Our experience with this home was wonderful. Communicating with the owner was a breeze: she answered our questions in a timely and helpful manner. She went above and beyond getting the house ready for us, the first renters of the season. New air conditioners were purchased and installed prior to our arrival in addition to a brand new grill. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to use the grill. We did cook two amazing dinners at home in the tidy kitchen, with cheery begonias in the window. Plenty of pots, pans and kitchen essentials were easy to find. My friends and I spent most of our time at home in the comfortable living room but there is plenty of space for a whole family to spread out on the first floor with dining room and play room for the kids. The first floor common rooms were comfortable but basically a blank slate. This would be nice if we were staying the whole summer and brought our own decor, but for a short-term stay felt a little empty. We also enjoyed hanging out on the front screened porch while we ate our lunch or enjoyed a glass of wine.
Upstairs, there are four large bedrooms with six comfortable beds and soft linens. Closets and dressers were completely empty and a large family or group could easily move right in for the whole season. The full bath on the second floor has a double sink and is well ventilated. It was not a problem sharing this common space with others. Both bathrooms have new fixtures and were very clean. All sinks had hand soap provided and there was shower gel in the tub: much appreciated. The windows throughout the house are new, open and close easily, and keep the house very comfortable.
We ventured into Great Barrington several times, once on foot. It's an easy walk to Main Street via the stairs under the train tracks. Great shopping and restaurants in both directions. It's another easy walk up to Lake Mansfield and the adjacent trail through the woods, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Mainly we used the house as a home base to explore the Berkshires. We went to Tanglewood for a concert, hiked at Olivia's Overlook, shopped in Lenox, MA and Hudson, NY, had lunch and visited friends in West Stockbridge and even visited a overnight camp in case our kids want to come back for a summer without us!
This home was perfectly located for all our needs and I would definitely consider staying at this house again with my whole family. Even the dog enjoyed it: great yard and the area stores are very dog-friendly.