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Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center

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Living area
Private kitchen
Private kitchen
Living area
Room

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 7

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space
  • Parking available

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

Bedroom 2

1 Double Futon

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Futon

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center

Welcome to our cozy cottage incredibly close to all you might want in downtown Boise while situated in a quiet neighborhood and comfortable enough to make you feel like you never want to leave. In fact, you can walk to BSU, downtown, the capital, Morrison Center, Boise River, Anne Frank Memorial, museums, restaurants,the Greenbelt and more. Leave your vehicle behind and walk, scooter or Uber easily around town. If are arriving by air, the airport is a short 5 – 7 minute drive from the cottage. Winter skiing at Bogus Basin is only 45 minutes away and a visit to and from the mountain resort town of McCall is well within a day’s drive. If you are performing at the Morrison Center, this home is perfectly situated for you!

Originally build in 1947, our place has been completely remodeled including the beautifully horticulturalist designed and maintained landscaping and large yard. Our three bedroom, two bathroom home can comfortably sleep 6 (or 7 if someone is up for the couch). All bedding and towels are brand new with luxurious comfort in mind. In fact, we completely remodeled the home specifically to place it on the short term rental market so the majority of the furnishings are brand new, as well.

We are passionate about cooking so our recently remodeled kitchen is well appointed and even has spices and seasonings to get you started. The kitchen has a Keurig coffee maker and we provide some coffee to get you going. If you prefer to cook outside, the cottage also has a BBQ on its charming backyard patio. The house has two refrigerators and a small wine refrigerator so you will not run out of room and has both heading and air-conditioning. The house also has a washer and dryer and we include the detergent for your convenience.

Once at the house, we have restaurant menus and literature to help you plan your stay. A supermarket, Starbucks and several restaurants are very close by adding to the convenience of our location. Further, we are located nearby and are always at your service for recommendations or assistance.

When you travel, it can be difficult to find a home away from home that feels cozy and clean while affordable and convenient. Our cottage is all of that and more. Please call us and/or schedule your visit with us today. You will not be disappointed.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 11:00 AM

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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings and birthday parties

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Pets

No pets allowed

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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property # 1472349vb
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
Parties and events (including family gatherings and birthday parties) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 20
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 and a deadlock

About the area

Boise

Located in Boise Bench, a neighbourhood in Boise, this holiday home is near a water park. Eighth Street Marketplace and Belgravia Building are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Kathryn Albertson Park and Fort Boise-Military Reserve Park. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts and Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame are also worth visiting. Kayaking and rafting offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and cycling nearby.
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Map
Boise, ID

What's nearby

  • Boise State University - 1 min drive - 0.4 km
  • Boise Depot - 2 min drive - 1.1 km
  • Ann Morrison Park - 2 min drive - 1.1 km
  • Morrison Center for the Performing Arts - 3 min drive - 1.8 km
  • Zoo Boise - 3 min drive - 1.8 km

Getting around

  • Boise Station - 4 min drive
  • Boise Airport (BOI) - 6 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Here's How Public House - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Albertsons Library - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬5 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center?

As of 15 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center on 23 Jan 2027 start from AU$238, 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 Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Writer's Cottage by Historic Depot, BSU, Downtown & Morrison Center located?

Located in Boise Bench, this holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Boise Depot and Boise State University. Ann Morrison Park and Encore Skyline Dog Park are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Reviews

9.6

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. 68 out of 79 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 79 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 79 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 79 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 79 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Karen H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
House was clean, owners were friendly and accessible, everything was good. Thank you so much!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

April O.

Liked: Check-in, communication
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
The host was kind and communicative.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Vhonda M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great neighborhood and area. Comfortable and was perfect for what we needed.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Noah D.

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

Awesome stay!

We greatly enjoyed our stay here.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steve M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The writer's cottage is well stocked and had everything you need for a stay. Super convenient location - only 8 min to the airport.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tashia Q.

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

Amazing location

Home was very comfortable with a quiet neighborhood! The location couldn’t be better for downtown activities and a close proximity to airport makes arrival and departure less stressful!!! Would definitely book again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily D.

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

Great home away from home!

My family and I really enjoyed staying at this beautiful home. The location was great and an enjoyable walk to downtown Boise. The beds were super comfortable too. We’d stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Apr 2020
Thanks so much, Emily. We very much appreciate your kind review and enjoyed having your family stay with us. Hope to have you back one day soon. Warmly, Carol and Leland
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tanya S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
HIGHLY RECOMMEND. The house was more than I expected. There was plenty of room for the 4 of us to spread out and have our own space. The kitchen was fully stocked with everything we needed to cook. The whole house was VERY clean. The neighborhood was very safe and it was located near everything we needed.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Beau B.

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

Boise trip

Rooms were very nice and all of the amenities were very useful. Overall a very good experience
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Mar 2025
Thank you Beau We hope you enjoyed your stay. Thank you so much and we hope next time you are in Boise you let us host you again. Thanks, Carol & Leland
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jacque A.

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

Great , homey place

We all very much enjoyed our stay. So close to everything we needed! Clean and cozy!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Travis W.

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

Lovely time a the writers cottage.

We had a great time at the writers cottage!!
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rodney K.

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

Mountain West Championship Game

Stayed here with my wife for the Boise State Game. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Cozy cottage in a quiet neighborhood that is close to all you need. Would stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Dec 2024
Thank you Rodney, we are glad you enjoyed your stay and would be happy to host you again. That was a great game. Hopefully your son will be all healed up for next season. Looking forward to the bowl game and the national championship!! Thanks Carol & Leland
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Karolee S.

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

Will keep this cottage in my places to stay

Excellent
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
No issues with the rental.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

suzanne S.

Nice and quiet home

We appreciated the quiet place to stay and room to move around. The beds were very comfortable. Our host was very accommodating to our needs. Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Apr 2020
Thank you so much for your review and for choosing our cottage. It was great to have you and I hope you will consider staying with us again when you are next in Boise. Happy Spring! :)
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Zac W.

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

Thanks

Quick overnight stay, needed a bed to sleep in and this was a great fit.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Oct 2024
Thank you Zac for staying at our cottage. We are so glad you enjoyed the stay and were kind enough to give a review. We do hope that next time you are visiting you will let us host you again. Thank you! Carol & Leland
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brenda D.

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

Nice place

What we were expecting. Clean and quiet.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Debbie f.

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

Cute house, convenient location.

House and location worked great for us. Water pressure in the shower was the only negative.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 14 June 2021
Hello Debbie, Thank you for letting us know about the water pressure. We will look into the matter and make sure nothing is wrong for the next guests. Glad all worked great otherwise and wish we had had the chance to fix this for you while you were here. Many thanks, Carol and Leland
Verified

8/10 Good

Mary Lynn S.

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

Wedding Stay

The inside was very clean tho the yard and patio appeared to need some work yet. The back screen door needs a new latch. It was a very enjoyable stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 21 June 2023
Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. We apologize the yard and patio fell short for your visit. The daily thunderstorms and rain indeed caused the need for a lot of yard work throughout Boise. What a strange year! Also, thank you for the heads up about the screen door latch. We really appreciate hearing this information so we can stay on top of maintenance. We are thrilled your stay was enjoyable! Happy summer!!! :)
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Helen M.

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

Love the Writer's Cottage!

We had a wonderful stay at the Writer's Cottage! Its a charming home located on a quiet street only a few minutes from the airport and downtown Boise. The beds and linens were fabulous -- it felt like we were sleeping on beautiful, puffy cumulus clouds. The back yard is large with plenty of BBQ's and patio furniture. We highly recommend the Writer's Cottage and hope to stay there again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 12 June 2021
Helen, thank you so much for the lovely review. We love the vision you painted and are so glad you were comfortable. We would love to have you back. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Warm regards, Carol and Leland
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Morgan M.

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

Positively Perfect

Amazing. It was a lovely little cottage, homely and cozy. True to its name. Conveniently located, very accommodating, and clean. Worth the price over any nearby hotel. Perfect for hosting a small BBQ get-together or even a night watching TV. Highlynrecommend
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

6/10 Okay

Betty W.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness

Not as clean as it should be

Quaint house-good location however it needs some cleaning . Dirty windows, dirty & worn rugs, dirty patios furniture. Linens & pillows could use a refresh.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jami B.

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

Quaint and Comfortable

This property was stocked with everything we needed in order to have a very comfortable stay. The neighborhood was quiet, central location just a few minutes from downtown but felt like it’s off the beaten path. We couldn’t enjoy the backyard because it was too hot while we were in town but if you enjoy sitting outside you will also love the yard. Also there was amazing loaf of the best French bread waiting for us! I did eat that whole thing. It was an unexpected surprise :) This is a great cozy getaway.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kelly L.

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

This spot was perfect!

Great location and the large backyard, patio and grill setup was perfect for our group of friends to enjoy our weekend. We were in Boise for a motorcycle show/event at the old state penitentiary so we did have a few extra friends come by and the neighbors were accepting and as far as I know did not complain about the bikes. This place had everything we needed and then some! Location is ideal also, grocery store right up the road and anything else you could need within minutes! The house is a great setup and even nicer than the photos show but the backyard (especially this time of year) is what really made the trip for us! Stretch out after the drive and yoga in the grass in mornings! Highly recommended!!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Wayne A.

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

Very gracious host

We were very thankful to work with Leland. It was unfortunate that the air conditioning in the house went out right before we arrived. Leland told us immediately and provided fans in each bedroom (as his AC repairman was not available for a few days). We stayed one night, but it was too warm. Leland was very gracious to refund us so that we could find a place elsewhere with A/C. He was great in his communication with us.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

About the host

Hosted by Leland Barkes

Host profile image

Hi there! Let us introduce ourselves. We are so excited to have you come stay at our beloved cottage. We, ourselves, enjoy the cottage on weekend stays from our home. In fact, Carol uses the cottage as a writer's getaway where she co-authored her best selling book, Success Breakthroughs, with Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul author). Even though we are minutes away, it still feels like a country get away when we are at the cottage. We love how close we are to the Saturday market and enjoying walking down to it to get fresh bread and veggies, etc for our dinners. We love to hike, explore and eat at all the cool new places cropping up around town. Carol is a best selling author, international speaker and former sommelier so she is a great source for wine tips - we have quite a few great wineries in the area and she is happy to point you in the right direction. Leland is a horticulturist and an avid fly-fisherman so if you want tips on where to try your luck, just ask. Finally, we have 4 children and Carol teaches at BSU so we can help you with family/college information, too.

Why they chose this property

Why not this property? Great linens and towels, beautifully appointment, washer and dryer, and location, location, location. We have made our cottage with us, as travelers, in mind. What we want, we put in for you. If you need anything, we are here.

What makes this property unique

We love how cozy our cottage is and we love the location. We also really appreciate the size of our spacious yard complete with open land behind us. It gives us much privacy and peacefulness. We have had deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, hawks, cranes and other wildlife in our neighborhood so while we are so close to the downtown, we still have the influence of nature within our neighborhood. In our backyard, there is a huge, old sycamore tree that houses several squirrels. They are super fun to watch bounce around while enjoying time on the back patio.

Languages:

English

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