The RetreatSerene historic home on 2 acres in sunny central Marin
About the property
- House4000 sqft
- Bedrooms5
- Sleeps8
- Bathrooms3
- Half Baths2
- Minimum Stay3 nights
5 bedroom, 4-1/2 ba. house surrounded by gardens and nature.
This property is one-of-a-kind. It's beautiful, private, serene, filled with vintage charm, totally functional for relaxed modern living, and perfectly located. The house is rich with history, lovingly renovated to preserve its character. It was originally built in 1903 as a retreat for Catholic women, both nuns and lay people. The main living spaces were prayer rooms filled with pews, the nearby cottage housed the Mother Superior, and a Stations of the Cross path ran through the woods behind the house. Half a century of prayer and meditation have left its impression: calm permeates the house and its surrounds.
The house itself has been lovingly renovated to retain as much historic character as possible. There are so many lovely, unique touches throughout: antique windows with their original wavy glass, claw foot tubs, the 1950's Wedgewood stove, the comfy front porch swing, the cottage garden. The house has large, light-filled spaces and 10' ceilings throughout. BIg windows look out onto a sea of sunny green: gardens, old oaks, woodland and redwood groves. There are two wood-burning fireplaces, a hot tub and an outdoor fireplace.
The house is on a gated property at the dead end of a small street, so there's no traffic and absolute privacy. There are two rental cottages in the compound but they are a good distance from the house. The property couldn't be more conveniently located: walking distance to Kentfield town center, 5 minutes from HWY 101, 20 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, 30 minutes from San Francisco, 40 min. from wine country, smack in the middle of the prettiest part of Marin and close to everything.
The Retreat is recently redecorated top to bottom with the highest quality custom furnishings, excellent beds, fresh paint - and feels absolutely clean, open and fresh.
Best of all - there are so many spaces to gather! This property is perfect for a family vacation, business retreat or friends getaway. We've never lived in a house that's better for hosting. Start with a glass of wine on the deck, move to the dining room for dinner, gather in front of the fire in the living room, and move to the outdoor fireplace for a jam session. Movie night is covered with a full-wall projection system and surround sound. Downstairs can be for the kids, Scrabble at the game table or reading a book by the fire. (It's not good, however, for parties or events as parking is limited to two spaces and nearby street parking is very limited.)
The 4000 sf main house has 5 bedrooms and sleeps 8 comfortably in real beds. Below the main house is a one-bedroom garden apartment with its' own entrance, that comfortably sleeps 3, available as a separate rental. Rent just the main house or both. The entire 5000 sf house can comfortably sleep 11 people in proper beds.
Parking for two guest cars is included in the rental. Rent the Garden apartment as well and you get an additional parking space.
Owner
Jenny Israel
- Response rate:
- 100%
- Response time:
- within one day
- Speaks:
- english, spanish
- Calendar last updated:
- Oct 24, 2017
About Jenny Israel
I am a native of Marin, and love everything about it! Hiking, beach barbecues on Muir Beach, Mountain Home Theater, burritos in the Mission, Fairfax Scoop, wine tasting in Napa... the list goes on and on. I love Marin even more as I took a long detour from it. Our three children were born and raised in NYC, and I persuaded the family to move back here just last August. Quite the change, brownstone Brooklyn to nature-filled Marin! We love both but are so happy to have landed here. I am an architect, an artist, and a stay-at-home Mom. I love yoga, hiking, hanging with the family, reading on the porch, and dinner with friends. My husband Sandy is a professional musician and teacher. We are a relaxed, creative family. My motto? I guess it would be: 'Don't sweat the small stuff.'
Jenny Israel purchased this House in 2013
Why Jenny Israel chose Larkspur
A huge attraction of this property is Marin County itself, one of the most magical places on earth. Marin is famous worldwide for it's astounding natural beauty and the huge amount of land protected for public enjoyment. There are few places on the planet where you can hike, mountain bike, surf, sail, horseback ride and camp on thousands of acres of untouched wilderness, all within an hour of a major city. The variety of fun to be had in the area is unmatched: all the restaurants, museums and shopping of SF, the stunning beauty and outdoorsy lifestyle of Marin, plus wine country just 40 minutes north. Kentfield is a charming little town in central Marin, an area with the mildest, sunniest, most lovely year-round weather you can imagine. It has several very good restaurants, a gourmet market, bike paths, a school with a big field to kick a ball around, and loads of small town charm. It's one of a string of such small towns along the Ross Valley, all very special. I grew up the next town over, in Ross, and have always wanted to come back. Can you tell I love this place?
What makes this House unique
I first became intrigued with this property when I heard of it's unique history. It originally served as a retreat for Catholic nuns and laypeople: pews filled the living spaces, and nuns ate at the long dining table. When I visited, I could feel the serenity that permeates every inch of the property. I fell in love. Such light, open spaces; every window looking out on green; almost total privacy; hummingbirds off the front porch and the garden in bloom; our own redwood grove down the hill. It even came with a cottage for my husband to work out of. Does it get any better than this?
Amenities
- Internet
- Air Conditioning
- Heater
- Fireplace
- Satellite or Cable
- Kids Welcome
- Washer & Dryer
- Parking
- TV
- No Smoking
Bedrooms
- 5 Bedrooms, Sleeps 8
- Master Suite1 king, New Temperpedic mattress, french doors on private deck
- Bedroom 31 twin/ single, En-suite bathroom
- Bedroom 41 queen
- Bedroom 51 queen
- Guest Suite1 queen, New latex mattress, air conditioning, TV. No tub/shower
- All bedrooms have high quality beds, pillows and linens. Very important to us as hosts!
Bathrooms
- 3 Bathrooms, 2 Half Baths
- Master Bathtoilet, tub, shower, Clawfoot tub, separate toilet room
- Guest Suite Bathroomtoilet, Planning to install a tub/shower soon
- Bathroom 3toilet, shower, En-suite bathroom for bedroom 3
- Bathroom 4toilet, combination tub/shower, Clawfoot tub
- Powder Roomtoilet
- Pedestal sinks, clawfoot tubs, vintage details throughout
Location Type
- Mountain ViewWoodland view, actually. Large property just below summit of ridge. Beautiful, peaceful treetop and garden views, total sense of privacy.
Theme
- Away From It All
- Family
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
Meals
- Guests provide their own meals
General
- Air ConditioningWindow units in most bedrooms. Not really necessary in temperate Marin County!
- Clothes Dryer
- FireplaceTwo gas-started wood-burning fireplaces in the house, plus one outdoor wood-burning fireplace on the patio. Fireplace fires not allowed on Marin No Burn Days.
- Heating
- InternetWireless internet throughout the house.
- Linens Provided
- Living Room
- ParkingParking for two cars on site. Nearby street parking very limited
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
Kitchen
- Coffee Maker
- Dishes & Utensils
- Dishwasher
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Oven
- Pantry ItemsThe basics - ketchup etc.!
- Refrigerator
- StoveVintage Wedgewood. Two ovens, gas burners, excellent!
- Toaster
Dining
- DiningDining for 12! With buffet
- Dining Area
- comfy seating for 12 people
Entertainment
- BooksLarge library in Family Room
- DVD Player
- GamesLoads! All the family basics, plus a perfect game table in the family room downstairs
- Satellite / CableApple TV, ATT Cable with Premium package.
- Stereo
- TelevisionHD projection-system with surround sound in Living Room. Flat screen TV's in Guest Suite and Master Suite.
- Video Games
- Video LibrarySmall; 2D and 3D
Outside
- Deck / Patio
- Lawn / GardenLarge flat front lawn. Shared occasionally by the guests of the other rental units.
- Outdoor Grill
Suitability
- wheelchair inaccessiblePorch steps
Attractions
- library
- autumn foliage
- churches
- cinemas
- festivals
- forests
- bay/sound
- marina
- playground
- recreation center
- restaurants
- waterfalls
Leisure Activities
- antiquing
- bird watching
- photography
- scenic drives
- sight seeing
- walking
Local Services & Businesses
- ATM/bank
- Babysitter
- fitness center
- groceries
- hospital
- laundromat
- massage therapist
- medical services
Sports & Adventure Activities
- cycling
- hiking
- mountain biking
- mountaineering
- sailing
- surfing
- swimming
- tennis
Notes
- Beautiful vintages touches throughout the house.
House Rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date. You must contact the owner directly to request cancellation.
4 Reviews
Latest reviews
Great house, poor maintenance, difficult owner
A special retreat for our family vacation.
This was the perfect home for a large family gathering!
A lovely, relaxing stay. House is beautiful!
Location
Property is centrally located in the charming town of Kentfield, in gorgeous Marin County. Convenient to restaurants and shops, 30 min from San Francisco and 40 min from wine country. The house is walking distance from Kentfield town center, with Ambrosia Restaurant, Half-Day Cafe and Woodland Market. We are two minutes from bike paths and a 10 min drive to gorgeous hiking trails. So much to do here! Check out the restaurants, museums and shopping in SF, only a half-hour drive away. Rent mountain bikes in the next town and explore Marin the high-adreneline way! Take an all day hike on Mount Tamalpias or Point Reyes, through redwood groves and chaparral and huge ocean vistas. See the sea lions, red-tailed hawks, maybe a bobcat if you get lucky! Kayak or stand-up paddleboard on the Bay. Stroll to downtown Kentfield and have one of the best brunches ever at Half-Day Cafe. Take leisurely walk in the lovely hills behind Kentfield. Take a wine-country tour and ship some of your favorites home. Grab dinner and a show at nearby Terrapin Crossroads, and get your Dead on. Or have an elegant dinner at Insalatas, 10 min away. Truly, this property, in this part of Marin County, is just wonderful.