On a back country road in Rockland Township, a renovated one-room schoolhouse is attracting visitors from all over the world to Berks County. Approximately 33 miles away in the mountains of Berks and Schuylkill counties, a two-bedroom cottage in a densely wooded area is doing the same. Two cozy rental cottages — one situated on a quiet road in the country and the other dropped deep inside a forest — in scenic Berks at the right price for the right person(s).
A COUNTRY-STONE COTTAGE
Elizabeth A. Gittings, an art historian and designer from Boston, Mass., updated her cottage’s interior with luxurious modern amenities a few years ago in order to market it as a couple’s retreat. Elizabeth and I met at her cottage one day in between guests. The following interview touches on the love she has for her favorite home-away-from-home in Rockland Township.
Q: Why did you choose Berks County? I was looking for a getaway and to be close to my family, who all live nearby.
Q: How did you prepare the cottage for public use? I spent May through August in 2012 renovating and designing the interior and buying and making furniture. I also prepared a guest guide and took pictures for advertisement online.
Q: What inspired you to try to rent it? I considered offering the cottage as a vacation rental for several reasons. First, even though I divide my time between Boston and Berks, I was not using the cottage as often as I had hoped to. And because I own a historic townhouse with catered guest suites in Boston, I thought I would try something similar at the cottage. I have found that guests are very appreciative of my efforts to provide them with a special experience. [For a peek at Elizabeth’s Boston suite with colorful Moroccan-inspired furnishings and accessories, visit airbnb.com/rooms/29765].
Q: Was it an easy transition? Since the only source of heat was a woodstove, my partner Bill Ferry and I inquired with our neighbor Steve Rhoads, an electrical contractor, who was willing to cut through thick stone walls to install the necessary conduits. The cottage also needed new wood floors in the loft bedroom in addition to new floors, cabinets, a sink and more in the kitchen. We turned to Jeff and Jason Fegley, J&Y Roofing Siding & Repairs, Kutztown, for much of that work.
Q: You designed the cottage to be a romantic getaway for couples. How did you achieve the look? I installed ambiance lighting in almost all the rooms, but it’s still a work in progress. The biggest challenge is to keep the rustic charm and coziness but offer convenience and comfort as well. My goal is to make it as easy as possible for guests to walk in, use the space and feel comfortable.
Q: How do you feel about sharing your personal space? I’m very excited and anxious, wanting everything to be perfect. I think learning to let go a little has been one of the challenges for me. But it's always personal, both in the way I treat my guests and the way I hope they will feel at the cottage — as if it is their home.
Q: How would you describe scenic Berks County to an outsider? I love the beauty of the countryside. I have traveled all over the world, and still some of the local scenery moves me in a way few other places do; for instance Covered Bridge Road for me is one of the most beautiful drives on earth — the wide vistas, streams, farms and old churches — represent, for me, a time when life was simpler. Personally, and in my talks with other owners of vacation properties here, I feel strongly that the area is not as well-known as a vacation and tourist destination as it deserves to be. I would like to try to build that industry in a small and personal way.
Q: How did you find the schoolhouse? It had belonged to my partner, and every time I was in town I would visit and envision ways to enhance its quiet charm. I fell under its spell from the beginning. It has a quiet comfort and restfulness that I have found in very few places.
Q: What do you look forward to when you stay here? When I am at the cottage I open the windows and breathe in the fresh air and the smells of the woods and hay from the farms. I feel as if I am finally home. It's as if I enter another world every time, a slower and kinder world. I really look forward to being surrounded by the beauty of the natural world, so close at hand…one of my muses as an artist.
Q: Do you provide any additional amenities? We want everyone here to feel special and appreciated; therefore, we do a welcome table in the kitchen with a lovely arrangement of local foods and seasonal flowers. We also have local wines and leave a personal thank you note crafted by a Berks County artist. Guests are provided a substantial breakfast: eggs from Mennonite farms; handmade local sausages; bagels and cream cheese; and marmalade as well as gourmet coffees and teas, which they can prepare at their leisure.
Q: Who prepares the cottage for your guests? My cottage manager, Cindy Pinder, who has an eye for detail, and she does all of our baking!
Q: Any other thoughts you would like to share with our readers? Most guests here have been blown away by the natural beauty and tradition of Berks County, and they say they want to return again.
A COZY APPLACHIAN TRAIL COTTAGE
This beloved space belongs to the Tankel family of Malvern, Chester County. Their second-home- turned-rental-cottage in Bethel Township is adjacent to 30 square miles of wilderness with no roads. It’s a happy place, says owner Liz Tankel, the jumping off point for fun and good memories. I caught up with Liz at her cottage on a crisp autumn day.
Q: How did you ever find this place? It’s so secluded. When Ken and I got married in 1982, we started looking for a second home even before we had our first home. We agreed that we wanted a place in the woods, somewhere near water and with lots of historical and cultural activities. Our search took us all over to nearby counties and states, but we realized that we did not have to travel seven or eight hours to find what we were looking for. It was right next door in Berks County.
Q: Tell me about the early years. Ken and I and the kids, Eric, now 28, and Ethan, now 19, used the cottage almost every weekend from 1998 to 2008, and that included holidays and vacations. It is only 62 miles from our primary home, so I even used it on weekdays, running up with friends for a hike and lunch. When friends came to visit, we always stayed at the cottage rather than our home. It quickly became everyone’s favorite place.
Q: Was it love at first sight? When Ken and I pulled into the driveway, we felt like we had found our true home. The cottage and its setting exactly matched our shared vision of what our place should look and feel like. Our offer was full asking price, no contingencies or inspections. We knew that we had to have it.
Q: Did you make any alterations before renting it out to the public? In order to prepare it for the public, we upgraded all the systems (septic, water, cooling, and the window coverings and mattresses) and fixed everything that was broken or quirky.
Q: Do you have full-time help? No. Ken and I do all of the cleaning and preparation work. This is how we guarantee a consistent experience for our guests. We make sure that everything — sheets, towels, glasses and dishes — match and that all surfaces are clean.
Q: Did your first set of guests enjoy their stay? We had four young adults from Newark, N.J., who had never seen total darkness and who had visited during a Perseid meteor shower. One of the young women wrote in our guestbook, “I saw my first shooting star and I made a wish that I can come back to this place.”
Q: How do you feel today when you rent it? I feel the way you feel when you expect any welcome guests in your home: intense anticipation and wanting everything to be perfect. Ken and I want our guests to have a five-star experience.
Q: What do you love most about this place? Everything! It exudes an immense feeling of peace. It is almost impossible to feel worried when you are here. Everything gets boiled down to its purest essence. You are immersed in physical beauty. You have everything you need and nothing that you do not need.
Q: What’s the drive like getting here? We love to watch the thermometer on the car dashboard plummet when we drive onto the dirt lane. It (the temperature) drops because the cottage is nestled deep in a valley and has a creek right in front of it, making it 10 degrees cooler in every season than our primary home. Also, when we drive onto the dirt lane, we roll the windows down so that we can hear the birds and animals in the woods and smell the earthy, spicy scent of the mountain.
Q: Is there any season in demand more than the other? It never slows down! It is the quintessential winter place with hot cocoa, a wood fire and thick blankets. Spring is green and full of birdsongs. Mountain laurels line the dirt lane, and when they bloom it looks as if someone has draped the woods with cotton candy. Summer is dry and lazy. Time for long naps on the porch glider. In autumn, beech, maple, oak and tulip poplar leaves shower down on you as you walk. There is one problem, though. With so many delicious options, renting the right cottage at the right time won’t be easy!
STONE COTTAGE RENTAL FACTSSleeps: 1-4 ideally Length of stay: 2 night minimumInterior amenities include: wireless internet,cable TV, home theater and wireless stereosystems, DVD player, linens. Fresh, localbreakfast provisionsAdd-ons: Romance or Spa packages available.Cost: $175 per night or $1,000/weekWebsite: homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p904401 Email: beautifulcottagepa@gmail.com Telephone: 617.953.4853 APPALACHIAN COTTAGE RENTAL FACTS Sleeps: 1-7 ideally Length of stay: 2 night minimum for spring, winter or fall; 4 night minimum for summer Interior amenities include: stone fireplace (firewood and kindling provided), stereo, DVD player, cable TV, wireless Internet, full-size washer and dryer, board games, library and Legos No smoking is allowed on premises. Cost: $185 per night plus 6% Pennsylvania sales tax Three Websites: homeaway.com 231792 vrbo.com 182629 atcottage.com Email: tankeleb@yahoo.com Telephone: 610.640.1410
by Marcia Weidner-Sutphen | photos by John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
