Entire home

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

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Dining
Exterior
Interior
Property grounds
Interior
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 bedrooms2 bathrooms

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Pet-friendly
  • Air conditioning

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

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

About this place
Experience the extraordinary comfort of a certified 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. Dan's work has been in the press as buildings ready for climate change.
Search “AAC Passive House” for multiple articles.
The space
Two guest rooms have queen beds and share a full bathroom; there is also a first floor bathroom with a shower. Enjoy the kitchen, open space living and dining rooms, screened porch (temporarily with bags of mortar at one end), and front porch. Toilets have bidet seats. Induction and convection range; energy recovery ventilation for 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
All spaces except the primary suite and office; owner vacates during rental periods.
During your stay
Dan (builder and owner) lives in an adjoining home, 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 is 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. Or just 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

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

Outdoor areas

  • Garden
  • Porch/lanai

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

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

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

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.
Map
Hillsdale, NY

What's nearby

  • Hillsdale Town Hall - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Catamount Aerial Adventure Park - 4 min drive - 4.7 km
  • Catamount Ski Area - 5 min drive - 5.7 km
  • Taconic State Park - 6 min drive - 7.8 km
  • Copake Lake - 10 min drive - 12.9 km

Getting around

  • Hudson Station - 25 min drive
  • Hudson, NY (HCC-Columbia County) - 23 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Four Brothers Pizza Inn - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Roe Jan Brewing Co. - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Copake Country Club - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Dad's Copake Diner - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Mosquito - ‬10 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).

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 1 mile (2 km) of Hillsdale Town Hall and Community Library. Catamount Aerial Adventure Park and Catamount Ski Area are also within 3 miles (5 km).

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

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 1 out of 1 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 1 reviews

8.0/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Uldis S.

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