Relaxing & wonderful

Guest: RusTrac (San Jose)
Date of Stay: 09/23/11 Review Submitted: 10/05/11

We recently spent 4 days here for our 11th anniversary. We were very pleased with the location, the amenities, and a special request the owner took care of, for me to surprise my wife with. We had planned to do a lot more sightseeing, however we were so comfortable we just enjoyed the view from the apartment and were able to relax. Thank you Mary-Jane for the opportunity to stay at the "Bays Edge"

Owner response:So nice to meet you and glad you enjoyed your retreat -- and of course your anniversary celebration!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

Bodega Bay Getaway

Guest: Ruth (Bakersfield, California)
Date of Stay: 11/25/10 Review Submitted: 09/30/11

My husband and I have been coming here for approximately 6 years during the Thanksgiving holiday and always stay in the one bedroom. It is the most peaceful getaway and is so comfortable. It is definitely a home away from home. Sitting out on the balcony enjoying the view and the wildlife while enjoying a glass or two of wine and having some cheese and bread is one of my favorite things to do. The wood burning stove is a nice touch and makes for a very romantic evening when it is cool outside plus the owner has many candles throughout the space which also makes it very romantic. She has provided everything you can possibly need for your stay. I would highly recommend this vacation rental to family and friends.

Owner response:Thank you for sharing your experiences during your retreats 'At the Bay's Edge". It's always great to have guests return and continue to enjoy their visits!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+.

My son keeps asking when we can go back to CA!

Guest: Rena (Edwards, CO)
Date of Stay: 07/28/11 Review Submitted: 09/18/11

We have made numerous trips with our son (4 yr) and stayed in both units depending on availability. This last trip we also took our daughter (14 months old) and couldn't believe how much fun they both had. Our son loves finding treasures on the beach when the tide is out and our daughter loved playing on the deck. They both got very excited to see the wildlife so close (seagulls landing right on our deck railing that they could feed). We love the fact that every time we come we have all the necessities (high chair, pack-n-play, and air mattress) for the kids. The large fridge and well equipped kitchen allows us to grocery shop and cook so we don't have to take the kids out to dinner after a long day of playing. They would prefer to sit back and pop in a video and relax. We will definitely be back soon as our son can't wait to come back and play on the beach and our daughter loved playing with Molly.

Owner response:Always fun to see you and I really enjoy watching the kids grow up. I look forward to your next trip out to the water!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, families with young children.

A Home Away From Home -- Except It's Also Right On The Water!

Guest: Beth (San Francisco, CA )
Date of Stay: 09/07/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

We stayed at this gem of a vacation rental for my 49th birthday. It had everything we could have imagined and more. The view of the water is far better than even the pictures show, as it encompasses the entry to Bodega Bay where all the fishing boats come in, Spud Pointe Marina, and the wetlands below the house at low tide. We really enjoyed watching the wildlife come and go with the changing of the tides. We saw brown and white pelicans, seals, many types of heron, and even a sting ray underneath the dock! The living room and kitchen are all open, as the pictures show. The bay just surrounds this property, and it's both peaceful and serene. One day we just stayed in and cooked and read, it was really nice to just soak in the sea air and wildlife. The owner has done a wonderful job of furnishing and stocking this vacation rental with everything you could possibly need during your stay. And the small touches, like candles, binoculars, and local guidebooks were very much appreciated. As were the extra large pots (and even recipe books!) for cooking locally caught seafood -- as we did take a fishing boat tour one of the days we were here! I also appreciated the coffee press and George Foreman Grill. The owner also lives on the property, and was available to talk to us about local resources, activities and restaurants, which we really enjoyed. She has a wealth of information about the area, and it's clear she really loves Bodega Bay, and all that it has to offer. When we dined out for my birthday, she recommended Terrapin Creek, which is a small restaurant, but is owned by a very nice couple who are incredible chefs. I would highly recommend it. On a more casual note, we went to the Spud Pointe Crab Company for their famous clam chowder, and it definitely lived up to its name! I would definitely highly recommend this rental to friends and relatives, and we will definitely come back next year, if not sooner!

Owner response:So glad you enjoyed your time on the water, it was a pleasure meeting you and I'll look forward to seeing you again!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, girls getaway.

Totally Serene

Guest: TFK (Frederick, CO)
Date of Stay: 06/09/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

Just getting to write a review, but have stayed here many times. We've stayed in both the 1 & 2 bedroom units and have always found them to be like home. This is an amazing place to get away from the world as its tucked down on the water and simply breathtaking to watch the sun come up in the morning and down in the evenings from the comfort of these units. The owner is very knowledgeable about the surroundings and offered several suggestions for activities, and even a great crab recipe when we decided to cook for our selves one night! While typical rental unit kitchens have one of everything but what you need, we've been impressed by always having the little things at hand when we wanted to cook anything. On a rainy day, there has even been games and videos for the kids to keep occupied with. I highly recommend staying here, it was just like having my own vacation home without all the work that would go into owning one.

Owner response:Always great to see you and your family, and watch the kids grow up. I look forward to your next visit!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with young children.

Needs Updating!

Guest: jwjojo (NJ)
Date of Stay: 08/26/11 Review Submitted: 09/05/11

The house is situated at the water's edge and the view is amazing. The apartment was clean and private. Unfortunately, the balcony is covered with bird excrement and has not been attended to in a long time. There isn't a stove, and the bathroom has a very small fiberglass shower that is not appealing. The mattress is old and uncomfortable, and the sheets are over washed and scratchy. The furniture in the living area is comfortable enough, but nothing special. The TV w/built in VCR is indicative of the date the apartment was last updated. The pictures suggested a more luxurious rental, as did the price. We were very disappointed and expressed our unhappiness with the owner who offered to refund us a night if we found another accommodation, but it was too late in the day to find one. For us, a more comfortable accommodation with a view (not necessarily on the bays edge) would have been preferable and worth the expense.

Owner response:Part of the beauty of living on the coast is the immersion in wildlife, and certainly one of the side effects of that immersion is seagull droppings. We do powerwash all of the decks and porches on a weekly basis. One of the reasons we have such a high return rate with guests is they enjoy being immersed in wildlife. Hearing the foghorns, watching the change of the tides, watching the seals & river otters playing right in front of the house, feeding the seagulls from their own private deck, watching the cormorants come in to nest in our tree at night, and watching the heron and sandpipers at low tide. This apartment features a 4 burner gas cook-top and a microwave oven that doubles as a convection oven, as well as a toaster oven. Many of our guests comment about how well outfitted the kitchen is with a blender, George Foreman Grill, Belgian waffle maker, coffee maker, coffee press, espresso machine, full size refrigerator and dish washer, and even large pans for cooking crab and local seafood, all cooking accessories and even some spices and oils. It's really designed as a two person accommodation, and we've found that this set up has really well worked for most people. Our photographs are recent and they do include a photo of the kitchen that clearly shows that there is no full stove in the unit. We have kept the VCR in place as we have many vintage VCR tapes that our guest enjoy watching. So while it may look like a dated piece of electronics, many of our guests enjoy having access to tapes they may not have thought about watching at home. This unit features a Sealy Posturepedic that is just 14 months old, we regularly flip the mattresses and clean them as well.

Recommended for:

Will Be Going Back to this Bodega Bay Vacation Rental

Guest: JHK989 (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/02/10 Review Submitted: 06/28/10

My wife and I were looking for a weekend getaway close to San Francisco and we decided on At the Bay's Edge in Bodega Bay. Wanted to try something new, as we hadn't explored Highway 1 north of San Francisco. At the Bay's Edge and Bodega Bay are great finds. The property is located right on the water in a beautiful historic building. We rented the quiet one bedroom on the top floor which was had a fully equipped kitchen, TV, DVD, fireplace and a great private deck overlooking Bodega Bay. Watching the sunset every evening with a nice glass of wine on the deck was total relaxation. The Innkeeper Mary Jane was so helpful giving us ideas for day trips and things to see in the area. Every place we stopped for lunch or dinner was unique, loved all the fresh local organic ingredients. A few recommendations: -Had a very nice meal at Rocker Oysterfeller's in the Valley Ford Hotel just south of Bodega Bay -On the way to Sebastapol, check out the Wildflour Bakery in Freestone. We had morning Cappuccino, scones and some of the best fresh bread we've ever tasted. -Happy Hour at Gourmet Au Bay for a great selection of local wines and fun atmosphere. Can't say enough good things about this Bodega Bay Vacation Rental. We're looking forward to going back and seeing more of this wonderful part of the California coast.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with teenagers.

This is the best view in Bodega Bay!

Guest: jmd (La Jolla, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/04/10 Review Submitted: 06/18/10

This really is the best view in Bodega Bay, just like the ad listing says. We stayed in this cozy 1 bedroom one bath with a balcony. There are floor to ceiling glass sliding doors, and the whole living room area has an open and panoramic view to Bodega Bay. The vacation rental is very clean, and the owner has a much appreciated attention to detail. From an extensive collection of local guidebooks and local history, to a pair of binoculars, to an abundance of throw pillows and blankets, this place felt just like home. Mary Jane, the owner, is a great resource for all things Bodega Bay. She helped us locate just-off-the-boat crab to cook in our kitchen one night, and a great gourmet restaurant for a celebration the second night (The Duck Club). Both were great experiences. There's a lot to do in Bodega Bay. We spent a lot of time down at Doran Beach, where we went sea kayaking and flew a kite in the afternoon. We also went wine tasting at Gourmet Au Bay in town, saw all "The Birds" paraphernalia at The Tides Restaurant, and really just enjoyed having some downtime. I would highly recommend this Bodega Bay Vacation Rental.

Owner response:Thanks for sharing, and I enjoyed sharing my favorite crab recipes with you as well! So glad you had a wonderful getaway.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, families with teenagers.