Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown
Perch on a stool at the breakfast bar under airy vaulted pine ceilings in this bright, cozy studio home. This modern backyard cottage is tucked away in a private setting, yet steps away from everything this hip neighborhood has to offer. Custom designed and hand-built by the hosts, this backyard cottage is a sanctuary in the city. After a day of exploring nearby beaches, beautiful parks, kayaking the sound or eating your way through the Farmer’s Market, come home and unwind on the private deck. Free street parking!
A short walk to lots of restaurants, coffee shops, Whole Foods & Trader Joe’s.
This custom-built studio cottage is tucked away in a private setting. The 400 sq. ft. craftsman style space is thoughtfully designed to incorporate natural daylight through large windows and high pine wood cathedral ceilings. The tasteful, modern craftsman interior creates a cozy home away from home and offers all you need for an overnight or an extended stay.
Your fully equipped kitchen offers quartz countertops, a sink with Grohe faucet, petite 4-burner stove with oven, refrigerator, freezer, microwave, Nespresso coffee maker, and everything you need to prepare meals, if you prefer to eat in. You'll sleep comfortably in the comfortable king sized bed with and enjoy a full bathroom with a tiled shower/tub. A CB2 Flex Full-size Sleeper Sofa (rated best sleeper sofa by Apartment Therapy) can accommodate another guest.
Your cottage is set back from the street in our private backyard, atop our garage (not parked in, and rarely opened), surrounded by trees and a greenbelt behind our house. It is designed to be eco-friendly with SIP panels, LED lighting, heat pump water heater and radiant floor heating. Serene, healthy, and beautiful - and close to everything! It's perfect for out of town guests, vacationers, a staycation, or business travelers.
You have the benefit of a completely private space above our detached garage with full 24-hour access, free street parking, and a private entrance. There are 12 stairs from the driveway to the cottage, which is a second story unit. Fresh sheets and towels are provided for longer visits, upon request.
Privacy is all yours, though we're happy to help you with navigate our neighborhood and Seattle, and provide recommendations if desired.
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The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Strip any used beds
Remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights
Please open the two window facing the main house, and turn on the air filter
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
No guests on the property who are not named in the reservation.
No parties or events of any kind on the property.
No smoking or vaping on the property (not 420 friendly).
Important information
You need to know
Property Registration Number STR-OPLI-19-001753
Property # 3277172vb
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 and a deadlock
About the area
Seattle
Located near the beach, this cottage is in West Seattle, a neighbourhood in Seattle. WaMu Theater and Seattle Center are cultural highlights, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit Pike Place Market and Westfield Southcenter Mall. Check out an event or a game at T-Mobile Park, and consider making time for Woodland Park Zoo, a top attraction not to be missed. Take the opportunity to explore the area for water adventures such as kayaking and other activities like golfing.
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center - 6 min drive - 2.4 km
Getting around
SoDo Station - 8 min drive
King Street Station - 16 min drive
Seattle, WA (BFI-Boeing Field) - 17 min drive
Restaurants
West Seattle Bowl - 12 min walk
Upwell Wine & Coffee - 9 min walk
The Void - 6 min walk
Chipotle Mexican Grill - 11 min walk
Matador West Seattle - 13 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown?
As of 19 Sept 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown on 5 Oct 2026 start from AU$549, 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 Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown?
This property doesn't offer parking.
What time is check-in at Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Backyard Cottage Retreat, walk to restaurants—close to beach, and downtown located?
Located in West Seattle, this cottage is within 3 miles (5 km) of Lincoln Park, Alki Beach and Alki Beach Park. T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Sarah and Mark were so accommodating for my family and promptly answered any questions I had. My mom and sister LOVED the place! It was cute and in a perfect location! So grateful for Sarah and Mark! They were wonderful hosts :)
Lovely neighborhood, easy walking distance to a variety of places to shop. Quiet, pleasant, restful, which was exactly what I was looking for. Thank-you.
This was hands down the most clean, organized, convenient, cozy and STUNNING stay we’ve ever experienced. Sure hope we’re able to stay here again someday. 6 stars!
Well cared for property with responsive host. Walkable neighborhood in proximity to many things to do. This was exactly what I was looking for, I couldn’t be happier with my stay.
We booked this cottage for a friend and colleague and it was just perfect. The hosts were lovely and he very much enjoyed both inside and the beautiful garden and birds in the morning. Thank you!
It's a lovely, quiet, private, cozy space. Well equipped with all I needed for a visit to family who live nearby. Nice Nespresso coffee maker, comfy bed, lots of natural light. I would liken it to a boutique hotel suite. Communication from Sarah was warm and timely. Easy check in and check out. Neighborhood is walkable with lotd of restaurants, coffee shops, and unique lical shops, plus quick drive (or longish walk) to Lincoln Park's lovely woods and waterfront. Highly recommend.
We loved the open airy high ceilings feel of Sarah's VRBO. But even more importantly the bed and linens were very comfortable and I have stayed in a lot of places where that is not true. It's things like that that make me want to come back. And the TV was easy to figure out for a TV challenged person like me .Very quiet, easy parking. Will stay again..
The exceptional over garage apartment was close to family and shopping in the Junction. Very clean and comfortable. Check- in was easy with instructions from hosts on day of arrival ( even when flight plans are delayed) by email. Hosts are very friendly, helpful and super nice people.
E&J from VA
Lovely comfortable cottage but needs a few changes. A coffee pot that most people know how to use. Extra kitchen and bathroom towels for guests. Other then that great stay.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Sept 2024
Elizabeth, it was a pleasure to host you and your sister. I’m sorry you didn’t know how to use the Nespresso machine. I would’ve been happy to help you. It makes excellent coffee. We also had a traditional drip coffee maker I could have brought up had I known that you didn’t prefer Nespresso. We are always happy to provide additional linens, like towels, next time please let us know if you need anything at all.
Terrific little studio apartment above a garage with separate entrance. Seemingly all brand new or recently renovated - bonus is the gorgeous lofted ceiling. Quiet location with plenty of on-street parking. Hosts could not have been more helpful. Be aware that the unit is heated with radiant-floor heat (we added a space heater from our son's place as an abundance of caution, but might not have needed it), and there is a tiny oven with 4-burner stove. No dishwasher. Plenty nice if you just want breakfast/lunch there.
This West Seattle location is perfect for a 10 minute walk to the Junction - tons of shops and restaurants. The room was super comfortable and quiet. Sarah was very easy to work with and a great host! We would definitely recommend this great spot.
Very nice place to land after spending busy days out. Quiet, great neighborhood, clean, really nice sheets, comfy bed, nice bathrobes, big windows with a lot of natural light which was nice. Not a lot of privacy though, as houses in W. Seattle are close together. No privacy shade, only black out curtains, so neighbors and host could look into the windows. Low water pressure in shower, and a fan in the main living area that you can't turn off that hums pretty loud. There's a white noise machine, but if you are sensitive to sound, you may want to think twice. Street parking was easy, it was a little weird that the listing made a big deal about off street/garage parking, and then check in instructions say to park on the street. I initially booked for off street parking, but since it's a residential street, there is plenty and the street seems safe.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
chris m.
1 Jan 2026
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2025
About the host
Your host
We are eager to welcome you to our cottage and enjoy the benefits of meeting new people from near and far. We are Washington natives and college sweethearts, who have lived and traveled internationally--pushing 40 countries! Now, we reside in Seattle, working to better our world through an international child-focused relief organization, and engineering for improved energy efficiency of our natural resources. Our four children were both born to us and adopted from Ethiopia--they are a tremendous privilege to parent! We hope you will join us soon for an overnight stay or longer!
Why they chose this property
Come back to the most relaxing cottage after roaming the city or hiking nearby mountains. Your cottage is very close to hotspots like West Seattle’s own Alki Beach, a sandy Puget Sound beach with a walking/bike path, paddle boarding, canoes, and numerous eateries and coffeehouses, or beautifully wooded Lincoln Park with walking trails and huge native trees. Or zip downtown Seattle (10-15 minutes by car, 20 minutes by bus) to the take in the Waterfront, Pike Place Market, retail shopping, music venues, Seattle Center and the Space Needle, Washington State Convention Center, Starbucks headquarters, Seattle Art Museum and Pioneer Square art galleries, Safeco Field (baseball), CenturyLink Field (football), or a Washington State Ferry and much more.
The airport is <20 Minutes from the cottage by car. Light rail is also available to and from SeaTac airport with one bus transfer. We have plenty of free street parking on our street for a vehicle or rental car.
What makes this property unique
West Seattle is a sought-after neighborhood that is perfect for foodies, shoppers, families, adventurers, outdoor lovers and those visiting the city and the great Pacific Northwest--and only a 10-15 minute drive from downtown! Visit famous Alki Beach & take a walk along Lincoln Park. Walk to one of our many locally owned coffee shops, or pick up some fresh flowers or artisan made goodies on Sundays at the local Farmer's Market. Enjoy one of our many delicious restaurants. The cottage is so walkable!
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests