Settle In

 

Arrival and Check In

  • The house address is 29 Fairview Drive, Copake, NY 12516. If using a GPS service, it may say you’ve arrived a few houses before you actually do. Ours is a black house, set back slightly off the road.

  • Entry to the house is all digital! The front and side doors have a unique code for your visit and will be sent to you securely via AirBNB message. It is valid only for the duration of your stay. (Hint: it’s the last four digits of your phone number from AirBNB. Enter those four digits followed by the ✔ and the door will chime and unlock.)

  • Please use the digital keypad on the door when entering and leaving. We do NOT ever lock the door handles.

  • To unlock doors, press the YALE circle at the top to wake the display, enter your code and hit the check mark ✔ to unlock the door.

  • To lock doors, pull handle FIRMLY to shut the door. Press YALE circle at top to lock and wait for confirmation chime that the door has been locked.

  • FYI: For security purposes, the front doorbell is a Google Nest Smart doorbell with video and audio (viewing, listening, intercom) capabilities.

Make Yourself Comfortable

WiFi

The network name is Simon House Copake and the password is Fairview29.


Our (Mostly) Smart Home

The home includes Google Assistant in the kitchen, main bedroom and downstairs living room. Feel free to wake Google by saying ‘Hey Google’ and asking a question ie: what time is it, what is the weather, who won the Tony Award for best musical in 2017…(it was DEAR EVAN HANSEN).

Additionally, lamps throughout the house can be controlled using voice commands as well as manually:

HEY GOOGLE TURN ON THE…

  • Front Room (spotlight and console table)

  • Bedroom lamps (upstairs rear bedroom)

  • Tripod (upstairs front bedroom)

  • Study lamps (front room with sofa bed)

  • Floor lamp (downstairs by the sofa)

  • Bedside lamps (downstairs bedroom)

All ceiling lights and fans are controlled by their individual wall switches.

The heat is on a timer for the whole house but feel free to adjust as you would like using the panels in each room. Your manual adjustments will override the timer.

Please note: there is no central air conditioning. There are two window units installed seasonally upstairs, one in the main bedroom and another in the front room.

TVs

Both TVs are smart TVs and use Amazon Fire. Each is pre-loaded and logged in to YouTube TV (we don’t have traditional cable), Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Disney+.

The downstairs TV does pull out from the wall and rotate. Feel free to gently move it for the best viewing angle. Please do NOT have the TV out too close to the wood burning fireplace while having a fire.

In The Kitchen

Pots, pans and cutting boards are in the lower cabinet to the left of the sink.

Dishes, glasses, mugs, wine glasses and serving items are available in the hutch or the upper cabinet to the left of the sink. Most items are microwaveable with the exception of the enamel mugs and bowls on the top shelf (these are also marked as such).

Salt, pepper and cooking oils are located on the counter and other miscellaneous items stored in the lazy Susan. We ask that guests bring their own condiments, spices, coffees and tea.

Other kitchen items (hot pads, oven mitts, placemats, dish towels) are in the cabinets above the stove.

Please note: a few of our cabinets are locked for private use and noted with a copper tag where applicable.

Dishwasher

To run the dishwasher, insert a pod and close the detergent compartment and simply hit power (on the left) and start (on the right). All the other settings are saved, so it should begin a five second countdown.

Dishwasher pods are under the sink. Dish soap is also under the sink. Please ONLY use pods in the dishwasher.

Trash

Trash bags are located in the linen closet by the downstairs bathroom and the coat closet by the back door. Before you leave, please toss trash bags in the bins at the curb. Trash is collected at the curb on Mondays.

Any recyclables (plastic, glass, metal and paper) can be placed loose in the recycling bin under the deck, no bag is needed.


Bathrooms

Clean towels and extra toilet paper are located under the sink in each bathroom. Additional toilet paper is available in the linen closet by the downstairs bathroom.

A hairdryer, Q-tips, extra toothbrushes and toothpaste and various other bathroom necessities are available under the sink upstairs.

We’d love if you would please squeege the glass shower doors after each use.


Wood Burning Fireplaces

Both fireplaces (upstairs and downstairs) are operational wood burning fireplaces. If having a fire, please start small (kindling and small log) to allow the stovepipe to heat up and avoid smoking.

The stoves are best operated with a Duraflame log or small wood logs. We ask that guests supplement with their own firewood, and logs are available for purchase at area gas stations and grocery stores.

Downstairs Fireplace
To open, turn the door handle DOWN. To lock, close the door and turn the handle UP. The small handle on the front allows more or less air in to the fireplace. When finished using the fire, always please shut the opening to help dampen any embers that may remain.

Please note, when a fire is lit downstairs, the room can become VERY warm. Start small!

Upstairs Fireplace
To open, pull the handle up. Leave door slightly ajar to start fire. Once burning, close slowly. Once a fire is going, the door can be closed and latched fully. The small lever on the front of the stove can be toggled to let more or less air in to the fireplace. There is a small dial on the back of the fireplace which turns the fan up or down to help spread the warm air throughout the upstairs.


BBQ

There are two BBQ grills on the deck available for use. One is charcoal and one is propane. Please pull either the grill away from the home by two feet or more before starting.

BBQ tools are located in a black plastic case on the top of the refrigerator.

When finished using, please turn off the propane, allow the grill to cool, cover and push back against the house and wash and return utensils.


Fire Pit

Please enjoy the fire pit outside! Wood logs bundles can purchased at area gas stations and grocery stores. A lighter is available inside downstairs by the wood burning fireplace or upstairs in the silverware drawer. A fire poker is located under the deck, on the left hand side.

Please be sure all embers are extinguished before leaving the fire.


Lake Access, Boating and Fishing

To access Robinson Pond, take a left at the end of our driveway and another left on to Lakeview Road. Where the road curves, there is a small private boat launch area that you can access to use kayaks, paddleboards and canoes (not provided). Continue further down Lakeview Road and up the hill to access the private beach and swimming platform. Both locations are noted here on the map.

No motor boats are permitted on Robinson Pond. Nearby Copake Lake allows motorboats and several companies and private residents in the area offer day long rentals.

Fishing with proper NYS licensing is allowed on Robinson Pond near boat launches or on the pond via boat.

Miscellany

  • Please be VERY CAREFUL on the inside staircase going downstairs. They can be steep, shallow and slippery with socks. Please use caution and ALWAYS hold the handrail.

  • Fire extinguishers are located under the kitchen sink and downstairs coat closet by the bac door.

  • Please note, poison ivy has been identified in the wooded areas circling our property, as well as in areas around the neighborhood. Use caution and remember ‘if you see three (leaves), flee.’ An example of a poison ivy leaf can be found here.


Cleaning

We hope you settle in and treat our home as if it was your own!

While the house is cleaned thoroughly between guests, we ask that throughout your stay you help us to keep the house in order. Wipe down spills and surfaces after using, use doormats to wipe shoes, vacuum up spills and tracked in dirt, etc.

Cleaning supplies are located under the kitchen sink and in the downstairs linen closet. Vacuum and broom are located in the downstairs closet by the back door.

Departure and Check Out

  • Please leave beds unmade and all sheets and pillowcases on the bed.

  • Place used towels on the floor of the bathrooms.

  • Please take or discard all opened food and drink.

  • Please place trash bags and recycling in the bins at the curb. (Bins are marked accordingly.)

  • Please be sure both doors are locked. Pull handle FIRMLY to shut the door. Press YALE circle at top to lock and wait for the door to chime and flash confirming that the door has been locked.

Bon Voyage!