Welcome to Otter Falls Inn! Nestled in the trees directly above the brook and hidden off the main road sits our cozy, vintage eco cottage. Just 8 minutes from the U. of Hartford and all major conveniences, our property is a hidden oasis surrounded by the sound + sights of the water flowing below. We lovingly restored and updated the cottage to offer a unique, relaxing, romantic getaway where guests can slow down and enjoy connecting to each other and nature in this stylish, eco conscious home. Otter Falls Inn is a cozy, art-deco-meets-mid-century restored cottage with an eco-conscious mission tucked away in the trees on our private nature sanctuary and sitting just above a creek. Our property is our own little slice of paradise- right off a main road sits our hidden historical property and mini nature sanctuary complete with forest, creek and wildlife (please read the listing desc/access info/rules at time of booking). We are centrally located in Bloomfield, CT- just minutes from downtown Hartford, West Hartford center, and University of Hartford! If you love seeing wildlife and trees and hearing the sound of the sometimes-babbling/sometimes-rushing water in the brook, this is the place to be! Guests can spend lazy days relaxing by a cozy fire or watching the wildlife from the private deck. We've seen wild mallards and their ducklings that nest on the property, deer, beavers, otters, musk rats, a large number of songbirds, hawks, egrets and waterfowl, turtles, bear, bobcats, turkeys, and more! Bring your camera or enjoy the telescope phone camera lens available for your use- just be sure to share the best pics! Our property was originally the site of the gristmill that served this area from 1780-1865 and prior to colonial settling, was home to the Tunxis, Poquonook, and Wangunks people and we live in the main cottage on the property called The Old Mill so are nearby should you need assistance with anything. The guest cottage is a completely private and separate house separated by a body of water, a bridge, trees/shrubs and our yard and you won't see us unless we cross paths in the driveway which is the only shared space. With deep history and a respect for the land and nature, we look forward to sharing our slice of paradise with you! A large part of our way of life here is to live in nature while protecting it. We are working towards a self-sustaining property and as we work towards outfitting the houses to be as tiny of an eco-footprint as possible, we begin our journey with a property that seeks to reduce its waste and invites our guests to join us in this mission. The guest cottage was renovated lovingly with our own hands and we used practices that minimize construction waste including using second hand building materials. The entire cottage is designed for maximum efficiency in a small space and its stylish and beautiful decor is almost completely upcycled or supplied from local artisans. Its fun, vintage style celebrates the history of this 100 year old guesthouse. Some things to note: The space is best suited for couples and individuals since we are 1 bedroom. We can accommodate up to 4 people with the queen sleeper sofa in the living room. There is an additional charge per person beyond 2 people. If you have kiddos, we do not allow kids under the age of 8 as its not a child-safe space (very young infants who aren't crawling around yet are okay but we do not have baby gear on site so guests would need to have their own items if staying with an infant) and if you have a child please count them towards your total headcount of 4 people at time of booking. We do allow pets but please make sure you're familiar with pet rules upon booking. There are a few features in the cottage that we get a lot of questions about so although they may seem common sense, there are small signs in the space to help answer these commonly asked questions should you have the same questions and to help avoid any issues during your stay. Lastly, because this is an eco-conscious property and since the water and wildlife present their own safety considerations, there may appear to be more rules than other properties but they're there to ensure the safety and comfort of you and the wildlife. The space in Otter Falls Guest Cottage: The space is designed for slowing down, connecting, and creating- couples retreats, elopements, mini-moons, artist and writer retreats, and even a working getaway if need be. The hallway is a reading nook that converts into a desk for a dedicated work space and the cottage also has dedicated wifi. The home features a private outdoor viewing deck sitting above the creek where you have great views of the ecosystem around us. A portion is screened so you can sit and enjoy your meals outside. It is complete with a propane grill so you can get your cookout on. Enjoy sitting on the deck in the morning with your coffee, listen to the birds and the water, and settle in! Inside, guests will find a fun, vintage space in which to play and relax. The living room features a sofa and double papasan as well as a retro game table. Chess and checkers for the table as well as a cabinet full of board games and puzzles provide hours of entertainment. We also have a TV and a wood burning fireplace to make those wintery stays just perfect. Through the living room is one of our favorite rooms- the kitchen! This tiny kitchen has been curated for efficiency and cheeriness. If you love to cook, you should have everything you need to make delicious meals all week long. As coffee and tea lovers, we also have a coffee corner stocked with mini versions of low waste ways to get that yummy caffeine. The bedroom draws on nature to inspire relaxation, serenity and romance and has a queen bed. There is also a closet with hangers as well as iron and ironing board and drawers for your use. If relaxation is what you're after, we can assist in booking a masseuse to come to you. The bathroom was renovated with the old charm of the 1930s in mind and features a tub and a Korean-Stone shower head for excellent water pressure while conserving 30% more water than a regular shower head. We have provided toiletries and a hair dryer for a comfortable stay. The cottage features amenities that assist in lowering our waste and plastic use. We thoughtfully select products and develop partnerships with local craftspeople and companies that support our limiting plastic waste mission and supports local, small businesses. We hope you end up maybe even discovering some products you love! We are adding a products section to the guidebook should you want to purchase any (ask us if it's not already in there). Please note the water level of the brook depends highly on what the weather has been like recently. Sometimes it is white water rapids with logs floating by if it's been heavy rains, other times at its lowest it is a calm trickling and is always lower on the side of the waterway closest to the driveway. It tends to be easier to see animals using the waterway when the water level is low even though it doesn't look as robust and dramatic. We wish we could control the weather, but alas...add on amenities are weather dependent. Check us out and share your best pics from your stay on IG @otterfallsinn Understanding the property + Guest Access Our property is close to 5 acres spread out in kind of a weird shape, helping to buffer and conserve wildlife passage ways from the surrounding suburban sprawl. We live on the property in the main house on the island- the island is our yard- and the whole of the property is our home! There are 3 dams located around the brook bed and the corner of the second bridge was where the original gristmill stood. The mill stones are still here in our yard and hearth! Check out the tagged pages of the history books on the coffee table to see what it once was. With deep history and a respect for the land and nature, we are on a mission to protect the eco-system here while making it a safe and enjoyable environment for humans. We seek to coexist as guests in nature. A large part of our way of life here is to live in nature while protecting it and part of our mission with the cottage is to ask guests to join us in that mission while here and when you return home, consider how you can help protect nature in your own areas. We are working towards a self-sustaining property and as we work towards outfitting the houses to be as tiny of an eco-footprint as possible, we begin our journey with a property that seeks to reduce its waste. The cottage is attached to our garage- guests do not have access to the garage unless you are staying longer than 5 nights in which case we can provide access if you’d like to do laundry. We try to stay out of the way completely whenever guests are in the cottage but you may hear the garage door softly closing or opening. Likewise, we share the driveway. For those staying during inclement weather in the winter- please be aware we will send you parking directions to use our carport so you will be out of the way of the snow plow. Please note the driveway is dirt and gravel with a hill and that means that during snow or ice storms more than 3 inches, we can't exit the driveway until the plow comes through (a 4 wheel drive vehicle may be okay but even a few of those have gotten stuck). Our plow driver does attempt to get to us first if he knows guests are staying. Please plan accordingly for groceries should we be expecting more than 3 inches of snow or ice so you can be comfortable until the driveway is cleared after the storm. We get a lot of questions about where guests can go on the property and we want guests to have a full understanding of the layout of the property and what they have access to. Our primary mission is to create a sanctuary that protects nature where we humans can enjoy and unplug. Our guidelines for what guests have access to is to prioritize the safety and respect of the wildlife and land. Currently, the rental consists of the cottage and its deck plus the parking spot and guests are welcome to stand on the first bridge right off the driveway and enjoy the water and look for wildlife. Next year we hope to add a small second sitting area off the side of the deck in a clearing but currently that area is not usable and we ask guests not to go in there as it has not been cleared for poison ivy. The cottage is on the top of the tall banks and there is no access into the water from that side. Please help us protect the hill from erosion and protect the large amount of nesting areas and animal homes along the banks. This is also for your safety and why we have a leash rule for the doggos. The property does not have hiking trails or swimming holes, although there are plenty near by- see the “Things to Do” section of the guidebook. Nor does it back up to public space- please don’t trespass. We do have access into the small, quiet suburban neighborhood right behind us for walks. Ask us if you'd like to come across to go up there and we can show you the way. Restoring and optimizing the property will be a lot of work and we ask for your patience and understanding in how this translates to where we invite guests to enjoy outside the cottage. All the rules are for your safety and the safety of the wildlife. Because this is also our home, our yard across the bridge/past the gate is not accessible to guests but we are happy to bring you across and show you around our little island and often times will invite you to enjoy sitting on the second bridge when we're not using the yard. This requires just communicating with us if you'd like to tour around and meet us- we're always excited to show you what we're working on! If you'd like to sit for a bit on the second bridge as well just let us know and we can coordinate having you come across. There have been some questions as to whether the property is a park or if people can explore freely- it is not a park and guests can not wander through the woods in the upper lot or our yard without permission. Outside of our yard, it is important that we let the property be run by nature- there are deer dens and bobcat trails across the upper lot and creating trails for humans would disrupt those. If you're hoping to take a long walk in nature, we have tons of hiking trails in the area and even access points to the big rivers we'd love to recommend! We also get questions on whether guests can swim in the brook. Guests are not able to walk in or swim in the brook from the cottage- the water is usually too heavy on that side and the banks are cliffsides. Please do not enter other areas of the creek as many water fowl and turtles rely on these quiet areas for feeding and nesting. Parking + Getting Around: The cottage is removed off the main road so there's no street parking but there is 1 dedicated parking spot for guests in the driveway (we can accommodate 2 cars- please let us know in advance if there will be 2). If we're expecting winter storms, we may ask you to park in our carport to be clear of the plow. You'll see in the check in guide where to park 1 or 2 cars. Guests share the driveway with us. Also note the driveway is dirt and gravel so drive slowly to not kick up gravel. We ask that you remove your shoes inside (we offer slippers) and please be careful whenever walking in the driveway for safety if it's snowy or icy. A car is the easiest way to get around the area. However, if you want to hunker down at the cottage for the duration of your stay you can certainly get a grocery delivery and have a ride share drop you off. We are 20 minutes from Bradley International Airport and just 10 mins from downtown Hartford. For guests coming from NYC, take Amtrak from Penn direct into Hartford or connect in New Haven and then take a ride share from Union station in Hartford. We are 2.5 hrs from NYC and about 2 hours from Boston. There are grocery stores right near by as well as some farm stands; gas stations; banks; urgent care; and restaurants all within 5 minutes. We do wish we had a more walkable location but because it's a busy road it's not great for walking for errands or to locales and you should plan for rides or driving. If you want to take a walk or a run, give us a heads up to cross the island you can pop out the other side of our property into a quiet neighborhood where you can walk/jog (please note this requires heading up a hillside with unfinished stairs and walking through some weedy areas). There are plenty of parks with trails nearby as well and even places to rent kayaks or canoes and go out on the water. See our guidebook! We live on the main island of the property so are just across the bridge through the trees should you need any help with anything! Basically, we stay out of your way unless you need something or order one of our additional services or want to meet us and take a tour of the property. Check in is using a keypad. We do park in the same driveway so you may briefly see us coming or going. The only other time you may hear us is if we access our garage which is attached to the cottage but we do our best to not be seen or heard! We too value our privacy:) If we have visitors parking in the driveway, they are asked to be quiet when coming and going so as to not bother guests in the cottage. Located in the town of Bloomfield which is a small suburb of Hartford, we are just 19 minutes from Bradley airport, 8 mins to jump on I-91 and 291, 12 mins to I-84, and just down the street from the University of Hartford. We are right off a main road with groceries, banks, urgent cares just a min away but it feels like you're completely secluded! It is a busy road and we are not in a very walkable location. Neighbors are nearly impossible to spot in the summer but one can see the apartment complex and businesses neighboring us in the winter. There is a commercial lot neighboring us with spa and medical offices with parking adjacent to the cottage and the parking lights can be seen at night so draw the curtains. Bloomfield is a great community- a mix of small town, suburb and farms. We are also a 12 minute drive to bustling West Hartford Center and Simsbury center, 10 mins to all Hartford has to offer, close to many farms for fresh produce and eggs, near lots of trails for hiking and outdoors activities, and by the river to kayak or tube. Greater Hartford area was recently named #53 out of the top 150 places to live by US News and we're so excited to share all of the amazing things this area has to offer! We offer parking in our driveway at the inn for guests- we have space for 2 cars max (follow parking directions in check in guide). If you were going to have someone visit you with a third car for a few hours, please ask about parking. Please be careful driving in as it is a gravel and dirt drive and go slow up and down the hill so you don't spin out in the gravel. We are on a main state road with a very long driveway so there is no street parking (just on our property). Because it's a very busy road that businesses are on, we recommend driving to nearby businesses rather than walking. The neighborhood itself is super easy to drive around and access businesses but public transportation and some walking options are not great (doable, but not great). If you plan to just hunker down in the cottage for your entire stay, you don't need a car technically- you could order groceries and get a ride share. But if you plan to go do things off the property and site see, a car is a must. Things to note: In a perfect world, we would be completely secluded! However, while we are very much tucked away, we do have neighbors around us. Guests should be aware that the cottage has a commercial lot with medical offices and businesses next door on the other side of the trees and the far side of the property is an apartment complex. Behind the upper lot is a quiet suburban neighborhood. In the summer, it is almost impossible to see any of them. In the winter when the leaves are gone, they are visible but far away. The lights of the parking lot are visible through the trees but the curtains block them out. It stays very quiet and usually you'll just hear the water and sounds of the woods but once or twice a week neighbors have landscaping which can make landscaping noise for an hour or two. We usually will message you if we hear something going on that might impact your stay so you will be aware. Laundry is available to guests staying 5 nights or longer. The washer and dryer is located in our garage and we will send a code for the garage for those wanting to use it. Please be aware it's not a finished room and not so pretty like the cottage- just a garage with laundry machines:) The cottage has our garage attached to it and while we try to stay out of there whenever we have guests, we should note that you may hear a faint garage door. The house has tons of windows if you prefer fresh air- please see directions on how the sliders work. The bedroom has a ceiling fan which keeps it quite cool. In mild temps, the house stays quite comfortable. We are currently working on installing a heat pump for super efficient cooling and heating and we do provide a portable AC units in the livingroom and bedroom for now until that is installed. We ask that guests be mindful of their energy consumption and follow directions provided for any utility and don't run the heating or cooling with windows or doors open. In the winter, the wood burning fireplace insert provides additional heat if you turn on the blower fan and follow the directions for a heat supplying fire. In very bad rain storms, please keep the windows closed so the rain doesn't blow in. If staying during cold weather, please consider turning the thermostat down to 63 should you be planning to be out all day in an effort to burn fewer fossil fuels. For winter guests: New England in the winter with a dirt and gravel driveway with a hill can provide some challenges when we get winter storms. Should you be visiting during inclement weather, guests should be prepared to stay in the cottage until storms have passed and plows have cleared the driveway. Our plow guy tries to make it to us asap as soon as storms are done when he knows we have guests. We've seen many a vehicle get stuck trying to make it up the hill prior to plowing so please take note and be prepared for that rural New England experience that is hunkering down. Please plan your grocery needs accordingly. We provide sheltered parking in our carport during winter storms so your car is clear of the plow path. We are happy to assist with parking as the angle can be tricky. Please back into the carport so driving out is easier. Please see rules for our pet policies and other important info if traveling with a pet and make sure they are included in your booking. The cottage is most comfortable for 2 guests as it is 1 bedroom. Our rate covers the first 2 guests. We can accommodate up to 4 using the sleeper sofa and do have a per person charge for 3rd and 4th people of $50/person/night. This will be calculated when you enter or update your number of guests in your reservation. Since we live on the property, we appreciate your honesty in this part of the booking process- if we see additional guests staying, we will send a resolution center request to address this. If you have people just visiting during your stay and not staying we appreciate you letting us know so we can let you know where to park. Please follow parking instructions provided for cars as we have a tight driveway that is shared. We allow 2 cars to park for guests staying overnight and can coordinate a 3rd car space if it's just a short visit. A few of our core beliefs here at OFI: Bloomfield is a very diverse community with many Black-owned businesses and we highly recommend checking out their offerings. We are queer and welcome our other LGBTQIA community guests. Doing our part to save this single habitable planet is important. Nature is our church, please treat it with reverence and be aware of the mission here to protect natural habitats and do as little damage as possible while enjoying it. We honor the deep history of this property as it's new curators and recognize and honor the grief and trauma and also the wisdom and importance of the Indigenous people who cared for this beautiful place prior to colonization of the land. Reducing our waste is important because Hartford does not have their own trash plant and it is an important issue both in our community and globally- please join us in reducing waste and care for recyclables properly while here so as to not contaminate shipments. Experiences: We think CT has so much to offer and explore- tons of outdoor activities, local farms and great food, even an alpaca rescue near by where you can feed the alpacas (we love going there!) or a goat farm where you can walk goats. We have a guidebook with tons of local recommendations on our fave places- near and far. If you want a recommendation for anything, just ask! On the property itself, we have a few special experiences for guests to book and enjoy. Ask us about booking! Our additional services include: Archery Lesson- Ever want to shoot some stuff with a bow and arrow? Ruben would love to teach you how. On site spa services- We can arrange for a massage therapist to come to the property for a massage either in the cottage or outdoors under a tree! Mini-moons + Honeymoons- If you're on honeymoon, let us know if we can help schedule your getaway to provide complete relaxation post wedding! Elopements- One of our favorite things is working with couples who are looking for a low key, unique way to say their 'I Dos'. We've both worked in weddings and hospitality forever and were so excited for our own micro wedding when Covid happened. We ended up eloping instead and loved that just as much. We can't wait to help couples do the same. Say your vows by the water, walk to your ceremony from the cottage, and stay a few days after for the honeymoon too! We have a network of local vendors like photographers, videographers, justice of the peace/ordained ministers to help put together your perfect day. If you are having your wedding nearby, we have a large airbnb that partners with us where your guests can stay if the cottage is acting as your bridal suite. Inquire for our packages + availability (seasonally dependent).