Stop Searching & Just Book This Cottage

David (Washington DC Area)
Review submitted: May 10, 2013   Date of arrival: May 4, 2013

I did an extensive search before booking this house for our vacation, and I'm so glad I picked this spot. This really turned out to be the PERFECT place for our family. Close enough to the beach to walk, but far enough not to be too windy and cool. Also very close to a Coaster station...we had rented a car but may not have needed it as everything was an easy walk. Our kids (6 and 2) LOVED the playset and the bunk beds. Downtown Carlsbad was an ideal place to spend mornings and evenings; very friendly people and places. My wife was also very happy with the choice.

If you stay here I recommend the following restaurants: Breakfast/Lunch (Box'd, Don's Country Kitchen, Daily News) Dinner: (Las Olas, Pizza Port)

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

fun stay

Erica F. ()
Review submitted: April 30, 2013   Date of arrival: April 14, 2013

this place was just right for us and our kiddos. the close beach was so easy to get to, and accessible. i would definitely stay here again :)

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Perfect for a family of four!

MomOfTwo (Sioux Falls, SD)
Review submitted: April 7, 2013   Date of arrival: March 16, 2013

This was our second trip to Carlsbad and we loved staying at the cottage! The kitchen was well-equipped, the house was cozy and my kids loved playing on the play-set. The cottage has a fantastic location right by Carlsbad Village. We walked to dinners, lunches and breakfasts when we didn't eat at the cottage or one of the attractions we went to. It is also only about a 5 minute drive to Legoland. The caretakers are very nice and live right on-site. I would definitely recommend staying here!

Recommended for: families with young children, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Carlsbad cottage

splashiowa (Des Moines, IA)
Review submitted: January 20, 2013   Date of arrival: January 9, 2013

Very clean home with everything you need. It was a great base for activites we planned in around the area. My children said upon leaving, "can we stay here next time."

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Family Vacation

Kristi (Cave Creek, AZ)
Review submitted: October 17, 2012   Date of arrival: September 13, 2012

We had an absolutely fabulous time while staying in the cottage in Carlsbad. There were 4 adults and two small children and we had plenty of room to relax both inside and outside. The play area for the kids was so nice as they could be outside while we were in the kitchen or family room. Carolyn was fantastic at responses to questions we had prior to the visit and very prompt with return of our full deposit. What a great experience for our first time in Carlsbad! We would highly recommend staying at Carolyn's Cottage.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing

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Wonderful Holiday!

Sunny (United States)
Review submitted: September 15, 2012   Date of arrival: August 31, 2012

Our extended family of 4 kids and 3 adults stayed at the cottage for 4 days and found it to be very clean and comfortable. The communication and directions from Carolyn were spot on, and she answered our questions in a timely manner. The cottage has everything you might need for a relaxing vacation. The kids especially enjoyed the provided boogie boards, sand toys and it was nice to have beach chairs, beach towels, and beach umbrella to take to the beach with us. The house is decorated in a very sweet beachy style, the furniture is comfortable and the fans kept us nice and cool.
Within walking distance to breakfast and dinner and grocery store. Just a few exits on the freeway to get to Legoland from the cottage.The area is quiet at night and we enjoyed sitting on the patio chairs in the warm evening air.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway

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Cottage Review

Vegas Family (Las Vegas, NV)
Review submitted: July 19, 2012   Date of arrival: June 15, 2012

My husband, parents and 1 12 yr old daughter stayed in the cottage for 2 weeks. The cottage is beautiful, very well maintained and the managers were very personable and helpful. Location is perfect, easy walk to the beach, farmers market, restaurants and grocery stores. There's a train station near by and we loved hearing the train go by - so did our daughter. They have lots of beach toys and the little play area outside is very nice for kids. Kitchen is fully equipped and we appreciated the bbq outside too. Very safe neighborhood. Will definitely come back for our family vacations.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Ideal place to stay

Alex D. ()
Review submitted: May 10, 2012   Date of arrival: January 5, 2012

Our family (two adults and a 4-year-old) stayed at this cottage for a few days. It was pleasant, clean, and well-kept. The play area in the yard is great for kids. The location is excellent, walking distance to all of the restaurants and downtown and even the beach. We did hear the train whistles, but I don't think there's anywhere you can avoid that in Carlsbad. I would highly recommend this property to anyone, especially families with one or two kids.

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

all we expected

d (Phoenix)
Review submitted: March 29, 2012   Date of arrival: March 11, 2012

The cottage is everything you see in the pictures. Everything you need is there.
Location is wonderful. We loved walking to the beach and I loved having my latte on the porch in the mornings! My son loved the playground so much and he wanted to stay in CA forever :o) We highly recommended the cottage.

Recommended for: families with young children, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Nice Place!

jk (Santa Clara, CA)
Review submitted: February 25, 2012   Date of arrival: February 6, 2012

Nice and super clean place to stay in town. Our kids enjoyed the bunks and the playground and the doughnut shop around the corner.Like some of the other reviews stated, it is in more of an industrial part of town. However, it was perfect for what we needed it for- a home base, meals and sleeping. We did day trips every day so we were only at the house in the evenings and morning. The owner was available through email when we had simple questions. Overall, a great place to stay!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Excellent Vacation get away

Dana R. (Iowa City, Iowa)
Review submitted: February 25, 2012   Date of arrival: February 17, 2012

This trip was our first out to the California area. We were traveling with four adults and three children. So when looking for a place to stay, we wanted something close to Sea World, Zoo's, Legoland, Disney, and of course the beaches. This rental was a perfect fit. It took us about 10 minutes to get to Legoland, 35 mins to both Sea World and the Zoo's and just about an hour to Disney. The beach is very close and you can get there in about 5 minutes.
The house was in excellent condition and very well maintained. The description was right on with the amenities. We arrived very late on a Friday night, because of that the owner had sent us a code to access a key in the lock box and then checked us in the next morning. They gave us their cell number in case anything came up and were very friendly and welcoming.
The area around the rental was great, we explored quiet a bit and found some really nice things to do in the area..... A farmers market, local food co-op, fresh fish market, and many excellent restaurants.
The photos look just like the property and the kids really loved the bunk beds and play area outside.
I would recommend this property to anyone that is looking for a nice place to get away and relax. We loved it so much that we will most likely be back soon.

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

nice place

northampton to san diego (massachusetts)
Review submitted: January 4, 2012   Date of arrival: December 29, 2011

This house was, as all of the other reviews say, spotless and well-stocked, and looked like the pictures exactly. It was great for kids, our three and six year olds loved the bunk bed and the play structure. The house is very very cozy, meaning small, especially the bathroom, but fine for one family. Also, the yard with the play structure was really very tiny. As someone else mentioned, the house is on a street just off the cute strip of carlsbad village, but it feels rather commercial/industrial. However, all these things aside the place really is very nicely done and comfortable.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Great place

Jen from MN (Eagan, MN)
Review submitted: December 18, 2011   Date of arrival: December 1, 2011

We recently stayed at this cottage and we were very impressed with the cleanliness of the cottage, the modern appliances and decor and also the close proximity to all of the shops, restaurants and the beach. Our two boys, ages four and six,had a ton of fun in the playfort in the backyard and enjoyed sleeping in the bunk beds. The rental manager met us with the key and took us through the place pointing out all of the details and he also told us we could call his cell phone any time of the day or night if we needed anything. We did not have one problem. It was a great place to relax during the day and all of us slept great.
I would highly recommend staying here if you are visiting Carlsbad!

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Great House!

leo (CA, USA)
Review submitted: November 8, 2011   Date of arrival: October 16, 2011

My family recently got back from a stay at the Cozy Cottage. It was absolutely spotless! I can not emphasize that enough. All of the linens were high quality and we had ample bath and beach towels. The kitchen was outfitted with lots of things to make travelling with kids easy - plastic plates/bowls/cups - even kid's cutlery - beach toys, you name it! Check in and out were a breeze and our sec. dep. was returned in a timely manner. It is in a quiet neighborhood about 30 minutes north of San Diego attractions and we went to Sea World, SD Zoo and the USS Midway while we were there. We'd already been to Legoland which is much closer. The cottage is about 7 blocks from the beach so a bit too far for our almost 4 year old to walk quickly but since it was off season, we drove and parking was simple. The owner was very helpful in accommodating our crazy military leave availability and we appreciated that. The only minus was that the yard with the play structure was not fenced. I hadn't thought to ask about fencing. It was not a big deal as either my husband or I sat at the table and had a coffee while our son ran around and played. Bottom line, we've stayed a lot of VRBO advertised properties both in the US and abroad and this is tied for 1st place. I wouldn't hesitate in staying here again and recommending it to others.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Cozy Beach Cottage

M & G (Tucson, Arizona, USA)
Review submitted: June 9, 2011   Date of arrival: June 1, 2011

Loved it, loved it, loved it! Cozy beach cottage for a family getaway. Completely romedeled, gorgeous, clean, and immaculate. Has everything you need including cable, WiFi, complete kitchen. Perfect for a family with children of all ages. I stayed with my teenager, 10 yr old, and 10 month old. It is walking distance from Carlsbad Village, great restaurants, shopping, and the BEACH! The owners were very informative and helpful. I would absolutely recommend this property and look forward to returning.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, tourists without a car

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Wonderful Cottage

tinaatwt (Phoenix)
Review submitted: April 21, 2011   Date of arrival: November 10, 2010

This was perfect for my family. Close to all major attractions and very nice inside! We will definitely be back!

Recommended for: families with young children

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

Fantastic!!

Brittiny (St. George, UT)
Review submitted: March 30, 2011   Date of arrival: March 12, 2011

The first thing I noticed about the home was it was SPOTLESS!! It looks exactly as it does in the pictures and is absolutely perfect. I loved the location and the short walk to the beach was very enjoyable. Alot of nice resturants, very close to a Albertsons, and yes, the doughnut shop is wonderful. We had a very comfortable, enjoyable stay and with 5 children from ages 2-16 that is hard to come by on vacation. We will be back!

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

Charming Escape

On the Go Canadians (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Review submitted: October 2, 2010   Date of arrival: August 22, 2009

This property is exactly as it looks in the pictures and there are more photos available if you ask for them. The kitchen and all contents are brand new and very well equipped. Our kids (ages 5 & 8) enjoyed the bunk beds and, with the trundle under the bottom bunk, 3 possibly 4 kids (if doubled up) could be accommodated. The one bathroom is small but cute. The living/dining space is quite comfy. The overall decor is a pleasant beachy motif and we felt quite relaxed and at home home during our stay. There is a tv in the living room and master bedroom so that viewing isn't limited. We were there during a particularly hot week in the summer and we were always able to keep the cottage comfortably cool with the fans and systems in place.

The cottage is a great base for touring San Diego attractions. With a rental car you are 2 exits from Legoland and 15 - 30 minutes to most other attractions. Carlsbad is a really nice oceanside town which is quite flat and walkable to many good restaurants, shops and, of course, the ocean.

We were initially concerned about the area the cottage is located in. This is not a residential neighbourhood, really steps from commercial businesses with not much residential around except a few low apartments. However, it was NEVER noisy - we really didn't hear a thing and we felt safe. We actually quite enjoyed the location because it is so walkable and very close to restaurants, shops, an Albertsons for groceries, video store, the cutest tiny drive thru donut shop, and the beach (about six blocks or so away - if you had a lot of beach gear you could park close to the beach - parking seemed free and easy to get relatively close to). There is also a commuter train within walking distance to take to downtown San Diego which is comfortable and easy to use.

Why a good rating over excellent. There is no washer/dryer and with kids and a week away you really want one. I was told they are putting one in. The master bedroom could use a little more decor - a cozy throw, picture or headboard above the bed and some big pillows. It seemed like it wasn't quite finished compared to the rest of the cottage. That really is being a bit picky because, much more importantly, the bed and bedding was super comfy. This is not a 5 star resort but a self catered getaway and for that we thought it was very good value and would stay again.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 7 / 7

Perfect Beach Cottage

helen (pheonix, az)
Review submitted: July 19, 2010   Date of arrival: June 26, 2010

My family and I spent a week at this lovely cottage in Carlsbad Village. Everything was exactly as advertised. We strolled thru the village every day on our way to the beach. I loved the airy feeling in the house and the porch is terrific for hanging out in the evenings! We were able to walk to local restaurants and grocery stores. It is so convenient to everything. I plan to come back next summer. Perfect for families or couples. The gas grill was a real convenience.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

Cozy Cape Cod Cottage-Loved It!!!

Hot Arizona (Tempe, AZ, USA)
Review submitted: July 17, 2010   Date of arrival: July 3, 2010

This newly remodeled beach house made you feel you were on vacation the moment you stepped onto the front porch. Inside there is an authentice Cape Cod design in all of the rooms that makes everyone feel you are a part of the beach while just hanging out in any room. Each room is strategically designed for the comfort of the guests...Wi-Fi, T.V. with a billion channels and game station, amble towels, places to sleep, barbecue etc. The entire house is spotless! The house is located within walking distance of the Carlsbad Village shopping area and beach which makes you feel like you are a part of the town from the moment you arrive. We walked to a few restaurants while we were there for evening meals and found all of the owners/management to be small-town friendly with us. Driving down the 101 in both directions proved to open up further activities, as well...walking down the Oceanside Pier and window shopping in the quaint shops in Encinitas. Even though we found time to play frisbee, surf, and read on the beach...some of our best moments were playing cards,bean bag toss, barbecuing, and hanging out at the cottage!Good Times!!!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5