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Sometimes, New Yorkers have to get away from it all. And that’s all they need.
They’re not looking for a weekend full of activities and bar-hopping or to be surrounded by other people. Just getting out of the city is enough. And these days, truly getting out of the city means getting off the internet.
That’s the kind of escape that Jon Staff and Pete Davis had in mind when they launched the company Getaway in the summer of 2015. Getaway builds tiny houses and places them on rural land an hour or two outside of major cities. After launching in Boston, the company expanded to the New York area last June.
Currently, stressed-out New Yorkers can book a tiny house two hours north of the city in the Catskills. It’s possible to get there using Amtrak and a 20-minute cab ride, but renting a car will probably cost you less money. Once you arrive at your cabin, you enter a passcode you’ve been given in advance and enter your tiny home away from home.
Photograph: Courtesy Dylan Engels
The 160-200 square-foot cabins, designed by Harvard Graduate School of Design students, are Instagram-ready, start at $99 a night and can fit between 2-4 people depending on the model. Once inside, you’ll find plenty of items that are there to help even the most stressed-out Gothamites disconnect and recharge.
There’s a wooden box for locking up your cell phone during your stay, plenty of board games, piles of books and even a guide to classic outdoor activities like stargazing and knot-tying. It’s difficult to get through your stay without inadvertently earning at least one boy scout badge. Outside, you’ll find a fireplace complete with fire-starting tools.
The experience is a welcome mix of comfortable and rugged, and would be perfect for either a romantic getaway for two or a fun weekend away for a group of friends (The Isidore model easily fits four people.) Those who generally detest camping will be happy to discover that the cabins are fully equipped with a stove, sink, working toilet, running shower and comfortable beds.
Last week, Getaway received a $15 million strategic growth investment from L Catterton to help its goal of expanding to other cities. There should be no shortage of internet-addicted millennials for them to cater to in those markets as well.
Photograph: Courtesy Dylan Engels