Avis Converted Historic Schoolhouse w/ Hot Tub & Views!

We booked the stay and recieved all of the confirmation emails like we should. Had it scheduled and got a message to contact the owner prior to getting there so we could get instruction son how to get in. Took a few tries to get the owner but when we did we found out the owner had no idea we were staying there and the house had been closed and winterized. He was out of town and his manager was out of town. Sorry about you luck. The only good thing about the stay was that we are local so we just went somewhere else. If I were coming in from out of state driving or flying somehwere i would have been up the creek. There is nothing else in the area. Each group seems to blame the other but. This property is owned by one persona and managed by a firm that posts properties on VRBO. not vrbo's fault. just to many hands in the cookie jar with little concern for the actual customer in my opinion.

I was here nearly two weeks in early October, and this place really grew on me - golden eagles, coyotes singing in the night, rabbits, wild turkeys, hawks, woodpeckers, geese, ducks, meteorites in a beautiful night sky, and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets - and no neighbors, so very quiet. If you’re interested in geology, this area is chock-full of interesting things, from the nearby Jurassic tracksite to Devil’s Kitchen (which can be seen from the property in the distance) to beautiful Shell Canyon and of course the Bighorns. The restoration and addition to the old school house has been done with loving care. It’s a really unique and wonderful property in a beautiful setting with views in every direction and lots of history. Communication was great, and Fain even messaged me to check on things when a big storm came through. No mosquitoes in October, just lots of fall color. An unforgettable place.

We had a fantastic stay at the historic schoolhouse - such a unique experience! The home was very comfortable and had everything we needed to enjoy our vacation, right down to the beautiful sunsets every night. The location was also great, with downtown Shell, the dinosaur tracks, Shell Falls and Bighorn Canyon just a short drive away and well worth checking out. (Aspire coffee shop in Shell is AMAZING.) We also drove around Route 14, which has great views and lots of places to stop and wander. Overall, a great place and fantastic home! Thank you for letting us stay!

Great people, History, amazing mountains

This rock school house is the perfect place to stay if you want to be away from it all and appreciate history! The property was well stocked and owners were easy to communicate with. Would definitely stay here again!

The school house was very nice lots of interesting pictures and books. Was bigger than I thought and hope to be back there.

The schoolhouse was a fantastic spot for a stop over in our vacation. The building itself is nicely updated and fit our group of 4 very comfortably. The wifi worked well, but cell phone service was extremely spotty until you got closer to town. The schoolhouse is conveniently located within 15 minutes of lots of different outdoor activities, including a scenic drive or hike through Bighorn National Forest and the dinosaur tracksite. I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again if we were coming through!

Staying in this schoolhouse is like staying in a cross between a museum, an art gallery, a bookstore and a rustic cabin. And I mean that in the best possible way. The place is decorated with local historical artifacts like fossils, buffalo hides and antiques. There are great examples of classic sheepherder wagons in the yard. Local art and photography hangs from every wall and there's a corner of the schoolhouse that is just packed with hundreds of books. The views from every direction are stupendous. My wife and I spent four nights here during a big cold snap in February 2021. The temps were -20 at night and there was six inches of fresh snow. It was beautiful outside and we spent most of the time reading books and enjoying the warmth of the wood-burning stove. There's nothing like a roaring fire on a cold night. During the day, we explored the mountains and surrounding area, which rival anything you could find in a national park. Before we arrived, I had some suspicions about the place. I worried that it was going to be some corny attempt to take a historical landmark and make some quick cash by putting it up on a rental site like this. I didn't like the idea of a gentrified country schoolhouse. But the reality is that this property seems to be a labor of love. The schoolhouse is over a hundred years old and had been built by the early homesteaders in the area, but by the middle of last century, it had started to fall apart. The current owner bought it back in the 80s and brought it back to life by repairing the roof, building on an addition in the back with a kitchen and bathrooms and a bedroom. The addition retains the historical charm of the original very well. For years, it seems this place was operated as a sort of bookstore/community center/art gallery. Staying here feels like a shortcut to getting to know the passionate and creative people in the community. The one thing I would caution visitors about is that the schoolhouse section doesn't stay very warm throughout the night. The back addition is plenty comfortable and warm, but there's only room for two people. Any group more than two people staying in the winter would have to be prepared to have some cool nights sleeping in the old schoolhouse. Beyond that, you will not be disappointed.

Our week spent at the school was magical! Great care was taken to prepare and manage the property! Highly recommend!

My family and I stayed at this place because we have two small children (6 years and 3 year old) and we wanted to give them an experience which was different than just staying at your typical run of the mill hotel or home. They thought it was AWESOME to be staying in a SCHOOLHOUSE that other kids back in the day went to learn. The house has plenty of history, including old desks and pictures of the former students. There is a little library filled with books on many topics concerning Wyoming and the culture of the area. Outside, you will find another schoolhouse which was built prior to one we stayed in along with wagon wheels and other older work equipment. In the evening, we enjoyed sitting (splashing) in the hot tub and looking at the stars which were abundant. The Schoolhouse may seem like it's in the middle of nowhere, but it's within a reasonable distance to many nature attractions. Fain and Rachel were excellent hosts who gave us directions to places we would have never known to look for. While we were here, we were able to visit the following places: -Shell Falls -Devil's Kitchen -Hike through the Mountains -Thermopolis (Worlds Largest Mineral Hot Springs) -Yellowstone (It's two hours away but the drive is worth it due to the scenery along the way). We didn't tour the entire park because it was just too big and we had a flight to catch the next day. -Sheridan -Big Horn National Park, which was beautiful -American Medicine Wheel We visited these places in 3.5 days and never felt like we spent our entire time on the road. Many of these places, you could easily spend hours or an entire day of exploring, reflecting, meditating, etc.. We ate at the local restaurants and the food was great. We shopped local (Crazy Woman Shop), visited the Dinosaur museum and the found the people to be very down to Earth and welcoming. We will certainly be back again because there was so much to do. This is not a touristy destination so it will not have that high energy vibe. This is a destination for those who want to immerse themselves into the environment and discover Wyoming on your own terms.