The Edge of the WORLD

Guest: TOOTHY (Martinez CA)
Date of Stay: 11/28/11 Review Submitted: 12/01/11

Closest place to Heaven on Earth I've ever been. If you love the ocean, this is the place to stay! The cottage is immaculate.....modern and comfortable. My husband, dog, and I never wanted to leave the cottage, and we did not have to because of the full kitchen. Tom the owner was very laid back and enjoyed sharing his slice of heaven with us. We woke up the first night unable to sleep from excitement..we were like two KIDS! ...At night we would slip down to the hot tub....under a blanket of stars...The hot tub is positioned so you look out on the ocean like an endless pool....The moonlight shining off the waves was like a dream.....The cottage is stocked with all sorts of art supplies....in that environment the creative juices flow!! Please take my word...this cottage is MAGICAL inside and out. We will be back ASAP!!!! I'm sad to be home....WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!

Owner response:Your smiles from ear to ear while we talked warmed every piece of why we share this lovely place. Thank you for sharing your emotions both here on the website but also in our guest book. And, those personalized dolls you left for us are soooooo cool. They now live in a family rocking chair in our house. See you soon, we hope. Tom and Susan

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Thank you!

Guest: mb (Sierra Nevada Foothills)
Date of Stay: 11/14/11 Review Submitted: 11/17/11

Thank you so much for sharing your cottage with us! We'll take away beautiful memories of our 25th wedding anniversary.

Owner response:We are pleased you chose the ocean cottage to celebrate such a momentous occasion. We are hoping you don't wait another 25 years to return. Cheers, Tom and Susan

Recommended for:Romantic getaway.

A weekend in paradise...

Guest: embolita (Sacramento, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/24/11 Review Submitted: 09/28/11

My boyfriend and I just spent a relaxing weekend at the Ocean Cottage to celebrate my birthday. It was everything promised and more. We sat on the balcony for hours admiring the crashing waves through the trees, watched shooting stars from the hot tub, and played fetch with our dog at the nearby off-leash beach. The rental is directly next door to the landlord's property, but Tom was a friendly and unobtrusive host. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a romantic, carefree retreat. We will definitely be back!

Owner response:Hi, Thank you for the wonderful review. We would want to stay in our own cottage after reading your words! Hope to see you again, Tom and Susan

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners.

What a great place to stay!

Guest: Mark, David and the pups (-)
Date of Stay: 08/26/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

What a great place to stay! It felt like we were in a treehouse high above the ocean. Our dogs loved that we were minutes from the dog beach. Thanks so much for a relaxing and enjoyable visit. Best,

Recommended for:

Everything was as advertised, only better

Guest: Leslie, Martin and Daysie, the collie!, Cupertino (-)
Date of Stay: 08/21/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

Thank you for a wonderful weekend in your cottage. Everything was as advertised, only better. It was great to get away from the hectic pace of Cupertino, CA and relax by the ocean! It is very different here than our home in Silicon Valley! Again, thank you for a wonderful time. Best regards,

Recommended for:

We will be back for sure!

Guest: Shu and Jay, San Carlos, CA (-)
Date of Stay: 07/22/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

We loved every minute of our stay in your beautiful cottage. We will be back for sure!

Recommended for:

The ocean view is spectacular

Guest: Jerry and Katie, Novato, CA (-)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

We had such a lovely time in your cozy cottage. Loved the sound of the waves and the scenic beauty. It has been a relaxing weekend. We so enjoyed the hot tub. The ocean view is spectacular. We will leave here rested and rejuvenated.

Recommended for:

Thanks for everything

Guest: Stephen and Chris, New York City (-)
Date of Stay: 07/12/11 Review Submitted: 09/01/11

That the Ocean Cottage is set in a spot of unmatched beauty, that its openness and free-flowing design prompts both creative and contemplative pursuits, that the place is wonderfully appointed and equipped to a "T" (did I mention spotlessly clean) are all testaments your guests have made many times. What we have found here is somehow an extension of the mesmerizing seascape and the remarkable hospitality you two, and many others we have met here, personify. The particularly engaging grocer at the Elk Market used the word "magical" when asked to describe the vibe in his village, mysteriously deserted at lunchtime the week after July 4th. "Sometime this afternoon, folks will show up and you won't be able to get close to the cash register." The place, he said is "magical". And so is the Ocean Cottage. Designed, stocked and managed by artists actively engaged in serious, gorgeous artworks, the cottage seems centered in a mysterious vortex of energy the land, sea and sky co-create. You have given your guests a perch on which the magic of these rocky coves can do what needs to be done in the lives of your guests. If we stop, look and listen and let the magic settle. Maybe that's it. The Cottage is a lookout point, a listening base. A place to breathe... Thanks for everything...

Recommended for:

Nice Cottage but....

Guest: Tom S.
Date of Stay: 08/15/11 Review Submitted: 08/20/11

Tom and Susan have a very nice cottage with lots of thoughtful touches. However there are a few important items left out from the listing. First the view from the deck of the ocean is great. However look to the left about 60 feet away to see the side of the owner's house. It is not secluded and in fact the cottage is the upstairs of a garage. Second the picture showing the chairs on the deck is a real picture. However it was taken from inside the building to make the deck look big. In fact the deck is a walkway approximately 3' wide. If one person is sitting in a chair, he has to stand up to allow someone to pass by- it's tight. Third there isn't any ocean access within an easy walk. The oceanfront land is all private and posted so you can't get closer than the road. We felt these items should have been mentioned by the owner. Finally (and this is not a fault of the property or owners) Gualala is a long trip to any tourist stops like Sonoma, Napa, SF etc. A trip to Napa and back is essentially a full day's drive (4 hrs each way with construction on 1) so this is not a spot to use as a home base for doing anything else in Northern California. Overall this is a great place to watch the ocean and the cabin is nice but remote. However we felt the listing should be more honest with the property's drawbacks.

Owner response:Tom and his wife had obviously not read our listing before booking. They seemed surprised that we were so far from San Francisco (2-1/2 hours) and his wife said she had hoped to make a day trip from Gualala to Monterey, which is clearly not practical given that Monterey is approximately 4-1/2 hours from Gualala! Clearly, our cottage was not in an area practical for them to stay and visit all that they hoped to in three days. To say that the cottage is not a place to stay when one wants to visit areas in Northern California is not accurate, but perhaps because these guests had not done their homework before coming to California they are unaware of that fact. Additionally, the guests wanted to cancel two of their three nights, in August, because they had not researched beforehand.. We immediately opened those two nights on our calendar in the hope that we might be able to rent them out so the guests would not be charged for them. Perhaps this added to their desire to write an inaccurate review Indeed, Tom’s wife told Tom that she intended to write a good review! In fact, let us quote from the review she left in our guestbook: “As a Hoosier the sight and sound of the ocean was amasing [sic.] We enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub w/ a bottle of local wine. It is a memory I will not soon forget. My husband and I had a wonderful time here. Thank you.” Our listing makes clear that our deck is small, but it is large enough for two normal-sized persons to sit outside and also contains a grill in the corner; it is not the size of a walkway and has not been complained about by any other guests. Anyone calling to ask us questions is provided accurate answers. We have never told our guests that we have immediate ocean access by foot; we have incredible ocean views, but the ocean is below the cliffs and therefore it is not accessible by foot. There is a beautiful beach about a mile away and another in the opposite direction about a mile and a half away; that has not been a problem for the large numbers of guests our cottage attracts. One need only to read our reviews to see that this has been the most negative review we have received out of hundreds.

Recommended for:

Great Place!

Guest: Jeremy and Jennifer (UT)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/27/11

The view and amenities at this cottage are unmatched at this price. Dont even try to find a cheaper place. Has all the kitchen stuff you need, short of food of course. The bed was very comfortable and cozy. The hot tub is a little bit of a jaunt from the cottage door - not a big deal, it was just a bit chilly when we stayed. Balcony is private, and give you some great endless views. The owners are very accommodating. We had the chance to meet them, and they gave us some great tips to some local beaches, etc.

Owner response:Hi Jeremy and Jennifer, We certainly enjoyed meeting you and sharing our local knowledge. That is one of the pluses for our guests as we usually cross paths and share some stories. Thank you for the lovely review as well. Cheers, Tom and Susan

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