Waterfront Cottage on Historic James River Near Williamsburg, Va

• Love this quaint cottage

  Love this quaint cottage

  • Guest Beth P.
  • Date of stay 11/30/12
  • Review Submitted 12/05/12
  My family stayed at the cottage for 2 nights to celebrate my son's 8th birthday with day trips to Busch Gardens, Jamestown, and Colonial Williamsburg. We loved the ferry ride!! We never had a problem getting on/off the ferry & enjoyed being able to get out of the car & look around while still "getting somewhere". Deena, the owner of the cottage, thought of every detail - light switches were labeled, towels were fluffy & warm, there were robes in every room. She placed a basket of foods for breakfast, snack time & wine time in the kitchen, as well as milk, butter, biscuits, water, etc.. in the fridge for our use while we were there. My boys LOVED the tree swing by the beach area & watching the cars get on & off the ferry. The decor of the home is so fresh, there was a vase of fresh flowers placed in the 2nd bedroom, such a nice touch The colors were bright & cheery - I love the glass tile in the kitchen that is also in the bathroom behind the clawfoot tub/shower. The Queen beds was so comfy - I wanted to pack it up & take it home with me. It was a great home for our 3 day stay in the area. I highly recommend it & would definitely want to stay there again if we travel back to the area.

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• Lovely cottage

  Lovely cottage

  • Guest N
  • Date of stay 10/23/12
  • Review Submitted 11/30/12
  We had 3 lovely days in the cottage with our family of 4. It was very cosy and well-appointed. Deena was very attentive in ensuring we arrived with all the information we needed for the area and all we had to do was enjoy. The location is beautiful and the kids enjoyed the swing and the jetty. We never had any problem getting on the ferry to Jamestown and it felt like a special hide-away at the end of each day out. It is probably ideally suited to 2 person occupancy, but we could have easily stayed for a whole week! It is beautiful. Thank you, Deena.

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers.

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• Hurricane-Schmericane

  Hurricane-Schmericane

  • Guest Cat
  • Date of stay 10/26/12
  • Review Submitted 11/06/12
  We opened the door to the most romantic, quaint and spectacular cottage. It was perfect for our "reunion". We hadn't seen each other in 22 years and it was the perfect setting to create a safe, clean and romantic setting. Deena is very communicative on details and is a caring owner. So many little touches in the cottage - the basket of goodies, the super comfortable beds, the lighting, the books, the entire place stocked with top quality items. So impressive. Even though we had to leave due to hurricane Sandy for a couple of nights we returned and were so thankful; for Deena making sure we were safe. Deena - you are quite the hostess. We WILL return!! Thanks, C & D

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Cathrine, I am so pleased that you enjoyed the cottage. Despite the hurricane disruption, it sounds like things worked out. Please return and let's hope for sunny weather. The end of this week has the weather being sunny and 70 degrees!! Deena

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• Cozy Cottage for Family of Four

  Cozy Cottage for Family of Four

  • Guest Alyce from VA
  • Date of stay 08/26/12
  • Review Submitted 09/05/12
  My family of four stayed at the cottage for a week, kids are 2 and 4. Reading about the location of the cottage I was nervous that it was too far from the attractions of Williamsburg and but I was wrong. The ferry that we took daily was the best source of entertainment for all. We fed the seagulls and the 15 minute ride over flew by and became part of the adventure for the kids. Plus you can see the ferry from the cottage so you never have to show up early. Purchasing the bounce pass for Bush Gardens, Water Country and Colonial Williamsburg was the best value. We also went to Jamestown Settlement. So much to do and we only had a week. We used the kayaks almost daily. The water is shallow so I was not a nervous mom with my kids that do not swim. The cottage is exactly as pictured, cute and cozy. It was super clean and filled with all the tiny touches that made it feel like is was more of a home than a rental. The beds are very comfortable. My husband and I are very picky about our mattresses and we slept very well all week. The walls are thick so you don't even hear the ferry. Deena is a gracious host and look forward to returning. Thanks Deena for having us.

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• Katherine and Travis K. from Texas

  Katherine and Travis K. from Texas

  • Guest Katherine K.
  • Date of stay 08/07/12
  • Review Submitted 09/05/12
  We had such a wonderful 3 days at this little cottage on the James' River. My husband, son and his fiance and myself loved this place. So beautifully decorated! The cottage is stocked with top notch items. Luxurious towels, bath robes, cuisinart coffee maker, just about any kind of kitchen gadget you can think of and a towel warmer in the bathroom! The cottage was very clean. Deena even stocked the fridge with basics like milk, cheese, eggs etc... We had access to kayaks. I had never been kayaking. But it was so much fun kayaking on the James River. Beautiful manicured landscaping. The cottage is close enough to Virginia Beach. We drove to Virginia Beach one of the days and went bay fishing. We caught Spanish Mackerels and Bluefish. The next day we took the ferry to Williamsburg. The ferry is free. It took about 15 mins to get across. When you get off the ferry--your in Williamsburg! I would definately recommend this cottage!!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, age 55+, adventure seekers, families with young children.

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• Perfect Destination

  Perfect Destination

  • Guest Winnick L.
  • Date of stay 07/21/12
  • Review Submitted 07/30/12
  Aunt Annie's Cottage was the perfect place for our family of 4! The listing description is 100% accurate. So many amenities were provided by the owner that it really lightened our load in packing. The bookshelf is amazing- we all found something to read during the week - and the beachfront location provided hours of fun for the kids (and grownups)! The cottage is in close proximity to all of the attractions Williamsburg and the surrounding areas have to offer- Yorktown, John Tyler's Plantation, Busch Gardens, Water Country and Colonial Williamsburg. We recommend the Bounce Pass for those looking to mix the history of Colonial Williamsburg with the fun of Busch Gardens and Water Country. It gave us 7 days of unlimited access to all three places so we were able to come and go throughout the week. The kids loved the ferry rides, and we enjoyed watching it come and go as we sat on the waterside patio. We highly recommend this rental for anyone looking for a peaceful stay away from the tourist resorts and hotels. It is obvious that Deena takes great pride in the cottage and in making guests feel welcome and at home. We hope to return in the future!

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• James River Idyll

  James River Idyll

  • Guest Mary and John M.
  • Date of stay 05/19/12
  • Review Submitted 07/02/12
  We spent a week at Aunt Annie’s Cottage while my husband researched his 10th great-grandfather, who went over to Jamestown on a ship from England in the early 1600’s. There’s a real sense of history about the Jamestown River. We so enjoyed sitting on the verandah, watching the Williamsburg and the Pocohantas ferries (free!!) weave back and forth to the far shore. This is also a birdwatcher’s paradise. We got very fond of the blue heron who plonked himself on a weather-worn post at the end of Deena’s landing stage every morning and the pair of Canadian geese who visited our tiny, private beach in front of the cottage to be fed toast crumbs. The cottage was a haven, done out in Deena’s favourite acqua and turquoise, and luxuriously furnished with coffee makers, a goodie basket, thick white bathrobes and bookshelves that would have kept me reading all day if we didn’t have to make trips out to Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown and Smithfield – a classic small American town (with art gallery and lovely shops) that seemed to leap out of one of those old James Stewart films. And thank you, Deena for being so thoughtful as to print us out route maps for our onward journey down to Charleston and back to Washington. We would have got divorced without them (I’m not kidding!). The neighbours were lovely, too and if you ever want to do family research, the Surry County Historical Society couldn’t have been more helpful. The best week of our American tour. Would very much like to do it again some time.

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• Perfect Vacation Spot

  Perfect Vacation Spot

  • Guest Barry & Dee
  • Date of stay 06/10/12
  • Review Submitted 06/19/12
  My husband, 18 year old son, and I just made our third trip to the Williamsburg area and wanted a place to stay that was close to the historic attractions, but far enough away to be peaceful and quiet. Aunt Annie's Cottage could not have been more perfect!! The cottage is lovely and the location on the river is just beautiful. We will be back!!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, age 55+.

  Owner response: Dear Delliah, I am so glad that you and your family enjoyed your stay. I am sorry that I was away and did not get to meet you . Maybe next time. Please come back. We would love to have you. Deena

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• A Perfect Week

  A Perfect Week

  • Guest Janette & Michael Wells
  • Date of stay 05/26/12
  • Review Submitted 06/06/12
  Deena, My husband and I had such a wonderful time at your cottage. We came for the history of Williamsburg and some relaxation but we got so much more! The cottage was perfect and had everything we needed plus more. We loved riding the ferry after a day at Williamsburg, Busch Gardens and Jamestown and coming home to our perfect little cottage right on the beach. It was so nice relaxing in the evening and watching the ferry boats come in, the sun going down over the James river and having our toes in the sand. We both slept so well every night and woke with smiles each day. Thank you so much for being such a wonderful host and making our vacation so special. Thank you, also, for stocking our fridge with breakfast and the lovely welcome basket full of goodies. What a perfect week!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Greatest Cottage We've Ever Stayed In!!

  Greatest Cottage We've Ever Stayed In!!

  • Guest Brenhda G.
  • Date of stay 03/19/12
  • Review Submitted 04/14/12
  My daughter loved this cottage the first time she saw it online. The pictures are adorable but they don't even do it justice! The Aunt Annie's cottage is meticulously decorated, the linens are top qualitiy, the beds are comfortable, Peacock Alley robes and bedding, lush towels, large bookcase with great books, fantastic kitchen...I'm not kidding...Deena and her daughter, Daphne, have thought of everything!! We went Kayaking in the nice ones that are provided. This place is paradise! The outside has manicured lawns, gorgeous Cypress trees, beautiful flower beds and your own private beach and peir just 30 feet away. We loved to sit inside with the windows open and listen to the waves and watch the Ferry. There's so much to see and do here and it's so conviently located. Colonial Williamsburg is just a short drive away when you take the Ferry to Jamestown. Best places for food: Carrot Tree (Tomatoe Basil Soup with Strawberry Field Sandwich), Chownings (too fun), La Hacienda (Margarita's were powerful),Fresh Market, Waterman's (Virginia Beach)...the list goes on! This place was so great we stayed 5 weeks!

  Owner response: Brenhda and Brid, It has been just delightful and tremendous fun having you'all around. You have been wonderful guests. I don't quite know what I am going to do when you leave since you sort of feel like family now -- with no family feuds!! Maybe you will come back on your book tour? I am looking forward to that with great excitment! Deena

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Additional information about rental rates

No Pets or Smoking Allowed.

Pier for docking boat (up to about 18 feet).

River has sand bottom for swimming

Boat Launch Near By.

Information on Area Restaurants, Shopping, Historic Sites Provided.

Two Kayaks with Life Preservers Available for Guests Use.

All bed and bath linens provided including terry robes.

Deposit of 50% required to book the cottage.

Balance due 30 days prior to check-in.

Credit cards accepted (Visa, Master, Discover, JCB)

Travel Insurance Recommended during Hurricane Season: Insurance contact provided in rental agreement (6/1 to 11/30)

Rental Agreement and Rental Policies Provided for Review

Additional Fees and Taxes:

Three night minimum rental: $900

Sales Tax: 5%

Cleaning: $125

Refundable Security Fee: $200

Weekly rental rate applies to 6-7 nights.