NEW! ARTIST'S VINEYARD COTTAGE RETREAT

My husband and I and another couple live in the Bay Area and were looking to explore the Paso Robles Wine Country for a weekend getaway. After looking at all the hotel rates in the area, we thought we would consider renting a house or cottage instead to see if it would be more cost effective.

We came across the Artist Vineyard Cottage on VRBO and the reasonable rate, coupled with beautiful accommodations captured our attention right away. After a few emails with Lisa, the owner, everything was set. Lisa even sent us a package, which included detailed instructions on how to get to the house, along with a list of their favorite restaurants in the area and several pamphlets and brochures detailing all the wineries. Before we even arrived, we had all the wineries we wanted to hit circled on the map.

The real treat was when we arrived to the house. It was up atop a hill with a breathtaking view. Inside, everything was perfect -- updated amenities, ipod dock, movies, plenty of space for two couples for privacy and plenty of communal space to hang out in the living room. We stayed in the master suite and forgot to close the window shades before we went to bed. I woke up with the sunrise and it was one of my highlights of the trip. I even went outside to take pictures before heading back to bed for a few more hours sleep.

The location worked out perfect for us. It was within completely reasonable distance to the wineries, particularly those in the Northwest area of Paso (where we did most of our tasting), and it worked out to be perfect on Sunday morning when we checked out, as it was only 30 minutes from Hearst Castle on the coast where we went to finish off our trip before heading back to San Francisco.

If you are heading to Paso, definitely stay at the Artist's Vineyard Cottage. It will make the Paso experience that much more relaxing and memorable.