Our family of four stayed here for five weeks August/September 2020. We were looking for a peaceful and relaxing getaway, and everything about our stay was so amazing, it’s hard to know where to begin!
The style, aesthetic and decor of the house are exactly what you would want for a vacation stay, the perfect combination of high-end and comfort – tasteful, refined and livable all in one. There is also an abundance of natural light throughout, which gives the house a bright and airy feel.
We cooked most nights, in large part because the kitchen is so nice, and we arrived to a well-stocked pantry with all you’d want for baking and cooking. We were working for four of the five weeks, and we began many of our work days with yoga on the spacious deck off the master bedroom. The Wifi was perfectly capable for our remote work needs, and the central air came in handy the days we really needed it.
The wraparound porch is another highlight. If the kids were in the pool, we could keep an eye on them while working from the porch. It’s covered, too, so we could enjoy it even when it rained, if we wanted a break from the indoors.
The property, meanwhile, is serene and inviting. The yard space was large enough for the kids to play soccer, football, frisbee. The landscaped garden area between the house and pool was full of butterflies, and the trees attracted cardinals and goldfinch. Outside there are also a grill, fire pit and dining table.
The house is in a quiet location, on a dead end street away from the island’s main roads. At the same time, the street dead ends at a town dock, with a small marina, which makes for an easy access point for using the kayaks that live at the house.
Shelter Island is easy to explore on bike, and we found ourselves frequently using the bicycles at the house, which were in good working order for trips to the local French bakery/market, beaches and tennis courts.
Lastly, the owners go out of their way to make you feel at home. They were incredibly responsive when it came to things big and small – and in particular to address the power and internet outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias – without being intrusive. It felt like they genuinely wanted to make sure we were enjoying our stay. We were sad to leave and most definitely would return!!
