Arthouse Vacation Rental

Homey but also modern with a funky twist. Clean and convenient. JP is a cool neighborhood and this rental reflects that for sure.

We were heading to Massachusetts from Minnesota for a family reunion and decided to spend a few days on our own in Boston first. We didn’t want to hassle with a car until it was time to head to the reunion, so we were looking for a house to rent that was close to a public transit.nnWe found the Arthouse2 through one of those vacation rental by owner sites, and it was exactly what we needed. It’s a short walk from the Stony Brook Station on the Orange line; seriously it’s a 3-minute walk on a paved and lighted path through a greenway park.nnIt’s an old house but completely remodeled with two rental units; one upstairs and one downstairs. The owner was easy to reach by email and very helpful and responsive whenever we had questions –both before, during, and after our stay.nnThe house has a full kitchen and laundry facilities too. The water pressure and hot water in the bathroom were surprisingly good. It was hot and humid in July 2016, but the window-mounted AC units handled it fine. The Wi-Fi worked decent in the living room and kitchen, but was a little weak in the bedrooms. There is a tiny little deck off the kitchen that made for a really pleasant place to drink beer on the first night.nnThe house is in a neighborhood in Jamaica Plain that is being quickly gentrified. Use Google Street View and you’ll see an industrial area directly across the street. Except one of the lots that used to be some sort of auto repair facility has already been turned into a Tea Café. There were a lot of construction noises when we were there because a house a couple doors to the north is being completely remodeled.nnIf you want to tour the Samuel Adams Brewery complex like we did, it is literally only a block away. That complex also has the Ula café and Bella Luna restaurant that are very popular. Doyle’s Pub is a half-mile walk south on Amory and more our speed.nnFor breakfast one morning we walked about three quarters of a mile west to the Robinwood Café & Grille on Centre Street. There is a liquor store selling craft beers a half-block west of the Stony Brook Station. For groceries, get on the Orange Line and go one stop north to the Jackson Square Station and walk 3 minutes west to the Stop & Shop. There is also a Dunkin’ Donuts there (but those are everywhere).nnWe were able to take the subway and walk everywhere on our visit to Boston. Getting downtown was simple on the Orange Line. Going to Fenway Park was also really easy –especially since our local relative warned us not to go all the way to the Fenway Station on the Green Line; the ballpark is much closer to the Kenmore Station.nnTo get there from the Arthouse, take Orange Line from Stony Brook Station to Back Bay Station, walk a couple blocks to the Copley Station on the Green Line and take it two stops to Kenmore Station. Or you can also get there on foot from the Orange Line Massachusetts Avenue Station (that’s the way we got back after the game instead of waiting for the huge crowds).nnIf you’re going to Fenway Park, we highly recommend taking the tour before the game. You get to go everywhere and see everything so at game time you can just watch them play ball. The Bleacher Bar (literally a bar under the bleachers in left field) is a great place to spend time between the tour and the game.