Entire home

Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building

Photo gallery for Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building

A view through a window with a metal frame, overlooking a parking area with several cars, a grassy field, and a building in the distance. - Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building (Hillsdale)
A compact, modern laundry machine with a digital display, a water inlet, and a hose. - Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building (Hillsdale)
A signboard for a passive house named Bellwether on Main, highlighting its net-zero energy status and listing supporting companies like Greenspring Building, ZERO, PHIUS, and AERCON. - Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building (Hillsdale)
A two-story house under construction with a wooden frame structure and a metal roof. - Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building (Hillsdale)
A staircase with wooden steps and a wooden handrail leading to a kitchen area with wooden cabinets and a bar counter. - Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building (Hillsdale)
Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building provides amenities, such as a garden and laundry facilities. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedrooms3 bathrooms112 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning

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About this property

Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building

  • About this place
    This listing is for a private home. There are also listing's for two bedrooms in the adjacent duplex with shared spaces on AirBnB.

    Experience the extraordinary comfort of a certified net-Zero energy Passive House in the heart of Hillsdale's historic hamlet. The property, which looks out on the Taconic Mountains, is nestled between the Berkshires and the Hudson Valley, ten miles from Great Barrington MA and sixteen miles to Hudson, NY. The shops and restaurants in Hillsdale are in walking distance.

    Similar to Dan's previous Woodstock Passive House, this is built with autoclaved aerated concrete. AAC, developed in Sweden in the 1920s, is a mainstay of construction worldwide.
    This is the first demonstration site in the US and Canada for lightweight, hydrophobic, insulating stucco applied directly to external mineral wool insulation on an AAC structure.

    Dan's work has been in the press as buildings ready for climate change. See GreenspringBuilding.com, or search “AAC Passive House” for multiple articles.

    The space:
    The two guest rooms are on the second floor. They have queen beds with ensuite bathrooms; one south bathroom has a shower, the north has a tub-shower combination. There is also a full first floor bathroom with a shower. All toilets have bidet seats. Enjoy the kitchen with an eat-in counter, open space living room, office with a work table and couch, and front and side porches. Induction and convection range; energy recovery ventilation for clean, pollen-free indoor air. All electric home; fossil fuel free. A home that looks historic and is surrounded by nineteenth century buildings yet is a home of the future.

    Guest access
    The entire home is private.
    During your stay Dan (designer & builder) lives in the adjoining duplex, so is readily available. We can interact if you'd like; some come especially to learn about how this home was built. Yet it is ideal for anyone who'd like to experience a peaceful, healthy indoor environment.

    Other things to note
    This property provides exceptional comfort, ideal for any guest. It is also an ideal experience for architects, engineers, builders, and code officials, plus anyone considering building a home or larger scale commercial property. This creates an energy efficient, healthy indoor environment, free of common toxins.

    Come for a peaceful stay in a town near many NY and MA cultural, historic, and scenic amenities (Tanglewood, Jacobs Pillow, Catamount Ski Resort, and many more).

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 3 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Bidet
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Outdoor areas

  • Garden
  • Porch/lanai

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Work spaces

  • Desk

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • One pet total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • In-room accessibility
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Safety features

  • No carbon monoxide detector or gas appliances (host has indicated there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 1,200 square feet

Similar properties

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age - 25

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Gather used towels
Remove personal items and remove leftover food and drinks
Lock the doors and return the keys
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Rules

This entire property is smoke free.

Pets

Pets are allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total pets

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

Hillsdale is home to this holiday home. W.E.B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite and Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Taconic State Park and Bash Bish Falls State Park. Visit our Hillsdale travel guide
View more Holiday homes in Hillsdale
Map
Hillsdale, NY

What's nearby

  • A forested hillside with a clear path and a small building at the top.
    Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort
    45 min drive - 70.9 km
  • Hillsdale Town Hall
    5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Roe Jan Brewing Co.
    6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Community Library
    1 min drive - 1.4 km
  • Catamount Aerial Adventure Park
    4 min drive - 4.7 km

Getting around

  • Hudson Station
    25 min drive
  • Hudson, NY (HCC-Columbia County)
    29 min drive

Restaurants

  • Four Brothers Pizza Inn
    13 min walk
  • Stewart's Shops
    4 min walk
  • Mom's Country Cafe
    9 min drive
  • Dad's Copake Diner
    8 min drive
  • Martindale Chief Diner
    9 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total).

How much is parking at Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building located?

Situated in Hillsdale, this holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Hillsdale Town Hall and Roe Jan Brewing Co.. Community Library and Catamount Aerial Adventure Park are also within 3 miles (5 km).

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Reviews

Bellwether on Main: Comfort, Resilience, Passive House; an AAC building Reviews

10

Exceptional

9.4

Cleanliness

10

Location

10

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 3 out of 3 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 3 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 3 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 3 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 3 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Though we arrived early, we were quickly welcomed to this unique building and given a tour by the owner. All the amenities from a freezer for the ice cream and a compost tin for the watermelon. The house is surrounded by a small meadow of brown eyed susans, a screened in porch and plants galore. The general layout was comfortable with an open area for kitchen, dining room, and living room. Two bathrooms, one for each floor including bidets. Beds were comfortable with new sheets and quilts warmly lit with lamps. Evidently, there was a wee bit of miscommunication and so it was a little warm in the bedrooms. I'm so short, I had a little difficulty with the bed being quite high. The area was full of restaurants and loads of things to do and see.... everything perfect for a girls weekend or even better a two week vacation. Enjoy!me
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great stay in Hillsdale! Thank you, Dan!Look forward to another visit!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Yes. We had a fantastic stay there. We'd definitely stay there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025