Beautiful 4 Bedroom Home

We stayed in this house during our daughter’s college graduation. The house was as described - clean, welcoming, bucolic, well-furnished and equipped, private, peaceful, spacious…. The grounds were gorgeous and the house instructions were clear. The location is close enough to Middlebury and other small VT towns, yet accessible to numerous outdoor pursuits. The owners were welcoming in their communications, informative, and prompt in replies. Stay and enjoy.

We had a wonderful stay in this beautiful Ripton home surrounded by trees and birds, close to walking trails, and with beautiful views. Our multigenerational family was very comfortable in the large spaces available to relax and chat. Kitchen was well equipped, beds comfortable, plenty of towels. We would happily return here for another visit to the area.

We were so happy to be staying in this beautiful property adjacent to the nordic center and a short drive to Midd Snowbowl. We planned on spending hours in both places, but due to the polar vortex that accompanied our stay, we ended up spending hours by the beautiful warm fireplaces in the property. We cannot say enough about the selection of books, great coffee mugs, and ample blankets and couches in which to snuggle up!

This house is amazing, beautiful views and lovely house. Close to hiking at Breadloaf and the Long Trail. We came for a graduation and had college age kids up to 80+ grandparents at various points during the weekend and the house let us be together when we wanted and spread out when we wanted. The extra first floor apartment was a nice space for the grandparents who don’t like stairs. This house is also extremely well stocked and could host a larger gathering like a grad party or large dinner party. Highly recommend!

Could not find a better location for a xcountry and downhill ski vacation. On the Rikert Nordic trails, 5 min to Middlebury Bowl, 30 min to Sugarbush. House was completely stocked with ample room for all 8 of us & great hang out places. Beds were all AMAZING! Even our teens noticed how well they slept. If you are looking in VT for quiet, nature, and a great/fun home this is the place.

The standards of cleanliness for this house were extraordinary! We felt, absolutely, that we were guests being invited to stay in an extraordinary and well loved home. The location is remote - no cell coverage remote - but very pretty, with beautiful forests, Middlebury College's well-groomed Breadloaf campus and fields nearby, and all the privacy one could want. We are grateful to have been able to be together - to cook, play chess, read, and feel on a perfect family holiday - in this gorgeous setting.

Very nice

We booked the Bicknell's fantastic home nestled right next to the Breadloaf campus for our son's graduation from Middlebury College over Memorial Day weekend. Everything about our stay was perfect. The house is pristine, beautifully maintained and perfectly appointed. Any time we looked for something - kitchen utensils, serving platters, extra towels, even clippers to cut the beautiful lilacs, which were in FULL bloom at this time of the year, we found what we needed. On Saturday night we had a wonderful family barbecue and sat outside on the fantastic wrap-around porch. We rented the whole house including the annex which is connected to and feels like part of the house, but provides a perfectly sized suite for another family. It would make an ideal separate rental for a smaller group. Neil and Judy could not have been nicer. They were easy to communicate with and very helpful - when we had trouble getting the TV to work, they called and talked us through it - turns out my older son didn't read the directions carefully enough :-) They provided us with detailed instructions about everything we might need to know. We could not have been happier. During the hustle and bustle of graduation week, it was delightful to have this peaceful oasis to which we returned. Middlebury parents might like to know that it takes about 20 mins to get to the center of town, 15 minutes to Hannafords from here. We could not recommend this property more highly! Thank you Neil + Judy - we so hope we will have the occasion to visit again.

We have had the pleasure of staying at Judy and Neil's home twice now - each time with friends for a Middlebury College reunion + extra vacation. We are now thinking we need to rent yearly - not just every five years! The home is spacious, well-equipped, comfortable, clean and inviting. I could spend all day on the porch admiring the gardens and the mountain views. If you are sporty - it's a perfect spot to run/bike/hike/ski/walk from. If you want relaxation - it's a perfect spot for reading/meditating/napping! If you are visiting with friends - it's ideal for preparing and enjoying meals inside and out. It is so easy to feel at home here - we are always sad to leave. Communication with Judy and Neil has always been easy and they provide excellent information and quick responses to any questions or needs. They go above and beyond to make us feel welcome. We would recommend this property over any B&B, hotel or inn in VT!

I am a perennial attendee of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, which takes place for ten days in mid-August. I have stayed in the Annex every year since 2006, and have every intention of making this an August getaway, whether I participate in the conference or not. I travel a lot, often staying in private accommodations. This property is unmatched in terms of beauty and comfort. The kitchen is state-of-the-art, the furnishings are not only functional but lovely to look at and to use. Staying here, I have the privacy and solitude I need as a fiction writer. Neil and Judy are superb hosts. Often, during my stays, they are in residence in the main house, but there have been times when I was there alone. No problem, such as intermittent satellite service or a shower door that was not operating properly, has ever gone unsolved, whether they were there or not. Security is not a problem, even though the location is remote