Escape to Getaway’s Tiny Cabins Around the US
Design-forward reprieves nestled in nature near 16 metropolitan areas
To best understand the Getaway experience requires walking through the booking process to stay at one of their quaint cabins, which range from 140 to 200 square feet of interior space. The hospitality venture, with destinations oriented around disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with nature, has outposts within close reach of 16 major metropolitan areas across the US—including NYC, Nashville, Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Dallas, LA and many more. After selecting the area from which you’d like to escape (in our instance, NYC), you’re prompted with location options and cabin styles. We selected the western Catskills region and only after booking a spot, were we told the exact address.
This small change in information dissemination (not knowing the address until after you’ve booked) means there is more time to reflect on the idea of getting away, as opposed to getting out and exploring. It affirms the brand’s mission (and our own desire at the time) to disconnect. A few days after we received our confirmation email (which also told us items we could bring along), we received a text with our cabin name and the passcode for the door. Planning was complete.
Tucked into the trees, off a side road, our Catskills outpost delivered on its promise. There was no cellphone service and no WiFi. Our custom-built cabin was surrounded by nature, beside its own dedicated fire pit and grille grate, picnic table and chairs. The cozy cabin’s wall-sized picture window pointed into the woods and no other lodge was within 50 to 150 feet. Check-in was simply parking and pressing the key code into the cabin door.
Inside our cabin, a wooden box was provided to stow our useless phones. A calming two-tone design almost makes the numerous amenities (utensils, cups, plates and bowls, olive oil, salt and other seasonings, as well as pour-over coffee and light snacks for purchase) disappear into the pine and stainless background, somewhere above the mini-fridge and beside the stove. Despite the petite nature of the space, the window maximizes light and proximity to nature, and the cabin’s most exceptional amenity—the queen-sized memory foam Zinus mattress, with hypoallergenic pillows and linens—rests beside the glass.
“Our cabins utilize natural elements, including wood, metal and glass, and Eastern Wine Pine throughout to create a seamless transition from outside to in,” Devin Vermeulen, Getaway’s VP of Experience Design, tells us. “We want to remove all distractions—the clean lines, minimal material palette and lack of decorations ensure the cabin serves as a frame for focus on the natural landscape.”
He adds, “The large window that offers a direct view into nature, allowing guests to wake up to the sunrise or doze off gazing at stars, is our idea of artwork. Ultimately, our goal is to create an intuitive and hospitable backdrop for guests to focus on making space for themselves and reconnecting with their loved ones.” Cabins with bunked queen mattress can accommodate up to four people—and pets are welcome.
Though cozy, this isn’t an off-grid cabin to rough it out in. Electrical outlets abound. There’s heating and air conditioning, applicable to the seasons. The bathroom’s shower provides hot water and includes shampoo, conditioner and body wash. There are fresh towels, too. Further, a BlueTooth speaker lets users fill the cabin with music, if they so choose. And a stack of books even contained Rob Moor’s On Trails.
Of course, tiny house lovers will rejoice. Whether it’s cleaning supplies or a first-aid kit, you’ll find it (in its right place) in a Getaway cabin. A bundle of logs is available for purchase outside of your cabin, too. But the most valuable attributes are the peace and privacy the slender little escape provides. It’s unfortunate that so many of us feel the burden of our phones and computers, but technology fatigue is real. Getaway helps.
Images courtesy of Getaway
