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Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity

Lakefront holiday home with outdoor pool and Hot tub

Photo gallery for Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity

Front view of our Estate Home on our 55 acre park-like farm.
Entry along our 20 acre front pasture
55 Acres of nature and serenity to enjoy.  Bass in pond to catch and release.
Left area shown of 1'st floor is owners quarters, rest of house is guest space.
Oversize salt water private pool, hot tub and fire pit for guests. Great Views!

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
6 bedrooms7 bathroomsSleeps 13380.9 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Fireplace
  • Parking available

Explore the area

View map
Hillsborough, NC
  • Place, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
    ‪14 min drive‬
  • Place, Tanger Outlet Center
    ‪17 min drive‬
  • Place, Duke University
    ‪32 min drive‬
  • Airport, Raleigh, NC (RDU-Raleigh - Durham Intl.)
    ‪48 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 13)

Level 1 Queen

1 Queen Bed

Level 2 King 1

1 King Bed

Level 2 King 2

1 King Bed

Level 2 Queen

1 Queen Bed

Level 3 King

1 King Bed

Level 3 Treehouse Bunk Bedroom

1 Single Bed and 1 Queen Bed

7 bathrooms

Level 1 Queen

Toilet · Shower only

Level 2 King 1

Toilet · Shower only

Level 2 King 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Level 2 Queen

Toilet · Shower only

Level 3 Bunk

Toilet · Shower only

Level 3 King

Toilet · Shower only

Pool/Breakfast area

Toilet · Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity

COME AND ENJOY NATURE AND SERENITY AT ITS BEST ON A 55 ACRE PARK-LIKE FARM!

My wife Lindy and I are both DESIGN-BUILD Professionals with decades of experience in designing & building high end custom homes and interior design but instead of being "over the top" like so many high-end designer owned homes this home is very comfortable and inviting and seamlessly blends beautiful and private views of nature with the inviting and beautiful “inner space” we have created for you to retreat to when you want to be indoors.

This is definitely a home designed to be lived in and enjoyed and is an inviting and light-filled space. It is definitely not the kind of home you rent and then feel like you can't put your feet up on the coffee tables because you CAN and you are encouraged to do just that: Kick back and relax, put your feet up and ENJOY!

The guest space is a huge 4100sf 6BR 6.5BA private and self-contained guest area privately located in our 7000sf Farm Estate Home that was designed with offsets and angles to give guests maximum privacy.

Our park-like farm is in a great central location only 20 to 25 minutes to Duke and UNC campuses and hospitals. PLEASE NOTE that if anyone in your group has mobility issues that all bedrooms, even the first floor bedroom, require walking up steps to get to the bedroom. The first floor bedroom is also sequestered from and not directly connected to the rest of the guest area and only has an exterior door (we mention this since we often rent to multi-generational families that include grandparents and sometimes find that even the 4 or 5 steps into the house at the main guest entry or the 4 or five steps and the short walk to the rest of the guest area from the first floor sequestered bedroom is not ideal for some grandparents).

The comments we most often get from guests about our 55 acre retreat is how relaxing and peaceful and decompressing it is to spend time here on our park-like farm and how beautiful the long range views out over the pastures are.

Some of the interior and exterior features our guests enjoy are tall 9' and 10' and vaulted ceilings, comfortable furnishings with a contemporary flair, hardwood floors, designer baths, a media room with 70” TV, huge SALT WATER POOL for guests, HOT TUB for guests, a FIRE PIT for guests and a trail through the woods and acres and acres of pastures to roam! We have created a one-of-a-kind oasis for you and your family or friends to come and relax and have a memorable stay.

We are available by text or phone if you need us but more often than not we are off traveling or staying at one of our other homes when guests rent the farm, and even if we are here on the farm staying in our sequestered owners quarters during your stay the huge three story self contained guest area of the home is COMPLETELY PRIVATE from the sequestered first floor "owners' quarters" of the home. The guest area has its own private over-sized salt water pool just for your group, private entrances with electronic locks, a very well-stocked full kitchen and two guest living areas (one is a media room with a state of the art 70” TV). Our farmhand Jason checks and cleans the pool daily, checks hot tub daily and completely drains it and fills the hot tub with new water between each group of guests.

Guests are welcome to roam anywhere on our 55 acre park-like farm if you will exercise common sense around any animals you may encounter and exercise common sense on our greenway through the woods, so bring your hiking boots and if you are a bike-rider bring your trail bikes (the kind you pedal since we do not allow motorized vehicles on our trails).

Even if we are not off traveling or staying at one of our other homes you typically will not see us unless we are cleaning the pool for you or emptying the outdoor trash cans for you or building a fire in the fire pit for you unless you call or text us and let us know you want to see us. We are very friendly and sociable but always assume folks are renting here in the country to be able to get away from everything and decompress and enjoy nature so we fade into the background and let you enjoy both the “outer space” of nature outdoors on the farm and the incredibly beautiful “inner space” we have created for you to retreat to when you want to be indoors.

Now for a description of the interior of the home:

The informal living area is just up the open stairwell from the kitchen and has a sectional Italian leather and fabric L-shaped sectional sofa and comfy chairs and a game table. There is also a large media room for guests that has a 70" state of the art flatscreen TV for Netflix and Prime etc. All TV’s are wifi smart TV’s that enable you to load your apps and accounts if you can’t find what you want to watch on the pre-loaded apps and accounts.

Each bedroom is both unique and exceptionally well appointed and has black out shades and its own bathroom.

All of the floors in the guest space are hardwood except for bath floors which are all tile.

The home is exceptionally pet friendly for WELL-BEHAVED 100% house-trained dogs. Bring a dog crate if there is any chance your dog is not completely 100% house trained. The overly large pool area has plenty of grass for your pets to enjoy being outdoors in a secure area. DUE TO CAT ALLERGIES WE DO NOT ACCEPT CATS. There is a $50 pet fee per dog payable upon arrival (if you did not pre-pay your pet fee on each pet you are bringing when you made your reservation) and you are responsible for damages if your dog damages anything.

We often get inquiries from people who want to exceed our stated maximum number of 13 guests. We are not an event center and we are not a "party house" and if you make a reservation you need to honor our house rules of no more than 13 guests and NO PARTIES. Responsible serving and consumption of alcohol is of course allowed but we do not allow over-serving or over-consumption of alcohol on our property. ANY exceptions to this "Maximum of 13 guests on premises" policy must be given by us to you in writing and exceptions will only be made on a case by case basis based on how many addional guests would be on premises and for what duration. There will be NO exceptions to the maximum number 13 of guests being INSIDE the home but on a case by case basis there may be written exceptions granted for extra folks coming over for a limited amount of time for a FAMILY oriented event like a family reunion or a birthday party or family cookout OUTSIDE the home. Once again, 13 is the maximum capacity INSIDE the home and any exceeding of the same 13 outside must be approved in advance IN WRITING by text or email. These rules are in place to prevent our farm from becoming an event center or to prevent it from hosting parties.

Please read our Rules and Policies on this site since by submitting a reservation request you are agreeing to abide by them. Please also do an online search for the North Carolina VACATION RENTAL ACT since by submitting a reservation request you are agreeing to abide by those statutory rules and regulations, one of which allows us to immediately evict any renters who damage the property or violate the noise ordinance for Orange County.

It is also important to know and understand and agree that all alcohol must be used RESPONSIBLY and that you will take good care of and not damage our home. I mention alcohol specifically because in the past we have had two instances of groups of guests not drinking responsibly and damaging our property so we are much more careful now in screening our guests and being very clear and upfront with everyone making a reservation that ALCOHOL NEEDS TO BE USED RESPONSIBLY.

When it comes to alcohol we are not anti-alcohol (one of Tom’s companies is a Brewery:-) we absolutely require that all guests at Tom’s brewery in Wilmington or at our Farm ALWAYS drink RESPONSIBLY and stay SAFE and keep our property safe and undamaged as well as keeping themselves sober and safe. Thank you for understanding that this is both a necessity and a condition of renting our property.

Guest access
Guests have their own parking area and entry area and we will provide a 4 digit code for your use on the electronic entry locks, at the same time we send the check in information.

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Amenities

Pool
Hot tub
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
We do not provide gates/cribs etc but kids WELCOME
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings and birthday parties
SMALL events only & MUST be approved IN ADVANCE
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit 3 pets total)
$50 fee per dog. No cats. Friendly dogs only.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
You may smoke OUTSIDE only and not inside house.
RESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL ONLY: Alcohol use by legal age drinkers fine but for your safety & safety of our home alcohol MUST be used RESPONSIBLY.
CLEANING UP AFTER YOURSELVES: Our housekeeper has 4100sf of guest space to clean after you leave so PLEASE CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS IF YOU MAKE A MESS.
NO FIREARM DISCHARGE ALLOWED: Even though we own acres of farmland we do not want guns discharged. Catch & release fishing IS allowed in rear pond.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings and birthday parties) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 13
Note from host: SMALL events only & MUST be approved IN ADVANCE
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Hillsborough

Located in Hillsborough, this holiday home is on the waterfront. Bennett Place and Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Eno River State Park and Mill Creek. Putt-Putt Fun Center and Sarah P. Duke Gardens are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Hillsborough, NC

What's nearby

  • Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area - 14 min drive - 18.3 km
  • Ayr Mount - 15 min drive - 16.7 km
  • Tanger Outlet Center - 17 min drive - 20.1 km
  • Duke University Hospital - 29 min drive - 39.9 km
  • Duke University - 32 min drive - 41.2 km

Getting around

  • Durham Station - 27 min drive
  • Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) - 42 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Beautifully Blended Coffee Company - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Willie's Pizzeria & Restaurant - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Missy's Grill - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Village Diner - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Jay's Chicken Shack - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 3 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Amazing Retreat: 55 acres of Nature + Pool+ Serenity located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is within 9 miles (15 km) of Hillsborough Visitors Center, Ayr Mount and Eno River State Park. Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and Mill Creek are also within 12 miles (20 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 62 out of 64 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 64 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 64 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 64 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 64 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

laura W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family wedding

Perfect for our out town adult siblings to stay, close to other family members and the wedding venue. Exceptionally clean and very accommodating hosts! Beautiful place and we plan to visit again!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lori K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful and relaxing

House was perfect for my extended family. Was very clean and comfortable. Owners provided many extras including coffee and pool towels. Pool was cleaned daily. Owners available and friendly. I would highly recommend. Property so beautiful!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Donna W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautifully Perfect

Tom was great, the property was beautiful and my family loved it.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Debbie D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family wedding

This property is extraordinary and great for a fun family vacation. The home is beautiful and the pool area and scenery are fantastic. Absolutely one of the nicest we've stayed at yet! The owner was very accommodating and we would recommend it highly to anyone who wants a greathome ans doesn't mind stairs.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Karen H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family gathering for wedding

Met our expectations!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Henry T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding weekend in Cedar Grove

Wonderful stay close to Windy Hill Farm where our daughter was married over the weekend. Screen porch and the hot tub were enjoyed by many of us. Wish we had more time to spend at this lovely home. Hank
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Renee B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Countryside respite

This home and location was perfect for our family reunion needs. It was quiet, yet not too far from restaurants, grocery stores, hiking, and shopping. There is quite a lot to see and do in Hillsborough, if you would like to! We really enjoyed sunrise walks on the property watching the sunrise over the pond, afternoon pool time and hot tub and fire pit smores in the evening. We had everything that we needed in the kitchen. Would definitely return and Tom and Lindy were so accommodating and helpful.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

noma b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Christmas Gathering

The farm was perfect for our large family. Each couple had their own bedroom and full bathroom which was wonderful. Tom was extremely prompt to reply and checked in to make sure everything was perfect. Peaceful surroundings and lots of walking trails made the experience even better. I highly recommend rental ofvthis property. Beautiful Home!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Allyson D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The perfect getaway!

My family of about nine adults wanted somewhere comfortable and quiet to just enjoy each other’s company. We were able to do just that! Tom and Lindy were gracious hosts. The house is absolutely gorgeous. Every bed was like sleeping on a cloud. We were able to enjoy walks on the property every day and feed ducks. The pool was absolutely lovely. And there was enough space for everyone to gather when necessary and be apart when needed. Truly, the perfect getaway!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Stacie S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a wonderful place and a wonderful long weekend! The hosts and the caretaker made sure everything was perfect the entire stay. We were in town for a family reunion and the home had enough room for our family to stay comfortably. We spent most of our time outside by the pool and the pond. This home is very large and comfortable and will not disappoint! Thank you!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
If you are looking for a peaceful place to stay for vacation then this is the place to stay. We picked the flowers, walked back to the pond and enjoyed swimming in the pool. Tom was very responsive and just wants his renters to be happy.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gati D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Property was lovely, house was very clean and exactly as described. Kitchen is well stocked and there are plenty of towels for pool use and showers. Tom is very easy to reach and offered great recommendations for local establishments. Our group consisted of 3 families with 6 kids ages 3-10. We used the pool and hot tub daily, enjoyed the serene pond, and loved meeting the ducks and their ducklings. We also found the screened-in porch with rocking chairs to be very relaxing. As noted, there are a lot of stairs so if your room is on the 3rd floor, be prepared for some exercise! Also beware of bees near the pool - we got 3 bee stings during our time there!
View of the house
View of house from pond
Pond
Sitting by the pond to meet the ducks and ducklings
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Julia N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The loveliest getaway!

What a gorgeous property Tom and Lindy have! We were very lucky to get to enjoy it for a long weekend in preparation for our wedding nearby. The hosts were kind and communicative, and the house couldn't be lovelier.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Liz L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous Family Fun

An incredible property with something for everyone. Each bedroom was spacious, luxurious and beautifully appointed. Very cool artwork and furniture. We spent the majority of time in the kitchen area and outside by the pool and hot tub as the weather was great and there was plenty of room for all. Only regret is that we did not stay longer as we never used the outdoor fire pit, spacious tv area and living area for board games. Although we did not have the entire house, there was lots of extra space. We were able to entertain to create truly remarkable memories. We would definitely stay again. The host is attentive and able to be reached if needed.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carol B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A family reunion with about 25 people

A wonderful place to stay. The is still calling to tell me how the house and the grounds were. We plan to return for our next Family Reunion.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jean S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Weekend

Awesome weekend with our children and grandchildren. Very peaceful property overlooking a pond. Plenty of bedrooms and sitting areas to accommodate our family of 13. Owner was very friendly and helpful.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

First Family Gathering

Have always wished to get our family together, as we are living so far apart. This visit was so wondeful. The property owners could not have more accommodating. Highly recommend this property.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mary F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Incredible house/property and attentive host

The house was very clean and property was really well maintained. The host was attentive and available for anything we needed. We had a big group of all ages and had ample space to spend time together or separate into one of the multiple common areas when needed. The property had plenty to do with a pool, hot tub, trail, lake, fire pit, games, etc. would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gina P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family for Wedding

From the hospitable host to the beautiful surroundings, very memorable family-oriented experience with the best part being we could bring our dogs.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

JOHN M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

EFLAND FAMILY REUNION

Excellent fit for our needs for a long weekend family reunion. Beautiful home, lots of space and so much more than we expected. Owner was extremely responsive and we look forward to coming back.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jessica Z.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Holiday

Wonderful place to stay. Everything was clean and orderly. The owners were extremely accommodating. My only regret is not coming when it was summertime to utilize the outdoor pool and areas!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Moshe Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Farm family vacation

It was a beautiful house in a beautiful farm land setting. The owner couldn’t have been more accommodating. We enjoyed the scenery, the backyard and the fire pit as well as late night time spent alternating between the hot tub and the pool. Our entire family enjoyed the experience.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great time in North Carolina

This property is amazing, highly recommend, would love to come back in the summer!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Palmer C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rural retreat

We enjoyed our stay at the farm. The house was very nice, lots of bedroom and bathroom space. The kitchen was small for a large group, but it opens to the screen porch and pool, so people can spread out. The main living room is on the 2nd floor where the bedrooms are. The pool was beautiful, the main attraction for our stay. The kids also enjoyed fishing at the pond. We'd stay there again!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Madison P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Simply the best!!

We rented this home for a long weekend with family and it couldn’t have been a better experience. The home is beautiful, clean and massive. Hosts were so lovely and welcoming and quick to respond to any needs/questions. Will 100% rent again next time we visit NC!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Tom and Lindy

Host profile image
We are design professionals who enjoy creating beautiful indoor and outdoor settings for others to enjoy. We love nature and have turned our large farm into a park-like setting for others to enjoy.

Why they chose this property

The beauty of nature is in abundance here , whether it is being enjoyed in the expansive views of nothing but nature or whether it is enjoying the beautiful sunrises and sunsets as the sun rises and sets above long range views over rolling pastures or whether it is enjoying the fire-fly shows that occur in the Spring and Summer and early Fall or whether it is enjoying the incredible night sky or cacophony of night-sounds.

What makes this property unique

The common thread that runs through comments of guests is the relaxation and renewal they feel when they stay on the farm.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests