Charming Catalina Cottage, Pet Friendly, Large Porch, 2.5 Blocks to Beach

As we boarded the Catalina Express in Dana Point on Friday to start our 3 day weekend we were greeted with an announcement that Avalon had a main water line break and that they expected it to be fixed in a few hours. Since it would take us 1 1/2 hours to arrive we figured all would be well by the time we got off the boat. WRONG - not only did a water line break but a sewage line broke! The beaches were CLOSED, there was no running water and the restaurants were all closed! A bit of a panic ensued at the poor little Vons grocery store - shelves emptied of water bottles rapidly and people scrambled to buy anything they could for a meal! We quickly booked a trip home for the first boat out on Saturday am since we didn't feel like doing this for 2 more days! Finally, they got the water back on sometime during the night so we were able to wash and shower. We quickly went into town to see that the restaurants were going to open. We decided to stay and make the best of it (golf cart, tour bus around island, submersible boat ride) since this was going to be our only family trip with my 3 grown children. The house was fine, but its on a very busy street, noisy with golf carts and mariachi music playing across the street and yappy chihuahuas. Mostly, it just would have been nice if the rental company had given us a heads up - apparently the water had been turned off and on may times during the week! I even called them on Thursday before we left to ask about beach towels and no one mentioned a word of this. I felt a little duped. Never even got to put my toes in the water because the beach was closed the entire wknd! I won't be making another trip there anytime soon.

My wife and I regularly lease larger homes in Avalon for extended family summer stays but decided to rent this smaller unit for our personal use this spring. We were delighted to stay in this traditional bungalow style home, so typical of the island. However, unlike many of other homes on the island this one was meticulously clean and fresh and well-maintained, with everything we needed to be self-sufficient. Good audio/visual equipment, a stock of movies and excellent wifi. The front porch is a real treat in Avalon, because half the fun is people-watching. This a much better than average rental unit. We recommend it highly.

This is a darling,comfy, homey and clean place to stay. No negatives, really. I would say that the 2nd bdrm is really for kids. Also, Sumner seems to be a busier street with lots of Golfcart noise. I thought the price was fair. And the Catalina Island Office was great. We had a good time.

Great porch! Just a few blocks away from shops and the beach. Fun fitness park for kids just a few blocks away. We loved our stay at this house.

We loved our stay in the cottage and on Catalina Island. The cottage itself is very charming and cozy, and well maintained. We were surprised how noisy the area is though given that there are few cars on the island. The golf carts come flying down the street!