Need a getaway, but strapped for money and/or time? I hear you! I recently had the opportunity to enjoy a quick stay with Getaway House at their New Hampshire outpost. This outpost is less than two hours from my hometown in Boston, MA.
I wanted to give y’all the rundown on Getaway House and my experience.
What is Getaway House?
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, Getaway offers simple escapes to cozy cabins in nature just outside of major cities. You can disconnect from work, wifi, and strenuous routines for a few nights and finally take a break. Getaway builds Outposts (a collection of small cabins in the woods) and outfits them with everything you need. The Getaway experience helps you unplug, reset, and embrace simple pleasures, like enjoying nature or a campfire!
I basically view Getaway House as “glamping”. Which is perfect for someone like me who doesn’t care for actual camping.
Are you looking for a:
- Quick getaway that doesn’t require taking too many vacation or personal days off?
- Quick getaway not too far from your location?
- Getaway that isn’t expensive?
- Break from the hustle and bustle of city life?
- Unique solo, group, or romantic travel option?
Then Getaway House might be the perfect option for you! And, through their partnership with One Tree Planted, when you book with Getaway House, they’ll plant a tree!
Where are the outposts located?
Currently, Getaway House only has outposts in the United States. There are a total of 12 outposts, all two hours or less from the following major cities:
- Boston
- Washington D.C.
- NYC (Catskills East & West)
- Atlanta
- Los Angeles
- Pittsburgh + Cleveland
- Portland
- Dallas
- Charlotte + Raleigh
- Austin + San Antonio
- Houston
Check-in:
Check-in is at 3 pm. Once you’ve booked your cabin, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the actual address of your outpost. On the day of your trip, you’ll receive another email with your cabin name and key code to enter your cabin. Each cabin is uniquely named after the grandparents of Getaway staff and guests. You’ll also receive this info via text message. All you have to do is show up, punch the key code in, and you’re in!
Check-out is at 11 am. All you have to do is press the lock button on the door before heading out, and you’re done! Although, it’s suggested that you tidy up, turn off the lights, and keep the heat on if it’s cooler weather.
What is included in the cabins?
Getaway House really sets you up with all the necessities:
Bathroom:
- Towels
- Bath mat
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Toiletry (shampoo, conditioner and soap)
- First aid kit
Kitchen/living room:
- Radio (AM, FM, Aux and Bluetooth capability)
- Dish soap
- Books
- Provisions/snacks (for purchase)
- Pots, pans, plates, cups, and utensils (including a wine/beer opener and corkscrew)
- Cutting board
- Condiments (salt, pepper, sugar, coffee creamer, olive oil, balsamic vinegar)
- Mini-fridge
- Stove
- Sink (with drinkable water)
- Ingredients to make s’mores (complimentary)
Bedroom:
- Sheets
- Pillows
- Blanket
I’d suggest bringing an extra blanket in case the sheets provided aren’t thick enough for you.
Campfire:
- Butane/BBQ torch
- Aluminum foil
There are also electrical plugs, lanterns, USB ports, heat/air conditioning, and a red phone to contact Getaway if needed. And, of course, there’s NO wifi. This shouldn’t be a big deal since the purpose of coming to Getaway House is to disconnect.
Provisions
Forgot coffee, or food in general? No worries! Getaway has a basket with things you can purchase in the kitchen area called Provisions. The basket includes coffee, tea, hot chocolate, ingredients to make pasta, snacks (e.g. cookies, candy), and more.
Didn’t bring materials to start a campfire? Getaway has you covered on that too! You can purchase logs, which are located in a box near the campfire.
After checking out, your card will be charged with whatever food and campfire materials you decide to take.
How are the cabins?
The cabins in the outpost are far enough from each other that you’ll feel secluded. But, they’re also close enough so you don’t feel like you’re alone in a cabin in the woods. I could essentially see a cabin from my cabin, but it was far enough away for privacy.
Upon entering the cabin, you really do feel like you’re given everything you’ll need for your stay. Each cabin has a unique open-concept layout; I love the minimalistic, simplistic, and clean design of the cabin. They even have cubbies/storage space for your luggage! Given it’s a tiny cabin, there’s only so much room for your things. So, having the built-in storage spaces were a nice touch!
When booking, you can choose a two- or four-person cabin. You can also bring a dog for an additional cost. Kids, three or older, are also allowed to stay in a cabin.
Bedroom
All cabins feature a queen bed located near a giant window. The only difference is, a two-person cabin has one queen sized-bed and a four-person cabin has queen-sized bunk beds.
Bathroom
The bathroom is small but I wasn’t expecting anything elaborate. You have a shower and toilet, and you wash your hands in the sink in the kitchen. Depending on which cabin you’re in, you may have an electric toilet. The shower has hot water and pretty good water pressure.
My cabin – named Clara
My two-person cabin had a four-tiered layout.
- 1st level: The kitchen (which you see when you first walk in), to the right was the bathroom
- 2nd level: A hammock for relaxing. We didn’t have a table like other cabins I’ve seen.
- 3rd level: Connected to the kitchen counter and a stepping stone to the bed.
- 4th level: The bed with the window.
What to do?
Getaway does a great job at compiling a list of places to check out depending on your outpost location. For the Boston outpost, you can hike different trails, go to the lake, or check out local bars and restaurants. Outside of the recommended activities Getaway provides, I’d suggest bringing card games, books, things to write/draw on, etc.
When inside the cabin, we played games and drank lots of wine. We did visit Bear Brook State Park and Blasty Bough Brewing Company during our stay. I’d highly recommend visiting Blasty’s if you can, it’s roughly a 3-minute drive/19-minute walk from the outpost. It’s a VERY small brewery, but the owner – Dave Stewart, the staff, and beer is amazing. I’m not even a big beer drinker, but their beer is delicious. I got the Mason Jar which, according to Blasty’s website, is:
Made with fresh peaches from Meadow Ledge Farm, this kettle sour will help us remember the taste of summer. Reminds us of the summer days helping mom bottle peaches that we would eat all winter long.
My experience at Getaway House
All in all, my experience at Getaway was amazing! Although I only stayed for one night, I felt so relaxed and at peace. It was nice to unwind and decompress for 24 hours. And, to not wake up to the sound of cars and people, but rather nature and birds chirping. I felt very safe in, and outside of, the cabin.
I’m definitely doing another stay in the near future, for a longer period of time! I think Getaway House is perfect for any season (but especially fall during peak foliage and winter when it snows). It’s also perfect for the holidays and special events (e.g. birthdays, Valentine’s Day).
The staff at Getaway are very responsive and friendly with any questions or needs. I love that they send you a text before, and after, your stay. They even encourage you to text them if you have any issues.
Although I had cell service (I have T-mobile) I didn’t use my phone unless it was to take photos or play music on the radio. They even have a lock box for you to store your phone.
Interested in booking your Getaway? Click here and use promo code: PAULA25 for $25 off your entire booking!
