We love talking with guests! Call or Text us for details: (870) 532-9070
Take Your Homeschool to The Grotto and Make Great Family Memories
A secluded getaway overflowing with educational opportunities.
4 bedrooms · 2 baths · Up to 8 guests
(Pets welcome too!)
Nesteled on 10 acres in Arkansas' Ouachita Mountains, the Grotto delivers the finest comforts and most thoughtful touches, all in a breathtaking location primed to recharge the soul. Welcome to nature at its best, a perfect setting for discovery, amazement, learning, and fun.
Yes, you can have that vacation you've been longing for without your homeschool missing a beat.
"The best AirBNB experience we've ever had!" -Caryn
The Joy of Time Spent Together
The Grotto makes it easy to unwind, relax and enjoy each other’s company. Enjoy the foosball table and record player in the game room, cook up a meal in the spacious, cheerful kitchen, or watch a movie or game on the 55" TV in the living room. In the evenings, enjoy marshmallows over the smokeless firepit while listening to the symphony of frogs, crickets, cicadas, birds, and the occasional coyote. Then, as the sun sets, watch the stars shine brighter than you’ve ever seen, courtesy of a night sky blissfully free of ambient light.
"We found what we were seeking... a peaceful retreat near beautiful scenery and excellent hiking trails.
The house is beautiful, extremely clean, and has an abundance of supplies available. The attention to detail was amazing and refreshing." -Sunny
Homeschool Heaven
At the Grotto, you can continue with your regular homeschool schedule and enhance as needed. The area is rich in geological diversity, biology, wildlife, and history. Plus, there are plenty of field-trip-worthy ventures nearby including museums, Lake Ouachita, Ouachita National Forest, and legendary Hot Springs.
"We saw deer and turkey roaming the grounds. Truly a peaceful and serene location." -Candice
The Details
The Space
The Grotto is a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home on 10 wooded acres in Mount Ida, AR. With a rustic/industrial vibe, the Grotto welcomes you to unwind indoors in the clean, comfortable, newly renovated space.
Every bedroom has a unique theme:
-The Americana master bedroom features a king size bed, TV, and workspace.
-The Woods and Stable bedrooms each have queen beds.
-The Lake room has a twin bunk bed that's perfect for kids along with an assortment of toys to keep them busy.
Outdoors you'll find ten wooded acres to explore. Head out from the back deck and up to the top of the ridge or wander out to the pond from the front porch. There are seasonal streams that trickle down creating waterfalls and small clear pools. As you hike through the woods keep an eye out for crystals and the abundant wildlife.
Amenities
Fast Wi-Fi | Gameroom w/foosball table and record player | 55" & 40" Roku HDTVs | AC/heat | Fireplace with wood-burning stove | Two full bathrooms | Bathtub & shower with rain-shower heads | Soap, shampoo and conditioner | Hair dryer, towels, bed sheets, toiletries | Iron and ironing board | Fully stocked kitchen | Combo Keurig/drip coffee maker | Dishwasher | Microwave | Oven and range | Dining table with seating for 8 | Bistro table | Refrigerator w/ice maker | Washer and dryer | Luxury-comfort mattresses | Bed linens, extra pillows and blankets | Workspace desk and printer | Cabin-style bunk bed | Board games and toys | Front porch with rocking chairs | Giant cable-railed back deck | Stargazing lounge chairs | Weber grill w/grill tools and marshmallow skewers | Breeo Smokeless Firepit | Pack n' play
GALLERY
RATES
Normal: $185-230
Peak: $210-250
Off-Peak: $170-200
Cleaning Fee: $150
Lodging Tax: 12.25%
ABOUT
Colleen and Brian Trainor
(870) 532-9070
escapetothegrotto@gmail.com
We are excited to share a special vacation spot with you. When we bought The Grotto it was in need of a lot of love. But the gorgeous 10 wooded acres, friendly community, and a sense of optimism that may not have been completely rational, compelled us to buy the property.
The physical renovations took several months and a lot of help from an amazing contractor. As each room of the house began to take shape, we could see our vision coming into focus. We designed The Grotto to be a retreat from the world where we would look forward to spending time with our family.
We absolutely love it and hope you will too!
Let us know if there is anything we can do to make your stay perfect.
We hated leaving! This home is stunning! The property is gorgeous with so much to do! We walked the creek for crystals, so much room for the kids and pups to play! Walked around the pond to the left of the drive. The view from literally every angle is amazing! We kept the blinds up the entire weekend. We spent time just setting on the patio listening to the creek running while looking and the stars! Such a beautiful clear view unlike anything we ever see in the city. About an hour drive from the bigger cities!! Mt Ida Cafe is an absolute must to eat!!
-Christina
First getaway vacation that we did not want to leave! The Grotto is the most comfortable, welcoming home in spectacular Mt. Ida on the most beautiful property. We saw deer and turkey roaming the grounds. Truly a peaceful and serene location. The house is modern, clean and very comfortable. Brian and Colleen thought of everything! We will definitely book again!!! Thank you both for sharing your lovely home!!!!
-Candice
Colleen and Brian were excellent hosts - providing us with local information and taking care of any of our needs within hours. Their place is just beautiful and equipped with pretty much anything one might need on a trip! We could let our kid and dogs roam around freely without feeling unsafe in their wooded backyard. We were able to enjoy both the full moon and stars providing a brilliant light at night, and sunbathed fall mornings. We would highly recommend this place!
-Nikita
We stumbled into a gem of a short-term rental at the Grotto. The decorations were fantastic, the property well maintained, and the amenities were perfect for our family of 4. We did everything from hanging out in Hot Springs to finding a hidden spot by the River about 9 miles away (Be careful it is a 7 mile dirt/gravel road) - but when we got there, it was amazing. The town of Mt. Ida was fantastic, the people friendly and we never lacked for fun things to do. The Grotto was perfect in that we played lots of family games around the kitchen table and many many fooseball games in which our youngest son age 20 let us all know that he was undefeated for the week - GRRR - next time I will get him....So from our family to whomever is thinking of coming to this area of Arkansas - we give the Grotto our highest rating - awesome place!
-Eric
We were in Mt. Ida to pick up my son from camp. I was so excited to find a pet friendly place where we could do laundry and cook our meals. The Grotto was the perfect spot! As soon as we walked in it felt so cozy and welcoming. The decor is perfect and gives off such a clean and fresh feel. We were greeted with a sweet note from the host and a s’mores kit! They had me at the s’mores kit for sure. 😆. All rooms were themed which added to the flair of this place. The deck off the living room was such a fun and relaxing spot for us to soak up nature. We even had deer hanging out in the evenings and early morning so that was a treat. The fire pit kept my kids entertained with marshmallow roasting and my son enjoyed exploring the wood’s surrounding the home as he hunted for crystals. It’s in a great location to visit hot springs for restaurants, Murfreesboro to visit the Crater of Diamonds, and Glenwood to rent Kayaks. The Grotto is a great stay and we look forward to renting next summer. ☀️
-Katy
We will definitely be back. This house was perfect in every way for our family. Cannot thank you enough for the quick response to our last-minute request. When our other vacation house fell through last minute, we were pretty desperate to not stay in another motel. I could not have asked for a better place to go. We will be calling you first on our future trips to Arkansas. Thanks again!
-Josephine
The master king bed was sooo comfy after a long day of digging and the shower was awesome too. Kitchen was equipped with the right amount of utensils even tho we ate out most meals locally and were pleased. Cute bedroom for kids and lots of room outdoors to explore. For the rock hounds out there, this is a perfect location as you are 10-15 minutes minutes from several crystal mines. Good finds and great family fun! The Grotto even has a washing area in the backyard beside the massive deck. Highly recommend the Grotto! We will be back.
-Regina