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Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay

Photo gallery for Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay

A stone building with a covered porch, a stone fireplace, and a view of a hill.
A stone wall with a potted plant of purple flowers.
A cozy living room with a patterned armchair, a round coffee table, a bookshelf, and a fireplace.
A house with a stone facade, a covered porch, and a lawn.
Two people sitting at a round glass table with a book and a small potted plant.

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area

Highlights

  • On the beach
    A rare beachfront property in the area - enjoy direct access to the beach and sea.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Near Kent Reserve

Popular amenities

  • On beach
  • Barbecue
  • Breakfast for a fee
  • Refrigerator
  • Internet
  • Dryer

Explore the area

View map
Encounter Bay, SA
  • Place, Encounter Bay
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Kent Reserve
    ‪17 min walk‬
  • Place, The Bluff
    ‪5 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Encounter Bay

Located in Encounter Bay, this cottage is on the beach. Kent Reserve and West Island Conservation Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include West Island Encounter Bay Aquatic Reserve and Urimbirra Wildlife Park. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and cycling.
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Map
Encounter Bay, SA

What's nearby

  • beach near The Yilki Common - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Encounter Bay - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Kent Reserve - 17 min walk - 1.4 km
  • beach near Wright Island - 3 min drive - 1.9 km
  • The Bluff - 5 min drive - 2.6 km

Getting around

  • Victor Harbor Station - 6 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Grosvenor Hotel - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪KFC - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Hotel Victor - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Qahwa - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay?

As of 25 Oct 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay on 3 Nov 2026 start from AU$588, 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 beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Historic beachfront cottage, Encounter Bay located?

Nestled on the beach, this Encounter Bay cottage is within a 15-minute walk of Encounter Bay and Kent Reserve. Victor Harbor Heritage Trail: Petrel Cove Trailhead and The Bluff are also within 2 miles (3 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. 25 out of 26 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 26 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 26 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 26 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 26 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a truly wonderful place to stay — somewhere to relax, unwind and genuinely recharge. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and appreciated not only the beautiful surroundings and thoughtful appointments, but also the wonderful history and stories that are so much a part of this special place. The hosts, Sue and John were most welcoming.Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Sept 2026
Thank you for your lovely review. We’re so pleased you found Yelki a relaxing place to unwind and recharge. It means a great deal to us that you enjoyed the surroundings, the little touches, and the history woven through the cottage. It was a pleasure to have you both stay - we’re delighted it felt special and you are welcome back anytime. Warm regards, Sue & John
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful cosy cottage

Stunning very beautifully renovated historic cottage- fantastic kitchen with everything you need! Loved our time there! Very friendly hosts that made us feel welcome!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Feb 2024
Thanks Silke. We very much enjoyed having you stay at Yelki as well. All the best, Sue
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Fabulous

We enjoyed our stay - perfect for a weekend getaway. John and Sue are lovely hosts.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 26 Apr 2024
Thanks Inger. Enjoyed having you both here as well. Hope the book goes well for you.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Peter paul and Mary!!!

Sue and John wonderful hosts and lovely people Mary and i loved the location and property
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Unique Historical Cottage

Historical cottage from whaling times sensitively updated with modern conveniences. Owners are welcoming and generous. Beautiful location and close to Victor Harbour amenities.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 8 May 2024
It was a pleasure having you and David stay with us at Yelki. All the best, Sue
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Antique fresh and quiet

Lovely and quiet, great unwind
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 1 May 2023
It was our pleasure Glenda. Glad you enjoyed Yelki.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Perfect

A peaceful escape in a beautiful historic cottage. Sue made us feel at home within minutes of meeting. We have stayed in a number of cottages over the years and rate this as one of the best.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Mar 2020
Thank you Caroline and Mark for the kind words. I know from your visit that you appreciate the beauty and history of these wonderful old places as we do. You were the perfect guests. See you in the winter. Cheers , Sue
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Time machine

Forget your bland, beige hotel rooms and step back in time to the 1830s in this charming, quirky retreat. Such warm and generous hosts, who happily share the rich history of their house, along with great tips to enjoy the here and now. Perfect location to unwind. If you want something unique, you've found the right place.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Historic stay

A wonderful 3 day weekend in the historic whalers inn. Sue and John are most fabulous hosts. Everything you could need was thought of, cute cottage, warm inviting fire and a bottle of red .. what more do you need in winter.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beach front perfection

Beautifully presented historic property, hosted by the lovely Sue. Wouldn't change a thing, (except maybe staying longer!)
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Don't hesitate

While this is a beautiful property with an amazing feel and history, its fair to say that the friendly nature and genuine hospitality of Sue and John still managed to outshine the beautiful setting. I would say it is best suited for couples, you can gaze past the open fire, through the window set into thick stone walls and look the sea. Its a seriously charming place. Thank you for letting people sharing it.
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Cottage charm

Excellent location, well-appointed and full of character and charm! Would love to visit again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Jan 2022
Thanks Lauren. You and Patrick were lovely guests and would be welcome again anytime.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Perfect

Beautiful historic home that has been presented with much care and attention to detail. Everything you could need is provided with many lovely extra touches to enhance the stay. Sue and John gave us a warm welcome and communicated well during the booking process. Great location. Would highly recommend!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Relaxing and convenient

We had a lovely relaxing stay with a cafe and resturant within a short walking distance. Lovely historic cottage, I enjoyed reading the books about the history of the area. Cottage has modern conveniences and facilities. Thanks
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Historical and relaxing

A fantastic location to soak up the history of your surroundings and relax at the lovely Encounter Bay. It is definitely a unique experience that will suit the couple that want to get away from the day to day grind of the modern world. Great to turn back the clock and stay in a 150+ year home, yet have the necessary mod cons at your disposal. Close walk to eateries and cafes and on the door steps of the McLaren Vale wineries.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Perfect weekend getaway

Yelki by the sea ticked all my boxes plus more. It's a beautiful historic cottage. Peaceful and secluded yet walking distance to amenities. The fully stocked open fire place made this the ultimate destination come winter or summer. Highly recommend for those wanting a romantic stopover whilst exploring the South Australian coast.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Excellent all round!

Stayed on a freezing cold weekend, Sue kept the firewood re-stocked and made sure our weekend was relaxing. The house has been restored so well, retaining it's history, but still modern and very clean. Will definitely stay again
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Tranquil Cottage

We stayed at Yelki for a week, what a lovely property, we couldn't have asked for a better place to stay. John and Sue made us very welcome.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Great cottage right by the beach

Yelki is a very comfortable cottage across from the beach. It was great to go for a walk along the bike path before breakfast and watch the sunrise. The cottage had everything we needed. It was cosy and is tucked away a little which was nice. Highly recommended.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Delightful stay!

Three of us stayed for two nights in February 2014. Lovely stay! Comfortable, atmospheric, great location. Plenty to do. We walked along the bay and up to the glorious headland. Went for lovely drives. Lunched at the McLarenvale wineries. There are cafés and restaurants close by. We had the breakfast package which was super. Hosts were charming and friendly but unobtrusive. Definitely hope to return.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

We had a wonderful & very relaxing stay. Great hosts lovely house and great local cafe. We would rec

We had a wonderful & very relaxing stay. Great hosts lovely house and great local cafe. We would recommend Yilki by the Sea to anyone.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Lovely accommodation, atmosphere and hosts. They had thought of everything to make us comfortable an

Lovely accommodation, atmosphere and hosts. They had thought of everything to make us comfortable and enjoy our stay.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

A lovely experience

A well equipped, very comfortable cottage, steeped in history with lots of character and atmosphere. Brilliant position looking over Encounter Bay and close to cafes, shops, restaurants, bike and walking tracks and of course beach. Hosts were very friendly and hospitable. Would definitely go again.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

The cottage was charming and full of history but with the best of modern creature comforts. The owne

The cottage was charming and full of history but with the best of modern creature comforts. The owners were very friendly and great to have a chat with.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

the property was very clean and the owner was helpful and friendly without intruding on our privacy.

the property was very clean and the owner was helpful and friendly without intruding on our privacy. Spectacular view
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