Entire home

The Historic Selwood Cottage

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

2 bedrooms1+ bathroomSleeps 5750 sq ft

Popular amenities

Kitchen
Outdoor space
Free WiFi

Explore the area

Columbia, SC

Lake Murray
‪12 min walk‬
Columbiana Centre
‪9 min drive‬
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
‪17 min drive‬
Columbia, SC (CAE-Columbia Metropolitan)
‪23 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bed

Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

Upstairs loft

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom

Downstairs bathroom

Shower only

Upstairs bathroom

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Garden

About this property

The Historic Selwood Cottage

Private, historic cottage with boat parking and screened in porch. Sleeps 5 in 2 bedrooms with full, furnished kitchen. Property owners on shared property available to help with any needs. Enjoy over an acre of private land in the heart of the city. Cottage within walking distance to beautiful Lake Murray as well as Harbison shopping area 5 miles away and downtown Columbia 15 miles away.

Property manager

Kristen Oswald

Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Outdoor space

Parking available

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Kitchen
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 12:00 PM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Does have stairs and an open 2nd story loft.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: limit 2 total

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

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

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Columbia

Located in Columbia, this cottage is on a river. Imara Woman and Richard Samuel Roberts House are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Murray and Dreher Shoals Dam. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and Saluda Shoals Park are also worth visiting. Jet skiing, kayaking and power boating offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling nearby.

Columbia, SC

What's nearby

Lake Murray - 12 min walk - 1.0 km
Frankie's Fun Park - 9 min drive - 8.8 km
Columbiana Centre - 9 min drive - 8.5 km
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden - 17 min drive - 17.4 km
University of South Carolina - 21 min drive - 22.6 km

Getting around

Columbia Station - 19 min drive
Columbia, SC (CAE-Columbia Metropolitan) - 23 min drive

Restaurants

‪Starbucks - ‬5 min drive
‪McDonald's - ‬5 min drive
‪Zaxby's - ‬6 min drive
‪BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - ‬9 min drive
‪Lizard's Thicket - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Historic Selwood Cottage pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at The Historic Selwood Cottage?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Historic Selwood Cottage?

Checkout is at 12:00 PM.

Where is The Historic Selwood Cottage located?

Situated on a river, this cottage is 0.7 mi (1.1 km) from Lake Murray and within 3 miles (5 km) of Dreher Shoals Dam and Saluda Shoals Park. Lake Murray Public Park is 2.4 mi (3.8 km) away.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Angie W.

30 Jun, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Highly recommend

Our experience at the historic Selwood cottage was wonderful. It is such a charming and cozy place to stay. The owner

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Julie D.

9 Jun, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Better than the pictures

Perfect location to come watch our daughter graduate from boot camp at Fort Jackson. Thirty minutes away from all the crowded restaurants! Close by beach and amazing parks. The house was perfect!!

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jason G.

16 May, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cottage

Wonderful stay at this private cottage.

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rodney R.

22 May, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quaint

This is a place we would come to stay again!It was clean and cozy and we felt comfortable right away. Thank you for being excellent hosts!

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Chaia W.

5 Jun, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We visited the cottage with our 7 year old son and dog and loved it! The screened in porch was so nice and we spent a lot of time out there. The kitchen was well stocked and the house was very clean. Definitely bring bug spray if you plan to be outdoors much. The host was also very responsive to texting throughout our trip which i appreciated.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

William B.

31 Mar, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful cottage

The stay was so beautiful I couldn’t recommend it more. Excellent area to stay in and super easy check in process.

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Canie B.

11 Apr, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great hospitality

My family and I really enjoyed staying there this Wednesday and Thursday for my daughters basic training graduation, it really made my time spent a success and I’ll recommend anyone to stay there as their home away from home.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer S.

30 Mar, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

We did an overnight stay here for a concert. The location was perfect and the cottage was very nice! Contact was great with the host and the area was beautiful. Highly recommend if looking for a place to stay.

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Titus L.

7 Apr, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Columbia stay

Great place, peaceful, clean, professional.

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Carl F.

12 Apr, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Trip to the Masters

We only stayed one night. We loved the cottage and had a very comfortable stay. The host was wonderful and gave us numerous suggestions for dinner. We will stay again if we are the area.

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

GINA C.

14 Apr, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy Getaway

Beautiful area. Very, very clean! Plenty of clean white towels! Would definitely recommend it and would return!

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

meg m.

13 Mar, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!

Always a great stay! Everything you need and comfy!

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lisha K.

27 Jan, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful place to stop over

Stopped over on drive from Florida to Ohio. Cabin was cozy and extra clean, and we really appreciated the ability to stay there with our dogs.

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

patti b.

24 Mar, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful stay at The Historic Selwood Cottage

The cottage is absolutely charming - full of character, clean, and thoughtfully appointed with everything we needed for a vacation getaway. A huge thank you to Kristen, the owner, who was incredibly friendly and responsive from start to finish.Her communication was clear and timely and she made the whole experience so smooth and welcoming. Highly recommend this gem if you're looking for a cozy, unique,and relaxing stay - will definitely return.

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

wayne l.

19 Dec, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

You’re such a beautiful place. Everything was perfect.

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Hosana N.

17 Feb, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy, rustic, charming

We enjoyed the perfect weekend getaway at the Selwood Cottage. The property is tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, and the building itself has been repurposed beautifully - loved the wooden floors and ceiling beams! The cottage has a full kitchen, including plates, mugs, utensils, so we enjoyed heating up a meal and brewing a hot cup of coffee. Kristen was extremely communicative before, during, and after our stay - a very gracious host. This was a wonderful, relaxing stay that I would 100% recommend.

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nicolle N.

27 Oct, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing week in SC

We had a wonderful time staying in this super cute little cottage. So peaceful and perfect for us!!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Colby T.

18 Sept, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great weekend stay

Great place to stay. Came in from Louisiana with some friends for USC \ LSU football game. Easy to get to, quiet neighborhood and very clean. Would highly recommend staying here.

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Robin S.

26 Sept, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quaint historic cottage

Very comfortable and lovely historic cottage. Clean and well stocked. Loved the way space was maximized and decorated.

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Janine T.

29 Dec, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Such A Great Place!

We had a lovely stay at Selwood Cottage and highly recommend it. The space was spotless, well appointed and in such a great neighborhood. We enjoyed the central location in Irmo - the king bed was super comfortable. Just as an FYI (and did not impact our stay whatsoever) the shower is on the small size! If you are a larger person, you’ll struggle to turn around lol.

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Carmen D.

22 Sept, 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice place to stay when visiting Columbia

Great place to stay

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sarah M.

17 Nov, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great cottage

Lovely cosy cottage well equipped. Had slight issue with fridge but solution quickly found.

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lauren R.

27 May, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute cozy cottage

The cottage was super charming and very clean. The property was beautiful as well. We really enjoyed our stay.

Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Thomas M.

12 May, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lake Murray Cottage.

The cottage was very clean and perfect for the activities in the area including Lake Murray, Congeree National Park, restaurants and shops.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Adam B.

12 Jun, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming Property

Thoughtfully renovated historic farm, beautiful location to connect with both nature and history. A fun layout for families.

Stayed 1 night in May 2024

About the host

Hosted by Kristen Oswald

My husband, Philip, and I have been married 21 years and we have 3 kids. We moved here from California for my husband's job as a musician. We have previously lived in Birmingham, AL and absolutely LOVE the south! When we saw this property on Zillow as we were looking for a home we fell in love and never looked back!

Why they chose this property

You are staying in a structure that was initially built circa 1820 and restored in 1990. The cottage was previously attached to the main house which was originally a mule barn and converted into a single family home in 1990 as well by Jerry and Carole Rothstein. If you are interested in touring the main house feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to it share with you!

What makes this property unique

The cottage was a structure that was initially built circa 1820 and restored in 1990. The cottage was previously attached to the main house which was originally a mule barn and converted into a single family home in 1990 as well by Jerry and Carole Rothstein. If you are interested in touring the main house feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to it share with you!