Notes from the host
Church of Cool
A unique and spacious home with a positive vibe that's great for everyone from couples to group gatherings!
*Please read the whole description before reserving, just so you're happy with your choice and we're all on the same page*
It's about 20 minutes to Hershey and 5 minutes to Harrisburg and convenient to all of Central Pennsylvania.
Such a comfortable, fun, open home. It used to be a church built before the Civil War.....so it's got some history, yet it's got all the modern, comfy-homey stuff we all have come to enjoy.
This is a great place for couples, large or small families of all ages or groups of friends for just about any occasion. It's a big, cozy, fun place even for groups but also couples if you want to have a large home all to yourselves!
It's not a corporate hotel. So if you're looking for a home away from home this could be it. It's eclectic, warm, cheerful, and welcoming. .....If you're tired of cookie-cutter chain hotels and in the mood for something charming, warm, fun, and different, hopefully you'll enjoy it :)
Any questions or special requests; just ask. I do my best to make sure you have a great stay and it helps to ask questions ahead of time.
The place is probably a little bigger than the average home and has a wide open first floor, so it's fantastic for entertaining or just relaxing after touring the Central PA region.
Keep in mind the rate does vary somewhat due to the number of guests. The website doesn't do a great job at labeling the charges in my opinion. But the reason for varying rates is essentially because if a couple or small family of four were charged the same as a group of 20, they would not likely be able to afford it. So the base rate is far lower than, say, a group of a dozen having an event. Hopefully that makes sense, as I'm just trying to be fair to all involved.
It's a true "By owner" rental in that I take a lot of pride in my home and I want everyone to feel at home. When you reserve the home the house is all yours. So please enjoy and make it your home for your stay.
I'm just a laid-back guy who likes to decorate in what I think is a cool, fun, retro Americana style. My personal style might not be for everyone. I love American mid-century motif.
I can't promise overly fancy or current fashion. Yet, I think all of the conveniences you would expect to find in a house are there, even if I don't have the high-end stuff. For example, there are way more comfy pillows, blankets, and towels than you could ever use, but probably none of the pillow cases will be the same color. There are plenty of dishes and silverware, but there might be ten different colors of plates. So this is definitely not a Martha Stewart home when it comes to matching colors and a name-brand utensil for every course of a meal. However, everything is clean and I'd be surprised if there wasn't a kitchen utensil you won't find.
The neighborhood is quiet and very safe. This is the suburbs of the Harrisburg area. It's about 2 miles from the Farm Show, 5 minutes from downtown Harrisburg, 20 minutes to HersheyPark and the Hershey area, 30 minutes or less to Ski Roundtop and less than 2 miles from both I-81 and I-83. It's very convenient to anything in the Harrisburg, Hershey and Central PA areas.
It's my home much of the time (hopefully you'll consider it your home when you're there and I'm not), so my home is decorated in my taste, which happens to be mid-century Americana. (think young Elvis Presley and '57 Cadillacs) It's very "retro" in style, yet has all of our our modern comforts including high-quality wi-fi.
This is a comfortable home and the opposite of a corporate hotel. It's your home when you rent it and all yours. You'll find everything that you'd expect in a normal American home as far as amenities such as cookware, common foods and utensils, linens, washer/dryer, pots and pans, and so on. You are welcome to help yourself to anything in the house.
You don't have to bring anything other than your smiles. There's plenty of towels, linens, pillows, etc. I've gone out of my way to have extra blankets, pillows, towels and other things that make it a home. There are extra sleeping bags for kids just in case. You'll always have enough of the "comfort" things.
Extra soap, shampoo, toothpaste and more in case you forget to bring your favorite things. Truth is you really don't "need" to bring anything at all, unless you plan to cook a specific dish. Odds are the spices you'd use are likely already here. You're welcome to use whatever you come across in the kitchen.
You're welcome to cook and be at home in every way. Feel free to use the appliances, spices, pots and pans, and anything else you find.
There are guitars, a full drum kit, piano, and other instruments there for anyone to enjoy. I trust my guests to use common sense and not beat them up; they are there to be enjoyed, not abused. If you break a string on a guitar, please replace and re-tune. It's kind of like the "leave no trace" vibe of when you're in the forest, lol
There's a rec-room, bar-type area downstairs that has air hockey and foosball, as well as a large bar for the adults. There are a lot of old-school board and card games.
The parking lot that can handle around 10-12 vehicles and additional unlimited parking 1/2 mile away.
There is an outdoor seating area with a picnic table and other tables and chairs for all-season sitting and hanging out. There is a small fire-pit and a gas grill. The gas grill isn't new and fancy, but it works and you're welcome to use it. There are two charcoal grills as well. ....again, nothing huge or fancy, but they work just fine.
This is a great place for couples, families, and small events. It's great for many occasions: family reunions, pre-wedding get-togethers, a couples night, fantasy football drafts, and more. Sometimes it's just nice to have a place where the whole group or extended family can stay under one roof.
Pets: I love dogs! However, they do cause more issues than many folks realize. Please describe your pet when you place your reservation request. There is a pet fee and it covers (2). If you have more than that, please let me know....probably OK, but let me know. Please do not just show up with a furry friend without paying the pet fee!
Events: *The big exception to the rule as far as "events" go is this: No parties for locals under 30 who just want to have a party just for a party's sake. Unfortunately the only problem guests I've ever had were with a handful of 20'somethings parties. *
*Paying for Guests: "Guests" are whoever comes to the house. It's not just who is staying overnight. Please ask if you have questions about this. I usually discount it from what the website suggests as long as I'm informed upfront *
My feeling is that you can sleep around 15-18 people in beds. Now, that's two per bed and a couple of pull-out sofas. Most of the beds are queen-sized. So if you're a cozy group and don't mind two beds in a room and two persons per bed, then around 15 people in beds is reasonable. If you're like me and want leg-room and your own bed, then it might be more like 10 people. Then again, one time I hosted a group that was largely young guys in the Boy Scouts and they were fine with sleeping on a few couches and sleeping bags on the floor. If that's the case then I bet sleeping up to 20 would be reasonable. For some reason the site keeps saying "sleeps 30" and that's not true and I keep trying to change it.
As far as group size goes, I've had charity events up to 25 guests. Now, that's the maximum in my opinion and that does not mean overnight guests. An example would be having an "event" in the day with roughly 25 guests and around 15 or so of them stay the night.
When you rent the house it is all yours to do as you please. I want everyone to have a great time . Just please treat my home as you'd like yours to be treated and do your best to leave it as you found it. It's my home much of the time, but it's all yours during your stay. (single rooms are never for rent, only the whole house)
Please keep in mind that while sometimes I pay a housekeeper to help me out with cleaning and pay a handyman to help me with repairs, I don't charge a cleaning fee or even a security deposit like many places do. You are basically on the honor system to clean up after yourselves the best you can.
There is a wooded area with a small creek behind the property that can be nice for a short nature walk. There are two parks that are walking distance from the house.
*There is an old cemetery next to the house, as the house used to be a church. I think it's pretty neat, but maybe some folks might think it weird so I'm mentioning it. The cemetery is from the Civil War era, so it's mostly historic rather than accepting new "customers" lol* Most folks seem to think it's pretty cool and interesting.
I like to think I'm super chill as a host. But please don't fib about the number of guests you will have. The rate does depend somewhat on the number of guests. The reasoning is simple: a group of 20 having a wedding reception obviously uses a lot more resources and adds more wear & tear than a small family of 4 going to HersheyPark and giving themselves a special treat. Please be honest about the number of guests, whether they are actually spending the night or not.
Questions or special requests? Just ask! I do my best to make sure you have a great stay and it helps to ask questions ahead of time.
This isn't a full-time professional business. It's my home when I'm in town. Please treat it as thus.
When placing a reservation request please give an idea of what the occasion is for your visit and confirm the guest total. I try to cater the stay to the occasion the best I can. Hopefully it's a happy and memorable visit!
