Awesome!

Guest: Trixie (Carmichael, California)
Date of Stay: 11/02/11 Review Submitted: 11/07/11

We got lucky and very "spur of the moment" reserved 2 nights on Nov 2 & 3rd...perused VRBO and this place just kept tugging at me. So happy we chose it! It is just our style. We felt right at home as we live in a very small house...so it was perfect! Romantic, awesome views...the "Grotto" style bath house...cozy cottage! Succulents and flowers everywhere...and such sweet horses! We thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our stay! The road was fine...plenty of power (nice to have a couple of days of no tv, radio, Internet, cell phone reception!) We will definitely be back! Thank you Peggy & Richard for sharing this jewel with us!

Owner response:Thank you Tracey, for this wonderful review and we're so glad you enjoyed your time at the cabin. We look forward to seeing you again. Best wishes, Peggy

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+.

BREATHTAKING and SURREAL peaceful retreat!

Guest: RR (Santa Monica)
Date of Stay: 10/01/11 Review Submitted: 10/10/11

The only way to describe this is to say it is a must-stay! No pictures or descriptions can do it justice- but know you will be stunned by the beauty of this retreat! Was in search for a getaway in Big Sur area and loved this charming cottage- tucked away and AS COZY AS IT GETS, this was exactly what I was looking for and more! Spent two nights in peace and didn't want to leave! Managed to get out and take the beautiful trip up to Big Sur proper for a few hours, but couldn't wait to get back and relax at the cabin- woodburning stove, cute little table for two, and beautiful stone steps to the refreshing bath overlooking the ocean... every corner you turn there is another "are you kidding me?!" moment... two chairs to sit and watch the horses and coastline, and then back to the cabin to grill on the little wooden deck which sits looking down over a small mountain stream, also dwarfed by a couple of redwoods on the mountainside. Romantic, breathtaking getaway!! and not to mention very sweet hosts have it set up nicely and perfectly for a private retreat. Great for couples/ romantic, as well as a work retreat for a writer or creative. Will be back ASAP!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers.

Peace, beauty and romance

Guest: Melinda (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/02/11 Review Submitted: 10/10/11

We couldn't have chosen a better place to celebrate our first anniversary. My husband and I loved the cabin - from the gorgeous views, peaceful location, nearby hikes, pleasant animal company and sound of the stream lulling you to sleep, the place is perfection. Thanks Peggy for having us; we will be back!

Owner response:Thank you, Malinda, for taking the time to review our place. I'm so happy you enjoyed it and i look forward to seeing you again. All the best, Peggy

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

the pictures dont do it justice.

Guest: roy k.
Date of Stay: 09/09/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

The most bueatiful views in all of big sur are from this cabbin. The bath house is amazing and the owners are great. I couldent of asked for a better weekend for me and my wife. The guy who wrote the bad review was out of his mind! The only bad thing I could say is the road but you can make it in a small car you just have to go slow. But if you have a truck it would be a lot better. Thank you peggy.

Owner response:Thank you so much for the wonderful review. I appreciate it so much and i'm glad you enjoyed the cabin. Come again! Best wishes, Peggy

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Amazing!!

Guest: kbean (Brooklyn, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/24/11 Review Submitted: 08/07/11

Super romantic! Gorgeous views, better than so many of the hikes that promise vistas in northern big sur. This was a highlight of our trip! We loved the horses and the trail off the property is great, goes all through different micro climates, scrub mountain side, redwood forests, perfect views for taking in the sunsets and best of all we saw no one on the trail, our own paradise on the side of a mountain. This was probably the best trail we went on. I am in agreement that this is a rustic setup, i/e tiny old fridge and don't forget charcoal if you want to grill! But I thought that was a major plus, really it made a real get away and that said for the same price you would get soooooo much LESS in the heart of big sur. We stayed at deetjens one night on our trip and it was $30 more and we had no fireplace, no kitchen, no privacy, no views, and a much less well appointed bathroom. So in consideration of the area, price, and other options I would never criticize any of the rugged qualities, you have to be realistic about the lifestyle of this area. Why would you want to draw curtains on the ocean, redwood, and a well landscaped yard? Granted we had amazing weather which meant we enjoyed the views and bathroom to the fullest. It is good that people mention the owners stop by once when you get there to pick up the balance owed for the stay and once early in the morning to take care of the horses, so be cautious, but really it wasn't intrusive at all and just use common sense when choosing when to walk around nude, the actual cabin is kinda hidden, so no one can see you from the drive or horse stable. Everything was so clean, the bathroom esp was spotless and had new fixtures(so really not too rugged!) The wood burning stove kept the cabin super warm and cozy and falling asleep to the babbling brook amazing. I wish we could have stayed here the whole time and I definitely hope to come back. loved, loved, loved! so inspiring! I cannot stress how unreal the views are, how fun the bathroom is, and how gorgeous the horses are! Thanks so much Peggy!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Reality Check: Cabin not quite as advertised.

Guest: Eric L.
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 07/11/11

As others have said, the cabin is a lovely bucolic, serene retreat near a babbling brook, nestled in a redwood grove. It is a wonderful romantic getaway for a few days. But all is not as the owners advertise. First, the cabin is NOT in Big Sur. It is 3.5 miles south of the town of Gorda, which according to Google Maps is 32.5 miles south of Big Sur proper. The owners have a P.O. box in Big Sur, but the cabin itself is on Gorda Mountain, in the Los Padres National Forest, roughly 6 miles from the San Luis Obispo county line. Bottomline: It is going to take you a good 45 minutes to an hour travel time by car to get anywhere in Big Sur from the cabin. Second, the private road from the Cabrillo Highway to the cabin is unpaved, steep, rocky, twisty, and full of ruts and deep holes. A vehicle with low clearance has little chance of making it to the top without scrapping bottom. You need a car with good clearance, or preferably one with high clearance and four-wheel drive. In rainy weather, I would forget it without four-wheel drive. Third, the cabin is underpowered in terms of electricity. A single solar panel with a battery is the only source of power, and one of the owners told us that if you leave a light on, you can easily drain all the power. So, don't expect to run a stereo, laptop, or other appliances the whole time you are there, because they don't have the power. Fourth, because of the power issues, the mini-refrigerator they provide in the tiny kitchen is a gas-powered unit salvaged from a RV that never gets below 40 degrees. So, forget about ice! Fifth, while the bathhouse is gorgeous and well-appointed, there are no curtains (nor in the cabin either). If you are at all self-conscious about being seen naked or partially undressed by one of the owners dropping by to pick up the rest of the rent, or coming by once a day to feed the horses, then you are going to have a problem. Finally, the location is not all that quiet. There are two or three neighbors living in the same ravine, and a surprising amount of vehicle noises, dogs barking, generators running, kids playing, and power tools being used. We expected more quiet considering how remote the cabin is. In general, we enjoyed our stay, but feel the accommodations are not quite as advertised.

Owner response: I have a few comments in response to this review. First of all, we are in Big Sur, Gorda is Big Sur, and we say clearly in our add that we are one hour south of the heart of Big Sur. Although we have only one solar panel, we have a back up generator and can provide more power when necessary. I appreciate hearing about the refrigerator and will make an effort to upgrade that in the near future. Usually, the mountain is very quiet and i'm sorry your experience didn't reflect that. Best wishes, Peggy

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

Romantic get-away

Guest: Huck (Santa Monica, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/18/10 Review Submitted: 12/29/10

We arrived in the middle of a four day rainstorm...cabin was cute and cozy when the fireplace got going. A bit of a rugged experience, as the electricity is solar and there was a shortage of power after so many days of rain. Owner did provide a backup generator, but this setup did require some work and attention from us. Bath house was lovely, and outside, as advertised, but a five minute walk in the rain was not much fun. Also no heat in the bathroom, so you have to dress for the weather going back and forth. Still, it was a lovely experience, right next to a rushing stream with the promised ocean view, once the storm let up. I would recommend this to folks who enjoy "fancy camping"...and aren't too citified. Bring a good book or two!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, pet owners, adventure seekers.

Far from the Madding Crowd

Guest: Eagle (Santa Monica, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/01/10 Review Submitted: 10/07/10

What a remarkable time my wife and I had in this lovely and cozy cabin. We stayed four nights and had four spectacularly different sunsets each night. The owners have provided a truly special space to retreat from the hustle of city life. Reading on the deck beneath the stand of redwoods, feeding the two horses apples and carrots, having wine and cheese while watching the sunset, gazing at the milky way at night, the warmth of the wood fire, hiking to Silver Peak from the trail right outside the cabin, waking to the sound of birds--all make for a magical relaxing time.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

Unbelievable views, unbelievable place

Guest: Lindsay (Austin, TX )
Date of Stay: 06/29/10 Review Submitted: 07/28/10

We arrived to the cabin in June to discover a property that completely exceeded our expectations. We were greeted by a gorgeous view of the ocean looking down the mountain, horses, and a bathhouse that I am pretty sure was constructed out of a dream. The cabin is tucked away in the redwoods with (seriously) a babbling brook flowing alongside the porch. The cabin is tiny - smaller than a hotel room - but has everything you need for economical cooking, and a very comfortable bed. There are no curtains, so in the morning we looked forward to waking up as light flooded into the cabin. It's extremely romantic. I'd have to say, despite the beautiful views and great hikes etc. of Big Sur, staying in this place was the highlight of our trip, and I would recommend it to anyone (without kids).

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The most romantic getaway ever......

Guest: Nish (San Jose ,CA)
Date of Stay: 05/07/10 Review Submitted: 05/28/10

This was the pefect place to be for our wedding anniversary. I was not very sure initially becoz I booked this cabin as a surprise for my husband(my 1st surprise of this kind to him...so the pressure was immense)...but once we saw the place it was as if we were transported to some fairytale land.The cabin and bathroom suite setting are awesome with breathtaking veiws of ocean. It is a place to fall in love with!!!! A place where you want to be again and again and AGAIN... To top all this Peggy(owner) was really very nice and helpful.

Owner response:Thank you! I'm so glad you had such a lovely experience.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway.