Spectacular View Bayfront Getaway -- Great for Family or Friends!
- Minimum stay:2 nights
- Internet:Yes
- Pets allowed:Yes
- Wheel chair accessible:Yes
OUR BEACH COTTAGE 'Helen's Hideaway' is a wonderful setting for a family or friends vacation. We listened to our visitors and recently upgraded the cottage to enhance your comfort and enjoyment of this spectacular setting. This is a simple and well-maintained beach cottage, located right on Tomales Bay.
NEW ADDITION -- INTERNET ACCESS AND NEW FLAT SCREEN TV with Sony Entertainment Network, Netflix and connection for your laptop (pc).
The center of this cottage is a large living room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Tomales Bay. You can experience the Bay from anywhere on the first floor. It's a great place to watch wildlife while you have an intimate or family meal, read a novel in front of the fire, or just sit and relax.
The house has a master bedroom downstairs with an adjoining bathroom with shower. Upstairs has 2 bedroom, one with a queen size bed and one with twin beds. There is a bathroom on the second floor, with a tub and overhead shower.
The house is surrounded by a deck and has a dock that reaches out into the bay. It's a perfect place to watch the sunset, sip a glass of wine and just enjoy the bliss of beautiful Tomales Bay.
The house is walking distance to the Tony's Seafood Restaurant, The Marshall Store, kayaking, and Hog Island Oysters. Enjoy day trips to Point Reyes Seashore, the Russian River, local wineries, whale watching, etc. We are very well located to take advantage of all the West Marin has to offer!
If you are not up for driving around, its a great place to sit in front of a roaring fire with friends and loved ones. We have a collection of old DVD and videos and a paperback library. If you like to fish, you can throw a line out from the deck or the pier. Digging clams under the house is another afternoon activity. Small charcoal barbecue available to cook your catch!
This is not an elegant house, but comfortable, family-friendly and situated in the midst of spectacular beauty.
Keywords: Vacation House, Bay Front Property, Family Friendly, Bay View
Property Type
- 2 story
- House
- 120 sq. ft.
Accommodation Type
- Vacation Rental
Meals
- Guests Provide Their Own Meals
Suitability
Bedrooms
- 3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6, Beds for 6
- Bedroom 3
- 2 twin/ single
- Bedroom 2
- 1 queen
- Bedroom 1
- 1 double
Bathrooms
- 2.0 Bathrooms
- Bathroom 1
- Bathroom 2
Kitchen & Dining
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Amenities
- Fireplace
- Iron & Board
- Parking Off Street
- Washing Machine
- Clothes Dryer
- Linens Provided
Other Amenities
Entertainment
- DVD Player
- VCR
Communications
- Telephone
Outdoor Features
- Outdoor Grill
- Balcony
Theme
- Away From It All
- Family
- Romantic
Location & View
- Beachfront
- Beach View
Activities
- Restaurants
- Churches
- Beachcombing
- Bird Watching
- Walking
- Whale Watching
- Shelling
- Wildlife Viewing
- Sailing
- Fishing
- Cycling
- Kayaking
- Pier Fishing
- Sound/Bay Fishing
- Hiking
Other Activities
Reviews
Write a review-
Stunning location, poorly maintained house
Stunning location, poorly maintained house
- Guest Christa
- Date of stay 11/23/11
- Review Submitted 11/27/11
We spent Thanksgiving here. The view and location are superb. The house is no frills and many things need to be updated and/or repaired if they plan to keep renting this place for money. There was a note to the property manager on the counter when we arrived asking her to replace light bulbs and fire alarms-these were not done upon our arrival and the living room was very dark due to burned out light bullbs. The fireplace belches smoke if there is any wind at all, and we felt it was unsafe to use it due to all the smoke. The upstairs bedroom door does not close-highly inconvenient. The bathroom doors are louvered and provide no privacy at all, particularly unpleasant as the downstairs bathroom is right behind the dining area. Furniture is old and not very comfortable. The tv/dvd is ancient and that is fine since there are games/reading to do but at least provide some comfortable sofas to lounge on while we read! With a small amount of money and a more attentive property manager this property would be out of this world. There is a double bed downstairs and 2 sets of twin beds upstairs-great if you have 4 kids but not very nice for a couple to sleep in twin beds. We would love to come back here but would not be able to unless they fixed it up a little. The cabinets in the kitchen are very difficult to open.The deck is fantastic but there is no comfortable furniture to lounge on. A kayak would be a really nice touch. My impression is this is an amazing home that needs some attention and investment, until the family does that they will continue to receive so-so reviews.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3
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Extrodinary View but Some Real Concerns
Extrodinary View but Some Real Concerns
- Guest Lorri
- Date of stay 11/12/11
- Review Submitted 11/16/11
Although the setting is stunning, and the wrap-around deck is inviting, there were some things that really need to be fixed or addressed. I get that this is an older, family home, but I suspect some of the family members are not taking good care of it, or the property management folks are not doing their job! We couldn't get one of the peg-board cabinets to open to get the (very limited) drinking glasses, you can see into the upstairs bathroom from the living room (I had to put a table cloth over the door), the utencils and silverware were messy and tossed into whatever drawer was handy; I had ant droppings in my bed and had to change the sheets and went through 2 sets to find a clean set, the floor lamp downstairs is broken and one of the lamps is hanging by the electrical wire, we had to bring a lamp down from a bedroom to have enough light as we could not get the 2 overhead lights to come on, and I was really concerned that the smoke alarm was missing which is illegal as Calif. law requires both a smoke and CO monitor when renting! I know some of this is nick-picky stuff, but for the price charged, I think a home should be safe and somewhat organized. As far as digging clams under the house, I would be leery as the gray water (wash machine for sure) dumps the rinse water directly into the bay under the house which I can not believe is allowed. I think this house has a lot of potential, but it is over-priced for the current condition it is in. I think the property management company should be held accountable, or fired, and the owner should hire a company that really inspects the home inbetween rentals and ensures that housekeeping is doing a good job, that smoke detectors, lamps and other electrical appliances are functional, and that it is in good conditon overall. We found it interesting that the guest book had most of the pages torn out - bad reviews maybe?Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4
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Heaven
Heaven
- Guest Susan
- Date of stay 08/12/11
- Review Submitted 08/18/11
Just got home and want to go back already. This place was so relaxing. Enjoyed our stay very very much. The water lapping under the house and the beautiful sunsets every night was outstanding. Only wish we could have stayed longer. Enjoyed the large deck and my nieces even dug up some clams under the house for dinner....can't ask for more. The house is well laid out and had plenty of room for the five of us. My niece left her necklace at the house and luckily it was found and has been promised to be sent back, she is so happy. Thanks for sharing your wonderful home with us.Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, people with disabilities.
Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/2
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Disappointing weekend away
Disappointing weekend away
- Guest Jenn
- Date of stay 05/31/10
- Review Submitted 07/20/11
My family rented this house last year for a weekend away. When we arrived, we were really excited - the exterior of the house and the deck area are GORGEOUS. The interior is definitely older, but we were okay with that at first. We're not the type of people who need a fancy place to stay. However, the longer we were at the house, the more we realized there were serious problems. If you are planning on cooking, bring your own set of knives. Theirs are not sharp (not really a complaint, just want you to be prepared!). There is a fireplace that is not properly ventilated. Smoke WILL come out the front, and it's evident from the giant black mark on the front of the fireplace. This seems very dangerous to me. Something was seriously wrong with wiring/electricity in the house, and I really hope it's been fixed. Turning on the lights upstairs would make the downstairs lights flicker. The upstairs bathroom light wouldn't turn on all the way if the upstairs bedroom lights were on. At several points during our first day there, the electricity went out completely. We were actually pretty concerned that we would not be able to cook dinner. Luckily, we reset the circuits and things started working. The following day, the electricity went out again and did not come back on for over an hour. We finally called the property manager and complained. After a long discussion (she was reluctant to do anything despite the fact that there was no electricity in the house) and finally offered us two house down the road because she did not have a property that could accommodate our group of 6. We appreciated the property manager finally getting us a new place to stay, but she definitely seemed reluctant. She actually asked my brother not to post a review, which seemed very unprofessional to me. These were not minor problems that we encountered. I would not recommend this rental, UNLESS you can be sure that the wiring/electricity has been fixed.Recommended for: Sightseeing, pet owners.
Owner response: We received this feedback last year (May, 2010) and responded immediately to this guest's concerns. We not only put in a new electrical system but also new heating and upgraded the upstairs bathroom. We are constantly upgrading our property. It's important to know that this is a very comfortable family home, not a super upscale state of the art house. Sandy, our property manager, has been very responsive to the needs of our guests. I am sorry that this guest was not happy with her service. She is available 24 hours a day for our guests and really tries to attend to their needs. As always it is helpful to get timely feedback. We hope that every guest enjoys their time at our home!
Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5
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Magnificent view; tacky accommodations
Magnificent view; tacky accommodations
- Guest BirdLady
- Date of stay 03/20/11
- Review Submitted 03/22/11
On the positive side, the view of the bay is magnificent and the couches provide a comfortable viewing area. The pictures represent the areas photographed and there was available firewood. However, if you are expecting a well furnished vacation home, you will be disappointed. First, the master bedroom has a double bed, not a queen as advertised. The twin/single beds in the loft bedrooms are ancient and supplied with ancient leftover bedding. There is no real privacy inside the house. All of the doors are louvered, including the bathrooms. The stairway to the loft is a narrow, steep spiral without handrails and minimal illumination. The place is clean, but poorly maintained. There were several broken or poorly functioning doors. Even the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers were difficult to operate. The "fully equipped kitchen" has a sink (no garbage disposal), a functional oven, an ancient microwave, and a passable refrigerator. The cookware, dishes and silverware are mismatched and appear to have been purchased at a yard sale or thrift store. There is sufficient dinnerware for 4, not 6 persons. There was no bakeware - we pulled a grungy cookie sheet out of a broom closet. We rented during a cold spell - temperatures in the 40's at night and 50's during the day. The heat was very inadequate, even with the fireplace. It took 2 full days to get the house to a comfortable temperature. The smoke detector is absent. The lamp in our bedroom was ready to fall apart and other lighting was only slightly better. The BBQ grill was covered in mold and fungus. The TV is only 13" and was not plugged in, or connected to the DVD/VCR player.Owner response: Thanks for your feedback on our place. We have never received this kind of feedback before.. We'll certainly check out this dissatisfaction with the accomodations and will make improvements where needed. We've already put in a new heating system since this group stayed at our home. Our family is into "truth in advertising". Our home is a family place...we are sharing a wonderful family home with other families and friends who would like to spend some time in the spectacular environment of Tomales Bay. Our house is a comfortable family home --nothing elegant, but definitely comfortable and a great place to spend a weekend with family and friends at a relatively affordable rate. Everything in our home is actually from out mom's house -- the dinnerware, kitchenware, linens etc . If you are looking for a home that feels like home this is the place for you. If you are looking for elegant, this is probably not the right house for you. Our family welcomes your feedback. Feel free to call us directly to learn more about our home. We want everyone who stays at our home to have as good a time as all of us have had over the years at Marshall. This place has been the heart of our family -- we would like it to be the same for your family and friends.
Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6
Rates
| Dates | Nightly | Wknd Night | Weekend | Weekly | Monthly * | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Rate 2 night min stay |
$200 | |||||
This owner accepts: Credit cards.
Call the owner directly to confirm reservation details and pay with an approved method (credit card, check, or bank transfer), to protect your payment up to $1,000.
Owner info
Year Purchased: 1970
About the owner: This house was owned by our mother who bought it as a family getaway. All of our family has spent weekends and vacations here. We want to share it with you because it a place that means so much to us. We hope you and your loved ones enjoy it as much as we do.
Why the Owner Chose Point Reyes Station:
This is one of the most pristine locations in the Bay Area. Though it is not far from San Francisco and the East Bay, you very quickly feel you are in 'the country', away from the fast pace of city life. Our mother bought this house as a family getaway and it certainly has been that for our family over these many years.
The Unique Benefits at this House:
This is house is great for a weekend away with a friend or for a family vacation. Located right on Tomales Bay, you find yourself in one of the most pristine seaside locations in California. It's just a great place to escape the busy-ness of every day life and regroup!
Contact us
- Primary: 415-663-9543
- Secondary: +1 510-932-3236
Links to more information:
Photos
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Nestled on the shore of Tomales Bay
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Dining area with sliding door to deck and dock
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Front garden
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Extended dock for fishing or docking your boat
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Early morning fire
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New 32' LCD TV with Sony Player
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A view down the Bay
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Livingroom surrounded by three-sided view of the Bay
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View from the deck
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Sunset from the deck
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upstairs bedroom
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This listing was first published here in 2009.
Date last modified - Saturday, May 04, 2013
