Entire home

Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J

Photo gallery for Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J

Cottage: View from the Southwest
The "Little J": Just a quick walk (Photo Courtesy: Little Juniata River Assn)
All Seasons Porch: View toward the "Little J"
Kitchen & Inside Dining Area
Kitchen with Vintage 1950s Era Home Comfort Gas Range
Reviews
9.8

Exceptional

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 491 sq m

Popular amenities

  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Air conditioningAir conditioningAir conditioning
  • Outdoor spaceOutdoor spaceOutdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Alexandria, PA
  • Popular LocationLittle Juniata River1 min walk
  • Popular LocationJuniata College20 min drive
  • Popular LocationDelGrosso's Amusement Park28 min drive
  • AirportReedsville, PA (RED-Mifflin County)61 min drive

Most relevant reviews

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

North Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

South Bedroom

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J

Step back in time (relatively speaking), and enjoy a "tech-free" stay at our century-old family cottage, just minutes on foot to the Little Juniata River. (No "traditional" internet or broadcast TV -- so our home is ideal for guests who prefer to "unplug" from media distractions.) Although... WiFi over cellular may be possible, depending on the carrier.

The cottage features a cozy living room with a CD/DVD player and flat screen TV. A wide selection of DVD films is available, or bring your own.

Recent guests have reported adequate cellular service with Verizon and AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. AND as of October 16. 2023 a new signal amplifier is active that boosts cell reception with very promising results! We have noted that WiFi over cellular has satisfactory results on AT&T and possibly other carriers as well.

The "Little J" -- well known to fly fishers far and wide -- is one of Pennsylvania's best trout streams and popular with kayakers and river tubers as well; we are just a mile down-river from the village of Barree.

Built in 1902 on a wooded acre by 2nd and 3rd generation descendants of late 18th Century settlers of northern Huntingdon County, the home has been carefully maintained and fully modernized -- serving both as a seasonal and a long-term residence over the last 120 years. Expanded periodically over the last 100 years, the home retains many of its original architectural features together with some period furnishings.

Take your morning coffee on our newly renovated (Nov. 2021) all-seasons porch (screened in warm weather, enclosed with thermal widows in cold weather). Hike up the road into the Rothrock State Forest lands. Hike the Mid-state Trail from nearby trail head with adequate parking.

The cottage comprises about 975 sq ft (90 sq m) and can accommodate 4 guests comfortably.

The kitchen is equipped with dish soap, dish cloths and dish towels, pots and pans, cooking utensils, toaster, toaster oven with broiler, microwave oven, plates, cups, coffee pots, glasses, and flatware. The kitchen seats up to 4 persons, with a 1920s-era Hoosier cupboard and a professionally-restored, 1950s-era gas range, ready for stove-top cooking.

If you plan to bake, roast or even just reheat an item, ask us to set the oven's standing pilot for you prior to arrival. (Note that this model range did not include a broiler.)

The two bedrooms are in the half-story loft: one with a queen bed and the other with two twin beds. (While many of our guests prefer to bring their own BED and BATH linens, we can furnish these at a nominal fee to cover our laundry costs and make up the beds for you.) We furnish bed pillows. comforters and light blankets.

You can draw the privacy curtain between the rooms if needed. The loft has air conditioning in hot and humid weather. (The first floor remains comfortable for most summer weather because of large shade trees surrounding the house. If needed, there is also an air conditioner in the living room that keeps the first floor comfortable in extremely hot and humid weather.)

The full bath has a tub with shower.

Our cottage is clean but not fussy: a kick-off-your-shoes, settle-in-with-a-good-book-or-good-conversation kind of place.

We are about 50 minutes from Penn State University and about 20 minutes from Juniata College.

Convenience stores and gas stations (10 minutes to Petersburg or to Alexandria) and supermarkets (20 minutes to Huntingdon) are within convenient driving distances. Several local eateries are close by for eat-in or take-out, and some for delivery.

Property manager

Barree Guest Cottage
Premier Host
Premier Host

Languages

English, French, German

Amenities

Kitchen
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
A detailed description of our Property Information and House Rules is available, upon request, for the guest's review prior to booking.
The guest's booking constitutes guest's full understanding of our Property Information and guest's agreement to and compliance with our House Rules.
Due to the property's bordering State Forest and other heavily wooded lands, no open fires are permitted on the property at any time.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Alexandria

Located in Alexandria, this cottage is in a rural area and on a river. Fort Roberdeau and Baker Mansion are local landmarks, and some of the area's attractions include DelGrosso's Amusement Park and Railroaders Memorial Museum. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Bryce Jordan Center or Beaver Stadium. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Alexandria, PA

What's nearby

  • Little Juniata River - 1 min walk
  • Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks - 12 min drive
  • Juniata College - 20 min drive
  • DelGrosso's Amusement Park - 28 min drive
  • Bryce Jordan Center - 46 min drive

Getting around

  • Huntingdon Station - 18 min drive
  • State College, PA (SCE-University Park) - 54 min drive

Restaurants

  • Spruce Creek Tavern - 14 min drive
  • Diner 22 - 8 min drive
  • Paesano's - 8 min drive
  • Shawnee's Manor Restaurant - 5 min drive
  • Freddo - 5 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Charming Family Cottage on Wooded Acre in the Country / Fish the Little J located?

Situated on the riverfront, this cottage is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Little Juniata River and within 12 miles (20 km) of Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks and Arch Spring. J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital is 12.1 mi (19.4 km) away.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 50 out of 57 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 57 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 57 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 57 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 57 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

James L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Quaint little river house in the hills
Very well kept old family home, right by the Little Juniata. Well maintained and appointed, with nice large modernized bathroom. Would stay again!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mary T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cozy cottage
Great place to stay. Couldn’t have asked for a better host. Everything needed and very clean. Close to fishing: food and site seeing and on a quiet road. Highly recommend you book with Guy and Jane
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fishing Getaway
Guy was great to work with. The entire process was easy to navigate. Guy was responsive and quick to respond. We would stay at Guy's cabin again!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brittany M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Vintage cabin by the stream
Sweet owner, cute property, great porch. Stayed Easter weekend. There’s a Walmart supercenter 15 minutes away for supplies.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Jamie P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Penn state stay
Property was well kept and provided a good home base for our trip to happy valley to see Penn State.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

About the host

Hosted by Barree Guest Cottage

Host profile image
Third generation owner of the property built in 1902 and passed down through the generations: successively in 1912 and most recently in 1970.

Retired from Juniata College: Offices of College Advancement and Center for International Education.

Juniata College: B.S., Biochemistry,1972
Penn State University: M.Agr., Extension Education / Dairy Science, 1976
University of Cambridge (UK): CELTA, Teaching English as a Second Language, 2005
Independent foreign language study:
French (1967-68), German (1996-98), Hungarian (2005-06)

Taught German language conversation in Hungary (2005-06) and have traveled annually extensively internationally since 1994

Executive local government law enforcement officer (1978-85, 2003-04)
Founder, Juniata Valley Regional Police Department
Clasically-trained pianist organist.

Why they chose this property

Our home is a 120+ year old family legacy that we love to share with family, friends and responsible guests (both US and internationally).

The location is ideal for fly fishing, tubing and kayaking enthusiasts on one of the best trout streams in Pennsylvania or for just relaxing without major media distractions over a long weekend.

As a "market experiment" in late 2018, we first listed the property under a property management contract with an area realtor with whom we have long done business and whose professional attentiveness on our behalf yielded encouraging results. This afforded us the requisite knowledge and confidence by January 2021 to now manage our guest house ourselves.

Whereas our guests' entire stay can be achieved without any personal contact with us, we enjoy meeting our guests in person (following current CDC guidelines, of course)--always by appointment--either upon arrival or after they have settled in.

What makes this property unique

We are convenient to academic and cultural centers (Juniata College and Penn State University), recreation (Raystown Lake and Rothrock State Forest, Mid State Trail, Lakemont Park), shopping and services (Huntingdon, State College, Altoona), yet secluded and private enough for those who just want to get away and unwind without major media distractions.

Languages:

English, French, German

Premier Host

Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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