South Lake Avenue District, a neighbourhood in Pasadena, is home to this guesthouse. Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl are cultural highlights, and some of the area's popular attractions include Griffith Observatory and Warner Brothers Studio. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Rose Bowl Stadium or Dodger Stadium. Relax and indulge in the area's health/beauty spas, or seek out an adventure with hiking nearby.
California Institute of Technology - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Pasadena Playhouse - 4 min drive - 2.3 km
Pasadena Convention Center - 4 min drive - 3.0 km
Pasadena City Hall - 5 min drive - 3.4 km
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens - 10 min drive - 4.1 km
Getting around
Pasadena Station - 3 min drive
Fillmore Station - 3 min drive
Burbank, CA (BUR-Hollywood Burbank) - 29 min drive
Restaurants
Mendocino Farms - 13 min walk
Panda Express - 13 min walk
Cava - 10 min walk
Chipotle Mexican Grill - 13 min walk
Peet's Coffee - 5 min walk
About this property
Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books
Five minutes' stroll from the many shops and restaurants on Lake Ave, yet nestled in a safe, quiet, and leafy residential neighborhood, we are ideally placed for Cal Tech (7 minutes' walk), the annual Rose Parade (20 mins), or NASA's JPL (20 min drive). This tastefully furnished garden property is filled with everything you need to enjoy a relaxing vacation, fun-filled birding day, or a productive business trip to beautiful Pasadena. Our guest house is a welcoming, spacious self-contained flat with private access and off-road parking set to the side and rear of the main house. It comprises a living room leading into the bedroom (no dividing door), kitchen, and 3/4 bathroom. Your hosts personally deep-clean all areas between stays so you can rest assured that everything will be sparkling. The cozy living room is a lovely place to relax. It has a bed-settee (usually set up as a settee, but please say if you wish to use as a bed *NOTE: suitable for a child or small adult only*), two comfy armchairs, a window-mounted air conditioning unit, central heating, TV (Netflix and Amazon Prime included), and a piano (should you be feeling musical!) Hundreds of books line the walls, please feel free to browse and dip in to a volume or two during your stay. The bedroom also has a piano (not currently tuned), a walk-in closet and plenty of useful drawer space. Here the double bed is permanently made up for you, with a memory foam-topped mattress and freshly ironed bedding. The large kitchen overlooks the back garden, and is fully equipped with a gas oven, four burner gas range, microwave, full-size fridge/freezer, kettle, Keurig coffee maker, table, chairs, and full kitchenware. A small, private patio area to the rear of the property makes an ideal spot to unwind in the evenings whilst enjoying the birds and butterflies in our native plant garden. WiFi is included, and guests are welcome to use the washing machine and dryer outside the main house by arrangement.
NB: We have two medium-sized dogs who like to sit in the garden during the day, but they never enter the guest house or back patio.
House Rules
Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children
Children allowed: ages 3–17
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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:
Remove personal items
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Turn off heating/air conditioner.
Message hosts to inform them that you have checked out.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Absolutely no smoking or drug use of any kind is permitted anywhere in the guest house, garden, patio or driveway.
Extra guests are not allowed.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 1755245vb
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
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit and a deadbolt lock
Frequently asked questions
Is Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books?
As of 10 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books on 13 Nov 2026 start from AU$278, 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 Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books located?
Located in South Lake Avenue District, this guesthouse is within 1 mile (2 km) of California Institute of Technology and Pasadena Playhouse. Pasadena Convention Center and The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens are also within 2 miles (3 km). Fillmore Station is 24 minutes by foot and Del Mar Station is 30 minutes.
Pasadena - Birds, Butterflies and Books Reviews
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Very nice accommodations. The library and piano were a special treat! Accurate description, and probably the best equipped property we've stayed at. Great hosts; Looking forward to returning!
Worked perfectly for spending time with family in the area.
Great location, walkable to many restaurants and activities.
The cottage was well maintained and very cozy.
We enjoyed our stay and hope to return in the future.
Very nice guest house in a lovely garden, and walking distance to a lot of places to get food. We wish we had more time to enjoy everything it had to offer, there's a huge library throughout it.
We stayed for almost 2 weeks (my husband & me—our teen son stayed for one week with us) and the cottage was perfect for us while we were visiting colleagues at Caltech. Close to everything, quiet, well-equipped kitchen, allll the books(!)—just a fantastic experience. Next time we visit we’d love to stay here again!
Communication great from inquiry throughout the process.
The property is in a quiet area of Pasadena with anything you need within walking distance.
The property provides all the amenities one needs, clean, quiet. A great place to recharge.
We very much enjoyed our stay.
I stayed at this lovely house over a long weekend for an event at the Pasadena Convention Center. I did not have car, so walked everywhere. Such a great location and a beautiful and quiet neighborhood to walk around. The house was perfect for me....cosy and plenty of space. They were even able to accommodate my early arrival so I didn't have to walk around for several hours with my luggage. I would definitely stay again.
The place was a cozy guest house that made it feel like you could stay longer. The kitchen was a nice space and the bathroom was a good size with a shower stall. The owners were extremely accommodating and even offered additional amenities that was unexpected. The neighborhood was great to walk around through and there are a couple breakfast places about a 5 minute walk away. I would be glad to return here again.
Quiet, great location and hosts, a bibliophile's paradise
A great location within 10 minutes of everything in Pasadena and South Pasadena: Clean, cosy, a kitchen for coffee lovers and cooks; impressive floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with English, Scottish and world travel books and literature... so much fun to browse through. A sweet garden and table/ chairs outside the kitchen door for morning breakfast or afternoon glass of wine. Laura and Calvin are gracious hosts. I felt welcome and at home!
It was the perfect spot for our family meet-up. The location is quiet but centrally located. Enjoyed walking the neighborhood. The kitchen is fully equipped, clean, and convenient to cook in. Loved watching the birds morning bird bath antics. Thanks a bunch!
This rental was everything it was advertised to be and much more. Very clean and quiet and the neighborhood was just lovely. Thank you so much, Laura and Gavin!
My husband and I (grandparents, visiting our son's family) spent a week here and this place was perfect for us. Our adult daughter was with us a few of those days and slept on a comfortable foam mat on the livingroom floor. The livingroom is pretty small--not a problem for us since we were out all day.
Everything was very clean and welcoming, including the extra touch of a bouquet of fresh flowers in the living room and milk in the refrigerator. The kitchen is very well supplied with everything you could possibly need. Gavin and Laura were friendly, helpful and even graciously offered to refund for one night when the hot water didn't work--a problem that was quickly resolved. We enjoyed getting to meet them.
The neighborhood is very quiet. We enjoyed walking in the early morning through streets with lovely homes and gardens and tall trees over-arching the streets. We would definitely recommend this home, and would stay here again if the opportunity arises.
The guest house was a restful retreat after a long drive. I was welcomed with a bottle of wine and fresh cream for my morning coffee! The furniture was comfortable & the air conditioner / fan combination kept the house cool. The library drew me in and was a pleasure to explore. The garden of native fauna attracted a variety of birds and butterflies. It was the perfect backdrop to enjoying an outdoor snack. The guest house is in a great location & is very private. Laura and Gavin were easily reached by phone for anything one might need. I would definately stay again.
I stayed here while doing research at the Huntington Library, and it was a perfectly quiet, comfortable place to stay. Gavin was very quick to communicate!