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10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown

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Room
This is a must stay if you’re looking for a peaceful and cozy retreat.
Room
Dining
Private kitchen

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 1% of guest reviews in this area
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 237.2 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

View map
Charleston, SC
  • Place, West Ashley Greenway
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, South Windermere Shopping Center
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Citadel Mall
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Airport, Charleston, SC (CHS-Charleston Intl.)
    ‪15 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Sleeping area

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchenette
Garden
Dining area

About this property

10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown

A Stay You Can Count On

This private garden cottage has earned consistent 10/10 reviews for five consecutive years—something we’re proud of and committed to maintaining.

Guests choose this space for one reason:
it delivers—every single time.

Welcome to Your Charleston Retreat

Tucked away in a quiet West Ashley neighborhood, this private cottage offers a peaceful escape just minutes from historic downtown Charleston.

From the moment you arrive, everything is designed to feel easy, comfortable, and just a little special.

Private parking is steps from your door, and a charming garden path lined with oaks, hydrangeas, and ferns sets the tone for what’s ahead.

Inside, the space is bright, airy, and exceptionally clean—consistently described by guests as pristine, cozy, and a true sanctuary.

Thoughtful Touches That Matter

This isn’t a basic stay—it’s a cared-for experience.

• High-quality linens and a comfortable, well-appointed space
• Fresh baked cookies, wine, and chilled water waiting on arrival
• A quiet private patio perfect for morning coffee or an evening glass of wine
• A setting that feels tucked away—yet close to everything

Location Without the Noise

You’re just minutes from downtown Charleston, local restaurants, beaches, and historic sites.

Many guests choose to Uber, avoiding the hassle of parking while still enjoying easy access to everything the area offers.

Exactly as Shown—No Surprises

What you see in the photos is exactly what you’ll find when you arrive.

Clean. Comfortable. Peaceful. Consistent.

A Note on Quality

This is not a high-volume rental.

Each stay is personally prepared with care and attention to detail so every guest walks into a space that feels fresh, spotless, and ready to enjoy.

If you value cleanliness, quiet, and a stay you can rely on—you’ll feel right at home here.

Guest Favorite

“On a scale of 0–5, this cottage deserves a 6! Beautiful, convenient, and so clean. We can’t wait to come back.”

Important Notes

• City of Charleston Permit: OP2025-06392
• Business License: 024432-04-2021

Payments: 50% at booking, remaining balance due 30 days prior.

Weather Policy:
We recommend travel insurance for unexpected events. Refunds are not provided for weather-related disruptions or circumstances outside our control.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Adults only
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load the dishwasher
Gather used towels
Remove personal items and remove leftover food and drinks
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Please DO NOT strip the bed.
Please hang towels on towel bars and bath rug on the rug bar.
Please DO NOT start the dishwasher.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
No smoking or vaping allowed anywhere on the property. Violations will result in immediate removal with no refund.
NO PARTIES OF ANY KIND.

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 are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances 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
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Charleston

Located in West Ashley, a neighbourhood in Charleston, this cottage is near a water park and on a river. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Waterfront Park and Folly Island Beaches, while South Carolina Aquarium and North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center are popular area attractions. Patriots Point and USS Yorktown are not to be missed. Jet skiing, kayaking and waterskiing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling nearby.
Map
Charleston, SC

What's nearby

  • West Ashley Greenway - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Medical University of South Carolina - 6 min drive - 6.1 km
  • College of Charleston - 7 min drive - 6.7 km
  • Charleston City Market - 9 min drive - 8.7 km
  • South Carolina Aquarium - 10 min drive - 8.6 km

Getting around

  • Charleston Station - 16 min drive
  • Charleston, SC (CHS-Charleston Intl.) - 14 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Circle K - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Circle K - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Jersey Mike's - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Chick-fil-A on Savannah Highway - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬12 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown?

As of 1 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown on 2 July 2026 start from NZ$506, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is 10/10 Rated • Private Garden Cottage Retreat • Minutes to Downtown located?

Located in West Ashley, this cottage is within 3 miles (5 km) of West Ashley Greenway, Citadel Mall and Harborage at Ashley Marina. College of Charleston and Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 106 out of 107 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 107 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 107 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 107 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 107 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Leanne M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved the cottage and its location. Will stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Leslie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely place to stay!! Clean and close to restaurants, shoes, etc. beautiful, peaceful yard.Owners very responsive and ready to assist with any questions.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mark H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cottage was in a great location. Everything about the cottage was perfect.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Wanda B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cleanest place I have ever stayed at!!! Owners are very nice and easy to ask about anything!!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Laura B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The Backyard Cottage met all of our expectations and more! It’s a peaceful and private getaway offering a clean, quaint, and most comfortable stay in Charleston! The location is close to shopping, the Greenway for walking, and other tourist attractions. Everything we needed for a lovely vacation was included with a few extras to further our enjoyment. Our hosts were very attentive and available if needed. We highly recommend this hidden gem!
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Vicki M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We really enjoyed our stay here. It's a beautiful place. The cookies left for us were a great touch...... And very good. We had everything we needed. I would definitely recommend this to others.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Joe M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was great! Extremely clean, everything you need for your stay is there. The owners are very hospitable. The cottage was very comfortable, we loved how the high ceiling made it feel even more spacious. We cannot recommend this cottage enough. Thank you again for great place to stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was SO clean! We enjoyed the fresh baked cookies, wine & Kurig coffee pods & creamers! The backyard is beautiful & quiet.
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amber J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This property was perfect! It is the cutest little cottage. The owners have taken care to ensure every detail was well thought out. The cottage was absolutely immaculate, cozy, and had everything we needed. So much better than a hotel room, and we loved how tucked away and private it was. It's a quick and easy drive to downtown Charleston too. Margie and Sydney are perfect hosts; very easy to communicate with, quick to respond, and they even had delicious fresh baked cookies waiting on us! We will definitely be staying here again in the future!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Denise S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very clean well decorated and was cozy and peaceful ! Was in middle of all different routes to get to and fro. Very welcoming too!
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gloria M.

The hosts were very welcoming and accommodating.I had an initial stay and enjoyed it so much I rescheduled a second stay in buying a house in the area. Also, I extended my stay due to the delay in the closing. Margie and Sydney made it a wonderful stay. The place is what we call "Hilda clean" in my family (a reerence to my Mother). It is centrally located in West Ashley for restaurants, food shopping
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

AMy H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Room was cute and comfortable.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Margie is a wonderful host and the property is impeccable! The backyard cottage was an exceptional retreat for my visit to Charleston.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Britteny H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was clean with neat amenities. I was greeted with fresh baked cookies and a card for my birthday! It was a beautiful place and made me feel at home.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jimmy B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We were very impressed with this back yard paradise very clean and quite just what we were looking for.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jonathon A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was one of the best places we have stayed aince we started doing vacation rentals. Me an my wife just loved it. Clean, easy access to everything, wonderful host. Will definitely be our first option when we return to Charleston.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shawn K.

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

Weekend in Charleston

The property & hosts were absolutely amazing! The hosts thought of everything to make our stay wonderful, from homemade cookies & a bottle of wine to luggage racks & toiletries. We would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Davis L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
My stay at this clean and quaint backyard cottage was great! Margie was a gracious host and met all of our needs. The location is great if you are looking to stay close to downtown Charleston but not directly in the city as it’s just a short drive away. Would highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Alexandra E.

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

Nice stay!

We stayed here on our road trip honeymoon. It was a wonderful location that allowed us to easily go to Folly Beach and downtown Charleston. The hosts were great communicators and the space was lovely.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lauryn G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Absolutely the best choice to stay if you’re visiting Charleston. Not only are Margie and Sidney AMAZING hosts, but the cottage is so central to everything - only walking distance or short uber rides (bc parking around Charleston is a challenge) away. Love doesn’t even cover it. So grateful for them and their hospitality!!!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gloria M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Margie and Sydney were welcoming and accommodating.I tried to get the property when in Charleston a year ago and now I know why. I was able to book it twice within the last month and enjoyed my stay. I even extended one stay.The property is private and in a great location. It is close to any things you would need. Shopping, food stores, restaurants, etc.You will not be disappointed staying here. The area is quiet and felt like home. It is "Hilda clean" a reference to my Mother who kept a clean home.I have now purchased a home here, but for anyone inquiring, don't hesitate. Book it and you will have no worries and have a great stay.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kathy W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Quiet peaceful stay in a neighborhood that was close to the airport, grocery stores, restaurants and downtown Charleston. Hospitality was exceptional with homemade cookies and wine waiting for us. Hosts responded to messages in a timely manner. We will definitely choose to stay here if we get back to Charleston.
Cosey quiet getaway!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Karen M.

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

Garden Cottage

Beautiful accommodations and attentive host!!Highly recommend this Tinee house for anyone interested in a relaxing home away from home!!This was a return trip for us and we plan further visits in the future.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jack S.

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

Awesome spot for our honeymoon.

My newly wedded wife and I loved our stay. The property itself was beautiful and the neighborhood felt very safe. Plenty of places to eat and hang out in the surrounding area. Will be recommending to friends and family in the future!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Peaceful Cottage

The backyard cottage was such a peaceful and relaxing place to stay during our visit to Charleston. The garden was beautiful and the cottage was so clean. The host is so thoughtful with all of the special little touches that made our stay wonderful.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

About the host

Hosted by Sidney & Margie Dudley

Host profile image
We’re both proud to call the Lowcountry home and have been married for 43 wonderful years.

In 2019, after Sidney experienced a massive stroke and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, we made the decision to step away from our welding and fabrication business of over 30 years and begin a new chapter.

When we found this property, the cottage was just a shell and the grounds were overgrown—but we saw the potential. Over the years, with a lot of hard work, love, and vision, it has become what it is today.

We enjoy a simple life—time outdoors, bike rides from our backyard, and appreciating all that the Lowcountry has to offer. Sidney especially loves the swamplands, and I find peace at the beach or working in the yard.

Sharing this cottage has become something truly meaningful to us. We’ve put great care into creating a space that feels welcoming, peaceful, and comfortable for every guest.

We’re grateful to be able to open it up to others and hope you’ll feel right at home during your stay.

Why they chose this property

We chose West Ashley because it offers the best of both worlds—peaceful, local charm with easy access to everything Charleston has to offer.

Our neighborhood is vibrant and welcoming, with a mix of young families, longtime locals, and neighbors out walking or biking throughout the day. Just a five-minute walk from the cottage, the West Ashley Greenway (a beautiful 10.5-mile trail) is perfect for a morning stroll, run, or bike ride.

You’ll also find several local favorites nearby, including Whole Foods, Starbucks, The Glass Onion, and Swig & Swine—all within walking distance. A short bike ride or quick drive brings you to Avondale, known for its great restaurants, coffee spots, and relaxed nightlife.

What we love most is that while the cottage feels tucked away and quiet, you’re only minutes from historic downtown Charleston, the beaches, and the airport.

It’s a location that makes it easy to relax, explore, and truly enjoy your time here.

What makes this property unique

What sets our cottage apart is the level of care and consistency behind every stay.

For five consecutive years, guests have rated us 10/10—not by chance, but because we focus on the details that truly matter. Cleanliness is our top priority, and each guest arrives to a space that is spotless, thoughtfully prepared, and ready to enjoy.

This isn’t a high-volume rental. I personally clean and prepare the cottage after every stay, taking the time to ensure it feels fresh, comfortable, and welcoming—every single time.

Guests often mention the little touches that make their stay special, like fresh baked cookies, a bottle of wine, and chilled water waiting on arrival. It’s our way of making you feel at home from the moment you walk in.

The cottage itself is quiet, private, and tucked into a peaceful garden setting—yet just minutes from everything Charleston has to offer.

If you’re looking for a place that is not only beautiful, but consistently well cared for, this is it.

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