Cozy country retreat with a year-round heated spa

Fall and winter are our quiet season and our best kept secret. The spa is heated year round, so you can sit in the steam while the woods go silent around you.

The house

Five bedrooms on one floor and three and a half baths, so two families can spread out and nobody sleeps on a couch. Sleeps ten. The main floor opens into a great room with a wood-burning fireplace and a kitchen island that seats the whole group. The kitchen is fully equipped: gas stove, oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, and coffee makers including drip, French press and Nespresso.

Downstairs

The lower level is built for a long weekend in: media room with a large screen and sectional seating, pool table, arcade games, Bluetooth sound system, bar area (furniture only, not stocked), a workspace, and a fitness area with free weights, a bench and rowing equipment. Stairs lead down to this level.

Outside

The spa is heated and available all year, and takes about 45 minutes to come up to temperature. The pool is open Memorial Day through Labor Day, heated to 82 degrees, with warmer water available for a fee with advance notice. There is a deck and patio, outdoor dining, a gas grill, and a wood-burning fire pit in the woods with wood available.

Families and groups

Pet friendly. Crib, Pack 'n Play, high chair, books and board games available. Central air and heat, wifi, TV, washer and dryer. A whole-home standby generator keeps a winter storm from ending the weekend.

Where you are

A quiet wooded lot in Port Republic, between the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River. Prince Frederick is ten minutes for groceries and pharmacies. Solomons Island is twenty minutes for waterfront dining. Calvert Cliffs State Park is eleven minutes and known for fossil hunting. Trails at Parkers Creek Preserve start right here in Port Republic. Annmarie Garden in Lights runs from late November through New Year's. Rural and not overly touristy, which is rather the point.

Things to know before you book

This is a rural wooded property and wildlife and insects are part of the setting; the house is on a regular pest control schedule. Water comes from a private well, so it tastes different from city water and can leave mineral marks in tubs and fixtures. Drinking water is safe. The area is dark at night and you will need a car; delivery options are limited. Exterior security cameras cover the driveway, entry doors, deck and pool equipment. There are no interior cameras. Self check-in by lockbox. Check-in is 4:00 PM and checkout is 10:00 AM. Early check-in and late checkout are not offered, even for a fee. Two-night minimum.