Most listings for a Vermont cabin with a private outdoor sauna mean a good sauna you share with whoever else is booked that night. Ours works on reserved sessions, and we never schedule two parties at once. Boyer Estate sits on the edge of Boyer State Forest in Berlin, and when your session comes up, the sauna is yours with no one else on the grounds.
The sauna sits out on the estate with the woods close by, and in winter the snow is right at the door. The sequence is simple: heat, then cold, then heat again. Below I have laid out how the sauna works, when to use it, and what to do with the rest of your day here in the hills above Montpelier.
Private sessions, no overlap
Our two Boyer Estate stays share the sauna, but never at the same hour. Sessions are reserved, and I only put one party on the schedule at a time. You will not walk in on another guest halfway through, and you will not stand around waiting for someone else to clear out.
A shared sauna is just an amenity, like a shared laundry room. We reserve yours to you alone, with no one else booked and the forest at the treeline.
The winter ritual: heat, snow, repeat
Winter is the best season for it. Step out of the heat and the snow is an arm’s length away. You roll in it, or just stand in it, then head back inside. Vermont handles the cold half of the contrast for you, no effort required.
Nothing sits between the sauna and the woods, so after a fresh snowfall you step from the heat straight into it, with the Boyer State Forest trees close by.
Two ways to stay, both with sauna access
Both Boyer Estate properties come with access to the outdoor sauna, so your choice comes down to the room.
Earhart Cottage is freestanding, a one-bedroom for two. It has a gas floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace, William Morris botanical wallpaper, and a private deck with a cafe table. The deck’s mountain view is partial, filtered through the trees rather than wide open. Outside there is a fire pit with cedar Adirondack chairs, and the sauna is a short walk on the same grounds.
Meadow Suite is a private-entrance suite attached to the main house, where our family lives on the estate. It has a king bed, a full floor-to-ceiling Vermont landscape mural, Worcester Range views, an antique organ, a mid-century kitchen, and fast wifi at 202 Mbps. There is a fire pit at the edge of the terraced yard, and the same outdoor sauna is yours during your reserved window.
Where you are: trails, town, and a good table
Boyer State Forest trails start within walking distance of the estate, so a warm-up walk before an evening session does not need the car at all. If you want a longer outing, Berlin Pond is 7 minutes away, with the easy Irish Hill and Long Loop trails alongside it. Norwich University’s Outdoor Center and Paine Mountain are 12 minutes on, with more easy public trails.
Montpelier is 12 minutes down the road. Downtown, Three Penny Taproom (12 minutes) pours local drafts, Hill Farmstead among them, with good food to go with it. For coffee, Capitol Grounds (12 minutes) roasts its own beans and does a good drip, and Carrier Roasting Co. (9 minutes) sells beans to take home. Barr Hill by Caledonia Spirits (14 minutes) does a proper cocktail before or after a day out.
Eating around the sauna day
You will not go hungry. For breakfast, the Wayside (10 minutes) is the classic diner: big, nostalgic, cheap, and open till 8:30. Bohemian Bakery (12 minutes) bakes fresh pastries daily, plus a few good lunch sandwiches that sell out and espresso drinks worth ordering.
For dinner, Sarducci’s (11 minutes) is the long-standing Italian room, and Pearl Street Pizza in downtown Barre (13 minutes) turns out Brooklyn-quality pies. In Montpelier, Royal Orchid Thai (13 minutes) is the top Thai around and Pho Capital (12 minutes) does a great bowl of pho. Good Measure Pub & Brewery (9 minutes) is the closest brewery, with good beers, pub food, and outdoor seating. Shaw’s (7 minutes) is the nearest supermarket if you would rather cook in.
Where to Stay
Common questions
Is the outdoor sauna really private, or is it shared?
It is reserved by session, with no overlap between guests. The sauna serves both Boyer Estate stays, but only one party is scheduled at a time, so your session is yours alone.
Which Boyer Estate property should I book for sauna access?
Both include access. Book Earhart Cottage if you want a freestanding one-bedroom with a fieldstone fireplace and a private deck (partial mountain view through the trees). Book Meadow Suite for a king bed, Worcester Range views, and a private-entrance suite attached to the main house.
How far is Boyer Estate from Montpelier and the ski areas?
Montpelier is 12 minutes away. Sugarbush is 41 minutes and Stowe is 43 minutes. Boyer State Forest trails are within walking distance of the estate.
Can you use the sauna in winter with the snow?
Winter is the season for it. The snow is right there beside the sauna, so you can roll in it and go straight back into the heat, with the woods of Boyer State Forest close by.
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Last updated July 2026