Guest Information

Eating at the Abode

Delicious homemade and mostly vegetarian meals are served buffet style in the Rezak building. Meals are included in the program cost for group retreats and events. When the Abode is not hosting a program, meals can still be purchased individually in the dining room. Sunday brunch is at 12:15 and has a fixed price of $10. Other meal times and prices vary. Please call 518-794-8095 during business hours to inquire about scheduled meals for that week. Not all meals are open to the public, so please call first.

8:00 AM Breakfast - Coffee and tea available ($5)
10:30AM Snacks - Snacks, tea, coffee available
12:30PM Lunch- Tea available ($8)
6:00PM Dinner Tea available ($12)

The Abode hosts elaborate feasts for Thanksgiving, for the Seder and for other special events. Check our calendar of events to know more.

Shuttle Information

The Abode is not accessible via public transportation. The Abode offers a shuttle service to and from Albany, New York and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, which are reachable by public transportation.
View Shuttle Rates.

Sleeping Accommodations

The Main Campus has guest rooms which can be rented daily. Call the Programs office at (518)794-8095 for prices and availability.

Cancellation Policy:

For Individuals attending a program including R and R:

Individuals who paid the Abode for a cancelled program will receive a full refund as it is beyond their control.

Individuals who cancel coming to a program that is not cancelled, or to R and R dates they reserved will receive a refund minus a $50 processing fee if the cancellation is 7 or more business days before the program or R and R start date.

If an individual cancels 6 to 1 business days in advance of the programs start date or R and R date(s) they reserved, a non-refundable credit (minus the $50 processing fee) of the housing part of the payment will be issued and is good for up to one year.

There is no refund if an individual cancels on the workshop’s or reserved R and R dates arrival day, does not show up, or leaves the program or R and R early for any reason.

Pets and Companion Animals Policy

The Abode cannot accept visitors with pets either in the buildings or on the property. In accordance with ADA law, service animals trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability or to assist a person with a disability are allowed on the premises. This includes dogs trained in guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting someone who is having a seizure or performing other special tasks.

The ADA law requires us to accept certified service animals in all public locations at the Abode including our meditation hall. However, many of our residents have serious religious conflicts with allowing animals in our sacred space. We kindly ask our visitors to be as respectful as possible to our community by sitting in the designated space reserved for service animals, bringing a blanket or container, and cleaning up after their animal companion. For health and safety reason, we also ask that animals be free of ticks or other parasites when visiting the Abode. Disruptive or aggressive animals will be asked to leave the premises. Thank you for your consideration.

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours at the Abode are from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Children

Children six years and under must be within eyesight of a responsible adult at all times. Children seven to fourteen must have a responsible adult in their vicinity who knows their whereabouts and is responsible for them. Children will be asked to observe all Abode regulations (see below) including quiet times and areas of restricted use. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children. No one under 15 years of age may enter the Pond area without an adult present.

Computer & Phone Access

The Abode is equipped with Wifi. Not all areas have a good reception. Our Meditation Hall is equipped with hardwire access to the internet. The mountain camp has no WiFi or internet access.

The cell phone services that work best at the Abode are Verizon and AT&T. We have found that other services are spotty (T-Mobile is almost non-existent). There is a public phone next to the dining room in the building called Rezak. A long distance phone card will allow you to make long distance phone calls from this phone. The number for this phone is 518-794-7659.

Fragrance Free Environment

The Abode is now a fragrance free environment. Help us maintain a safe and comfortable environment for those with scent allergies and sensitivities. Please refrain from bringing and using scented body products, soaps and shampoos, and especially perfumes and colognes.

Cell Phone Policy

The use of cell phones is restricted to the privacy of your room, your automobile or the main parking lot. We ask that you do not use cell phones in public spaces on the Abode property, including in the gardens and on the farm.

Smoking Policy

The lower, main campus of the Abode is a smoking free zone. Those who need to light up will need to walk off the Abode property and down the road to smoke. On the Mountain, there is a designated smoking area which will be marked and obvious. Please refrain from smoking elsewhere on the mountain. We hope that if you wish to quit, you will find the peace and strength within yourself in our community.

Drug & Alcohol policy

Illegal drugs are not permitted on Abode property, and any possession or use of them will result in expulsion from the premises. Alcohol use is limited to the dining hall or by special permission from the Abode Programs Office. The Abode discourages drunkenness on the Abode property.

Fire/Incense in the buildings

Abode buildings are historical Shaker buildings and are prone to fires. Please refrain from lighting candles, incense, or having any open flames in the buildings. Open flames are allowed in certain public meeting spaces only with advanced permission from the Abode Programs Office. Campfires are not permitted unless arranged in advance with the Abode Programs Office.

Swimming

The Abode pond is available for guest use. Please be aware that no one may enter the pond without a qualified lifeguard supervising the area. The Abode determines the qualifications required for the lifeguard. In and around the pond there is no running, roughhousing, food or drink or glass containers. No night swimming is permitted, and no smoking or alcoholic beverages are allowed. No one under the age of 18 may enter the pond area without an adult present. All children age 13 and under must be supervised by a parent/guardian or by an adult designated by the parent/guardian at the ratio of 2 children to 1 adult.

In Case of Emergency

The Main Office phone (10am-4pm Monday-Friday) is 518-794-8090 or 518-794-8095 ext 114 or ext 115. The Public Phone in the Dining Room is 518-794-7659. Let the phone ring as sometimes it takes awhile for someone to get to the phone. The State Police in New Lebanon, New York is 518-794-8445. Our address is: The Abode of the Message, 5 Abode Road , New Lebanon, New York 12125. The Abode is located on Darrow Road, off route 20 in New Lebanon.

Weather

To find out the weather at the Abode, please go to www.noaa.gov and type in New Lebanon, NY in the left hand space for weather. Please bring a variety of appropriate clothing.

Local Attractions

Hike for miles on trails in the Pittsfield State Forest
The Shaker Museum and Library is located just down the road from the Abode, at 202 Shaker Road, New Lebanon, NY
Hancock Shaker Village is a 10 minute drive on Route 20, in Hancock MA
The Berkshire Museum is located in Pittsfield, MA. 20 minutes away.
For music and theater productions, the Colonial Theatre is just 20 minutes away in Pittsfield, MA.