A PANDEMIC GETAWAY
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE SPIRIT HORSE FARM IN KENT
Back in the early 2000s, before the days of Airbnb and VRBO, The Spirit Horse Farm in Kent was known as a “cyber rental.” Owner Guy Mauri listed it via a website called bedandbreakfasts.com and relied on word of mouth to book guests. Today, it is the second most “wish listed” Airbnb in Connecticut.
The five-acre estate is the full-time residence of Mauri and his resident caretaker Christina Achorn, as well as chickens, peacocks, doves and a big fluffy Maremma (livestock guardian dog) named Dakota who loves to greet visitors.
Established in the late 1800’s, the farm has a storied history. It has been a dairy and poultry farm and dabbled in tobacco. By the 1940’s the property was home to the town's first kindergarten and also began offering lodging.
“I knew offering a unique short term rental would be better for the farm. I wanted to create an opportunity for people to escape from the city and submerge themselves in a rural way of life,” said Mauri, who purchased the property in 2002. “Over the years I’ve had guests visit who have never left the city or experienced anything other than apartment living. One man honestly didn’t know where eggs came from, he just thought they came from the grocery store."
The pandemic has been kind to the business. The rental is booked nearly 100 percent of the time, Mauri said. He credits the success to families looking for an “intimate, COVID-safe destination that offers privacy and exclusiveness.”
Mauri said he knew he wanted to continue the farm’s legacy when he bought it, and his vision to convert the massive antique barn came to fruition over the course of a few years. He initially designed it for private use and was renting the main farmhouse as a year-round rental before switching to short-term. Since then, the farm has had all types of renters from families to bachelorette parties.
The converted barn has three guest bedrooms, an expansive living and dining area as well as a fully equipped kitchen and bar. Outside, there is an inground pool, a coy pond, a fire pit and a giant tee-pee. And there are many unique items and vignettes to look at.
“It’s an eclectic assortment of pieces I’ve collected over the years, and it’s everchanging,” Mauri said. A child of artists
— his mother was an artist and an actress and his father was a furniture designer — Mauri’s creative background is apparent in the rental. His two favorite pieces are a seven-foot tall church steeple on the back deck and a 1960’s wooden shipping crate from Hong Kong. There’s also a display case housing a bees nest and area flora and fauna.
“In many ways the conversion is an ever-work in progress,” Mauri said. “I’m still looking for the perfect chandelier and Moroccan tile for the stair tread risers.” When he can’t find “that perfect piece” he said he creates it from scratch himself.
For nearly three decades, Mauri has been a carpenter and the owner of Iron Horse Builders, a local house frame construction company. He has also recently opened a motorcycle shop called Iron Horse Customs in Kent.
Last year he completed the process of having The Spirit Horse Farm become certified organic through the United States Department of Agriculture. He sells his produce and herbal products through the farm stand, area farmers markets and the local IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance). Mauri’s next project is getting back into fostering horses.
Futurist Joel Barker once said, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” It’s a quote that Mauri said encompasses his goals for bettering the farm and his community.