Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
At the riverfront, this cottage features ocean views and accommodates 6 guests with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. It includes 1 hot tub and offers a patio for outdoor enjoyment. Guests can enjoy adventure activities like snorkeling, surfing, and hiking nearby, while also exploring attractions like Mendocino Headlands State Park and the Temple of Kwan Tai. The property is pet-friendly and located near the city center and shopping area.
Highlights
Scenic water view
Relax and unwind with top-rated water views, offering a scenic experience.
Centrally-located
You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
Discover nearby landmarks
Walk to Mendocino Headlands State Park
2 bedrooms1+ bathroomSleeps 6
Popular amenities
Hot tub on site
Onsite parking available
Pet-friendly
Kitchen
Washer
Barbecue grill
Explore the area
Mendocino, CA
Mendocino Headlands State Park
Place, Mendocino Headlands State Park
1 min walk
Mendocino Art Center
Place, Mendocino Art Center
3 min walk
Kelley House Museum
Place, Kelley House Museum
6 min walk
Rooms & beds
2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)
Bedroom 1
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Twin Bed and 1 Child Bed
Loft
1 Double Bed
1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom
Bathroom 1
Bathroom 1/2
Spaces
Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village
Treat your loved ones to a totally unique and fun experience along the very special Northern Coast of Caliifornia, and particularly in the Historic Village of Mendocino. It starts with a lumber mill cottage from the 1880’s that still maintains its historical character, and yet, is lovingly updated to fit the warmth, comfort, privacy and entertainment requirements of modern day Mendocino living and vacationing.
Walk to everything, fine restaurants, casual cafes, functional and clever shopping, both commercial and organic grocery stores, plus a local farmers market, beaches, pub, Headland Trails, Mendocino Art Center, or walk over to the Mendocino Theater Company for the current play offering. How about just relaxing for hours and hours and hours, or laying on the grass on a southern facing exposure. Listen to the foghorns, or listen to the nothingness, watch the birds and the boats. In addition to the Indoor Master Bathroom with Tub and Shower, take advantage of the additional outdoor fun and private shower in the garden.
Make Rhubarb Pie with fresh rhubarb from the back yard, or just sit in the garden hot tub, morning, noon and night. This spot is the center of The Mendocino Universe. Let those nighttime lit up star-studded skies seep into your soul and come back as you need. Let you dogs explore everything, or just laze on the deck in the back yard.
This is a unique property in a unique setting. A true Old World Mendocino Property dating back to the 1800's, both in reality and feeling. In addition to our feedback via vrbo, you can scroll towards the bottom here, just prior to the photos, and find our over 130 feedbacks left in our visitor comments book at the cottage.
The property is 47 feet by 160 feet. On the front part of the property sits two separate buildings with a breezeway between them. In one of the buildings is the master bedroom with a queen bed and sitting area. Right next to this bedroom, just a few feet away, with its own door for privacy, is the small bedroom set up mostly for children. That bedroom is great for young children and babies, keeps them close, but separate and private. It has a low single full length bed and a childs sleeping loft. Included in this building is the master bathroom with shower and tub.
Across the breezeway is the kitchen and living room. The living room and kitchen are both heated by a wood burning stove as well as a propane wall heater. Firewood is provided. The living room has a 40 inch Sony XBR Flat screen HD TV with satellite. It has a Blue-Ray DVD Player, which also receives free NETFLIX Streaming movies. It has Wireless Internet.
Upstairs over the living room is a sleeping loft with a double bed and window facing south with ocean view.
The garden also has a private outdoor shower, next to the hot tub plumbed with hot and cold water. Such a delight!! Once you are in the hot water, the shower is even great in the winter. Speaking of winter, those can be some of the best times. If you hit it right, you might get a really big storm that will bring you right down to the elements, rich in depth, and wonderful in its nurturing power.
There is a deck with patio table and chairs, along with a barbeque and hot tub.
Every year we have a fairly large cadre of repeat customers. Generally speaking, couples and families are the ones most drawn to the intimacy of this setting and cottage. It can handle up to 5 adults and 1 child or 1 adult and 5 children, and variations between.
We are always working on the property behind the scenes, upgrading, adding services, and generally making it more delightful and user friendly. We started a guest log about 10 years ago. We copied the visitors comments onto this web site. When people write reviews, they mostly write in the book at The Cottage.
So, to recap it all, If you are looking for a really comfy and down to earth home, centrally located, with all the modern amenities, ocean views, comfortable outside garden, with easy access to everything, with a multitude of sleeping possibilities, hot tub, embraces dogs, has character that dates back to the 1880's, is very private, and is in The Village (which we feel is the best choice for vacationing and visiting the area), is easy for couples, as well as for families, it is our pleasure to offer 'Garden Cottage'. As a side note, the website is listing us as 12 hours to respond to requests. That is a glitch, I am always on my cell phone and generally respond within minuets unless I am driving, etc. Always within an hour.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the neighborhood
Mendocino
Located in Mendocino, this cottage is in the city center and on a river. Kelley House Museum and Ford House Visitor Center and Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Mendocino Art Center and Sea Glass Museum. Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and Skunk Train are also worth visiting. Kayaking and snorkeling offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with horse riding and hiking/biking trails nearby.
Mendocino Headlands State Park - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
Temple of Kwan Tai - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Mendocino Art Center - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Kelley House Museum - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
Agate Beach - 19 min walk - 1.6 km
Getting around
Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County) - 130 min drive
Restaurants
Goodlife Cafe & Bakery - 6 min walk
Patterson's Pub - 7 min walk
Mendocino Cafe - 6 min walk
Terra Mar Kitchen - 14 min drive
Frankie's - 6 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village?
As of Sep 25, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village on Nov 8, 2026 start from $341, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
Onsite parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village?
Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Unique Vintage 1880’S “Garden Cottage” in Mendocino Village located?
Located in the heart of Mendocino, this cottage is steps from Mendocino Headlands State Park and Temple of Kwan Tai. Mendocino Art Center and Kelley House Museum are also within 10 minutes.
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
This was the second time we stayed at Ron's delightful property in Mendocino village. We love its uniqueness (there is nowhere else like it!) and the privacy that it offers, as well as its location in the village. We can park the car and walk everywhere. The ocean view is lovely and everything is comfortable and well-stocked, from the kitchen to the bedrooms and bathroom. And Mendocino village itself is delightful, a special place for us where we stayed for our honeymoon 41 years ago. Thanks, Ron, for a great stay...and for being such a great host!
This is the second time we have stayed at this wonderful cottage. The host is very friendly and always quick to respond to questions. We love the location and all of the amenities that the property has to offer.
We love Ron's place..... Funky and fun..... feels like the real Mendocino.... before it was "discovered".... Very quiet... the view from the downhill deck can't be topped for beauty and peace... "a loaf of bread, a glass of wine and thou beside me singing in the wilderness..." ..... (bring your own "thou")
The location of the cottage is perfect! It was wonderful to be able to walk just a couple blocks to the ocean and a few blocks to the restaurants and shops in town. The landscaping is beautiful, the view from the lower deck is amazing, and we loved the hot tub! We had a great stay.
This place checks all the boxes- great ocean and garden views, fenced yard for our doggies who loved it, excellent-clean hot tub, close to town, thoughtful accents and details throughout the property.
Perfect stay in perfect place. Lots of yard for dog. Close to coastal trails and views. Clean hot tub with outdoor shower! Nice to be in town. It’s an old funky place with lots of niches and decorated with eclectic mendo finds. Fun to explore. Slept well!.
This property is a special treat. The charm of the 1880’s facade with modern upgrades makes it a one of a kind experience. The location, the views, the hot tub, the gardens made for a quiet and cozy weekend getaway to remember.
The entire experience was fantastic. Parking was easy and clear to understand. The property was well-kept despite the age. Loved all the little well thought-out details. Great access to local restaurants and everything was within walking distance. The property offered a lot of privacy as well, being fenced in all around. Good lighting at nighttime. Ocean views and the hot tub was a well appreciated luxury. The caretaker was communicative via SMS and provided detailed instructions that weren't overly restrictive or anything. Overall impression is that there was so much this property had to offer that we will be coming back with a larger group next time. It was plenty big enough for 2 and would definitely be adequate for a longer stay than the short weekend getaway we did
The place was perfect! So expansive, artistic, unique, and comfy. It was perhaps too big for just one person, so I am looking forward to returning with a larger group!
Nice place that's an easy walk to everything. Backyard area is super neat. Interesting setup with the bedrooms and bathrooms in one building and the kitchen and living spaces are in an adjacent building across a small walkway. Worked out well for what we needed. Check-in and check-out details in the listing on VRBO would be appreciated. Would recommend!
This was our second year in a row staying here. We absolutely love it. The space is great for being inside or outside and you are so close to everything in this location. We will be back next year for sure!
Mendocino is a picturesque town located along HWY 1 and this cottage was the perfect stop for us along our trip. The space is well loved and maintained as well as excellently decorated and appointed. It is clear and lot of love has gone into the cottage and if you’re looking for a unique stay that isn’t the typical rental house this is perfect. Check in and out was smooth and we had no issues at all. The property is in a great location and the town itself is very walkable so we were able to walk to dinner and breakfast. The one small thing we felt was missing was coffee grounds in the kitchen! But other than that small detail, which is easily fixed because there are plenty of places to buy grounds in town, our stay was splendid. I hope to get back to Mendocino one day as I would love to spend more time in the town itself. Overall a beautiful space that was perfect for my family.
I’ve traveled to Mendocino several times, and this was far and away my favorite spot. Amazing location, authentic, perfect. Love that kitchen & living are in adjacent building. A few minutes walk to everything. Can’t wait to return!
Terrific location with comfortable accommodations and spacious grounds. A real gem!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025
About the host
Hosted by Ron Sieg
This is a photo of my wife Theo, our daughter Stina, and Myself (Ron), and was taken in May of 1983, the same month and year we became the owners and caretakers of this cottage and property. My wife still looks the same, but I look more like the Velveteen Rabbit, with certainly more grey hair, a few missing buttons and some tears and stitches along the way, and that is just fine. Our daughter Stina, is now 38, and we have a son Toby, 35. We all agree, we can sell anything, except Mendocino. After 38 years, we still get excited to go. This is a very special town, a very special area, and a very special property. We have put our heart and soul into this. We not only love to share it, we feel a responsibility to share it. It can be yours for a few days, a few weeks and some do for a few months, and then you leave, and we will take care of it until you come back.
Why they chose this property
We fell in love with Mendocino, this cottage, and this property.
What makes this property unique
You just have to be here.
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests