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Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly!

Photo gallery for Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly!

Exterior
Exterior
Interior
Private kitchen
Interior

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 4

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Dogs and cats allowed
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Alfred Station, NY
  • Place, Alfred University
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Alfred State College
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Miller Theater
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Airport, Olean, NY (OLE-Cattaraugus County)
    ‪57 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed and 1 Large Single Sofa Bed

Living Room 1

1 Single Bed, 1 Single Futon and 1 Child Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly!

A peaceful place in the woods, comfortable rooms with unique masonry construction. This house was built as a test model, which helped the invention (concrete block to build roofs, as arches and domes) to get accepted into Building Code for the first time. There are lots of features to showcase what the masonry can do, including 8 ft. diameter domes, 16 ft. dome (kitchen), and 24 ft diameter dome (bedroom); also independent arches which span the living room, flying buttresses, and a tall tower entryway with a gothic arched roof. This building was designed by Robert Ferry, AIA, RDP. The living room has a large book collection (main subject is the Enlightenment), a 1940 upright Steinway piano, a great stereo with vintage Klipschorn speakers, and a 60 inch TV. There is a dining room table seating 6, a kitchen table seating 4. There is radiant heating under the tiled floor. Kitchen: 2 gas stoves, microwave, coffeemaker and full cooking and serving utensils. 1 mile to Alfred University.

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats (limit 4 total)
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Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Important information

You need to know

Property # 3862143vb
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 40
Long-term renters welcome
This property uses some solar energy
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Alfred Station

Alfred Station is home to this holiday home. Alfred Town Hall and Almond Town Hall are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Turnpike State Forest and Canacadea State Forest. Hornell Erie Depot Museum and Wellsville Creative Arts Center are also worth visiting.
View more Holiday homes in Alfred StationOpens in a new window
Map
Alfred Station, NY

What's nearby

  • Pioneer Stadium - 4 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Alfred Village Hall - 5 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Alfred University - 5 min drive - 6.1 km
  • Alfred State College - 6 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Miller Theater - 6 min drive - 6.5 km

Getting around

  • Olean, NY (OLE-Cattaraugus County) - 44 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪SUBWAY - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Duke's Main Street Pizza - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Friendly's Cafe (ACES) - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Old Mill - ‬8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 4 total).

How much is parking at Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly!?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly!?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly!?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Beautiful innovative masonry with arches and domes. Pet-Friendly! located?

Situated in Alfred Station, this holiday home is within 2 miles (3 km) of Pioneer Stadium, Turnpike State Forest and Alfred State College. Alfred State Quad and Hinkle Library are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 13 out of 14 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 14 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 14 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lance G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This is a great house and a great host.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Glenn

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Unique building which is very quiet and comfortable. Hosted on a property surrounded by forest which adds to the appeal
Stayed 11 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mark W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Alfred State

Stayed here visiting Alfred State.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Nov, 2024
Mark and his family were a pleasure to host, perfect guests.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location with neat architecture

This property was perfect for our visit back to Alfred. It’s very close to the village but far enough away that nighttime was quiet and peaceful, and the architecture of the space is one of a kind. Peter was a great host and I’d highly recommend this for anyone visiting Alfred.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Apr, 2024
David was a wonderful guest, I hope to see him again!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kate M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun House

Cute house was well equipped & very comfortable
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stephen D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy winter stay close to Alfred U.

Enjoyed a fun snowy weekend in Alfred, NY. The unique masonry structure was a toasty warm and draft free place to cozy up and cook some great meals. The close location to Alfred U made seeing the art exhibitions so convenient.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Dec, 2024
It was a pleasure meeting you all, I hope you had an enjoyable stay!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

LUANN G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Alfred visit

Staying at this gorgeous house made our visit very special We were able to entertain guests and share the beautiful property. This is a must stay, when I'm the area. Peter
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Nov, 2024
Luann was the perfect guest, I enjoyed her son Collin and of course Coco the dog! They are welcome back anytime!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Daniel H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Graduation

Stayed at Peter’s house for our son’s graduation. Had a great party to celebrate. Peter even joined us for dinner.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique Experience

We really enjoyed our stay despite some unforeseen complications. Peter was helpful in making sure we were comfortable and able to enjoy our stay. The house was fun and provided a nice home base to explore the area.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Aug, 2024
During the guest's stay, hurricane Debby arrived. This caused my well pump to fail, and there was no water for one day. The well pump has since been replaced, and the problem has been fixed. I offered a refund for this day, the guest chose to stay. I bought and provided bottled water and my profound apologies for the unforeseen inconvenience.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Denise C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Castle in the woods

First of all, I'm going to start by saying it was so hard to leave this place! Pete is an above and beyond kind of host, so friendly. The house is a one of a kind architectural delight! Plenty to do in this area, including state forests and parks. Corning,NY not too far and a wonderful city with Corning glass factory tours. You won't regret staying here it's a big beautiful paradise.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Oct, 2024
Thank you Denise! I enjoyed meeting you back in June.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kathi C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Checks all the boxes, PLUS adds a unique twist

We stayed with Peter while visiting our daughter at AU. We needed a place which allowed pets, and was close to the campus. Peter’s VRBO checked all the boxes, as well as offering us a unique stay in the ingenious build. Every member of our group thoroughly enjoyed touring the structure while in awe of the skill and architecture leveraged to create such a beautiful building. Not to mention, Peter was a courteous, respectful, and communicative host.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Mar, 2025
Kathi and her family were perfect guests. I especially enjoyed meeting their dog, Stella!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Peter was a wonderful host. Checked in periodically if he saw us out and about, but otherwise things were private. It was a great place to visit and have our family Christmas with our daughter who teaches at the college, our son who flew in from Florida, our granddaughter From the Hudson Valley And a short drive from Pennsylvania, where we live. We appreciate having the kitchen and large dining area as well as large living room. The space was very convenient. This may become an annual tradition.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rachel R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful hom

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Jul, 2025
Rachel was a perfect guest, I highly recommend her!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ryan A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

About the host

Hosted by Peter Roberts

Host profile image
I am a masonry designer, using manufactured concrete block (for the first time) to make roofs, as arches and domes, including flying buttresses and other unique features. I graduated from Alfred University, where I received a custom degree in Masonry Science.

This house was built as a demonstration model, used for evaluation by the International Code Council - Evaluation Services (ICC-ES). It obtained two Product Listings and a positive Evaluation Report from ICC-ES.

I also enjoy working in art. I mainly do pottery, but also glass blowing, welding, metal casting and other media. I like to make things.

I love music, and play blues harmonica. I often have friends over and we play music together.

I was born in Berkely, California. I grew up near Albany, NY and have lived in many places during my life, including Mt. Hood, Oregon; Lake Tahoe, Nevada; Park City, Utah and other places (too many to mention).

I love books, and am always reading a few. I also enjoy writing, poetry, and history.

I love being outside, enjoy walking in the woods, and hanging out with dogs.

Why they chose this property

I chose to live on this hilltop near Alfred, NY so that I could enjoy the hardwood forest, and be close to the academic activity at Alfred University and Alfred State College. I chose this particular spot so that I could have land on which to build masonry prototypes. Any visitor will see a whole series of experimental buildings on this property. I travel frequently, all over the place. This property serves as my "home base."

What makes this property unique

This house is unique because it was the first experimental structure built using the innovative masonry structure designed and developed by my company, Spherical Block LLC. The house was designed by architect Robert Ferry, AIA, RDP; Cheng-Ning Jong, PE and myself. This technology is described in a dozen or so US patents which I wrote. I have worked with engineering students over the years, who learned about intellectual property (patents) by becoming involved in writing and obtaining US patents. Around 30 students have been listed as authors of US patents through their work with me and my company. This work has helped them launch their careers upon graduation, and to become familiar with innovation.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

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