I booked the cottage at the last minute, and was accommodated warmly. Unfortunately, David and Carrielynn were not around the week that I stayed, so I didn’t get a chance to meet them personally or to meet Dickens the cat. I did meet Molé and Tikka Masala, the adorable chickens on their property. Molé (the black and white one) in particular was super friendly, allowing me to pet her and begging for my attention. (If you bend down to greet her, her method of getting attention involves her beak and your knee, so be prepared to either pet or dodge. She’s very sweet, and is very catlike in that she weaves a good tale about never having been fed in her life.)
Claire, the co-host, was very prompt in responding to any of my questions and concerns. I didn’t have any major concerns, but she was nearby if I needed anything. The only snag I hit was the fact that I stayed during one of the first hot weeks of spring, and heat rises, so the loft got rather toasty the first day or two. This would have been taken care of easily if I hadn’t overlooked the remote control for the ceiling fan, which was right next to the thermostat for the heater by the door, so that’s on my lack of observation, not anything to do with the hosts. (If you come in and flip the light switch for the fan and it doesn’t start spinning, that’s what’s up with it.) Once the ceiling fan was on, there was no problem.
Anyway, the place was exactly what I needed: a clean, quiet place in a very convenient location, a little kitchenette, a comfortable bed and nice sized living area, a shower with good water pressure, and a charming outdoor area to enjoy some fresh air. You can keep to yourself in the cottage and garden, you can head to Castro Street close by for shopping and great restaurants, you can take advantage of 85 and 237 being *right there* to take you anywhere in the Valley, you can try restaurants you may never have noticed before down the Middlefield corridor, and if you’re staying in the area for business, you won’t find a better value.