Historic West Marin Schoolhouse.

Photo gallery for Historic West Marin Schoolhouse.

North-facing wall of living room with two couches, stereo system, bookshelves
A dining area with a round table and chairs, a staircase, and a view of the outdoors through large glass doors.
A wooden interior with a kitchen area, a dining table, and a bench.
A wooden-paneled dining room with a large round table and chairs, a chandelier, and a view of the outdoors.
A wooden staircase with a handrail, leading to a second floor.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.

Popular amenities

  • Balcony or patio
  • Dog-friendly
  • Barbecue
  • Internet access
  • Refrigerator
  • Washing machine

Explore the area

View map
Valley Ford, CA
  • Place, Potter Schoolhouse
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Place, Dillon Beach
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Place, Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Airport, Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County)
    ‪44 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

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

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Valley Ford

Located in Valley Ford, this holiday home is in a rural area and by the sea. Potter Schoolhouse and Children's Bell Tower are local landmarks, and travellers looking to shop may want to visit The Barlow and Heart's Desire Beach. Wild Flour Organic Gardens and Luther Burbank's Experiment Farm are also worth visiting. Jet skiing and kayaking offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and mountain biking nearby.
View more Holiday homes in Valley FordOpens in a new window
Map
Valley Ford, CA

What's nearby

  • Tomales Town Hall - 11 min drive - 13.9 km
  • Potter Schoolhouse - 11 min drive - 13.2 km
  • Dillon Beach - 11 min drive - 11.7 km
  • Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary - 12 min drive - 13.2 km
  • Bodega Harbour - 17 min drive - 20.6 km

Getting around

  • Santa Rosa Station - 38 min drive
  • Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County) - 37 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Tides Wharf Restaurant & Bar - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Fishetarian Fish Market - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Boat House - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Rocker Oysterfeller’s at the Wharf - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Birds Cafe - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic West Marin Schoolhouse. pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total).

How much does it cost to stay at Historic West Marin Schoolhouse.?

As of 7 Nov 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Historic West Marin Schoolhouse. on 25 Apr 2027 start from AU$1,083, 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 Historic West Marin Schoolhouse.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Historic West Marin Schoolhouse.?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic West Marin Schoolhouse.?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Historic West Marin Schoolhouse. located?

Situated by the sea, this holiday home is within 6 miles (10 km) of Dillon Beach, Potter Schoolhouse and Tomales City Park. Wild Flour Organic Gardens and Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary are also within 9 miles (15 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. 13 out of 17 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 17 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 17 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 17 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 17 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This is a wonderful spot. The house is clean and filled with character. I appreciated the interesting selection of books. The property is quiet and the stars on a clear night are beautiful. The host left detailed instructions for the sometimes quirky old appliances and was very available for any issues while still respecting our privacy. I couldn’t be happier with this stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very unique and interesting. Well stocked kitchen. We enjoyed our stay. Close to Bodega Bay and the restaurants in Valley Ford were good.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very delightful house

We enjoyed the peaceful location and the charming property. You can feel the care that has been put into creating the environment.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 14 July 2025
Hi Gordon. I'm glad you seemed to enjoy your stay at the Estero Schoolhouse. Please come back again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just book it. No other place like it.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great getaway! A bit more pricy than most though. We loved the solarium. We spent more time in there talking than anywhere!! For a little lesser price I I would definitely go back!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
My husband, dogs, and I escaped to the Schoolhouse over 4th of July weekend to get away from the fireworks at home. We could not have asked for more in terms of peace and quiet. We are architectural historians by profession, so getting to stay in a historic school house was a treat, too, inspiring lots of discussion about its history, alterations, and preservation. It was very comfortable and cozy. There were some cobwebs and weeds, but it is the countryside, and we had no concerns about the cleanliness of important things like beds, kitchen, bath. We really enjoyed the solarium, too, which was nice and warm on inevitably foggy summer days. There were other guests in the studio unit while we were there, but the separation/privacy was adequate and we still felt like we had the place to ourselves. There are a number of lovely beaches nearby, plus the cheese shop, which made for nice short outings in between relaxing.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
It is a beautiful little house on a very pretty and extremely quiet but very rural property. It is really waaaay out in the countryside. However the countryside is very pretty. I especially liked the visits from various wildlife...a mother and baby deer, and a mother and her (several babies) wild turkeys, some rabbits.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Sept 2025
Merrill and friend were great guests. I'm glad they enjoyed the schoolhouse. About being "way" out there, I bought this property 15 years ago because it is so full of beauty and wildlife, but only one hour from the GG Bridge, so close to beautiful Dillon Beach yet three miles inland, just outside the coastal fog line.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This place is full of personality. It was a delight to find all sorts of hidden gems (so many stained glass windows leading to who knows where! A cool old stove! A backyard with in-ground tubs for who knows what!) and look outside to see the beautiful countryside. There were tons of books to read, records to listen to, and games with all of their pieces. It’s 12 minutes to Dillon Beach and 3 minutes to the general store. But it also feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere. The house was cozy at night and stayed cool during the day. It was difficult to get the interior light enough in the evening—the light bulbs weren’t super bright and some were burnt out, but we made it work. The house was super clean when we arrived and all the information was up to date in the welcome emails. My husband really wanted to know how to turn on the chandelier and texted the owner and received a prompt text back. All good things. It was a super fun and quirky place to spend a couple of nights!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Estero School House

Our first time at the School House. Fell in love with the place upon first opening the front door. Really warm and comfortable and the in tune piano is a plus! We found the location perfect as a base to check out the area (from Olema up to Jenner) Found a couple of great places for food and drinks nearby and the kitchen made it easy to stay in and eat at 'home' on two nights of our 4 night stay. All in all... a place we hope to return to. Mike and Cindy
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Unique and inspiring !

We loved our stay at the schoolhouse - its a lovely property with history and character. Located in a very peaceful setting, yet not far from other coastal attractions. amazing library of books and videos. inspiring artifacts of videography equipment spanning several decades. furnishings/decorations from various corners of the world where the owner travelled. lovely fruit trees in the yard, many varieties of birds visiting too. There's a lovely studio cottage in the backyard that's available for renting and we plan to try that sometime when we're a smaller group. its an inspiring place to go stay in, unwind, and get your creative juices flowing! would go there again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Aug 2021
Although our studio sees many VRBO guests, Siddharth was the first VRBO guest in the Estero Schoolhouse. So glad to have guests who appreciate this special place.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A terrific stay.

The schoolhouse is a very special place full of character. If you love historic and "rustic" places this is a place you must try! It is very comfortable and certainly charming too. The kitchen features a vintage gas stove which is good for light cooking. The beds are extremely comfortable and the bedrooms are nice. There is a wonderful baby grand piano in the living room and a terrific collection of vintage LP's. The two bathroom showers are a bit funky but the water pressure is very good and in time we got accustomed to the showers. The place is totally private. It is mostly extremely quiet, and the occasional wild turkey clucks are a treat. Valley Ford is also a very nice little stop with a grocery store, cheese shop and a couple of restaurants. Down the road is Bodega Bay Oyster Company. We found the Schoolhouse a terrific place to stay and we expect to return.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 8 May 2023
It was a total pleasure to host Ken and company for the last week of May. So glad to hear how he enjoyed the special qualities of this historic schoolhouse, it's location and it's abundant wildlife. I'm still mystified why our studio rents 4 times as often as the schoolhouse itself. Prospective VRBO guests will hopefully take note. Please come back again Ken.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

A Hidden Gem with History, Warmth, and Room to Roam

If you love history, character, and a peaceful setting, this place is a gem.I brought my husband and our two teenagers for spring break, and there was plenty of space for all of us to spread out and enjoy each other’s company. The common areas are spacious and cozy, and the windows open up to a beautiful view of the meadow.We loved the vintage touches—the old stove, the grand piano, and the enamel fireplace heater. Stephen was a kind, friendly host and a great communicator, which made the whole experience smooth. We enjoyed our stay so much we ended up booking an extra night.As with many countryside homes, you may spot a few spiders—it’s just part of the setting. The house is clean and well-kept, with a lived-in charm that gives it real soul. If you’re someone who appreciates character and a slower pace, this place has a lot to offer.The location is excellent—close to Dillon’s Beach (dog friendly!), with a small market and restaurants nearby.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Interesting house

The house itself was super cool. You could see the history and the quirkiness. I loved that the owner had personal things in the display cabinet that allowed you to learn a few things about him. Very interesting. I would like to say that the beds are so not ideal. The upstairs bed is very soft and you sink to the middle. The two beds downstairs are so hard and uncomfortable. In fact, the bed in the common area isn’t a bed at all. It’s like sleeping directly on a piece of plywood. In the pictures it shows a futon in the loft but now there is a black couch so keep in mind there are not four beds to sleep on. The only other disappointment was there wasn’t an actual coffee maker. There is however a carafe to make coffee if you have the time. We had a great time and loved the house and the property. The wild turkeys and deer were such a pleasant sight in the morning.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Oct 2021
Hi Dawn, I'm glad you enjoyed the house and surroundings. I'll take your recommendation on updating the mattresses, and adding a conventional coffee maker. We offer drip and french press coffee makers which most people seem to prefer. And we will continue to provide the coffee, the grinder, the animals and the trees. all best. Stephen
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Looking forward to coming back

Stephen’s house is filled with rich artifacts from around the world and has a charm that comes from the transformation of a one-room schoolhouse into a country retreat. And our host was gracious in helping us with any questions we had during our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Great get away

Wonderful location and great atmosphere. House seems remote, which is what we wanted, but is very close to a nice market and wonderful restaurants.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022
Verified review

8/10 Good

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 30 July 2025
Thanks Zaid, for this five star review. I’m glad you enjoyed your stay at the Estero studio.
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