Carmel Valley Private 'Island Getaway' Cottage W/Kit $150/nt

My 13 year old daughter & I stayed for 3 nights at Carleen and Keith's Cottage in the Carmel Valley during a girl's getaway/road trip. The suite was nicely decorated, roomy and clean. We had our own private entrance to the cottage (down a paved path along the side of the main residence) and the view of the oak trees and mountains from the front door and windows of our cottage was delightful. The cottage itself is canopied by a magnificent oak tree (the entry deck to the cottage is built around it). We were greeted by a fruit basket & a local bottle of wine. Carleen welcomed us upon arrival, gave us basic instructions in about three minutes and then left us to ourselves. It was very peaceful & private - a lovely place to come home to in the afternoon/evening, after exploring the many things to do in the area. There is a welcoming lower graveled backyard with firepit table and stone fountain available for use, just outside the cottage. Carleen was available when needed (we had a question about how to get a certain channel on the tv) but otherwise we were very private/secluded. The entire pathway/walk up entrance to the cottage is sensor lit, so it was very reassuring to have that feature when coming home late at night. The cottage's kitchen is simple but functional - we cooked breakfast "at home" every morning before heading out. The location of the cottage is about 10-15 minutes out of Carmel by the Sea, along a very scenic drive - you definitely feel like you're in the country. It is very close to the heart of the Carmel Valley where there are a number of nice restaurants, wine tasting establishments, quaint stores and our favorite - a vinegar and olive oil tasting store. There's lots to do within a 5 - 15 minute drive. During our 3 day stay, we visited: The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Carmel by the Sea, Point Lobos State Reserve, Earthbounds Farmstand, a local farmer's market (there is one somewhere close by, just about every day of the week),17 Mile Drive, and even purchased 'colossal carrots' at the local feedstore which we fed to a donkey and several horses at a roadside stable. The highlight of our trip was seeing the elephant seal pups on the ride up and the many otters in the wild on 17 Mile Drive.The wild turkey roaming the neighborhood was an added treat! The studio is good value for what you get, especially when compared to the prices of hotels in the area. Wish we could have gone to The Refuge (an outdoor spa) but the minimum age is 18!