Pacific Grove, California
'I bought a small house and garden in Pacific Grove...' (John Steinbeck: A Life in Letters). John Steinbeck wrote these words to a friend about this charming house he called home in the 1940s.
This cottage was featured in Country Living's article "You'll Never Guess Which Classic American Author's Cottage is For Rent."
There is a minimum stay of 30 nights. Enjoy discounted rates (already reflected in published rates) and pay $0 city occupancy tax.
Currently, there is construction at our next door neighbor's house. The work is being done Monday - Friday during the day. Please be aware that there will be some noise during the day.
Starting in January 2023, the back cottage on the property will be undergoing renovations. There will be noise during the day, Monday - Friday. The project is estimated to be completed by July 31, 2023.
The Space
This cottage has a unique and rich literary history, having belonged to John Steinbeck in the early 1940's. It has been renovated to pay homage to the period and history of the property.
This darling home, known as The Steinbeck Cottage, has a beautiful living room with a tent cathedral ceiling. It's focal point is the fireplace, richly adorned with carvings of birds and flowers. It has a queen sleeper sofa, a love seat, two reading chairs and a flatscreen TV.
There is a large bedroom, accommodating a queen bed, a sitting area, and a cozy electric fireplace. There is a fully stocked kitchen with everything you need to create great meals. The dining room has a farm table and is surrounded by floor to ceiling picture windows, overlooking the garden and offering peaks of the bay. The beautiful bathroom features white subway tiles in the shower and blue Moroccan lantern tiles on the floor. The cottage has cable TV and wireless internet.
The front yard offers an outdoor sitting area. Guests can also enjoy beautiful views of the garden from the sitting area just right outside the steps of the back door.
The cottage is approximately 900 square feet. It is original architecture from the 1920’s and has short doorways throughout the cottage. Taller guests will need to mind their heads when passing through the rooms.
Interaction with Guests
While The Steinbeck Cottage is one of the three cottages on the property, it offers plenty of privacy and a dedicated outdoor sitting area.
The Neighborhood
Pacific Grove has been called “Butterfly Town U.S.A.,” “The Most Romantic City in the U.S.,” “A Dreamy California Destination, ” as well as an idyllic place to get married, to honeymoon or to just hang out. Some of it is self-proclaimed, some the acclaim of people who have actually visited Pacific Grove.
You will find Pacific Grove on the very tip of the scenic, tree-shrouded Monterey Peninsula with a rocky coastline and an ambiance of charm, grace and beauty.
Founded in the 1870s as a Methodist summer retreat, Pacific Grove still bears the look and feel of yesteryear. As you stroll the residential streets admiring the charm of home after home, you will notice little plaques on many of the homes that bear the name of the original owner and the year in which it was built. To qualify for a plaque from the Heritage Society of Pacific Grove, a structure must look like it did when it was originally built.
Among its visitors are brightly colored orange-and-black Monarch butterflies, who overwinter in Pacific Grove after traveling up to 2,000 miles, arriving by the thousands starting in October, peaking around Christmas and departing by March.
Besides its scenic beauty and idyllic neighborhoods, Pacific Grove offers an eclectic downtown experience, with small boutiques, gift shops, art galleries, antique stores and more. Other vibrant shopping areas are along Central Avenue at the entrance to Pacific Grove from Cannery Row and at the top of Forest Avenue on Forest Hill.
Getting Around
The Steinbeck Cottage is centrally located and a short walk from many scenic destinations. It is located a half mile from The Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, as well as downtown Pacific Grove. Lover's Point beach is just one mile away and downtown Monterey is two miles away.
There are many fantastic restaurants, activities and shops in the area.
Other Things to Note
- Check-in time is 4:00 pm and check-out time is 11:00 am.
- There is a firm no smoking and no pet policy.
- We do not have a washer/dryer on the property for guest use.
We spent the month of August here is this cute cabin. It's in a nice quiet part of Pacific Grove. It's centrally located for trips to Carmel, Big Sur, and Old Monterey.
Great central location, close to everything. The cottage is surprisingly spacious, very clean and well appointed. There was plenty of space for our belongings. The sitting furniture in the living room is very comfortable, as is the bed. The dining area is especially nice, with a large table and lots of light. The kitchen is equipped with everything one needs for simple cooking. The place may not be optimal for very tall people, as the ceiling is low in some areas. The hosts are wonderful, friendly and responsive. The cancellation policy is very generous. Not having the laundry facilities or the dishwasher was a bit inconvenient, but on the whole we had a very comfortable stay. Will be coming again!
Great location and good service. A few recommendations: replace the current old windows with new ones so they can be opened to air the rooms, install a bar and a mat in the shower to prevent the elderly from slipping in the bathtub. We enjoyed the cottage very much and would highly recommend it.
We enjoyed our stay at this lovely cottage. Parking was street only but we had no problem finding a space.
We loved every minute at this charming and enchanting cottage. We lived like a local. Walked to restaurants. Made supper in our historic kitchen, It was a delightful balm for the soul.
This home was perfect for our little family, a toddler and infant. The bed was very comfortable and the room had a fold out couch that was perfect for our toddler. We liked the ambiance of the fireplace. The location was very convenient. We walked to the Aquarium and Cannery Row, with a stroller; going down was better than the walk back but we made it each time. Kevin and Vicky were very helpful and provided thoughtful information to make our stay easy. Would highly recommend!
I agree with Steinbeck that the cottage encourages reflective thought. Great architectural spacial planning as well. Nothing wasted here.
The Steinbeck Cottage did not disappoint. It is charming, romantic, cozy, warm, and we began calling it home immediately. It is the perfect base for visiting Spanish Bay and Point Lobos and also walking distance to some great restaurants like Il Vecchio and Vivolo's, to the water, and to the charming downtown. We can't wait to return to Steinbeck Cottage and make many more memories in our new home away from home. Thank you Kevin and Vicky for sharing your delightful home.
My wife and I stayed in the Steinbeck cottage for 5 nights, but fell in love instantly. We felt at home when we walked in the front door and wanted to move in for good. If you are looking for a clean, comfortable and relaxing stay on the Monterey Peninsula, look no further. This place exceeds expectations. A few highlights… • The entire cottage is inviting, but the living room and outdoor seating areas really make you want to sit down and loose yourself in a good book or conversation. • Parking available on the street, right in front of the cottage every day of our stay. We never had to look for a spot or park down the street. • Walking distance down the hill to Lighthouse Ave. and/or Central Ave. for some good restaurants (e.g., Vivolo's Chowder House, Happy Girl Café/Kitchen & El Cantaro) and coffee (Happy Girl Cafe). • Kevin and Vicky provided excellent, detailed instructions for everything. • The Monterey Peninsula is full of wonder and puts both remarkable natural beauty and great social experiences right out your door. We have stayed in many excellent VRBO properties, but this one really stands out. We will be back.
We absolutely loved our time at the Steinbeck Cottage! We stayed for about 8 days and found that the cottage was perfect for an extended vacation. It couldn't have been more cozy and inviting, with charming decor throughout. The nooks and crannies really gave you the feel of an older home, yet the renovations made it quite suitable for modern living. The bed was the most COMFORTABLE bed ever -- hated to leave it! The kitchen was fully equipped with cooking utensils, which made it easy to make some low-budget meals in between exploring all the great restaurants nearby. The location of the cottage itself was perfect -- walking distance to many tourist hot spots, cafes, and restaurants. We would love to return one day! Thank you for sharing this treasured piece of history with us. -- Rabon & Jacob Wilson
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Includes taxes and fees