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Gorgeous 2Bd + Loft with Deck and Gardens. Soaring 20 ft ceilings, huge windows!

Cottage in Greenbrae with kitchen and patio

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Welcome to the Musician's Cottage!
Gorgeous light-filled Great Room with soaring 20' ceilings
Spiral stair in corner. Walls of windows looking out on green woodlands
Such high ceilings!
Comfortable, stylish living area

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 5111.5 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Outdoor space
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
Kentfield, CA
  • Place, Mission San Rafael Arcangel
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Dominican University of California
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Marin County Civic Center
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Airport, San Francisco, CA (SFO-San Francisco Intl.)
    ‪46 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Loft

1 Single Bed

Master bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Second bedroom

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom

Bathtub or shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Gorgeous 2Bd + Loft with Deck and Gardens. Soaring 20 ft ceilings, huge windows!

This lovely cottage was originally a music studio for the owner, a performing musician and teacher. Now in its second life as a guest cottage, you can still feel the happy vibe of the space! Fully renovated in Sept. of 2020, the large 1200sf space is fresh, upscale, and very Marin. The light-filled great room has soaring 20' ft. ceilings and walls of windows looking out onto woodlands. The cottage is located in a quiet, private 2-acre property walking distance to town and convenient to both San Francisco and wine country.

The Musician's Cottage is nestled in our peaceful, historic family property along with our Victorian main house and another cottage. The grounds are landscaped beautifully with wild woodlands behind. The cottage has access to a lovely green front lawn and a private back deck. Hummingbirds and butterflies flit about, deer are frequent visitors, and we even get the occasional fox. As you enter the cottage you feel the freshness of a full, high-quality renovation. There is a new kitchen, a dining area flooded by light from double french doors, an incredible great room with double-height ceilings and a small loft for reading or stashing an extra guest. Enormous windows surround the great room on three sides and look onto old sculptural oaks; you'll feel like you are in a treehouse. The bedroom wing features a quiet master bedroom with woodland views, a large, luxurious new bathroom, and a twin bedroom. The renovation was done by an award-winning San Francisco designer, and all furnishings, fixtures and finishes are stylish and of the highest quality. And another plus: There is so much outdoor space to enjoy! A private back deck, a small front patio, and the large common lawn and gardens in front. Breathe deep, enjoy!

The property is entirely private, with no traffic noise and surrounded by nature. But here's the kicker: It's only 1 minute from a main thoroughfare of Marin County, Sir Francis Drake. This means every convenience is close by: grocery stores, restaurants, etc. The charming small town of Kentfield is walking distance away (about 7 min down a steep hill) with a fantastic deli/ gourmet store and two restaurants. Best of all, we are in central Marin, the best part of one of the safest and most beautiful counties in the land. Marin is world-renowned for its year-round fantastic mild weather and its hiking, biking, and kayaking. Sunny central Marin, in particular, is free of the chilly fog that plaques southern Marin (Mill Valley, Sausalito, Stinson Beach) and San Francisco. Central Marin, moreover, is located about halfway between San Francisco and wine country, making it convenient to both. It's no wonder that so many Marinites call this place Paradise!

This is the perfect place to bring your pooch along on vacation! The property has a central common lawn for the doggos to play, and is a gated compound at the dead end of a road so very little traffic (except us). Rosie the resident mini-bernadoodle is a wonderful hostess and always up for playtime!

Pet policy: 1 dog 50 lb and older than 1 year welcome in the cottage. No cats. Dog must be cleaned up after scrupulously. Dogs with behavior issues like chewing or excessive barking are not allowed. If dog’s paws are dirty wash and dry them at the “Dog Paw Washing Station” next to the lawn (towels in grey bin) before entering the cottage. If more than just their paws are dirty please give them a bath before re-entering. Use provided couch and bed covers. $50 nonrefundable pet fee.

NOTE: Your unit comes with two assigned parking spots, on the tight side. They are large enough for 2 standard-size cars (compact to midsized), one full sized car and one compact, or one large or oversized vehicle. No additional cars allowed on the property, even just for dropoff.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 12:00 PM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Spiral stairs and loft unsafe for young children.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
Max 2 cats, 1 dog under 20 lb allowed. $50 fee.
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Remove personal items and remove leftover food and drinks
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Turn off HVAC, do not take out trash
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Long term guests agree to a phone interview shortly after booking to make sure that it's a "match". If not, they agree to cancel booking the same day.
This is a shoes-off house. Please remove shoes at entry.
Quiet hours between 11p and 8am. No loud noises of any kind between these hours.

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

About the area

Greenbrae

Located in Greenbrae, this cottage is in the mountains. Muir Woods National Monument and Golden Gate Bridge are notable landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at San Francisco Bay and Presidio of San Francisco. Book Passage and Novato Arts Center at Hamilton Field are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Kentfield, CA

What's nearby

  • Mission San Rafael Arcangel - 5 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Dominican University of California - 6 min drive - 4.3 km
  • Marin County Civic Center - 9 min drive - 7.5 km
  • Marin County Civic Center Farmers' Market - 9 min drive - 7.5 km
  • Muir Woods National Monument - 20 min drive - 11.1 km

Getting around

  • Richmond Transit Center - 27 min drive
  • Oakland, CA (OAK-Oakland Intl.) - 40 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Woodlands Market - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Jack in the Box - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Muffin Mania Cafe - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Depot Garden Cafe - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪M & G - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Gorgeous 2Bd + Loft with Deck and Gardens. Soaring 20 ft ceilings, huge windows! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at Gorgeous 2Bd + Loft with Deck and Gardens. Soaring 20 ft ceilings, huge windows!?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Gorgeous 2Bd + Loft with Deck and Gardens. Soaring 20 ft ceilings, huge windows!?

Checkout is at 12:00 PM.

Where is Gorgeous 2Bd + Loft with Deck and Gardens. Soaring 20 ft ceilings, huge windows! located?

Situated in the mountains, this cottage is 0.6 mi (1 km) from Kentfield Hospital and within 3 miles (5 km) of San Francisco Theological Seminary and San Rafael Pacifics Albert Park. Marin History Museum and Mission San Rafael Arcangel are also within 3 miles (5 km).

About the host

Hosted by Jenny Israel

Host profile image
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 in 2013. Quite the change, brownstone Brooklyn to nature-filled Marin! We love both but are so happy to have landed here.

I am an artist, a Mom, and a small business owner. 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: 'Have a gratitude attitude.'

Why they chose this property

A huge attraction of this property is Marin County itself, one of the most magical places on earth. Marin is famous worldwide for its' 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 property unique

I first became intrigued with our property when I heard of it's unique history. The property was owned by the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the house and two cottages were built in 1890-1905. They were together known as "The St. Francis Outings Club", a summer and weekend retreat for Catholic women, both nuns and laypeople. Catholic factory-worker girls from the city were invited here to relax and reflect. In the Main House (118), the two central living spaces were used as prayer rooms and had pews as late as the 1970's. The Musician's Cottage (117) was the Mother Superior's private quarters, while the other cottage (116) was a barn or garage. A path through the woods had the 12 Stations-of-the-Cross, some of which remained until the 1970's.

Those were the roots, but several incarnations followed. In 1946 the property was bought by a retired war colonel. When his widow died in 1978 the property was sold, used as a rental, and fell into disrepair. We've heard that it became something of a wild place, with a local reputation, fitting for its' times. It was then reclaimed by the owners before us, and lovingly restored. We've continued this effort.

We love all the long and varied history of this property. The property is all at once a spiritual retreat, a colonel's home, a flop house, and now the happy home of two artists and their family. All of these layers are present in historic properties like this.

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