Have you ever seen those contests on Instagram that say something along the lines of, "Like this picture and mention two friends in the comments below to be entered to win something!"? I had a hard time believing that people actually won anything from these. I thought it was just a way for brands to boost likes and comments...until Mindy won a two night stay at Getaway House from one of these contests.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, Getaway House is a company that rents tiny cabins on wheels. They're typically located within 2 hours of major cities, and are an awesome way to disconnect and unplug. When booking your reservation the exact location is kept as a secret until a few days prior to your arrival. This is intentional so that you limit your planning and just figure out what you want to do along the way. SPOILER: A simple Google search will reveal that it is located in Epsom, NH. :P
I had done some research about Getaway House ahead of time so I knew what they looked like inside, but I wasn't sure about how many, how close together, and how private they'd be. Upon arrival, it was easy to see that the entire Getaway House property was previously a trailer campground. There were probably about 30 Getaway houses. Some were closer to each other than others, but I'd say on average they were 30-50 feet away from each other.
The email that you get a couple days before your reservation provides the address. some instructions for accessing the house, and the name of the house. We stayed in Ethel.
When you walk in, its hard not to smile. The houses are small, cozy, and inviting. We were welcomed by a smores kit, a cell phone lockbox, a leather information packet, and a handwritten note.
If you feel like you've seen this photo before, it's probably because it's the quintessential photo that anyone posts when they go to Getaway House, and is often the type of photo that Getaway House uses for their Instagram and Facebook ads. I was curious to see how private it felt inside the house with a giant window, but they do a great job positioning the house so that it faces out into the woods and not at any other houses. It was equipped with utensiles, plates, simple cookware, a couple books, a deck of cards, and a radio. There was a small bathroom with a toilet and a shower, and a kitchen area with a sink, small refrigerator, and a small 2 person table.
I broke the rules and did some research ahead of time and found out that there was a brewery a mile away. So after Mindy and I got settled in, we went to Blasty Bough Brewery.
After Blasty Bough, we went back to the house and relaxed in bed looking out that giant window. We learned a new card game called "Cuarenta". I won the first round, but then Melinda somehow won the next 7 or 8. Not sure what happened there...I can't even say she was cheating because I was the dealer. I brushed up on "How to Build a Fire" and then we went outside, got a fire going, and cooked hot dogs on sticks.
I know one of the main goals at Getaway House is to completely unplug, but I'd be lying if I said we did. We certainly limited the use of our phones and technology, but since it was Sunday we both agreed that bringing my computer to watch Game of Thrones would be a good idea. We let the fire burn out, and took our relaxation inside to watch Game of Thrones. That night we decided that we'd only stay one night instead of two. We had a great time, but didn't feel the need to stay any longer than that.
I think a lot of people would really enjoy Getaway House. It's a great way to be alone with a friend, family or significant other. It removes a lot of the unnecessary things in life, and makes you appreciate the simple things. Although we had a great time, I don't see us paying to go back. This might be due to Mindy and I having our own trailer at a campground in southern New Hampshire. We're acclimated to having fires every weekend, and honestly I have less internet reception at our campground than I did at Getaway House.
If you're looking to relax, be lazy, be bored and not feel guilty, try Getaway House...but maybe just pay for one night the first time.