Skip to Main Content.
List your propertySupportTrips
Member discount illustration
Members save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels worldwide when you’re signed in
Sign in
Learn about Expedia Rewards
Feedback
Entire home·Private host

Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage!

Cottage with kitchen, near Fashion Island

Photo gallery for Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage!

Property grounds
Interior
1 bedroom, pillow-top beds, desk, iron/ironing board
Outdoor dining
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
The Cottage Retreat, nestled in one of Balboa Island's best locations, offers an intimate stay with a private entrance and exclusive garage. Just steps from the bay and two blocks from main street's local shops and restaurants, this cozy cottage features a gourmet kitchen, high-speed internet, sun-drenched balcony with BBQ patio.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 271 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Outdoor space
  • Kitchen

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage!

Welcome to one of the most artistically rendered homes on Balboa Island—The Cottage Retreat. This upscale, private cottage is separate from the main house and offers its own exclusive entrance, ensuring a serene and intimate stay. Nestled in one of the best locations on the island, this charming retreat comes with a coveted private garage, a rare and essential feature on Balboa Island where parking can be a challenge.

The Cottage Retreat is the perfect alternative to standard hotels, offering a unique and authentic Balboa Island experience. Ideal for an executive, single traveler, or couple, this cozy getaway comfortably accommodates one to two guests. Immerse yourself in the quaint, historical charm of Balboa Island, just two blocks from the vibrant main street, where you'll find an array of local shops, restaurants, and the iconic Balboa Ice Cream Bars.

Enjoy the convenience of having the bay just steps away, or take a short, scenic ride on the famous Balboa Island ferry to explore the stunning Southern California beaches. This property provides everything you need for a memorable stay, including a stocked gourmet kitchen, high-speed internet, and a sun-drenched balcony. The large outdoor patio, complete with a BBQ, offers the perfect space for relaxing and dining al fresco.

The Cottage Retreat is designed with your comfort in mind. It features high-speed wireless internet, a smart TV with cable, and office essentials like a copier and scanner. The cottage boasts new Cape Cod-style windows that invite the cool island breeze, a charming blue Dutch door, and the finest linens. Additional amenities include a private washer and dryer, a ceiling fan, and a well-equipped kitchen perfect for any culinary enthusiast.

Located just 6 miles from John Wayne Airport and close to Irvine's business district, The Cottage Retreat combines convenience with the allure of island living. Whether you're here for a few days or an extended stay, you'll appreciate the charm, comfort, and unbeatable location of this delightful cottage in Newport Beach.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car not required
  • Onsite parking options include a garage

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • Bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Pillowtop mattress

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fenced yard
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washer/dryer

Work spaces

  • Desk
  • Desk chair
  • Printer

Comfort

  • Fan
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near a hospital
  • Near the bay
  • Near the marina

Things to do

  • Bicycles
  • Boat
  • Golf
  • Kayak
  • Tennis
  • Basketball nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Theme park nearby
  • Whale watching nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Bicycles
  • Garden
  • Property does not allow children
  • Unit size: 760 square feet

Similar properties

Interior

Balboa Island Charmer

  • Kitchen
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Fireplace
9.6 out of 10, Exceptional, 112 reviews
Balboa Island Charmer

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 2:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

An adult aged 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
Guests can access their accommodation through a private entrance
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Rules

A Rental Agreement will be required to be signed via DocuSign. A Guest Information Sheet will be provided as well.

Access methods

Private entrance

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

This property does not allow children

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property Registration Number SLP11456

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

Property is also known as

Vrbo Property
Historical Cottage Retreat Ideal Location Garage!!
Historical Cottage Retreat Island Charm Ideal Location!

About the area

Map
Newport Beach, CA

What's nearby

  • Balboa Pier - 17 min walk - 1.4 km
  • Fashion Island - 18 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Balboa Beach - 2 min drive - 1.2 km
  • Corona del Mar State Beach - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Newport Pier - 6 min drive - 4.5 km

Getting around

  • Laguna Niguel Station - 20 min drive
  • Orange County, CA (SNA-John Wayne) - 21 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Harborside Restaurant & Grand - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Todos Santos | Kitchen De Mexico - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Wilma's Patio Restaurant - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Dad's Original Frozen Banana - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Sugar n Spice Original Frozen Banana - ‬2 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage! ?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage! ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage! located?

Located in Balboa Island, this cottage is 0.8 mi (1.4 km) from Balboa Fun Zone and 1.3 mi (2.1 km) from Fashion Island. Balboa Pier and Balboa Peninsula Beaches are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Reviews

Beautifully Updated Historical Cottage Retreat with Garage! Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

10

Cleanliness

9.8

Location

8.0

Eco-friendliness

9.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 164 out of 180 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 180 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 180 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 180 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 180 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Such a great holiday in this darling cottage. I’ve stayed here before many years ago and it still has its charm - upgraded features of course! Back for sure when I visit the Island next!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Thomas S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our always Balboa Island VRBO

Perfect
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bradley D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Balboa Island

Nice clean property.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

8/10 Good

Neil P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Great location. Great for walking, shopping, eating and dining. Very nice little cottage.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

meggin b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cottage retreat

Charming! Good location and perfect for a short getaway!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Enrique M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy and perfect for two people

My wife and I had a great time at the beach cottage! The space was cozy and perfect for two people, and the location near the beach made the stay even more special. The host was incredibly kind and made sure our stay was comfortable from beginning to end. We highly recommend staying here 100%, and we’d love to come back!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

alta s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Sweet spot

Wonderful spot on balboa island. Everything is right there.
Stayed 27 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Lorie J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy

Cozy Cottage

We really enjoyed the cottage. It has everything. It just needs more blankets or a comforter to keep much warmer at night.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

TIm K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfy retreat

We greatly enjoyed our time at this property. It was exactly as presented in VRBO.probably the best well kep CRBO we have ever had. A great location. We really appreciated having a garage on Balboa. We had an issue with the oven the first evening and the owner responded very quickly and graciously and helped resolve it for us. We would happily stay there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just right

Clean and comfortable
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Thomas S.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

The Truth

If you need the best small intimate location in Newport Beach you will not do better than this apartment.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mary P., Mesa, AZ

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Anniversary and Birthday

Thank you for making our anniversary and birthday celebration during Memorial Weekend so extra special. The cottage was so clean and perfect for a couple! We love the location and very blessed with the garage! The property with all the beautiful flowers just gave us big smiles! We shall stay here again and again!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Bill J., Scottsdale, AZ

Awesome cottage on Balboa Island

The cottage was perfect for our 3 night stay on Balboa Island. Everything so clean and relaxing, perfect for my husband and I. The owner was wonderful and so easy to work with. Instructions were very clear. Having a place to park, in a garage no less, was a nice plus. We would definitely recommend to friends and stay again when we are in the area.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute Cottage

The location is great and the space is perfect for 1-2 people. It’s a small, fully furnished apartment over the garage, sharing an outdoor patio with the main house. There is no air conditioning, so if the house is closed up in the summer months it can get quite hot, but once you open up the windows and the adorable Dutch door, a nice sea breeze keeps it very comfortable. We had a few issues with the stove and electric water kettle and the owner took care of both of those things right away.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Richard W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We love this property and our second use - but….

We stayed at this property two years ago and really like it. However, on our first visit, we were concerned (and discussed with owner) the lack of a smoke alarm. Owner did not install one so we bought one ourselves and took it home as it was not our job to install safety equip. Upon arrival this trip, we were surprised there is still no smoke alarm, so we bought another. Considering the risk of fire and legal consequences, to protect both VRBO and the owners against litigation in event of a fire, that there be a smoke/CO alarm installed. Otherwise, the property advertisement needs to include disclosure that appropriate smoke/CO alarms are not included on property and guests stay At their own risk.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Shanna S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location, No Screens or AC

This place has a great location and is a beautifully decorated cottage over the garage. It is close to the Main Street in Balboa and an easy walk to the grocery store. Check-in was a breeze and it was great to have a place to park our car and even store our bikes.Where this place fell short was a big deal for me…there is no air conditioning and no screens on any window. I live at the beach in San Diego and know that you do not need air conditioning most days as it’s nice to get the cool ocean breeze. The days we were here it was pretty warm and could not breathe in there without the windows open ALL the time. Having the windows open is not a big deal with screens on them, but there was none at this cottage. I got eaten up by mosquitoes! It was so bad I considered leaving early. I had to choose between sweating all night and making my husband suffer as well or dealing with the constant itch and pain from the mosquitos, they do not like my husband’s blood apparently.We were on vacation for our anniversary and now I’m home and just want to rest because I feel like I didn’t get any on my vacation. It’s a pretty big deal to spend that kind of money and be miserable. A couple other things that were a bit annoying is toilet paper…you need more than one roll for two people staying there for 4 days. Also, the owner lives in the main house and just popped over to drop off a lamp. Though she is a nice lady, it was a bit awkward and weird.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great cozy place! So convenient to everything!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nanci F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming Cottage is Balboa Island Perfection

We had a wonderful stay and loved this charming upstairs cottage. We walked, road bikes, paddle boarded, shopped and ate. This place is close to everything!! Having the garage to use for storing all our toys was the best!! We did not need to drive anywhere!!! We will be back!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lori P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Balboa Cottage

Loved our stay here - so perfectly themed Balboa cottage! great location, and loved having a garage to keep our bikes & beach stuff. We will definitely be back!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Janis W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our Special Get Away!

It is our special place to stay when we travel from Chicago to visit our granddaughters!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025

6/10 Okay

Jill P.

Liked: Check-in, location

Loved the location, robes and garage!

Location and garage access I would rate 5 stars. The steep stairs, uncomfortable furniture and having to get down on my hands & knees to adjust the heater several times a day I would give 2 stars.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Traci D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our Third Stay

This was our third time staying at the cottage to visit family who lives nearby. The location is convenient and the garage is a game changer when staying on the island.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S.

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy

fun place

nothing needed saying
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ginann M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy Spot

The cozy apartment met our needs. Top of the line home decor. Could use a more sturdy couch. The ned was comfortable.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Thomas E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy, bright upstairs spot on Balboa Island

Cozy, bright, clean space ideally located close to Marine Avenue and the restaurants and shops. Very quiet upstairs location. Small but has all the necessities for a couple. Check in with lockbox code very easy. Would definitely book again.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024