Photo by Oleg Nagel
There’s nothing more Catskills than a cottage by a stream; add a meadow, and you’ve got a really nifty getaway. Combine all that with comfy, lively interior design and a swimming hole, and we’re describing paradise on earth, straight out of a hazy childhood dreamland. Yet here it is, just half an hour out of Kingston, awaiting your pleasure.
“Once we saw this was for sale, we immediately went to take a look and It was love at first sight.” – Rachel Atherley
Photos by Erin Lindsey of Escape Brooklyn
The Perch Cottages are stewarded by Rachel Atherley and Hugh Cummings, who’ve been crafting dwelling-spaces around the area for years now, finding little houses in need of TLC, making them cozy, and turning them over at real-people prices. When they came upon the property that’s now The Perch, it was love at first sight—and a ton of hard work. “It was definitely a diamond in the rough: A lot of the homes were in disrepair, a lot of garbage everywhere,” says Cummings. “But it was on this magical parcel with the Esopus Creek in the back and the other border the Beaverkill Creek; it was just so special to see this awesome piece that could be reinvented and made into something special, with the landscape that’s there and the view of the mountain out back. To bring that back to life—to see the cool little beach on the river, to turn the overgrown back meadow into this sunny, grassy spot where you can hang out in hammocks—it’s just really been a cool project over the last two years.”
Cummings grew up romping the Shawangunks; soon after graduating Rondout Valley High School, he started making a name for himself as a sought-after contractor doing high-end remodeling. Atherley grew up in Montana, came to SUNY New Paltz for her MFA in metalsmithing and never left; she’s a master goldsmith and jewelry designer by profession. The two first crossed paths on the dance floor at the Oasis in New Paltz, and before long they were inseparable. Besides roaming the great outdoors, they were having a lot of fun with houses.
Photo by Upland Creative Co.
“I had these grand plans, and Rachel and I had just met when six months later, I was like, ‘Hey, you can move in with me for free and help fix up the house. What do you think?’ and she took me up on it,” Cummings remembers.
“We absolutely love being able to provide a place that locals can proudly recommend to their friends and family.” - Rachel Atherley
It turned out to be the start of something wonderful. “Hugh and I love to find derelict properties and bring them back to life,” says Atherley. “We have rehabbed many homes together; Hugh does the construction side and I am in charge of the design side. Working together on these side projects gives us a new challenge, and so much pride when we compare the finished product with what we started with. I remember showing my father a house we were rehabbing, our first major flip; it was a wreck. He got so overwhelmed he had to leave the building and catch his breath! He said, ‘I hope you guys know what you’ve gotten yourselves into here.’ He could not believe the finished product was the same house he had seen with his own eyes. After that, he had no doubts about what we were capable of creating.”
“The Hudson Valley has so many of these cool older homes and they have all these unique characteristics that you can’t recreate from a new build,” says Cummings, “and places that have fallen into disrepair; I’m sure nobody intends on that happening, but it does. We get to go in and find the cool little niches and things and pull them out and really polish it up and put a modern flair on it and retain those things that you can’t recreate.”
Photos by Upland Creative Co.
Refreshing The Perch’s eight cottages took two years. “Once we saw this was for sale, we immediately went to take a look and it was love at first sight,” says Atherley. The buildings were in rough shape, but that was nothing new; the eight-acre property responded beautifully to tender loving care.
The results are both Catskills classic and utterly unique. Seven cottages have two bedrooms apiece. For more room, there’s a three-bedroom house available, too. All of them have kitchens. “We have created a hybrid between a hotel and AirBnB experience,” says Atherley. “We provide everything a guest will need to feel right at home, and support their stay with a kind and courteous management company that is there to help with any issues that might arise. The property is magnificent: We have magical creek frontage right on the Esopus river, a perfect spot to fish, access to a swimming hole. There is plenty to do on these eightacres to keep you entertained all day.”
The design is a delight all its own. “We sourced so many cool pieces from antique shops, flea markets, even Facebook Marketplace,” says Atherley. “Each cottage is decorated differently, highend and totally comfortable all at the same time, named after a different New York bird, with interior design inspired by that bird. We want guests to want to stay again and choose a different cottage each time. We’re even mulling the idea of a frequent renter punch card— stay in seven different cottages, you get a free night at the eighth cottage.” The Perch opened to a full house on Presidents’ Day weekend of 2023. “We all waited with bated breath for any issues that might arise and were pleasantly surprised to have a very smooth launch,” says Atherley.
“Hearing from our guests and learning about the highlights of their stay brings us immense joy; it’s like sharing in their excitement and creating lasting memories together.” – Rachel Atherley
Photo by Upland Creative Co.
“We both have worked in hospitality before and realized very quickly that we needed to bring in a professional management team to take care of the ins and outs of a hybrid hotel/cottage rental. We couldn’t be more pleased than to be working with Erika Sampio of Manage
This Home. Her background in the hospitality industry is unmatched in this area.” Atherley credits Sampio with the polished hospitality chops that have produced rave reviews and repeat customers, many of whom inquire about taking over the whole place for a milestone or a retreat.
In their first few months, visitors have been wildly varied. “We’re delighted to have such a diverse clientele of families and couples from around the world,” says Atherley. “To make family getaways easier, we offer complimentary amenities like highchairs and playpens. Our direct access to Esopus Creek attracts fly-fishing enthusiasts; our proximity to Belleayre and Hunter mountains appeals to ski lovers. We understand the importance of furry travel companions; we’ve planned entire weeks around our dog, from places to stay to restaurants that were dog-friendly.
We totally get it! We also provide access to concierge services like vetted fly-fishing guides, yoga instructors, personal chefs, and grocery delivery. We’re a full-service accommodation with a laid-back vibe.”
Photo by Oleg Nagel
Still more amenities have been inspired by guests’ suggestions. “One guest suggested we provide picnic baskets and blankets so guests can enjoy the riverside,” says Atherley. “We thought that was a great idea! Another suggested a basket of lawn games, so we put together a nice array of fun games to play.
We’ve added solar lighting to the meadow and back fence, as well as communal gas fire pits so you can enjoy the cool evenings.” This winter, you can book a ski cottage at The Perch for a reduced three-month rate and have easy access to Belleayre, Plattekill, Hunter and Windham mountains. “We’re envisioning a family or group of friends using the cottages as a base so they can come up and ski without all the hassle of packing their car and belongings up every single time they want to come up,” says Atherley.
Staying at The Perch Cottages also puts you in the epicenter of the best autumn leaf-peeping. But no matter the weather, one can hardly go wrong booking a cottage at this exuberant and sweet-souled outpost of fun. “We absolutely love being able to provide a place that locals can proudly recommend to their friends and family,” says Atherley.
“Hearing from our guests and learning about the highlights of their stay brings us immense joy; it’s like sharing in their excitement and creating lasting memories together. When groups rent multiple cottages, it’s a blast for us to hear which cottage stole their hearts. Being a part of someone else’s getaway is not only fun, but it also fills us with a sense of fulfillment and happiness.
We genuinely cherish these moments! We are constantly brainstorming ways to make the experience the best we possibly can, and we’re really loving this new adventure we are on.”
the perch cottages
Beechview Gardens Circle, Boiceville
646-389-6677
perchcottages.com
