I was looking for a ‘silent retreat’ of sorts, and this was the perfect place: nestled among redwoods, close to nature, and so peaceful that I felt my whole body slow down as soon as I arrived. The Airbnb has a little deck where you can sit and watch the sunlight play on the maple leaves; there’s a little patch of lawn near the stream, with a few chairs and a trellis-covered wooden platform to sit or lie on; and the hot tub has a view of redwoods towering above - you can’t help but feel contemplative and relaxed here!
The accommodations are in a studio apartment below the main house, but very quiet and private. It’s more ‘cabin’ than ‘luxury apartment’, but even as someone who tends to prefer the latter, I was very comfortable. The shower is hot, the bed is great, and the armchairs are perfect to curl up in with a book. There’s a fridge, sink, coffee maker, and ground coffee, which is all I needed. The place was clean, and cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer were provided too.
I don’t know how busy the car parks get at Henry Cowell State Park, but it’s such a bonus having it just a five minute walk away. The hike up to the observation deck is really varied and beautiful - I did it twice - but there are dozens more trails to explore (and leaflets and maps thoughtfully made available in the Airbnb).
I rarely want to come back to an Airbnb that I’ve visited: there’s so much choice; and there’s usually something that could have been better - but I would love to come back here some time. It was a perfect retreat!