What a special place this is! Sit on the patio, sip tea, and look out over a hillside of peaceful woodlands. Wake up to the call of our resident redtail hawk, and fall asleep to the sound of local owls. Watch deer wander the paths below you. Walk through blooming gardens filled with hummingbirds and butterflies on your way to and from the car. Have a picnic on the front lawn. It's a perfect retreat.

The Garden Apartment sits on the ground floor of our family home, a 1903 Victorian, on a beautifully landscaped 2-acre gated property with two other cottages and a shared central lawn. It's a truly unique setting.

The location is truly unbeatable. We're in Kentfield, in upscale Central Marin. A local secret about the microclimate here? Central Marin sits just far enough from the Golden Gate fog corridor that when San Francisco and most of Southern Marin (Mill Valley, Sausalito, Tiburon) are socked in fog (as they often are, especially in the summer), we're reliably sunny and 10 degrees warmer. Locals call it living "past the fog line." And, we're central to so much! Hike Crown Road (9 min drive) with sunlight slanting through the redwoods, bays and oaks and huge views of the bay. Watch the fog roll over Mount Tamalpais. Play with your pup on gorgeous Rodeo Beach (25 min.). Grab the most delicious lunch at MH Bread and Butter in adorable San Anselmo (8 min). Drive or ferry into San Francisco for the day (Golden Gate Bridge is 14 minutes away, Larkspur Ferry 9 min). Catch live music at Peri's in funky Fairfax (16 min), which feels like the "old Marin" of the 70's. Head to Point Reyes to hike among the tule elk or whale watch off the bluffs. Rent mountain bikes and ride Mount Tam, where the sport was invented. Walk among the awe-inspiring redwoods at Muir Woods (23 min). Spend the day wine tasting in Napa or Sonoma (40 min). Stroll 9 min. down the hill to lovely downtown Kentfield for cocktails and dinner at the Guesthouse, our favorite neighborhood restaurant. If you want the perfect location for iconic Bay Area sights (SF, wine country, Muir Woods) and authentic, host-vetted local experiences, this is your spot.

The apartment itself is comfortable and very spacious at 800 sf plus patio. It's been recently renovated and lovingly decorated head to toe with a fresh, stylish feel. The owner is an architect and artist and has put alot of time and energy into creating a lovely, homey feeling; no generic rental here. It has new light fixtures, window treatments, an in-unit washer/dryer, a 50" HD flatscreen TV. The WiFi is strong, dedicated, and reliable — 841 Mbps. There is no dedicated workspace but several guests have used the daybed nook as a mini-office.

The vintage kitchen has been lovingly retained, its retro charm fully intact — funky handmade oak cabinets, blue tile counters, and Spanish tile floors. I swear I grew up with that kitchen.

The apartment comfortably sleeps 3: an enclosed bedroom, plus a twin bed/daybed in a nook off the living room. Both beds are exceptionally high quality — a premium latex bed in the main bedroom, a new Puffy memory foam mattress in the nook. There's one full bathroom, accessed through the bedroom (worth knowing if you're the guest sleeping in the nook). The unit has its own small patio, private entrance, and one parking space, and is quiet, serene, and extremely safe, with woodland views from every window.

Things to Note:

There are 22 exterior steps (with 2 landings) down to the unit's entrance. They have been recently rebuilt with good lighting and sturdy handrails, but guests with mobility issues may not find this unit a good match.

This is a ground-floor unit in our home, so guests should expect some noise from upstairs. We are empty nesters now so it's just the two of us and our pup these days, plus the occasional family dinner or visit. That said, you might hear some footsteps, muffled voices, occasional barking, and the like. Most guests are entirely comfortable with this - but extremely noise-sensitive guests might not find this unit a good fit.

PET POLICY:

We love dogs and welcome them to this pet-friendly property! One well-behaved dog, 50 lbs or under and over a year old, is welcome. A few house rules to keep things running smoothly:

Please supervise your dog outdoors at all times and clean up promptly. The property isn't fully fenced, so dogs should be supervised rather than left to roam.
Muddy paws get rinsed at our outdoor dog-washing station before coming inside.
Dogs should be current on flea/tick prevention, with nails trimmed.
Please don't leave your dog alone for more than 4 hours (Rover is great for local dog-sitting if needed).
Please use the provided couch and bed covers.

And, feel free to say hi to Rosie, our resident Bernedoodle — friendly, if occasionally vocal with new arrivals!

PARKING: The Garden Apartment comes with one parking spot. Nearby street parking is very limited (45 minutes until 10pm on weekdays), so please plan to bring just one car.

We'd love to have you at the Stetson House Garden Apartment!