Xplore House | Keene

LISTING SUMMARY:
The ideal home base for outdoor exploration, right in Keene, center of the High Peaks. With unrivalled proximity to the mountains, dining & shops are steps away. Thoughtfully designed, the property's rustic Adirondack exterior has been blended with contemporary interiors. Skylights bathe the space in natural light. Experience an authentic woodfired sauna, a restored cast iron clawfoot tub, and embrace the harsh ADK winters with a vintage woodstove. Resting after exploration is effortless here.

SPACE SUMMARY:
A fully furnished 3 bedroom / 2 bathroom house, perfectly setup whether for a brief escape or an extended stay. This space actually combines two separate apartments into one large residence through interior connecting doors and has two fully furnished kitchens designed with modernized elements. The configuration is perfect for families and groups, offering a balance of togetherness and privacy according to your needs.

Note on Reviews: Although this full house combination is a new listing, please see our excellent reviews on both Xplorer I and Xplorer II which combined make up Xplore House.

Xplore House enjoys a uniquely designed living space. Each detail, has been carefully considered for comfort and experience, from the bathroom, featuring an artfully refurbished 1890s cast iron clawfoot tub & rain shower, to the numerous skylights flooding the space with natural light and warmth. Custom furnishings, crafted locally, accent the space and support our talented local artisans. Outside the house is our designer wood-fired dry and steam sauna, a shared feature with our one other guest rental, reserved for private use by one guest group at a time (details below).

Ideal for families and groups, this 1,350sf space comfortably accommodates 1-7 guests, and we welcome up to 8 guests for larger groups who don't mind closer quarters.

Note: For guests seeking smaller spaces, we invite you to review our two listings "Xplorer I", a one-bedroom apartment, and "Xplorer II", a two-bedroom apartment, both of which combined make up the Xplore House listing.

BEDROOMS & EXTRA SLEEPING AREAS: The house has three bedrooms, all furnished with king-sized beds. High vaulted ceilings, skylights and ample windows bring in an abundance of natural light, making the spaces feel open and airy. Two bedrooms feature desk space, one of which connects to a walkout deck.

Extra Sleep Areas: The large master bedroom features a daybed style couch with a twin mattress, serving both as one of our lounge areas and an extra sleeping space, if needed. In the living room, we have a full-size futon which easily folds out into an additional sleeping area. Extra linens are stored in the guest stock closet for easy access. In total, the space features five beds: three kings, one full futon style, and one twin daybed style.

BATHROOMS: Enjoy a candle-lit bath or rain shower in uniquely designed bathroom settings. Fully restored by a local artisan to its original beauty, a vintage cast iron clawfoot tub rests on a bed of pebbles in one bathroom while the other features a walk-in rain shower with a smooth stone floor. Natural stone, locally sourced wood, custom woodwork designed / fabricated by local craftsmen, complete the interiors.

LIVING AREAS & ENTERTAINMENT: The first lounge area sits downstairs and includes a small but functional living and dining area with a comfortable futon style couch, TV, and a dining table for meals or work. The second lounge area sits upstairs within our oversized master bedroom where you'll find a daybed style couch with a coffee table and TV. Both spaces enjoy high vaulted ceilings and an abundance of natural light.

For entertainment, there are two TVs, one in each of the lounge areas, equipped with Chromecast devices, allowing you to stream your preferred video service. High-speed, fiber optic Wi-Fi ensures you can stream videos easily.

KITCHEN / DINING: Redesigned and renovated with modern elements, both kitchens offer everything you need for an enjoyable cooking experience, whether staying for a few days or a few months. There are two dining tables, one in the kitchen, and one in the downstairs living area.

WORKSPACE: An efficient workspace in the master bedroom comes complete with a 27" computer monitor, allowing for comfortable remote working with a large second screen. Another bedroom has a table and reading chair for quiet reading or writing.
Fiber optic Wi-Fi ensures high-speed connectivity for working, streaming, and video calls.

SAUNA: The sauna is a shared amenity with our one other guest rental, with a signup sheet on the sauna allowing guests to reserve private 2-hour sessions, so it can be enjoyed exclusively by one guest group at a time (full usage details, rules, and safety guidelines are provided in our House Guide before check-in). Custom-built and designed using local Adirondack wood, the sauna cabin was built with Finnish design principles and features shou sugi ban siding, a traditional Japanese method of charring wood. The wood-burning sauna stove can be enjoyed dry or with steam by ladling water over the heated sauna stones. The sauna cabin has a small covered outdoor porch with seats, allowing you to rest and cool off between sauna cycles.

EXTERIOR SPACE: Just off each kitchen are the lower level porches, both with a gas grill outside completing the cooking experience. An upper level deck for outdoor lounging is accessible from one of the lower porches and the upstairs bedroom.

GROUNDS & SURROUNDINGS: Xplore House is located right in the heart of town. We have private parking with enough room to comfortably fit four vehicles, (or even five smaller ones if needed).
Being right in town, the lot is small and we don't have a typical "backyard", but with the beautiful mountains all around us, who needs one? At Xplore House, nature is your backyard.
We're just off the main strip in town, which means local dining and shopping options are just a short walk away - You can walk to 46 Restaurant, Cedar Run Market, East Branch Organics, as well as our awesome neighbor Dartbrook South for artfully curated Adirondack goods & products. There’s even a public EV charger just a 2-minute walk from the house. Enjoy the convenience of town living just steps away.

NEIGHBORHOOD: The space is located in Keene, NY. Known as the 'Home of the High Peaks', Keene is a small, quiet, picturesque town, coveted for its central proximity amidst the mountains and major trailheads. To name just a few, trailheads including the ADK Loj/Heart Lake, The Garden, and the AuSable Club are just a short drive away, making it an excellent base for experiencing nature and outdoor exploration. Come winter, the slopes at Whiteface Ski Resort are a just a 17 min drive away. In addition to natural attractions, Keene and Keene Valley have several restaurants, unique shops, and town amenities. For those seeking more vibrancy, Lake Placid and its nightlife, shopping and dining options are just a short drive away (18min).

THINGS TO NOTE & SPECIAL FEATURES

THINGS TO NOTE:

1. DRIVEWAY / PARKING: The driveway/parking in the back portion of the house is a slightly narrow, but the front of the house is open and spacious. Overall, we can fit four larger vehicles or five small ones if necessary.
2. SOUND: Our property is conveniently situated just off the main strip in Keene, which means you might occasionally hear some noise. However, we provide a HEPA Air Purifier with a strong fan in the unit that can be used for white noise if desired.
3. EXTERIOR SECURITY CAMERAS: For the safety and security of our guests, this property is equipped with exterior security cameras. These are located on the sides of the house/garage facing towards the driveway and monitor exterior entrances and outdoor areas only. Footage is used for security purposes only.
4. CLEANLINESS: We take great pride in maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness. We conduct a comprehensive multi-hour cleaning and aerate the house utilizing a HEPA air purifier between each stay (HEPA even helps filter viruses like Covid-19 and Flu).

SPECIAL FEATURES:

1. CAST IRON CLAWFOOT TUB: The house features a real vintage clawfoot tub (dated from the 1890s) with a custom fabricated rain shower. We had a local artisan completely refurbish this tub into a truly special feature.
2. WOODSTOVE: The house is equipped with a genuine vintage woodstove, note however the stove is not available for use during the hot summer months from July 1st to August 31st due to its extremely high heat output.
3. SAUNA: The space features a designer woodfired traditional Finnish dry & steam sauna to totally recharge while embracing our harsh Adirondack weather. The sauna is a shared feature with our two other guest rentals, reserved for private use by one guest group at a time.
4. NATURAL LIGHT: The space is flooded with natural light. Large windows and 6 new recently installed skylights bathe the entire upper floor in sunlight throughout the day and allow views of the stars at night (complete with Skylight blackout shades at night if desired).
5. HEATING AND COOLING: modern all-electric heating and air conditioning for comfort in any season.
6. ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES: We are committed to the environment, which is why all our cleaning products, soaps, and detergents are, as best we can find, eco-friendly, plant-derived, and non-toxic. All waste bags are biodegradable. Our down blankets are all "Responsible Down Certified"
7. HEPA AIR FILTRATION: The space comes equipped with a HEPA air purifier to ensure maximum air quality (HEPA even filters out viruses like Covid).
8. LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIAL & LOCAL CRAFTSMEN: Many pieces you will see throughout the property came locally sourced from the Adirondacks. We worked with local craftsmen on custom design, fabrication and woodwork. From the floating shelves in the kitchen to the futon in the living room - wherever