Guestbook Comment

Guest: Sandy Wisler (Manheim, Pa)
Date of Stay: 10/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/27/07

October 13, 2007, my husbnd and I took both sets of our parents and our 2 dogs on vacation. We stayed in the grist mill and found it to be very lovely and quaint. The area is beautiful with the mountains and Christmas trees. Our host was very understanding when we told we had to leave earlier than planned due to an illness in our family. At the time she was dealing with the same, but went out of her way to bring her minister to us to pray for our relative. We would love to go back and spend more time in this area.

Recommended for:

Perfect place to get away

Guest: Nicole C.
Date of Stay: 12/30/11 Review Submitted: 01/05/12

My fiance and I spent 3 lovely nights here with two other couples and our two dogs. We were looking to escape NYC for the New Years holidays and this place looked like it fit the bill. We were not disappointed! The house was exactly as pictured and described, and was clean and fully stocked with everything we might need during our stay. We spent most of our time cooking and relaxing in front of the cozy fire, except to take walks along the river or visit all the adorable farm animals on the property. The owners were the true highlight of our stay and could not have been more friendly and hospitable. We even had a welcome basket filled with local Vermont goodies! We all talked about how much we looked forward to returning to the property sometime in the future!

Recommended for:

Lovely family vacation

Guest: cbaze (United States)
Date of Stay: 12/08/11 Review Submitted: 12/15/11

This home was the perfect place for our family vacation... fully equipped with everything we needed and more from the dishware, soap, & cookbooks to baskets of books & puzzles for our little boy to enjoy. The place is well-loved & taken care of... nothing fancy in the furnishings (which is actually a relief when you have small children!), but clean & inviting. Lots of comfy space to relax - we could have come with another small family & had room to spread out. The animals outside, tree farm, and beautiful surroundings added to the experience.

Recommended for:Pet owners, girls getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

Farm and hospitality best around

Guest: M family (Boston)
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 12/14/11

A "slice of heaven" is the way our family describes yearly vacation on the Christmas tree farm. We have been staying for a week for the last 11 years, and each return visit we discover something new to enjoy. We are eager to meet the alpacas who now call the farm their home. We love the serenity of the place and the grist mill feels spacious with three bathrooms, plenty of bedrooms and lots of family space. Over the years, we have loved long canoe trips on the river, hiking the mountain behind the farm, watching eagles and hawks from the river dock and relaxing by the pool. The river road is great for walks and bike riding. Our youngest daughter learned to ride her bike on the river road, and last summer took her first drive behind the wheel of the car! It has been amazing to me that now even with older teenagers, they feel like there is so much to do at the farm and around the area. We have come to know some great towns around Springfield and excursions within 1/2 hour to an hour from the farm if we are looking for something new. Peter, Sandra and Tim are always so helpful and have great ideas for events in the area.Last summer we attended a chocolate festival at an inn, that we never would have discovered on our own. The hospitality here is unsurpassed. Like the swallows that swoop at dusk into the barn behind the grist mill (my favorite activity is watching their nightly dance), we will be returning yet again.

Recommended for:Pet owners, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

The Grist Mill

Guest: Rosemary (Pompton Plains, NJ)
Date of Stay: 10/16/11 Review Submitted: 11/15/11

What a wonderful place! The restored Grist Mill was charmingly rustic, but fully outfitted with modern facilities. It was cozy and warm. The view of the river and fields of trees was awesome. We enjoyed walking those fields with our 2 small dogs, as well as walks down the quiet country road. We also explored the area by car and found lots of interesting places, restaurants and shops. We loved the sweet alpacas and the two goats, Jingle and Bells. They watched us come and go and we shared all our day's plans with them...they were quite interested. The chickens were beautiful and I enjoyed feeding them...they, too, came right up to you (anything for a bit of bread!) The animals were calm and gentle and friendly; you could tell they were well cared for and loved. Our landlords were charming and friendly. It was truly a delightful week's retreat for all 4 of us.

Recommended for:Pet owners, romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

Perfect family getaway!

Guest: Hutch (Swanton, OH)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 09/26/11

Our family's stay was from Sept, 17 to Sept, 24 2011. The Grist Mill property was a perfect gathering spot as three of our families coming in from three different states for a family reunion were able to share a very clean spacious home that was true to the description and pictures that were located on the web. Our family experience was excellent and I would advise anyone looking for a great value in a place to share and stay with cooking and laundry facilities to take a serious look at this property it is an excellent value.

Recommended for:Pet owners, girls getaway, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

peaceful family escape

Guest: Andy (Pennsylvania)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/05/11

We rented "The Grist Mill" for a week over Christmas break, 4 of us, (2 children, ages 12 & 11) and our dog. We were fortunate to have 20" of snow the night we arrived. We enjoyed sledding at the farm and our daily ski trips to Okemo, Bromley or Stratton were all great. A beautful, quiet location and nice to get away from the ski mountains each night. Peter, the owner, was great to talk with & helpful. A special treat/surprise was to have a Christmas tree from the farm set-up in the house and a box of decorations waiting for us to decorate, as well as a gift of Vermont treats for us to enjoy - very nice touch and a wondeful welcome for our family.

Recommended for:Pet owners, families with teenagers, families with young children.

Our second visit!

Guest: El and Allie (Orlando, FL)
Date of Stay: 12/03/10 Review Submitted: 12/16/10

Our first visit was in the Christmas Cottage but this time we stayed in the Grist Mill. We needed a place close to our children and grandchildren who we were visiting and this place was perfect! Quiet, peaceful and beautiful scenery - unbeatable combination! The hosts were warm and welcoming each time, making us feel like family. Staying in the Grist Mill was a touch of history and very comfortable. We hope to make a longer visit back to the area and hope one of these accomodations will again be available! We would definitely recommend staying here.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

Great Grist Mill Vacation

Guest: Penny (Rochester, WA)
Date of Stay: 10/09/10 Review Submitted: 11/03/10

We found the Grist Mill to be tucked away off the beaten path, quiet and serene with stunning views of the Conn. River and surrounding hills. We found the owner (Peter) to be very accommodating and full of wonderful tidbits of history and tales of the area and Vt. Our boat ride up the Conn. River was one of our highlights of our trip. Thank you ever so much for taking the time Peter.Our only recommendation would be upgrades of the two main bedroom beds, from Queen to King and a double to Queen. But a truly lovely stay--thank you, thank you D.P&R,G

Owner response:We appreciate Penny's recommendation and are working on making the changes now.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

The Grist Mill

Guest: Mike (Cordova, TN)
Date of Stay: 10/02/10 Review Submitted: 10/27/10

We had a wonderful time at the Grist Mill. It's a great place for the family to have a nice, quiet get-away. The scenery along the river was something beyond description and especially since we were there during autumn with all the leaves in full color. The Grist Mill provided a place for us to stay in a slice of history and do it with modern conveniences. Our gracious hosts provided answers to all of our questions. Yes, we would definitely recommend the Grist Mill as a place to stay.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+.