Stunning Converted Barn is Luxurious Airbnb in The Berkshires

The Berkshires of western Massachusetts are home to some pretty incredible real estate. From stunning mountain getaways to historical homes brought into the modern era, there truly is something for everyone in the bucolic Berkshire hills.

The real estate market in Berkshire County is always hot and really appeals to a wide range of buyers due to its proximity to New York City and Boston and, with price tags that are a fraction of big city living, the deals are plentiful.

If you're not looking to buy and just want to visit western Massachusetts the short-term rental market in The Berkshires is also abundant, exploding in the last decade. From Williamstown to Great Barrington and everywhere in between there is no shortage of properties that you can make yours for the weekend, the month, or even the entire summer. Everything from treehouses, colonial homes, or modern mountain retreats can be yours for a short period of time.

One of the most popular historical converted rental properties is an amazing post and beam barn located in Chesire, Massachusetts. Listed by Sarah on Airbnb, this unique and charming barn that's been renovated into a modern home boasts over 3,000 sq ft of living area featuring three bedrooms including a loft-style, state-of-the-art primary suite, and two full bathrooms.

The home has an amazing modern kitchen for cooking and gathering along with two working gas fireplaces. The open floorplan, cathedral ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows make the home feel airy and spacious.

Outside, the over three-acre property features an outdoor fire pit perfect for summer and fall nights. The neighborhood is serene and peaceful but located just across the street from Cheshire Lake and the Ashwilticock Rail Trail. The convenient central Berkshire County location provides for easy access to all area attractions.

Starting at $500 per night this is an ideal Berkshire County, Massachusetts location.

LOOK: Here are the best lake towns to live in

Many of the included towns jump out at the casual observer as popular summer-rental spots--the Ozarks' Branson, Missouri, or Arizona's Lake Havasu--it might surprise you to dive deeper into some quality-of-life offerings beyond the beach and vacation homes. You'll likely pick up some knowledge from a wide range of Americana: one of the last remaining 1950s-style drive-ins in the Midwest; a Florida town that started as a Civil War veteran retirement area; an island boasting some of the country's top public schools and wealth-earners right in the middle of a lake between Seattle and Bellevue; and even a California town containing much more than Johnny Cash's prison blues.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.