This listing was exactly as described. Joanne is the perfect hostess — from the personalized welcome note to the bottle of wine on the kitchen table, our weekend (and then some) at Chateau de Joye was perfect. So perfect, in fact, that we ended up booking another night! Joanne was incredibly responsive and is very invested in making sure that all needs are met. And the fresh pastries pre-stocked in the fridge were a nice and delicious touch.
As advertised, the cottage is located 5 minutes from the closest beach (San Gregorio State Beach), but there are a number of gorgeous beaches within 15 minutes - Pescadero State Beach was our spot of choice but you really can’t go wrong. We also took a day trip down to Santa Cruz to visit Lillian's Italian Kitchen, which was only about an hour drive down the ridiculously scenic Route 1. The coastal views are unreal and worth the trip alone.
The local dining fare is great, but be aware that most local restaurants close at 8 or 9 so we often found ourselves pressed for time in making a selection. Alice’s was our go-to spot, but Duarte's Tavern was also a great choice for breakfast (and pie). We also enjoyed some live music Sunday afternoon at San Gregorio General Store. The real star of the weekend, though, was Arcangeli Grocery Co a short drive away in Pescadero. Do yourself a favor a get a loaf of the fresh-baked bread and top it with their locally-sourced Harley Farms goat cheese. The bread is worth a review in itself but it’ll be well-worth your time to stop in and check out all of the local food and beverage to bring down to the beach…or shamelessly eat right there in the store. Their sandwiches are top-notch!
Between the fire pit, the patio, the pastries, the cozy bed, and the proximity to beautiful beaches, the cottage was exactly what we were looking for in a weekend getaway. Embrace the lack of wifi (Verizon worked perfectly for us) and enjoy the charming sights and sounds of San Gregorio — if you're lucky, you'll even see a family of deer. We've already told our friends about this gem and plan to return for another getaway!