Summer Camp
Submitted: January 27, 2010
Stayed: August 2009
There are many homes available for rent on The Vineyard – most with prices far greater than the delightful Pond House. Few will give you the quintessential Vineyard experience you seek.
This place just works. First, it’s mid-century-modern architecture, which is not everybody’s cup o’joe, but which I happen to love. Plus, it has what I value in a summer house: It’s not too precious. The sign on the wooden screened door reads: “ESSUYEZ VDS PIEDS S.V.P.” This suggestion is not necessarily a requirement, but if you follow it, you won’t have to sweep the linoleum frequently – or vacuum the sheets.
The house has a fantastic, massive deck out back with expansive views to Farm Pond and Nantucket Sound. It’s a beautiful spot where wine is served ever so slightly before 5pm and the golden retriever (insert your Black Lab here) relaxes and hopes for a few morsels to drop.
This idyllic scenario is repeated each morning -- but on the adjacent screened porch. For us, breakfast was taken here daily, with coffee and the Vineyard Gazzette. It’s hard to read, though, because you’ll find yourself planning your day -- and your mind will inevitably wander to the boundless opportunities. I don’t slow down quickly, but this place sure helped. It made me want to.
After a full -- or not-so-full day, the kids will shower in the outdoor shower and settle peacefully in to their built-in bunks – so amazingly designed by an architect who understood the beauty of simplicity and practicality – and enjoy, briefly, before drifting off, the beauty of an open window and a summer breeze wafting in from the Sound.
The Pond House has many attributes – among them, easy beach and bike-path access, but it also has a most attentive owner who made us feel as though we were the first-ever renters. Sam probably treats everyone this way, and then swears them to secrecy. Honestly, by the week’s end, this man, who in my mind seems as though he OWNS the island, had made us feel like long-time friends. He’ll offer you, as he did us, amazing hospitality – and much island information – either through personal stories, books he has written, or through the magic of his exceptional photography. Or, he’ll just leave you alone. Your choice.
Grasp at the opportunity to make some memories of your own this summer and rent The Pond House. Enjoy making your summer memories in this delightful, unpretentious house with its equally unassuming owner.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Pet-friendly,
Adventure Seekers,
Girls Getaway,
Tourists without a Car,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Families with Young Children,
Romantic Getaway
Helpful votes: 2/2
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