Lovely, serene and restorative

I felt as though I was on a relaxing retreat. The grounds were lovely and peaceful. The hosts were wonderful and paid attention to the details that make a stay magical. I will book this cottage again for my Bay area stay.

Place was a quiet place to work and relax. I arrived past midnight and John spent the time to walk me around the property. In addition, I left something after I checked out and they were kind enough to look for it and give it to my sister.

The cottage was great, all the comforts you could possibly need. The outdoor private oasis is spectacular. John and Arthur are fantastic hosts!

The Wisteria House was charming and cozy, a perfect place from which to base our week of visiting the Bay Area.It was artful in ways that few other properties have been. We enjoyed the stay and would highly recommend it to other couples.

This property is a gem and not to be missed. I scheduled a solo writing retreat here and it was the perfect space for my work. The gardens, aviaries, koi pond are gorgeous and the cottage is cozy and welcoming. Thank you John and Arthur for being such tremendous hosts! Y’all are the best, and I hope to return someday!

Always great to stay here

It was a charming beautiful get away for a couple. Great hosts who met us when we checked in. The property is in a beautiful garden with streams, ponds, birds, koi, flowers, trees and garden lights. The trees had changed colors and it rained. Some of the leaves had dropped giving an explosion of color in the rain. The effect was magic. The cottage was small and cosy. Overall it was romantic and a wonderful escape.

This accomodation was a an amazing retreat for my 5 day work trip. Be a responsible steward of the envirinment, or you might get a knock on the door. It is clear that the owners truly want the guests to have a wonderful and cozy experience.

What a cozy place to stay! We had everything we “needed” and more. We will definitely be back and hope to enjoy the beautiful outdoor space next time. Great location in walking distance to shops and dining.

Easy to get to, very friendly and helpful owner, walking distance to restaurants. The VRBO was small but definitely adaquate, kitchen was supplied with everything you would need along with other housing necessities:) Lovely garden and surroundings. Would definitely recommend this VRBO!

Magnificent, comfortable, relaxing, well-designed, elegant.

Very cute place located in a nice neighborhood in Alameda. Tucked in the back of the property, well away from the street, behind a pair of enclosures, nestled amongst gardens and a koi pond, trickling fountains and lush trees. Time to take a breath away from the day? Here it is.

Arthur and John have a great property in downtown which is a magical garden.

We're a retired couple living in San Francisco who use Alameda as our local getaway to reset and refresh. The Wisteria Cottage gets it totally right each time. Everything is lovingly attended to, with the utmost comfort of the guest always top of mind. It is indeed a local treasure.

This cottage is magical. John and Arthur have created a space that is simply tranquil. Allow yourself time to just enjoy the space. There’s so much beauty.

This property is absolutely gorgeous, it is truly a one of a kind place to stay. John and Arthur were fantastic hosts and were so helpful and generous with their knowledge of Alameda/San Francisco. There were so many great local businesses right down the road that we had walked to every day. I have been talking about it nonstop! If only we could have stayed longer!

What an amazing getaway! From the beautiful pond with fish to the comfortable bed in a safe neighborhood this is the place to stay! Our main goal was to see the Golden Gate Bridge which was an easy ferry ride away. John and Arthur (owners) were the perfect hosts and gave us so many tips of where to go to eat and how to get around. This space had everything you need and more. Forever grateful.

Wisteria is a cozy cottage nestled in a beautiful garden that offers a peaceful respite from the city activity that surrounds it. Our hosts were wonderful; warmly welcoming and gracious. They offered lots of information on sites and activities to enhance our stay. This is definately our "go to" for any stay in the Bay Area!

The property is completely unique and so comfortable. They have thought of everything and the garden area is so serene. It is walking distance to many of the local restaurants , parks and shops. The neighborhood is lovely with so many beautiful Victorian homes. We took the ferry to San Francisco and it was so much easier than driving and parking downtown. Highly recommend Wisteria, we will stay again next time we come to The bay area.

The hosts are amazing people; the amazing garden they have built over time and their reverence for nature (and the planet) was refreshing, as was the thoughtful & elegant cottage itself. The attention to detail and comfort is equal to the design & exquisite aesthetic of a virtuous and personalized Arts & Crafts exterior and interior. Delightful in every way.

This place is beautiful and perfect for a fun getaway! The cottage is wonderful and the hosts were great! The garden is tranquil and a wonderful place to relax.

This place is a true beauty. No matter where you look there is something that will catch your eye. My husband and I were truly amazed with everything John and Arthur have done through the years in this hidden Gem and how welcoming they both were. We hope we will be able to make it up there again.

This was the second time I've stayed at the cottage. It is my first choice for lodging when I visit Alameda. It is located within walking distance to homes of different family members. The hosts are welcoming, and having access to the backyard with its trees, plants, and koi pond is wonderful.

Arrival with a pleasant greeting by John and Arthur. The carriage house is quaint and comfortable. We enjoyed all the little details and collectible furniture. We appreciated how they creatively upcycled some items to renovate the cottage. The garden is indescribably lovely and shows 50 years of expert care. We will most definitely return when visiting Alameda.

This property is beyond words. The gardens were wonderful to relax and dine outside.

Arthur and John’s property is stunning - the garden is a work of art and the cottage is so charming and comfortable! We had a fantastic time coming home to this oasis and are sad our visit has come to an end!

This cottage is an absolutely Beautiful peaceful place to stay. For less than a hotel you can have your own private retreat among the hundreds of orchids, wisteria, Koi pond, and canaries. This is my favorite place to stay!!!

The owners Arthur & John thought of everything to make your stay a memorable one. The gardens are spectacular and enjoyed the canary’s on site. Truly a wonderful, caring and generous couple. Hope to see you both again. Hugs Barb & Dennis- Albuquerque NM

The property was even more beautiful than expected. The yard was overflowing with colorful plants, singing birds, and Koi fish swimming in the pond.The cottage was small but it fit our needs perfectly. Uniquely furnished and stocked with just about anything you could need. Excellent location making it easy to get around the island, or over to Berkeley or San Francisco. We would definitely recommend this spot.

This place is great!! The hosts are very kind and helpful with things to do around this chill ocean town. The kitchen is well appointed, the bed is comfortable, the towels are nice, the temp control is nice, and the shower is great. Do not let the toilet in the shower alarm you...it's a Cali vibe y'all. Most everything that I wanted was a short walk away. There are good restaurants, a cool dark bar, the coin-op laundry is in good shape, the lil coffee joint is nice, and the shop beside it has good breakfast and lunch sandwiches...and the fresh OJ is the best! My favorite part of this stay was the garden! It was the perfect place for me to have breakfast, catch up on some emails and the news. I did at times find it difficult to concentrate on work in all the beauty of the garden that the hosts welcome guests to enjoy. Book this one! It's just so nice!!!

It's truly one of the most beautiful places. Arthur and John are exceptional gardeners and hosts. We loved it.