Wake up at an oasis in the woods, then drive 10 minutes into Amherst to visit museums & eat Mexican food. Or hike out the door toward Leverett Pond onto a network of trails. With a kitchen & washer/dryer, the apartment is ideal for a weekend getaway or as a spot to live for a month or more, ideal for academics needing a place for contemplation or for a couple wanting to explore. The space sits with our house on 5 acres of mature forest. (Read about the steep driveway if planning a winter stay.) The space With cathedral ceilings and great light, the apartment has two private entrances and a private, unshared terrace on the edge of the woods. The space boasts fiber-optic, high-speed internet for video conferencing and remote work, digital temperature control (air-conditioning and heat), a HEPA air filter, Danish-designed oak sound panels for good acoustics, a Bosch washer and dryer, a full kitchen (less a dishwasher), a 4K TV (Max, Apple TV, Hulu), a cupboard stocked with spices, olive oil, and dry goods, blackout shades, a Nectar mattress, Pendleton blankets, multiple kinds of pillows, including feather pillows of two thicknesses, dumbbells and a yoga mat, a dedicated 50-gallon hot-water heater, a library of quality fiction, art, and philosophy, as well as high-end cleaning and bath products free of synthetic fragrances. We’ve outfitted the suite as we would want it if we were guests, with good furniture, good sheets, and plush towels. The floor plan is open. A 5.5-foot wall separates the bedroom from the living room and kitchen, so the bedroom does not have a door. There are two closets and a dresser where you can store your things. The washer and dryer occupy a separate closet behind accordion doors in the bedroom. The apartment sits above our garage. We minimize use of the garage and almost always park outside, away from the apartment, but you can hear the brief operation of the doors in the unit. The apartment is separate and private, as are the entrances. None of the windows look directly at the house. There is a small portion of shared wall, so we appreciate guests who are quiet, as we have a young child. And it's possible you will hear her occasionally. The shared wall is partially soundproofed. You can come and go at any hour without worrying about disturbing us. And the normal noise of living--TV, conversation, music--is of course totally acceptable and not audible beyond the apartment. We charge no cleaning fee (unless you bring a dog) and we have just one instruction for check-out: leave the keys on the counter. ***The driveway is long and steep. We can time the clearing of light snow with your schedule, and, after a snowstorm, we clear and sand the driveway promptly. But during a heavy storm, you may need AWD to get up to the apartment. If your vehicle is not equipped for winter, please be prepared to park at the bottom of our driveway and walk up the hill. That the house sits at a remove from roads and neighbors makes the setting peaceful. We’re surrounded by century-old trees. And this year we’ve planted some 50 species of native shrubs, trees, and wildflowers. On pets: we allow small dogs for owners who don't let pets onto furniture and who agree to pay replacement costs for damaged rugs, bedding, couch, etc. (Sorry, no cats.) We have a huge yard you can run your dog in. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Big Y are 15 minutes away. Places to Visit Within 0.5 miles: Robert Frost Trail, Leverett Pond, multiple hiking trailheads. Within 6 miles: Amherst College, UMass Campus, Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst College Museum of Natural History, Mead Art Museum, Puffer's Pond, Amherst Farmer's Market, Amherst Farm Winery, Black Birch Vineyard, The Book Mill & Lady Killigrew Cafe (a touch over 6 miles away & stunningly located on the Sawmill River). Within 10 miles: Hampshire College, Eric Carle Museum, Mount Holyoke State Park, Yiddish Book Center, summer swimming at Lake Wyola, Tree House Brewery. Within 15 miles: Smith College, Northampton, Mount Holyoke College (All five-college schools), Pioneer Valley Farm & Vineyard, Connecticut River Greenway State Park, Norwottuck Rail Trail, Deerfield Academy (21 miles). Within 35 miles: Skiing at Berkshire East, Mohawk Trail State Forest (largest stand of old-growth forest in Massachusetts). Within 60 miles: Mass MoCA (an incredible museum), The Clark Institute, Williams College, Mount Graylock, Monadnock State Park. Guest access Guests will have access to a private patio and the yard around the apartment. The apartment has two private entrances. An external staircase leads up to the door, so please be prepared to navigate them.