The old sawmill from 1771

The oldest house in town, fully renovated. Beautiful two-story living room with leafy, private back deck for meals outside. Kitchen with stone counters, gas cook top, and dishwasher; two bathrooms with warm floors. Floorboards upstairs a foot wide; queen size bed with view over the trees, creek and porch. After a long time unavailable, the sawmill is booking again starting in December 2021. We're so glad to have you back! The sawmill is a roomy red house that's 250 years old, although it could date from as far back as 1752. There is wonderful light from windows set high and low. It's privately located across the garden from the big grist mill where we live, on two acres of beautiful gardens, creek and woods. We ask for a five-day minimum stay. Stay a week for a 10% discount, or enjoy the sawmill for a month at 15% off. The base price is for two people. There is a $15 daily charge for an extra guest, except for kids little enough to be in a crib. Our location is in New York, right on the border of the Berkshires, in a perfect position to fan out for destinations north and south. You're just 20 minutes away from Tanglewood, Kripalu Yoga Center and Jiminy Peak Ski. We're a great hub, as so many of our reviewers report, but we're not in the heart of the Berkshires. Please make sure that you like our location and love the great value it brings before you book. The sawmill is all yours; two private lockable entrances, parking space, private back porch that is draped with lilac, willow and dogwood trees, and green lawn for your use behind that. We're right in the big grist mill next door and can help with anything; say hello as you go by or we'll leave you entirely private, as you prefer. If you'd like to see the giant beams and artefacts inside the big mill as well, just let us know and we'll try to make the place presentable. New Lebanon, at the top of Columbia County, New York, is a pretty funky town, not a Norman Rockwell town. Many people drive right through it to go north for antiquing or skiing, to take the scenic pass into Massachusetts or to pick up the nearby NY thruway. Our town is so small that there's only one stoplight, and that's a blinking one. There's no night life to speak of, no sidewalks, and we lack a big grocery store. The upside is that our site right next to the Berkshires is what makes the old sawmill such a good value, and so good for exploring. You can get easily to almost all the places you want to go-- more easily, we find, than from some of the Berkshire towns themselves. And whatever New Lebanon lacks in picket fences, it offers in glorious hillside viewscapes. The town has a remarkable allotment of Shaker history, such as the massive square ruins of the Great Stone Barn at Mount Lebanon. This was recognized by the World Monuments Fund as one of the 100 most significant endangered sites in the world, and it's right here and easy to visit. Lebanon Springs was also utterly famous in the nineteenth century for its warm water spa, frequented by luminaries like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and the Marquis de Lafayette. The medicinal spring still courses down the hillside, but in obscurity now. There is plenty to enjoy here. Stop at Blueberry Hill Market Cafe for coffee and something delicious for breakfast or lunch. Try M&M's for a late dinner of burgers, wings, and some craft beer, or reserve at Mario's for a fancy meal. Trek by the beaver dams at Hand Hollow Conservation Area. Go to Meissner's on a Saturday at 4 for their antique auctions, where we've found astonishing values. You'll find a lot of information about local options in our online Guidebook. Our location turns out to be an excellent base for the range of travel and exploration in this area, or just for staying put and enjoying a rural escape, as so many of our airbnb guests have told us. Car is the best way. We're perfectly positioned from every direction at the top of the Taconic parkway. We're a straight shot 3 hours north of NYC and 2 1/2 hours east of Boston. We share a hilly border with West Stockbridge, Massachusetts and are less than an hour south of Bennington, Vermont. You can also get to us by Amtrak, stopping at Albany, NY, or Pittsfield, MA. Albany International Airport is an easy forty minutes away. But please note if you arrive this way that you'll want a rental car for mobility. In the wintertime, it's good to know that while the building is old, the windows are efficient and don't let in any drafts. There is baseboard heating, and you'll find warm floors in the kitchen and bathrooms. Even in midsummer, this area offers generally comfortable evening temperatures, but for the occasional night when it's hot, you'll find air conditioning available both upstairs and downstairs. Generally, though, the many high and low windows provide a great breeze. The bedroom upstairs has a queen size bed with a 2-inch mattress topper. Someone can also sleep well on the twin air mattress which we can set up in the bedroom suite. There's also the queen size sofa bed downstairs. The downstairs bathroom features a stand-up shower and a washer/dryer, while the upstairs bathroom has a tub. We offer a range of nice shampoos, conditioners and soaps for each. The sawmill offers a full kitchen for your exclusive use. There is a gas cook top, refrigerator and electric wall oven. There's a deep sink and a dishwasher, as well as espresso/coffee maker, toaster, coffee grinder, and microwave. You'll find granite counter tops and beautiful cherry cabinets with lots of storage. In them there's a full complement of dishes, cutlery, glasses, pots and pans and kitchen equipment. There's also an assortment of spices and condiments, such as olive oil and balsamic vinegar. There's also a full knife block with built-in sharpener. Note that New Lebanon lacks a big market in town, so if you like to cook, plan to take a trip to the supermarket about 18 minutes away, which is around the corner from a great specialty/organic foods market as well. People tell us that they like to know more about beds and linens, so here is a little detail. We use sheets with high thread counts and wash them in Seventh Generation natural detergent. Pillows and comforters are down-alternative. We use protective anti-allergen covers for pillows, and encase mattresses and box spring too. The sawmill offers great dedicated wireless internet. Most guests tell us that their cell phone coverage is very good. The only service that seems to have connection trouble here is T-Mobile/Consumer Cellular. This place is a great retreat both for summer and winter, whether you prefer cozy quiet or lots of action. We're well positioned for full access to the Berkshires in all the ways you like, including so much fine music, theater, food, art and natural beauty that you can't possibly do it all justice no matter how hard you try. A summertime treat hidden nearby is Queechy Lake, with lifeguard and sandy shore, one of the cleanest and most delicious lakes in New York state. Our town park offers two newly redone tennis courts. There is a wonderful fast route to get to Tanglewood and Kripalu Center from here, through pasture and forest and ending with a wonderful view of the Stockbridge Bowl. There are seven fine museums within an hour's radius. When you're with us you're on a country road with pasture just up the hill, but Albany, NY is a half-hour away, and either Pittsfield, or Lenox, Massachusetts a quick 18 minutes for anything you may need.