We spent each evening lounging on these day beds, reading from the cottage's wonderful selection of local books. Upon entering, there is a room that feels like an enclosed sun porch with wraparound windows and two day beds. Jasmine Cottage itself is an old carriage house that has been lovingly restored. The entire space is surrounded by a high wooden fence, making it so private that you could comfortably sunbath nude in the garden with little fear of being seen - should you be so inclined. Jasmine Cottage has a huge private garden with a hammock, two lounge chairs, a barbeque grill, and outdoor fireplace. The buildings of the compound are scattered across a large piece of land, each separated from the others by outdoor spaces and gardens. The night we arrived we were greeted by a deer standing in the driveway and we thoroughly enjoyed the bird life that filled the trees in our garden and the amazing display of stars that filled the sky each night. The compound is located less than a half mile from the center of Point Reyes Station - an easy walk to Cowgirl Creamery, Bovine Bakery, a grocery store, and pretty much anything else you'd need - but far enough away to insulate you from the summer crowds that inundate the town. If you are a self-sufficient traveler, however, who values privacy, personality, and room to breathe - then read on. If you need or want hand holding - you are not going to be happy here! Please save yourself, and the property owners, a lot of grief and stay somewhere else. It is like someone has given you the keys to a cabin that has been in the family for years. The Jasmine Cottage can best be described as a vacation rental - not a hotel, not a B&B, but a well-stocked, self-contained vacation rental. If you like upscale resorts with room service, cable TV, concierge, and Aveda bath products - you are not going to be happy here. I've only stayed in the Jasmine Cottage, so my specific comments relate to that one property, but I think my general comments will be helpful to anyone considering whether to stay in any of the buildings. So when you're reading the reviews, be sure you are reading one that refers to the property you are considering because they are all different. The buildings can be rented individually or in any combination. The first thing you need to understand is that there are three different buildings that are all part of the Point Reyes Schoolhouse Compound - The Schoolhouse, the Barn (containing Grey's Retreat and the Barn Loft), and Jasmine Cottage. We recently stayed at the Point Reyes Schoolhouse Compound and thoroughly enjoyed our stay, but I can now totally understand why some people don't have that same experience since this is a unique property. If you've been reading the reviews for Point Reyes Schoolhouse Compound and feel totally confused, please let me try to shed a little light on the subject. Sixteen years ago I designed and built the barn that houses Gray's Retreat and the Barn Loft, intended as places for our extended family to visit and as part-time vacation rentals. Because I offered a secluded garden cottage with an invitation to bring the children and the family dog, Jasmine Cottage was instantly popular as a romantic get-away and a family retreat. Nobody thought visitors would want to stay in the little town of Pt. Inverness was the place for holidays then Point Reyes was a working cow town. Point Reyes area lodging at the time was just a few traditional bed and breakfasts in Inverness with a couple small motels on that side of Tomales Bay. It was the very first cottage open to visitors as a Point Reyes vacation rental. Twenty-five years ago I converted the carriage house to Jasmine Cottage. Berkeley to become a landscape architect. I was a professional artist for many years, then commuted from the Schoolhouse to U.C. We built the wood-fired oven in the garden, a pond, Jasmine Cottage, Gray's Retreat and the Barn Loft. We raised children, chickens, vegetables, fruit trees and honey bees here, making blackberry jam every summer.
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