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By Kristina Smith
Tucked right into a quiet nook of Ontario’s Prince Edward County—a area nonetheless blissfully under-the-radar for many travellers—sits a farmhouse retreat that appears to exist exterior of time. Framed by golden wheat fields and a cover of whispering bushes, with a forest path resulting in a non-public stretch of waterfront, this seven-bedroom retreat presents the sort of serenity that makes you exhale the second you arrive.
Owned and operated by New York Metropolis-based husbands Dan Hadad and Dan Fricker, the property has develop into greater than only a trip rental. It’s a deeply private undertaking, a love letter to slower residing and considerate design, and a spot they themselves escape to at any time when metropolis life will get too loud.
“We bear in mind waking up right here for the primary time and simply considering, wow, that is really a magical place,” mentioned Fricker. “And we needed to share that feeling with others.”
That intention is obvious in each room of the home. Initially an genuine nation farmhouse, the house has been restored with a eager eye for element. Assume creamy whites, pure wooden tones, and unique pine flooring underfoot. The aesthetic is as calming as the encircling panorama, designed to assist friends instantly decelerate.
With seven bedrooms and eleven beds, the area simply sleeps 14—a uncommon discover within the County. It’s superb for household gatherings, buddy getaways, or retreat teams on the lookout for a house base that’s as cozy as it’s expansive. The principle-floor main bed room features a king mattress, whereas the upstairs options two queen rooms and 4 rooms with twin beds, providing privateness for every kind of group dynamics. Three newly renovated loos add trendy consolation with out disrupting the house’s heritage character.
Communal areas are the place the farmhouse shines. The open-concept kitchen flows right into a spacious eating room, anchored by an extended, family-style desk that virtually begs for shared meals and gradual mornings over espresso. Solar-soaked residing rooms characteristic overstuffed couches and studying nooks. Outdoors, friends can collect on the deck, mild up the BBQ, or roast marshmallows underneath a sky unspoiled by metropolis lights.
However maybe essentially the most unforgettable characteristic is the land itself. The farmhouse sits on over a dozen acres, with unique barns, winding forest paths, and a secluded bluff that leads right down to Adolphus Attain—a quiet stretch of water the place the Bay of Quinte meets Lake Ontario. It’s about 150 steps down by means of the bushes, and value each little bit of the climb again up.
“If you get by means of to the tip, the water simply seems. You possibly can’t see folks in any route,” mentioned Fricker. “You’re simply remoted. It’s very nice.”
The Dans have centered on making the farmhouse and barn areas retreat-friendly, providing a 34-foot-long renovated studio on web site for personal bookings. Yoga instructors and wellness facilitators are invited to host their teams with as little or as a lot hand-holding as desired.
“Some retreat leaders, in the event that they’re new to it or new to the world, we are able to level them within the route of, say, a vineyard that’s a motorcycle trip away, or possibly actions they need to match into the weekend. We will dial it up or down primarily based on what the hosts want,” mentioned Fricker.
The identical goes for teams staying on the farmhouse, who could want to usher in a non-public chef, for instance, as Fricker did just lately for his mother’s birthday dinner, or have a non-public yoga session booked within the studio throughout their keep.
Whereas it might really feel worlds away, this farmhouse retreat remains to be a brief drive to every thing Prince Edward County has to supply—from the wineries of the countryside to the boutiques and bakeries of downtown Picton. Sandbanks Provincial Park, with its notorious dune-backed seashores, is about half-hour away.
Past the aesthetics and placement, what actually units this place aside is the spirit behind it. As a queer-owned property, inclusivity and hospitality are woven into the material of the visitor expertise, and each Dans agree that the neighborhood of Prince Edward County itself lends to that feeling. A portion of every reserving additionally helps The Dans’ personal animal welfare basis, named for his or her late pup, Neeko, a trigger they’re enthusiastic about.
“It’s not nearly giving folks a stupendous place to remain,” mentioned Fricker. “It’s such a novel expertise. You’ve acquired this lovely farmland—13 acres of open area, previous buildings and barns, horses in a neighbouring area. You possibly can see 360-degree views of the dawn and sundown from the home. It’s good to have area to roam round.”
The property is open year-round, providing an entire new sort of magic within the quieter months—one thing the Dans have skilled firsthand.
“ Throughout COVID, Dan and I personally spent a number of time there. We acquired out of our place in Toronto and ended up spending the higher a part of six months there. It was nice. Whereas I believed it was peaceable in the summertime, waking up there with snow-covered floor is much more serene.”
As you hike down the forest path to the shore, or watch the sundown from the deck with a glass of County wine in hand, it’s laborious to not really feel that intention. Whether or not you’re planning a restorative wellness retreat, a reunion with previous mates, or only a quiet weekend to unplug, this farmhouse retreat is greater than a vacation spot. It’s a sense you received’t need to go away.
Getting There: Prince Edward County is a couple of 2.5-hour drive from Toronto. The precise location is shared upon reserving.
To Study Extra or E book: Go to welcometothedans.com.
Neeko’s Basis: Study extra at neekosfoundation.org.