The quaint, lake town cottage is just a few short minutes from several private community beaches and sits on a quiet lot off the main country road.
The house was originally put up as a single room summer escape. In 2021, we finished a complete gut renovation. The finished house was recently featured in Dwell magazine.
We've provided modern luxuries for our oasis in the woods while maintaining its quaint feeling!
Summer Guests enjoy several beaches with lake access in the community. Guests can have access for a small fee required by the HOA. Surrounded by forest, there is plenty of hiking in the area as well.
Winter guests enjoy lots of skiing & tube activities nearby:
6 min - Winter 4 Kids 10 min - Mountain Creek Resort 20 min - Mount Peter 32 min - High Point Cross Country Ski
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Pets allowed: dogs and cats less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
Pets must be pre-approved.
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Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
Property # 2323182vb
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 and a first aid kit
About the area
Highland Lakes
Located in Highland Lakes, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a lake. Frederick Franck's Pacem in Terris and Franklin Heritage Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Mountain Creek Waterpark and Alpine Mountain Coaster. Travelling with kids? Consider Ochs Orchard and Franklin Mineral Museum. Take in the nearby slopes with cross-country skiing and skiing, or try out other outdoor activities such as sledging and ice skating.
Is Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC! pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet. Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much does it cost to stay at Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC!?
As of 12 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC! on 5 July 2026 start from AU$341, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC!?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Contemporary Cottage less than an hour from NYC! located?
This family-friendly Highland Lakes holiday home is located on a lake, within a 5-minute walk of East Highland Lake, Upper East Highland Lake and Wawayanda State Park. Highland Lake and Lake Wanda are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Reviews
9.4
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
We had a wondeful time in the Highland Lakes cottage. The property was very clean and cozy.The host was very responsive and pleasant to communicate with.We'd have no hesitation staying there again for our next NY/NJ family vacation.
House was immaculate, comfortable and beautiful. The beds were comfy, the kitchen had anything you could need and the location was perfect! The loft was especially comfortable!
Fourth time here. We love it. Small but modern decor gives it air. All the amenities a family might need. We cooked in, ate out, used the beaches. It was great.
A Very nice and comfortable play to stay away from home. Very well appointed and close enough to the city to make trips in effortlessly. Would definitely come back :)
The cottage is gorgeous, from inside it feels so big and spacious. My teenage loved it.
My husband and brother couldn’t resist barbecuing.
Is a great place to stay.
Jennifer K.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Aug 2024
Thanks for the wonderful compliments! We love hearing what guests enjoy about the house. Please come back and see us!
We had another wonderful holiday staying for the 2nd Christmas at this house. We travel from out of state to be near family for the holidays and the house is nestled near the lake but close to major roads for travel. It’s well stocked and nicely decorated. The owner had great communication with us. Thanks again for sharing your lovely home with us
We love coming here with our adult children and our grandchildren. The design of this small house is perfect for the 7 of us. We cook here, shop nearby, enjoy the amenities of the clubhouse and beaches by the lakes. It’s perfect for all of us and the hosts are terrific. Looking forward to next year.
This is our second summer returning to this lovely home in Highland Lakes. It’s perfect for us. My son, his wife and one year old and my daughter and her two year old, and us the parents/grandparents. We cooked in, ate out, participated in the clubhouse activities and went to the lake almost everyday. We can’t wait to return again. Communication is great, home is well kept and modern, and it’s not far from the city - so the drive back and forth is easy, if you need to.
A group of five ladies rented the cottage for a girls' weekend and I don't know why anyone would pay crazy $$$ to stay at one of the big nearby resorts and eat out when you can stay here, spread out comfortably, and do everything the area has to offer. We had spa treatments at Crystal Springs and visited wineries in the Warwick Valley during the day and came back to the cottage to relax in front of the fireplace in the evenings.
If you're someone who cares about interior design--I do--the cottage is designed nicely and layed out well. With five adults we had to share rooms but everyone had her own bed, and two full bathrooms was plenty. The kitchen had enough dishware and cookware to meet all our needs and a huge table for dining and playing games.
The host, Doug, was so friendly and communicative, I'm only sorry we didn't get to meet so I could thank him in person for sharing his lovely home.
Kara F.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Feb 2024
Kara, so glad you enjoyed your stay and were able to take advantage of all the fun activities the area has offer! Please come back anytime.
Verified
2/10 Terrible
Kelvin E.
28 Aug 2024
Liked: Check-in
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Disappointing Stay: Unclean and Misleading Listing
We recently tried to stay this property and was extremely disappointed with our experience. The property was not well-maintained, with ankle-high grass, spider webs, and ants inside the house. The backyard was littered with empty water bottles. Additionally, the listing description was misleading, as it advertised a three-bedroom loft, but upon arrival, we found it to be a two-bedroom loft. This was especially problematic for our elderly family members.
We contacted the host to address these issues but were unable to reach a satisfactory resolution. As a result, we had to vacate the premises and find alternative accommodations for the rest of our trip.
The property clearly hadn't been properly inspected by the host, and the pictures did not accurately reflect the reality. This was a highly disappointing experience, especially considering the long distance we traveled. I would not recommend this property to others.
The discussion with the host was respectful yet disappointing.
Kelvin E.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Sept 2024
Hello Kelvin (or his wife), we’re sorry you had such a “terrible” experience, but I think we should add a bit more color to this review for future guests. Unfortunately Kelvin’s wife thought the property was 3 closed bedrooms plus a loft, when, as our listing states, it’s only two enclosed bedrooms plus an open loft. It should be said, Kelvin was a delight speaking with prior to their stay, and really even during, but his wife, less so. When they arrived, he called to let us know that both he and his wife had their elderly parents with them and neither wanted to sleep in the loft (which has stairs). We certainly understood, but explained there was nothing we could do about the room configuration and they should have seen the stairs in our photos and listing. We suggested perhaps he and his wife could sleep in the loft and give their parents the two bedrooms on the main floor. The room and bed details are clearly listed on our listing and unfortunately we couldn't change them. He understood, but in the background his wife could be heard speaking over him. She then took the phone from him, introduced herself, and at first suggested, but then began screaming we had tricked them. We explained that if there was any misunderstanding, it certainly wasn’t intentional. We’ve hosted for over 5 years and no guest has ever thought the house was a three bedroom plus a loft. She demanded we refund them in full. We told her that wasn’t something we were able to do. She continued insisting we had deceived them. We then sent her a photo of the listing where it lists out the bedroom and sleeping arrangements clearly. The photos on our listing correspond to the configuration stated as well. No where does it say three bedrooms plus a loft. When she realized she was wrong, she just began listing off other things like the yard being overgrown and apparently plastic bottles strewn about the place, insisting those were the reasons we had to refund her. When we asked her to send photos of the problem issues, she ignored. She never did provide those photos. Despite this, we told her we would think about it a bit more to see how we could help. This wasn't satisfactory. We told her if she was still upset, she could contact VRBO. She did and VRBO they reached out to us. We explained our side of the story and then they reviewed our listing. They found what we were saying to be true let her know everything was accurate. Still, after giving it some thought, understanding these sort of things happen, and wanting all our guests to have the best experience possible, we provided them 30% back and suggested they could rent a hotel room nearby for one of their elderly parents to stay in. It was a significant amount we refunded, which we were willing to do to help out. To then receive this review and have them disparage us is extremely disappointing, especially to say we falsely advertised our listing. We’re a mom and pop operation. We host our own property and do everything we can to help guests have the best experience they can. Hopefully future guests can see that this guests comments and description of the property do not align with any of our other reviews. A single star when all of our other ratings are either a 4 or a 5 should hopefully be suspicious and seen for what it is, vindictive. We strive to make our guest experience as best possible and in spite of their decision to write such a mean-spirited review, we wish them well. If any future guests have questions about the bedroom configuration or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out before you book. We’re a Premier Partner and pride ourselves on staying one!
My husband and I enjoyed staying at this property. The owner was very responsive, the kitchen well-stocked, the view outside the back was lovely. Whoever remodeled this home really knew how to use natural light. Highly recommend this property!
Amazingly clean and modern house in perfect neibourhood with few beaches and very warm and clean lakes. We stayed second summer already, my children asked to come again:)
Left the city during the recent snow storm to enjoy some skiing at Mountain Creek.
Doug was very accommodating and communication was great. The house is located conveniently and has all the necessary amenities for a pleasant stay.
Will definitely revisit.
This house is a gem! Beautifully designed and comfortable. We loved sitting by the fire at night and cooking in the spacious kitchen. Really nice showers too!
We had a great time at the house which was beautifully renovated with all the amenities that we needed and the perfect amount of space for us and our three small children. The house was beautiful with great furniture and a peaceful feeling inside. The only thing that was unexpected was the close proximity to the road. We were hoping that the property would be more surrounded by trees and farther from the road.
Wonderful very clean, bright, modern house! The house has everything we need. Excellent air conditioning system. Very quiet in the house, relaxing atmosphere. Very nice backyard.
Very beautiful area! Ideal for children. Has 5 private lakes with the beaches. Water is worm and clean.
The water park is in 10 minutes away by car. Very friendly people in the community. I recommend it for families with children! We are really want to come again! Thank you very much!
Marina E.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021
About the host
Hosted by Douglas Segulja
What makes this property unique
The house is a great place to escape to for a weekend or work week away. It's within an hour of NYC, but feels a world away! We have high speed wifi access for business travelers as well guest who want a weekend of Netflix! There are several communal lakes you have access to, as well as lots of hiking and other outdoor activities (sking and sledding in the winter). Or if you're looking for a quite weekend by the fire, you've found the perfect spot. We have our indoor stone fireplace (it's original!) and our new outdoor fire pit. The open living kitchen dining concept is perfect for family or friend gathers, as is the 10' dining table!
For winter guests: 1. Mountain Creek Resort 10 min drive 2. Hidden Valley (Great for kids or ski newbies) 6 min 3. Mount Peter Ski Area (more advanced) - 20 min drive 4. Lots of tubing and other winter activities around as well!
Vernon, NJ - 10 min drive Warwick, NY - 15 min drive (great wineries, antiques, and farmer markets!)
***The HOA requires a $50 registration fee for guests (paid ahead of time) who want to use the beach amenities, plus a $2/day per person fee when you pick up your day passes. The $50 fee will be assesses once you let us know you plan to use the beach after you book.
***Dogs are welcome (max 3). There is a $50 fee per dog which is paid after you book. $150 fee will be assessed per dog if we're not informed of your pet.
*** For summer and fall dates which are further out, we're prioritizing 5 day bookings or longer. If you're looking for a shorter stay, send us a message and we will try to accommodate you as best possible. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out!
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests