Vermont Charm in the 1840 Gideon Lee House

Entire home in Chester, Vermont

  1. 6 guests
  2. 2 bedrooms
  3. 3 beds
  4. 1.5 baths
Hosted by Polly
  1. 9 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 1% of homes

This home is one of the highest ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Self check-in

Check yourself in with the keypad.

Valley and garden views

Soak up the views during your stay.
Beautiful Vermont. Lovely village. Come for skiing, hiking, kayaking, and exploring. Following ski season, come for a relaxing retreat with time to read and relax. In the spring, visit the local farms and orchards to pick berries, apples, pears and grapes. Farmer's Markets are filled with fresh produce and local crafts. Visit the setting of movies made in the local towns: Baby Boom with Diane Keaton was filmed in Peru, VT; Moonlight and Mistletoe was filmed right here in Chester. Come imagine!

The space
Hang your hat, take off your shoes, and walk in on the refinished pine floors to settle in and relax after your day in the country. Create dinner in the well-equipped kitchen while watching the sun set over the western hills. Or grill in the field down below and catch the sunset beyond the stream. Enjoy dinner around the farmhouse table and share your adventures of the day. Then move into the living room area for your choice of entertainment, or head outside for s'mores under the stars. Upstairs, the front master bedroom provides a quiet space for sleep and relaxation. The nearby office area has a desk and a sitting area. The comfy futon opens up to sleep one or two extra guests. Beyond the office, a delightful, bright bedroom hosts twin beds under the eves. Morning sun streams in and the day begins! Off the upstairs hallway, a full-sized bathroom with large shower, double sinks, and a washer and dryer is practical and up-to-date. Despite all the modern upgrades, we have tried to keep the charm and quaint "quirkiness" of the house, built in 1840 for Gideon Lee, his wife Nancy and their children.

Guest access
We live in a separate area beyond the garage in the converted barn. Guests have use of the whole Stone House with their own entryway. The lovely private field down below is available for games, tossing a ball, and sitting around the fire-pit.

Other things to note
The Gideon Lee house was built in 1840 by the Clark brothers using local stone, gneiss and mica schist. It sparkles in the sunlight! We have renovated and restored it to maintain its character. Solar panels on the barn roof off set the electric bill. The appliances are all new, as is the wiring, plumbing, heating system and air conditioning units. Even so, it has bumpy floors, some rough woodwork and lots of charm! We love the deep, recessed windows and the light that fills the house. We have enjoyed furnishing it with family antiques, original artwork, and local finds. We hope you enjoy the experience of living in a unique stone house, lovingly restored to a comfortable home, perfect for families, singles and couples.

Consider a special experience during your stay. Barthelmes Blades offers a class in knife making. Create a wonderful cheese knife out of a railroad tie! Keith Barthelmes is an engaging instructor right here in Chester, VT. The classes are on Saturday mornings from May through October. Look into other opportunities through airbnb experiences, too. Or, we can set you up with some good lists of antique stores, cheese makers, garden centers, breweries and wineries. Hikes are great in this area, too. Our libraries and independent bookstores are fantastic. Or forage in the area thrift stores and home decor shops. Lots to do, rain or shine!

Where you’ll sleep

What this place offers

Garden view
Valley view
Kitchen
Wifi
Dedicated workspace

Accessibility features

This info was provided by the Host and reviewed by Airbnb.

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Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 31 reviews.

Guest favorite
This home is in the top 1% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability

Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 100% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 0% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 0% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for value

Where you’ll be

Chester, Vermont, United States
This listing's location is verified and the exact location will be provided after booking.

Neighborhood highlights

The Stone Village is an historic part of Chester, Vermont. You can stroll the village and wander over the bridge to Smitty's country market and Erskine's feed and grain store. Wander up to Main Street for shopping, coffee, lunch and dinner. Neighbors and joggers are friendly and will wave as you pass by. The Gideon Lee house is one of North Street's 11 historic stone buildings built between 1835 and 1855 with local sparking gneiss stone from the small mountain behind the village. Ski areas, hiking trails and antiques are a short drive away. The house manual will give tips on sights and shops in the area. Lots to enjoy!

Meet your host

Host
125 reviews
4.97 out of 5 average rating
9 years of hosting
My work: retired
Speaks Spanish
My husband Ian and I love hosting for Airbnb. We look forward to meeting our guests and helping them discover the beauty and treasures of Vermont. We have been enjoying Vermont over the years since our honeymoon back in 1976. We have just finished renovating an historic stone house in Chester, Vermont. Built in 1840 for Gideon Lee and his family, it sits among a cluster of similar stone houses in Chesters, Stone Village. Now that our project is over, we have time to host and enjoy our hobbies: gardening, photography, music and exploring the area. Ian plays ukulele, works on projects and does some occasional priestly supply work for local congregations.Having travelled in Africa, Peru, England, Scotland, Ireland and other parts of Europe, we love to share stories and adventures. Come join us!
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Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Checkout before 12:00 PM
6 guests maximum
Safety & property
Nearby lake, river, other body of water
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm