If you like nature, serenity, the ocean, and beds made just for two; the Hope Cottage is the perfect place for your next romantic getaway. Located in Marin County, just north of San Francisco, the Hope Cottage is a unique retreat in an amazing setting. Perched on a cliff overlooking Muir Beach, the cottage is a twenty-five-minute uphill walk from the Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, which owns and rents the place. It is only reachable by trail, seriously limiting the amount of people, traffic, and noise infiltrating your lovely retreat.
I’ve never actually stayed at this marvelous little gem but I have walked by. Although hiking there is a serious test of one’s aerobic capabilities, the view from the top is well worth the sweat. Birds coast through the foggy sky and the sounds of crashing waves drown any noise from nearby Highway One. According to a friend of mine who has actually stayed there, the bed is strategically placed in such a way that guests awake to an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean.
The cottage contains a small kitchenette, bathroom, and a wood burning stove. And, because the Green Gulch Zen Center runs a farm, homemade jams and other goodies are stocked in the kitchen. The Zen Center is also a great place to visit amid your getaway, for a Sunday program that is open to the public and includes instruction in meditation, a lecture, and tea.
Hope Cottage provides guests with the opportunity to explore the region easily by foot, without a car. You can hike the miles and miles of trails on Mt. Tamalpais, take a twenty-minute walk to Muir Beach and enjoy a beer at the nearby Pelican Inn and Restaurant, or spend a day at the Zen Center, which also offers meals.
The Hope Cottage is not cheap—$200 a night with a two-night minimum—but well worth the price. Once you get there, you’ll realize why you had to book a stay months in advance for the chance to reside outdoors, yet inside; and above the ocean, yet adjacent to the water.
