Historic Hideaway with Sauna Near the Lake

Historic meets modern in this unique 150 year-old building located steps away from the entrance to Lake Monroe. Built in 1872, this one-room church turned romantic Airbnb provides a one-of-a-kind experience and has been featured as one of the best in the country by Condé Nast. Relax in the infrared sauna or explore Lake Monroe’s fantastic boating/fishing/swimming. Downtown Bloomington and Indiana University are only 11 miles away with fabulous local eateries and unique shops to explore.

Bloomington, IN, United States
2 guests
1 bedroom
1 bathroom

What this place offers

Common

  • Air conditioning
  • Cleaning products
  • Cooking basics Pots and pans, oil, salt and pepper
  • Dishes and silverware
  • Dryer In the building, free or for a fee
  • Essentials Towels, bed sheets, soap, toilet paper, and pillows
  • Hair dryer
  • Heating Central heating or a heater in the listing
  • Kitchen Space where guests can cook their own meals
  • Dedicated workspace
  • TV
  • Washing Machine In the building, free or for a fee
  • Wifi

Bathroom

  • Body soap
  • Conditioner
  • Hot Water
  • Shampoo
  • Shower gel

Bedroom and laundry

  • Bed linens
  • Extra pillows and blankets
  • Hangers
  • Iron
  • Room-darkening shades
  • Clothing storage

What this place offers

Common

  • Air conditioning
  • Cleaning products
  • Cooking basics Pots and pans, oil, salt and pepper
  • Dishes and silverware
  • Dryer In the building, free or for a fee
  • Essentials Towels, bed sheets, soap, toilet paper, and pillows
  • Hair dryer
  • Heating Central heating or a heater in the listing
  • Kitchen Space where guests can cook their own meals
  • Dedicated workspace
  • TV
  • Washing Machine In the building, free or for a fee
  • Wifi

Bathroom

  • Body soap
  • Conditioner
  • Hot Water
  • Shampoo
  • Shower gel

Bedroom and laundry

  • Bed linens
  • Extra pillows and blankets
  • Hangers
  • Iron
  • Room-darkening shades
  • Clothing storage

Entertainment

  • Game console

Family

  • Board games

Heating and cooling

  • Ceiling fan
  • Portable fans

Home safety

  • Carbon monoxide detector
  • Fire extinguisher
  • First aid kit
  • Smoke detector

Kitchen and dining

  • Baking sheet
  • Barbecue utensils
  • Blender
  • Coffee
  • Coffee maker
  • Dining table
  • Dishwasher
  • Freezer
  • Hot water kettle
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Stove
  • Toaster
  • Wine glasses

Location features

  • Private entrance Separate street or building entrance

Outdoors

  • BBQ grill
  • Fire pit
  • Garden or backyard
  • Outdoor seating
  • Patio or balcony

Parking and facilities

  • Free parking on premises
  • Sauna

Accessibility

Neighborhood

The entrance to Fairfax State Recreation Area at Lake Monroe is literally steps away from the building (entry fees apply). There is a restaurant and bar (Fairfax Inn) right next door, so you don't even have to drive to grab a quick bite or have a drink. There area also a golf course, 3 other restaurants and two other pubs within a mile walk or drive.

Guest Access

This is a stand-alone building and you will have access to the entire space.

Good to know

The expansive studio will provide you with plenty of room to stretch out. The decor reflects some of the history of the church, with one of the original church pews inside, as well as a collection of vintage camera equipment, as Brook previously used this as her photography studio. The arcade table features 60 classic arcade games (including Ms. Pac-Man, Frogger, etc) for hours of fun. Cook a meal in the kitchen with all of the bells and whistles, or just relax with TV ( YoutubeTV). The bathroom features a walk-in tile shower. There is also a full sized washer/dryer for your convenience, as well as fire pit out back. Unlike other listings, we do not charge a standard cleaning fee. This property has been licensed by Monroe county to legally operate as a short term rental. Your health and safety are important to us, especially in this time. With this in mind, have expanded our already thorough cleaning routine and added a ultraviolet air purification system to our HVAC system which has been shown to kill 99% of viruses and bacteria in the air. We have also created a special house manual in which we provide our personal recommendations for our favorite restaurants, local attractions, hiking areas, etc. You can find this in the studio or we can send a pdf document with this information when you book, if you would like. The kitchen is stocked with coffee, tea, and various kitchen staples including spices, oil, salt/pepper, etc. if you plan to cook your own meals, although we highly recommend you try out one of Bloomington's famous eateries. The kitchen includes all of the pots, pans, tableware and silverware you will need. There is a mixer, toaster, tea kettle and drip coffee maker. Unlike a hotel, additional visitors to the home are not allowed. All visitors, even those who just come for lunch, etc, will be charged $25 each as extra guests and must be included in reservation. In the space we provide documents detailing the rich history of the church and its historic significance to our area. If you happen fall in love with the area or are looking to move here, let us know. Corey is a licensed real estate broker and would love to show you some places while you are here.

Other Details to Note

While fully modernized, this building was built just after the Civil War and has character to prove it. We embrace its imperfections. There is a cemetery across the street.

Check availability

Reviews

Julie
September 2025 · Airbnb
The place was lovely and exactly as described. My husband and I stayed there for 4 nights during our sons wedding. The proximity to the park was amazing (literally can walk there) and also close to town. We will stay again if in the area!
Peter
September 2025 · Airbnb
My wife and I were very pleased with our stay at the Historic Hideaway! The location is ideal for a quiet getaway, while also not being too far away to have a nice night out in Bloomington. Being adjacent to Fairfax SRA made it easy for us to go to the lake for a sunrise walk. We were happy to walk into such a clean place! No clutter, nothing out of place, nothing broken. The bathroom, bedding, and kitchen were clean enough that we could use it all right away. We really appreciated the kitchen setup! There were more than enough supplies to cook multiple meals at the airbnb. Cleaning supplies were provided as well to make washing dishes super easy. The only minor thing was we ran out of seasoning salt after one meal. We really enjoyed learning about the history of the home in our welcome packet! and My wife and I definitely had TOO much fun playing Pac-Man haha. Overall, we loved our stay and would absolutely choose to stay there again next time we visit Bloomington 🙌
Kennedy
July 2025 · Airbnb
Very cute and sweet Airbnb. Wish we could’ve stayed longer, how was flexible and let us check in an hour earlier than planned. Will be visiting again next time we are in the area!

Find us

No public transport is available, you will need your own vehicle to get here.

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Approximate location. Full address will be provided on booking.