ($250) and cleaning fee ($75) are required in addition to the rates listed below. Rates are based upon occupancy of up to 4 people. Additional guests are $10 per person, per day. Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
A reservation is confirmed once 50% of the total rental fee (including the cleaning fee and damage deposit) is received and processed. Final payment is due 30 days prior to the arrival date. Reservations made less than 30 days before arrival require full payment.
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICIES:
Confirmed reservations are non-refundable (even if the final payment has not yet been paid) unless the house is re-rented for the same length of time and at the same rate. If the house is re-rented as stated above, a full refund, minus a 10% handling fee, will be made. |
