Mount Harmony Farm Vacation Guest House

Mount Harmony Farm Vacation Guest House

Photo gallery for Mount Harmony Farm Vacation Guest House

Upstairs Great Rm with King Bed & Captain's Bed, Kitchenette, baseboard heat
Upstairs Gt Rm (looking South) Captain's Bed & Kitchen Island in back
Great Room Picture Window, Captain's bed (Left), King Bed (Right)
Upstairs Gt Rm--winter.  Built-in King Bed (R), Captain's Bed (L),
Entry to upstairs Gt Room with energy-efficient pellet stove

Overview of Mount Harmony Farm Vacation Guest House

Reviews
9.8 out of 10 Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Pet-friendlyPet-friendlyPet-friendly
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Air conditioningAir conditioningAir conditioning

Check out the area

Map
Sheffield, VT
  • Popular LocationBread and Puppet Theater2 min drive
  • Popular LocationCrystal Lake15 min drive
  • Popular LocationLake Willoughby26 min drive
  • AirportBurlington, VT (BTV-Burlington Intl.)98 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3 - Upstairs Great Room

Living Room 1

1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Kitchenette
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

Mount Harmony Farm Vacation Guest House

Please note: there is a 3-night MINIMUM for stays and 31 nights MAXIMUM, and NO FARM STAYS--farm animals can be experienced from picture window, lawn & deck. There are a day before and after each reservation for cleaning/sanitizing and 3 days advance notice for reservations. 2-story Guest House (whole house, not shared with other renters--just one rental group at a time). Sleeps 1 couple & 2 kids + another adult or 2 couples very comfortably + another adult or child--5 people maximum (2 king-sized beds, 1 full-sized bed, a Captain's Bed (and an inner-spring mattress cot if needed). Bed rooms and BATHROOMS ARE UPSTAIRS. Downstairs has a full-sized inner-spring mattress couch-bed (no bathroom downstairs). Country privacy in Vermont's NE Kingdom. Close to nature and old-fashioned farm charm, peaceful -- a great get away. Let go, unwind, have fun, de-stress & relax, or knock yourself out in the great outdoors. Guest House Garden (separate from the Farm) with protective fencing for the Guests & Farm animals (NO FARM STAYS, and do NOT pet/feed the donkeys) usually has lots of yummies in it by early July until mid-October. Pets allowed upon approval -- NO LARGE DOGS, and no more than 2 dogs. No dogs allowed into upstairs rooms--please groom & de-tick/de-flea pets before coming.

2-story Historic Guest House has Old-Fashioned Rustic Charm & Elegance and amazing views from the LARGE upstairs picture window. The picture window looks out onto beautiful, changing mountain views and the antics of our animals--clear nights are great for star-gazing. There is an air-conditioner in the upstairs Great Room during the hot months. Cool Fall nights you can turn on the upstairs baseboard heaters, and later on the energy-efficient pellet stove. In Winter the Upstairs has individually controlled baseboard heaters and the Great Room's energy-efficient pellet stove. Downstairs has an energy-efficient wood stove plus the supplementary pellet stove. Cook up a storm in the open kitchen, grill up a storm outside during the warm months, or check out nearby cafes-restaurants, and most especially the #1-Rated Hill Farmstead Brewery 20 minutes away.

Free WiFi (10 meg speed, HD-TV & Blu-ray DVD (+Netflix, Amazon Prime with HBO, HBZ, Masterpiece Theater, Britbox/Acorn, etc.). Upstairs Roku TV has access to Hulu and Peacock as well. We have games, cards, jigsaw puzzles, books, stuffed toys, crayons/art supplies, Audubon Nature Guides, binoculars & a recliner. We have a 5-gallon hot/cold water dispenser downstairs and another upstairs--we encourage people to bring personal (not disposable) water bottles--the spring water in the dispensers in warmer weather comes from a public access spring in nearby Shadow Lake. Tap water comes from our artesian well and has a whole-house filter. Clear skies at night are great for star gazing (check out when there are meteor showers, too). It's all about the experience of Mount Harmony Farm.

Please note: During late November thru early March, we recommend fleece-lined jeans (or a polypropylene base layer) and sweaters. Walking around in just T-shirts and light-weight jeans indoors during these months is not suited to this region or our budget.

The nearby (near-private) Nature Sanctuary is just down the hill--great swimming--the water come early July is beautifully warm and usually stays warm to end of September/early October, with fishing, hiking, beautifully laid out & well-marked hiking paths, and a scenic outlook ("O'Leary's Leap") which has a steep, well-laid-out climb for the last 10 minutes. There is also a second pond +another locked cabin, plus a high point elevation--lots to explore. A mile further on (on Rte. 122) is the world-renowned Bread & Puppet Theater. Shadow Lake and many other swimming areas are also nearby. Craftsbury/the Commons/ Sterling College/the Open Center are a 1/2 hr+ away for biking, hiking, events, dining, farmers' markets, summer concerts outside & more. In the other direction are Burke Mountain-Kingdom Trails (world-class mountain biking events, and great restaurants/bars in that area). Lake Willoughby is about 45 minutes away and fairly crowded during very hot days. In Winter there is skiing, sledding, snowshoeing at Burke & Craftsbury's Open Center, and fat tire biking at Kingdom Trails.

Guest House Rates are for up to 4 people--additional guest is $25/nt (if under 5 years old = free)--with a limit of 5 people. Because we have a STRICT NO-CANCELLATION POLICY. If you or your guests' plans are at all iffy--we recommend taking out Traveler's Insurance in the event you may have to cancel or leave early.

Greensboro (Miller's Thumb, Willy's Country Store & Circus Smirkus) is about 20 minutes away, and a quick jump to the wildly popular Hill Farmstead Brewery (amazing beers/brews--go to their website). About 10 minutes south of Circus Smirkus is Perennial pleasures--beautiful & artistic gardens, plants to buy, and a wonderful tea room with real china & silverware, plus several varieties of entertaining chickens wandering about. From there you can continue south to Hardwick where you'll find Positive Pie (reservations recommended), a fun bookstore, a gift shop, the Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op & Cafe, a thrift shop, a creative cafe, an AT&T store, and more.

If you go north to Newport you will find many things to see & do there, plus Lake Memphremagog which extends well into Canada (bike paths from Newport into Canada go around parts of the Lake). Canada entry may require Covid vaccination certificates, as well as passport or special sticker on your driver's license/state ID.

Please Note: THIS IS NOT A FARM STAY--the protected farm animals are NOT to be fed/petted as the donkeys do not always understand where carrots leave off and fingers begin. They also are not horses (horses can be fed from open palms--but donkeys cannot). Please do not fly drones on our property--go off our property--far enough away you won't scare our protected animals.

SLEPT LIKE BABIES...: Dear Stephanie & Marc.-- We had a glorious time. We loved the downstairs great room and especially loved reading and looking at the donkeys and the mountains from the upstairs Great Room. We all slept like babies!!!!! It was such fun watching the birds and the chipmunk darting about outside. Torben loved snowshoeing on your property. -- Thanks for providing such a wonderful larder with spices, oils, rice (which I used), teas and coffees, which I loved. I did the cooking and they cleaned up! -- Thank you also for being the 'parents' for the rescued animals. We have friends who live in Woodstock, VT and the wife is totally committed to taking animals out of abusive homes. You are doing a great thing and your animals must be thankful to have you care for them. We loved hearing them 'talking' to Marc! -- Thank you so much. -- April & Torben, FL

IT WAS LIKE COMING HOME: We read the website & write-ups, made the deal, but still didn't really know what to expect. It was like coming home to the family farm for Thanksgiving. We're not often welcomed by two mules, a gaggle of Geese, various sheep, and a pair of chipmunks. No moose though, at least not yet. Marc & Stephanie are like family. Staying here's been a treat. Raiding the vegetable garden, watching the chipmunk while reading on the deck, the view from upstairs, the 'sanctuary' down the hill & across the road (all parks should be like this), the leaves turning. Drive the byways, but better yet -- take the well-used Vermont Gazetteer and take those really skinny back roads that are red -- the dirt/gravel ones. Get lost, find your way. Go to the observatory at the top of Prospect Hill near Brownington, and look into Canada. Try them all -- they're good roads, often better than the asphalt ones. -- Pam & Les, TX

WOW!!!: Let me start off by saying WOW!!!!! You and your farm are amazing. It was so nice to meet folks who still have strong morals/values and treat animals/land with the love and respect they deserve. We really were just trying to 'get away', but you made our trip so much more than that!! And for that I THANK YOU. We loved sitting down with you two and hearing you speak so lovingly about your farm. My husband and I have had our share of many tragedies over the last few years and found it hard to get out of our pity party; in just two short days Mount Harmony provided us with the atmosphere to 'let go'. Your gratitude towards my husband's veteran status was unexpected and appreciated, I hope we did not insult you by not taking you up on your offer to stay a night 'on you'. If we didn't have [responsibilities], we would have taken you up on the offer in a heartbeat. We'll be back, but next time for a longer stay (they've been back many times).
-- Sonya, Gary & Friends, MA, now FL

Property manager

Stephanie Bourdelle

Amenities

Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Check out before 11:30 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
Children under 2 y.o. are free (limit 2 freebies)

Events

No events allowed
Not during Covid-19, family events ask first

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats less than 50 lbs per pet (limit 2 pets total)
Call to give us details and get pre-approval

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas
1. No pets allowed upstairs--must be on leash when outside 2. Take keys/LOCK HOUSE 3. Fences for safety of guests and farm animals--respect them
When leaving: check coffee maker, clean/turn off, locate phones/apps/adapters. If you find you've gone home with something from here--PLEASE RETURN
Smoking only outside. Don't feed/pat/touch animals. Turn down thermostats when you go out. Any issues let us know so we can fix/correct.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

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
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Not during Covid-19, family events ask first
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadbolt lock

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Sheffield

Located in Sheffield, this guesthouse is in a rural area and in the mountains. Bread and Puppet Theater and Old Stone House Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Quechee Gorge Mini Golf and Great Vermont Corn Maze. Traveling with kids? Consider Willey's Store and Fairbanks Museum of Natural Science. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Sheffield, VT

What's nearby

  • Bread and Puppet Theater - 2 min drive
  • Shadow Lake - 10 min drive
  • Crystal Lake State Park - 12 min drive
  • Crystal Lake - 15 min drive
  • Lake Willoughby - 26 min drive

Getting around

  • Lyndonville, VT (LLX-Caledonia County) - 27 min drive

Restaurants

  • Busy Bee Diner - 6 min drive
  • Parker Pie Company - 14 min drive
  • Lake House Saloon - 11 min drive
  • Ming's House - 10 min drive
  • Crystal Saloon - 11 min drive

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 23 out of 26 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 26 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 26 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 26 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 26 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Burton B., Washington DC

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very nice place - if you don’t mind firing up the wood stove every morning.
We very much enjoyed our stay and our hosts were very helpful and friendly. Bedrooms were nice and warm, and we rather enjoyed making a fire in the wood stove each morning. However it took an hour for the stove and the portable electric heater to heat the cold downstairs living/ dining area.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Johanna M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
great garden
this is a quiet spot with a fabulous vegetable garden on a small farm. a well stocked and relaxing place with lovely gracious hosts.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Steven D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Experience Vermont
Beautiful,
Stayed 13 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Rob M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great time at the farmhouse!
We really enjoyed our stay here. The hosts are very helpful and the views are awesome.
Stayed 15 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Mara W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great week!
We enjoyed our stay with Marc and Stephanie. Beautiful location and lovely, peaceful property. We had a great time swimming at the nearby pond and beautiful Lake Willoughby. Hope to come back!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

About the host

Hosted by Stephanie Bourdelle

Host profile image
We both believe in holding the creative center as vitally important. Stephanie does several visual art forms (sculpture, photo, gentle land shaping, website mgmt., etc.); Marc still keeps up his process work, and does many internal energy art forms. Our 4-footed rescues are part of the heart of this place and they are our non-toxic lawn mowers/weed whackers.

Why they chose this property

Guest House has a huge picture window and a mesmerizing view of ever-changing landscape, gardens and farm livestock--NO FARM STAYS. Our own home here is a 200+ yr-old historic farmhouse on 10+ acres. Room enough for us to be growing/expanding gently on the bones of what is here--and with care. This is out in nature, yet on a paved road which is plowed regularly in winter, with a magical pristine hidden sanctuary just down the road to explore, get away from the world in, explore, swim, hike, fish, photograph, observe, stop to smell the flowers/herbs, and drink in this place. Bread & Puppet is close by. So much here to take in through the senses. After just a few days here you will slow down, unwind & de-stress.

What makes this property unique

During growing season, taking in the fresh air here, you'll find plenty of ways to get exercise, and/or just soak up the constantly changing views from the Guest House huge picture window. Come & unwind and de-stress. Our protected animals are entertaining. Unpolluted State forest with ponds (about 3/4 mile from here) is near-private, and the water is pristine (swimming, fishing, hiking & a good hike to a scenic outlook). Easy access to Bread & Puppet (less than 2 miles away), The Hill Farmstead Brewery, and Burke Mtn./Kingdom Trails nearby. Dog Mountain/Chapel/Gallery in St. Johnsbury (plus hiking paths, scenic outlook, & events) is popular with dogs & their owners. Canadian border (& Newport, VT--Lake Memphremagog) is a beautiful 1/2 hr ride north, and extends into Canada. Clyde River Recreation is on the way--great classes, kayaking & moonlight canoeing. It's really healthy to be here! Many Lakes & Ponds, & Farmer's Mkts. nearby. In Winter the VAST Trail borders our back property. Burke Mtn. resort & the Craftsbury Open Center are about 1/2 hr away (in opposite directions). Further south is Greensboro, a lovely little town, and the wildly popular Hill Farmstead Brewery (best micro brewery in the world, Ranked #1) is between Craftsbury and Greensboro. Hardwick food co-op is about 22 minutes away and has plenty of choices in an efficient space plus a nice cafe. Around the block from the Hardwick co-op is Positive Pie--another great eating place with craft beers, and more places are opening up in the town. Circus Smirkus & the Highland Arts Center are a little south of Greensboro and on the way to Hardwick. Further along is the lovely Perennial pleasures for a lovely lunch respite or strolling through their gardens, chickens and buying something to bring back home. Lots to do in the Northeast Kingdom--go out, exhaust yourself, come back happily tired.
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