Waterfront, Dog Friendly Cottage, Kayaks/Canoe in the heart of the Catskills

El Girasol, "The Sunflower," a sunny, pet friendly cottage on the Esopus Creek in the Catskill Mountains. Our home is fully furnished with global and vintage finds. This charming cottage has 2 bedrooms, a spacious living room with sleeper sofa, and fully equipped kitchen combined with a dining room. Creek access, a fenced in backyard, and 2 decks, makes our home a great destination for a relaxing getaway with family, friends and pets. Spend your next upstate NY vacation at El Girasol!

The space
El Girasol is a place we share with guests but also our second home. We would appreciate you treating this as your home too! Please read the description of the space below and the "additional house rules" in its entirety.


**Room Overview:
Each bedroom is outfitted with queen beds complete with 4 pillows, sheets, and a comforter. The mudroom leads you to the spacious outdoor deck with a dining area to enjoy views of the creek and the farm across the way. A welcoming deck right on the water plus private dock are for your exclusive enjoyment. The property is fenced in so your four-legged companion will be safe but getting them away from the fun in the water is a totally different matter. Please be mindful of them around the property and ensuring they don't explore too far without you by their side!

The fully stocked kitchen has the right utensils for cooking all types of meals and includes toaster, blender, Keurig, drip coffee maker, citrus crusher, waffle maker, and more. Our brand new BBQ has enough grilling space for 6 people and comes fully ready to use with propane and cooking tools.

The family room has enough space for six people and includes a comfy couch and chaise, single chair, beanbag, TV (with Youtube TV and Max provided for free), bluetooth speaker, board games, record player, and of course - a disco ball.

The recently renovated bathroom has a rain shower, hand held washer, shampoo, conditioner, soap, hair dryer and curler. Bath towels are provided. Please bring beach towels if you plan on jumping in the creek ;)

The home features central air and heating with thermostat that can be changed to fit your temperature needs.


**IMPORTANT Property Notes:

- We have a pack & play, highchair, 2 baby gates, child kitchenware & a toddler camping chair to use if bringing a little one.
***If bringing a child, please bring appropriate size life vest for their weight. Please remember there is easy creek access without a fence/gate to the water, never leave a child unattended. Please keep this in consideration when booking. ***

- We are very dog friendly. We have 2 dogs of our own and know how much it means to bring your best friends along for a getaway. Also, the pups LOVE the yard and water - it is a vacation for them as well!
- One XL dog cot, 2 large and 2 small dog bowls, poop bags, dog wipes & dog shampoo, and toys are provided.
-Well-behaved dogs permitted with prior approval. 3 dogs max. No breed or size restriction. I work for a rescue and love ALL dogs. We are sorry, no cats (even though we love them, too! We do not bring our own cat here for allergy purposes). There is an additional pet fee of $25 per dog for entire stay (this can be paid by payment apps, cash, or check at time of booking or when you arrive, refer to house manual).
**If you are allergic to dogs, please take this into consideration. As much as we try to get every bit of fur out, there might be some fur that skipped our detailed cleaning process. **

- The cottage is on a dead end street. We do have neighbors on both sides. This cottage is not entirely secluded but it does feel private.

-El Girasol is located on a dead end street that runs parallel to a TRAIN. In addition to hearing ducks quacking and fish jumping, you will also be able to hear the train. The freight train passes by on occasion and there is no fixed schedule. Kids love the train and some adults say it reminds them of their childhood or a french countryside. The train runs a couple times a day and at night and is a key part of the eastern US economy. Goods traveling along these tracks contribute to a larger part of the county and state economic environment. We provide high quality SOUND MACHINES, stand up fans, and plenty of ear plugs in each bedroom. While some guests are not affected by the train at all, if you are a light sleeper and think the train will disturb you, our cottage might not be the right fit.

-The creek is a deepwater creek reaching up to 30 feet depth in the middle. This means the water feels more like a lake than a creek! Adult Life jackets, a tandem kayak, single kayak and a canoe are available for guests. Please be mindful and safe around the water at all times. Please bring child life vests and beach towels for swimming.

-The cottage is fenced in on three sides (fourth being the water) and there might be a gap where the fence and water meet, so if you have very curious pets it is something to consider if the pet is left unattended.

-The cottage has a SETPIC tank, so please respect the drain. This means not flushing anything other than body waste and toilet paper.

-El Girasol is amidst the Catskill Mountains, countryside and WOODS. You might encounter an occasional spider, flies, mouse and other creatures to varying degrees. We do not use poison on the main levels as we have pets and want to maintain a pet safe environment. Environmentally friendly pest reducing measures have been taken throughout the property.

-While we do not have a dishwasher or laundry facilities, guests should have all the tools necessary for dishwashing and a laundromat is a 5 minute drive down the street. Wash and fold laundry services are also available less than 10 minutes away.

-Please know as much as we attempt to clean the outdoor furniture/decks/etc. there will be leaves, pollen, dust and twigs which is all part of country outdoor living. We cannot guarantee pristine outdoor conditions despite our best efforts to!

-The dock is seasonal and will be pulled out of the water as we approach colder temperatures in October/November.

-The home is equipped with a single outdoor camera facing the driveway. It will be turned off after you arrive and turned back on when you check out.

-Any unsafe or dangerous condition must be reported to THE OWNER immediately. THE RENTER acknowledges the use of the property is entirely at THE RENTER's risk. THE RENTER shall indemnify and save harmless THE OWNER against and from any and all expenses, costs, and risks.

--Additional Rules:
Please READ the space description in its ENTIRETY before booking (especially the section about the TRAIN). We strive for a 5 star review and for guests to feel that our home is a true reflection of the listing.

This is our second home, please treat it as your home so we can continue to welcome others to enjoy our special place. :)

Once you book, you will receive a simple contract/agreement and pet addendum (if applicable). Please fill out and return to host before arrival to ensure your booking is complete.

The cottage is for 6 guests max. If over 4 guests, it must be booked for correct number. If you need to change it after booking, please let us know.

-Well-behaved dogs permitted with prior approval.
3 dogs MAX. NO breed or size restriction. I work for a rescue and love ALL dogs. All pets must be listed on separate contract. We are sorry, no cats (even though we love them, too! We do not bring our own cat here for allergy purposes).
$25 per dog for entire stay (this can be paid by payment apps, cash, or check at time of booking or when you arrive).
Please follow dog rules: wipe paws, clean up dog poop in yard, do not leave dogs unattended for long periods of time (the Catskills are very pet friendly), be aware of curious pups while in the yard, life jackets highly recommended for kayak/canoe (we have 2 Large/Med and 1 Small/medium at the house for you to use). Please follow these rules so we can continue to allow you to bring your furry friends!

-No parties.

-No smoking in the house (including vape, e-cigarette).

-Fire must be put out before going to bed or leaving the cottage. No water in Solo Stove (please refer to house manual for instructions). Please replace bundle of fire wood before you depart for next guests or bring your own. Fire extinguisher is located in kitchen to the left of the sink behind the mushroom curtain.

-Please Recycle.

-Please be kind to the SEPTIC TANK. The house has a very effective septic system that we would like to keep that way. Follow septic tank rules posted in bathroom and kitchen. Do NOT flush anything other bodily fluids and TP down the toilet. NO feminine hygiene products nor baby products (i.e. diapers, wipes) should be flushed at any time. NO food, grease/oil, or coffee grounds down the sink.

-Please remove all kayaks/canoe from the water before you leave. Refer to house manual. Please wear life jacket while in the water. Please read house description regarding DEEP water creek.

-Please ensure all children are accompanied by an adult.

-THE RENTER and guests will be responsible for any damage caused in excess and will be invoiced separately.

-Any unsafe or dangerous condition must be reported to THE OWNER immediately. THE RENTER acknowledges the use of the property is entirely at THE RENTER's risk. THE RENTER shall indemnify and save harmless THE OWNER against and from any and all expenses, costs, damages, suits, actions or liabilities arising from any and all loss or damage to personal property, injury or death resulting from the use of the rental property, grounds, watercraft, and creek/river/lake use.

Please follow the checkout check list in the house manual when leaving the cottage so it is ready for the next guests to enjoy.

Please sign the guest book, send photos or tag us on IG, we love to see guests & pups enjoying the cottage, and most importantly HAVE FUN!!! :)