Entire home

Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail.

Holiday home in East Hardwick with kitchenette and patio

Photo gallery for Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail.

Exterior
Exterior detail
Exterior
Terrace/patio
Living area

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1+ bathroomSleeps 392.9 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill
  • Outdoor space
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
East Hardwick, VT
  • Place, Lamoille Valley Rail Trail
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Caspian Lake
    ‪10 min drive‬
  • Place, Hill Farmstead Brewery
    ‪23 min drive‬
  • Airport, Lyndonville, VT (LLX-Caledonia County)
    ‪56 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 3)

Master bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Trundle style day bed

1 Single Bed

1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom

Downstairs full bath

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Upstairs half bath

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchenette
Dining area

About this property

Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail.


This historic house was built around 1881 and has served the community first as a Clock and Jewelry shop, then as the Post Office, and more recently as a private vacation home. It has undergone over a year of restoration work for us to offer it to you as a vacation spot. It has an enviable deck overlooking the Lamoille River and is only a 3-minute walk to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. It is in the center of the Village of East Hardwick, a small rural community in the North East Kingdom of Vermont. In the 1880s this part of the village housed several mills. The Grist and Lumber Mill that stood on this site have been torn down and this is the last remaining structure that sits on the banks of what was the old mill pond.
In 2023 , after being open about a year , we were forced to close due to the river bank erosion that undermined our foundation. On Sept, 10, 2025 the work was completed to restore the river bank and we poured a new foundation encasing the original. We are now reopening, better than ever and good for another 100 years!

Location!!!
- 3 minute walk to Lamoille Valley Rail Trail where you can walk, run, bike, ski, or snowmobile along this 93-mile path traversing Vermont from Swanton to Saint Johnsbury. We are at the 1/3 point of the trail near MM 31.
-.5 miles to access an endless network of gravel roads for biking.
- 3.1 miles to Highland Center for the Arts and year-round entertainment (http://highlandartsvt.org)
-3.4 miles to Circus Smirkus campus in Greensboro
-4.5 miles to Caspian Lake Beach
-4. 2 miles to Hardwick Village with several nice restaurants, a bookstore, liquor store, churches and two grocery stores
-4.6 miles to shuttle stop for Lamoille Valley bike tours from Wolcott Street in Hardwick May 24 to October, 4 days per week on M-W-F-And Sat. by reservation http://www.lamoillevalleybiketours.com/
-6.3 miles to Hill Farmstead Brewery with its best beer in the world reputation
-11 miles to Craftsbury Outdoor Center for some of Vermont's best Cross Country skiing
- 55 minute drive to Smugglers Notch great family downhill skiing center
- 55 minute drive to Stowe Mountain Resort
-59 minute Drive to Burke Mountain
- 1 hour 8 minutes to Jay Peak Resort

This beautiful part of Vermont is known for its rural nature. Enjoy it in any season whether to catch some spring sugaring, fish in the Lamoille for trout, enjoy other summer fun on the lakes and rivers, marvel at our fall foliage, or enjoy all the winter sports that the area has to offer. We are in a great central location for it all.

In 2022-2023 we poured our hearts into saving this deteriorated building with a major renovation. It has a new half bath upstairs, new stair rails, new kitchen, and a renovated downstairs bath. Our renovations bring you an updated kitchen with a new floor and cabinetry, a ten cu ft refrigerator, a combination microwave/ airfryer/ convection unit, an apartment-sized dishwasher, and a countertop conduction two-burner stovetop.


Please Note: The stairs to the bedrooms are only 22 inches wide and steep and may not be suitable for young kids or those with physical limitations. The house sits close to the road and the snowmobile trail passes right by it. Though it is on a town road and not heavily traveled you should expect some road noise. You cannot access the river for fishing or wading directly from the property due to the steep bank, but we welcome you to come to our property just across the street to get down to the Lamoille River.

LVRT Bikers: If you are overnighting and arriving by bike we will offer a simple breakfast option. We are rail trail ambassadors and will support you in your journey however we can.

We live directly across the street so we are right here to assist with any needs you might have. Just ask!

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Breakfast available
Parking available
Water view

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:30 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 3–17
Steep stair and deck may be unsafe for toddlers.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
NO SMOKING ON PROPERTY
NO PARTIES
Park only in designated areas.

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

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

East Hardwick

East Hardwick is home to this holiday home. Mountain View Country Club and Hill Farmstead Brewery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Steam Brook Wildlife Management Area and Barr Hill Natural Area. Willey's Store and Jasper Hill Farms are also worth visiting.
Map
East Hardwick, VT

What's nearby

  • Lamoille Valley Rail Trail - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Highland Center for the Arts - 8 min drive - 7.2 km
  • Caspian Lake - 10 min drive - 8.7 km
  • Hill Farmstead Brewery - 23 min drive - 15.9 km
  • Lake Willoughby - 60 min drive - 54.1 km

Getting around

  • Lyndonville, VT (LLX-Caledonia County) - 54 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Cork & Fork - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Front Seat Coffee - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Hardwick House Of Pizza - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Mountain View Snack Bar - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Perennial Pleasures Nursery Tea Garden Café - ‬2 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail.?

Checkout is at 10:30 AM.

Where is Our sweet River House is back in business, just minutes from the LV Rail Trail. located?

Situated in East Hardwick, this holiday home is steps from Lamoille Valley Rail Trail and within 6 mi (10 km) of Mountain View Country Club and Wilson Farm Market. Highland Center for the Arts and Hardwick Lake are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 22 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 22 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 22 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 22 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 22 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kaleigh G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay!

We have a great stay for a long weekend! We loved exploring the area nearby and the house right on the river was beautiful! It was great to see older photos of the house in its original uses. A beautiful and peaceful stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Thomas S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy Vermont Getaway

We loved our stay in this quiet riverside cottage in Vermont. The hosts are so welcoming and accommodating. It was a perfect, affordable place for us to get away for a few days!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Peter

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
What a great stay at the river house! House was very cozy and had everything we needed, and you cannot beat the view on the back deck. Hosts are nice and accommodating. We will definitely be planning another trip to enjoy this property.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S., St. Petersburg, FL

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming house

What a great spot!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

hannah

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Wonderful, unique home with everything our family needed for a comfortable and fun stay. The owners have thought of everything. The property sits right over a river, which is beautiful. Look forward to returning!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alexandra L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Don’t hesitate, book this stay!

The River House was one of my all time favorite VRBO stays EVER! The house was immaculate, equipped with everything and anything you could possibly need, artfully arranged and cozy as can be. I will be rebooking most definitely.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lorraine P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great get a way

This house was in the middle of town, that wasn't a bad thing at all. With the river just outside I had the pleasure of feeling like I was in the wilderness. The bouse is warm and cozy. The host were very attentive to making my stay enjoyable and memorable. I'd stay there again for sure.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

River Gem

Great property in an idyllic setting literally on the bank of the river . Clean and cosy with an amazing history. Fantastic communication with owners.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Julien R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect hub for unpaved cycling adventures

Nice little house for a superb gravel cycling weekend retreat. quiet and calming with the rumble sound of the river next to the house. Gail and David are wonderful hosts. We hope to go back soon!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dawn R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just perfect!

This was the perfect little house! I stayed in the smaller bedroom, the sound of the river flowing past was magical. Loved the patio and the serenity. Very clean and well equipped. Thank you Gail and David !
Stayed 8 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Abbie L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Convenient Stay

Chose to stay here as a stopover for a trip around the state of Vermont. Was convenient to get from I-89 that afternoon and easy to get to I-91 the next morning. Market to get some dinner was just a short drive into town. The house was newly renovated and very cute. There was internet, a fantastic selection of books and games, all you would need for cooking in the kitchen. Owners were very responsive and a pleasure to deal with. Would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Susan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Even better than the photos

The photos are very appealing, but this little house is even more delightful when you're actually there. The well-equipped kitchen, fantastic deck overlooking the river, large and diverse selection of books, comfy bed, and the beauty of the river all contributed to our enjoyment of the place, as did the warmth of our hosts, Gail and David. Access to the beautiful bike trail is just up the road. If you stay, be sure to look through the "house book" -- it's full of ideas and information about local sights, activities, places to eat, and more.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Frances H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tiny home

This 1880 house is a gem. It is tiny but very well layed out to feel spacious. The narrow stair were no problem for a 6 feet 350pound man to go up and down. The owners were super nice and helpful. The river runs back of the house. East Harwich is a quiet town. Only down fall is there is no Air Condition. It got a little warm at night. I would stay there again
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Annamaria M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stay at River House over Thanksgiving

The property is very comfortable and equipped with everything you might need for a short stay. The information about how to reach the property was very clear, the hosts were very kind and responsive and checked on us during our stay to make sure we had what we needed. The library with plenty of books to read is a nice touch and we took advantage of that! Overall, a very pleasant experience. One small thing to consider for rentals in winter is that the main source of heating is on the first floor, so if it is cold outside, it might take several hours to warm up the bedrooms on the upper floor. But blankets and quilts are provided to ensure comfortable sleep during the night
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sarah H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great getaway by the river!

We had such a marvelous time. The place is very well decorated and equipped. The main room is actually roomier than I expected from the pictures and the room upstairs with a single bed in it has a door and is quite private from the other main bedroom. I was thrilled that there was a half bath upstairs. It was winter so we didn't get to enjoy the deck much, but I look forward to the opportunity when my mother stays there in May. The hosts are very nice and easy to communicate with. The place was super comfortable and equipped with everything we needed. The wifi was also good. If you like hiking, the rail trail is just over the bridge across the river! I highly recommend this rental!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Martin K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely place with a historic feel

We really enjoyed the stay at the old river house when we were in the area for a weekend of cross country skiing in Craftsbury. We were blown away how Gail and David restored the house with love and attention to detail. It's unique character combines a historic feel with modern amenities. Although we were skiing the whole day, a big book shelf invites to stay inside to enjoy the cozy atmosphere. The hosts who live across the street were outstanding in communicating before our arrival and hosting us during our stay. We hope we can come visit again at some point. Thank you Gail and David, Anja, Frido and Martin
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Bradley H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location near the Lamoille Valley Rail trail

You can tell someone took the time to put this place together. The decorating and items you would need are all done at this property. The only reason we did not give this property a 5 star rating was the shower. The shower curtain doesn't go all the way around the tub so water was hitting the wall and floor. The water pressure was great as was the temperature. We did not run out with 4 back to back showers. Will definitely consider for our next trip to the rail trai.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Debora M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful and relaxing

We went away to decompress from the busyness of our life. This is amazing for that house is right on the water it's cozy it's quaint, the bed was comfortable the couch was comfortable. It's a great location to settle your brain your heart and your soul. It is so peaceful and quiet just what we needed. The host was very communicative I had a couple of questions and she answered immediately which I appreciated. She greeted us with a nice little bouquet of flowers from the area garden. It was such a pleasure to stay here we're already booking again in the future we just have to find a date that we want to get away again. The hosts a generous and kind the place is clean immaculate a lot of old country charm in this home. If I could say there was anything wrong with this place it would be hard to find something that was wrong. I highly highly highly recommend this place but anybody who wants to decompress. If you're looking for a lot of excitement not necessarily this place but this is perfect to just reconnect with somebody you love. Or decompress from the busyness of our world. Perfect location for all of that.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karen J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beauty on the river

My wife and I recently stayed at the newly renovated River House in East Hardwick, VT, and found it to be lovely and quite memorable. This historic property has been restored at its stunning original location. The house sits just beside a bridge on the bank of the Lamoille River. The deck back patio/deck provides a stunning view of the river below. The interior of the River House is a perfect blend of old-world charm and modern amenities. Everything you need for your stay can be found right here. The rooms were spacious, comfortable, and tastefully decorated. The shelves in the living area were stocked with books, puzzles and games for all ages. We had the pleasure of meeting the owners our first night, and we were greeted with warmth and genuine care. They were attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. They provided excellent recommendations for nearby attractions, gave us the 411 on local culture, and directed us the nearest shops for picking up last minute supplies. The River House is a hidden gem that seamlessly combines history, charm, and modern comforts. The beautiful location, exceptional service, and attention to detail make it a top choice for anyone seeking a memorable getaway in North Western Vermont.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Liz M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and comfortable

The River House is small but beautiful. Everything was clean and Gail and David were welcoming and attentive. Thank you for having us!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kristina J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

River House

My family stayed here while visiting from out of the state and they really enjoyed it. Loved the deck and the wall of books.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Phillip R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

River House

It is such a great place to have a family reunion and graduation party. I would recommend it to anyone.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

About the host

Hosted by Gail & David O'Brien

Host profile image
During Covid in 2020 we moved back " home" to East Hardwick from Southern Vermont. When this little neglected house across the street came on the market we saw an opportunity to restore it and add value to our neighborhood AND we are always looking for a project as David doesn't know how to be idle.

Why they chose this property

This village is where Gail grew up and we now are the third generation to live in our house across the street. Though the Lamoille River has had its recent challenges with flooding, we love living on the river and in a small town.

What makes this property unique

This property is perched on a steep riverbank of the Lamoille River. The deck literally extends out over the River. The river sounds will lull you to sleep at night and entertain you during the day as you get mesmerized by its beauty. If you are lucky you may see our blue heron or a family of ducks.
We have preserved the house as much as possible keeping much of the original floors and walls and clapboard siding. We literally put cases of caulk into restoring the exterior of the house. It has been a labor of love to restore it and then again to recover from the flooding of July of 2023 and July 0f 2024. We are so happy to once again have it available for you to enjoy.

Languages:

English
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