We love the thoughtfully decorated home. The owners have a love of all things art and literature. The walking trails through the forest and into Carmel are heavenly. If you are looking for peacefulness, comfort and beautiful natural surroundings this is the place to stay!

Stefano & Thea and well beyond "Premier" hosts. They went so far above & beyond to make us feel welcome and comfortable. It's the perfect Pebble Beach retreat and a "10" on a 5-point scale.

Our stay in this lovely cottage met all of our expectations from the moment we booked our reservation. The communication between us and Thea, our host along with Stefano, was responsive and very clear. We were pleasantly surprised that she had a list of food and beverage items that would be waiting for us. Once we arrived, she and Stefano greeted us on the driveway entrance to the property. We had a great conversation to kick off our stay. They walked us to the back of the property and introduced us to our "home" for the next 4 nights. Followed by a room by room overview of the operations of the cottage. It was clean, the linens were A+, as was was the entire property. Lush will plants and flowers, we could not help but to ease into relaxation mode. Both Thea and Stefano made us feel welcome. Would we stay here in the future? In a heartbeat!

Our travel plans were disrupted by weather and an emergency room visit. Thea was responsive and supportive through the entire process. I'm only disappointed that my wife didn't get to see the casita. I purposely booked this, again, because the previous visit was so delightful. Thea is a rock star host and we are looking forward to a future visit.

The host and hostess were so accommodating. They met us at the front gate in the exclusive area of 17 mile drive. The cottage is very private and decorated beautifully. Food and drinks were waiting for us. I’ve rented many homes in our travels. Inch for inch this home exceeds every other one. We will be back.

This property is an unbelievable find. It's very private, even secluded, world with impeccable decorations and landscaping. You're surrounded by forest, greenery, water fountains and statuary. Inside the unit is incredibly well stocked with everything you could possibly imagine. The Host s are unbelievably gracious. When we arrived there was not only milk for coffee in the fridge but also a tiramisu cake with our names on it! This place is rented frequently so if you do have a chance to book it, do yourself a favor and stay! You won't be disappointed

Wonderful in every way!

They met us at the door at check-in. The bungalow we rented is beautiful. It is clean, up to date and they fully stocked our refrigerator with our favorite drinks. The 17 mile drive is magnificent. The location of this bungalow is perfect, about 1 mile from the Pebble Beach Lodge, and is about half the price for a nicer room.

Beautiful location and experience. Safe, serene and Mediterranean feel abounds. Lovely hostess. Recommend highly

We were impressed with the gorgeous grounds and amenities during our stay. Wonderful communication and location!! WE LOVED OUR STAY! Just perfect!

We can’t say enough positive things about our stay. The place was amazing. Very cozy, private, and great amenities. The location can’t be beat. The property owners were fantastic. Definitely would stay again.

This is our go to property when visiting pebble beach. Lovely accommodations, convenient location, and wonderful hosts. Couldn’t ask for more, and yet Thea & Stef offer more - cake, drinks, bread, milk etc on arrival - so generous.

My wife and I enjoyed a very inviting and comfortable stay at the Del Monte Forest cottage getaway. I cannot over emphasize the warm welcome and hospitality presented by our hosts, Thea and Stefano. The accommodations were clean, super comfortable and extremely well appointed. The best thing we can say is that we will visit and stay again without reservation. Wonderful!!

Wonderful hosts, wonderful spot. I will definitely be coming back! Everything was just right. The temperature, the bed, the beautiful furnishings, the care and attention of the hosts, the privacy.... Would highly recommend this cottage.

We had a great stay at Stefano's and Thea's Mediterranean Cottage. It was a perfect place to relax for a couple of days, and Stefano and Thea were amazing hosts. Easy access into Carmel-by-the-Sea, but the hosts also made sure we had everything we needed in the cottage. I would highly recommend it!

I could live there. It had everything we needed and more. Hosts were very accomodating.

This small and well-furnished house is exactly as depicted in photos and description. My wife and I had a lovely stay. It was the little touches that elevated our stay to five stars. A custom cake. Bottle of wine. Multiple healthy seltzer drinks. Granola. Bread. Milk. And, most unusual, a profusion of cut flowers, as well as orchids throughout the property. Overall, a perfect place from which to explore Pebble Beach and surroundings with the help of gracious hosts.

Absolutely beautiful!

Utterly charming, private, spacious, comfortable cottage home away from home. The most thoughtful hosts, Thea and Stefano leave you alone but think of everything before you do! An artist’s and readers’ retreat— with a gourmet kitchen and luxurious baths! Beautiful gardens in a world-class walkable neighborhood.

Thea and Stefano were delightful hosts. They were informative and welcoming. The cottage was everything and more than we anticipated! Very well stocked and so many extras like wine, a welcome cake and other thoughtful inclusions. We have already recommended the cottage to friends and would not hesitate to return ourselves.

The property was prestige, beautiful and the hosts paid attention to every detail. From linens to art and beyond, the property and stay were incredible

Absolutely perfect.

For quite some time we have been traveling to Monterey in late September for the Monterey Jazz Festival. And, over the past decade or so, we have generally stayed at vrbo rental properties. They have all been good, but Thea's Cottage - where we stayed this year for the first time - is at the top of our list. When we drove up the brick driveway bounded by low stone walls - embedded with colorful ceramics: fish, faces and geometric figures - with plants everywhere, we could tell this was a very special place. Upon entering the Cottage gate into our private courtyard - we found even more flowers and plants and the ever-present sound of the fountains. Inside - the high ceiling living room included beautiful shelving - mainly containing the AV systems and many books (more on that below). The wall space in the Cottage not devoted to shelves or windows is covered by art - including large pieces (posters) of advertising art ... from the early 20th century. All systems worked as advertised - especially the WiFi - it was strong inside the Cottage as well as in the courtyard where we were able to have Zoom calls using flowers and fountains in the background. Thea had been in touch with us regarding our likes (wine, breakfast, coffee, ...) well in advance of our trip - and we were not disappointed with what was provided - we were surprised by a welcome cake inscribed with our names. It was a nice touch - and good! Although we did not cook often -a full kitchen was at hand, along with any needed cooking and serving utensils. We did make good use of the wine glasses provided, however! After a short time, I realized that the living room contained a most interesting library. Most of the books were not recent - there was a broad range of literature, philosophy, even a Latin grammar, alongside a large collection of nonfiction (mostly geopolitical history) that covered the period between 'the war to end war' (WWI) and 'the next war' (WWII). I am very interested in this collection, and while our hosts offered to lend some books to me - we were trying to travel light - so will make browsing these a goal of a future - perhaps longer - visit. Every interaction with Thea and/or Stefano was a real pleasure -- whether it was a discussion of the property, the library and art, or basic communication regarding the details of the rental itself. We thoroughly enjoyed our 10 nights in Thea's Cottage and look forward to our next visit.

We had an excellent stay. Hosts provided everything to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable, including coffee, breakfast, wine and cake. The cottage is located in a beautiful neighborhood just a short drive up the road from Pebble Beach and within the 17 mile drive. We had an early dinner one night at the Bench with a view of the ocean and the 18th hole. Carmel is a 10 minute drive away with many very good restaurants. We especially enjoyed hiking along the ocean at Point Lobos, which is nearby. There are many things to do within a very short drive. We would definitely chose this perfect rental when visiting this beautiful area again!

I can't say enough about our hosts and the place. First we were allowed to check in early. Thea and Stefano welcomed us and reviewed everything in the cottage. The outside makes you think you're in Italy with the flowers, statues and fountains. Thea treated us to a delicious chocolate cake and a bottle of wine. Also we were given choices of food for our stay. The inside was spacious with two full bathrooms. Comfortable bed. Library to relax in. Super location. Clean, quiet and private. Can't wait to return.

We had the most pleasant stay at this lovely cottage. The beautiful landscaping, tall ceilings, fireplaces, and artwork made for a cozy feel. The hosts were wonderful and even provided provisions, wine, and a cake! They had great communication throughout our stay and checked to make sure we had everything we needed, although the cottage is very private. It’s also a very convenient location for everything in Pebble Beach and Carmel by the Sea. This was a lovely place to spend our anniversary and we would absolutely stay here again.

Absolutely beautiful garden setting with loving attention to every detail of the guests experience. Hosts definitely have the gift of hospitality and thoughtfully offer a true little gem of a home in the most lovely setting. Perfect!

The only thing that was better than the awesome bungalow was the impeccable kindness and generosity of our hosts. We would definitely stay again and truly can’t say enough about the place. Cool California meets old world Italian craftsmanship!

Stayed here for the second time and was not ready to leave after four day's. Very secluded and peaceful.Still my favorite place to stay in the area.

Stayed here for the second time and was not ready to leave after four day's. Very secluded and peaceful. Still my favorite place to stay in the area.

This property is absolutely one of the best VRBOs we have stayed in. Lush garden , spotless home beautifully furnished , great location. Owners were lovely and stocked the fridge with some extras. Definitely will stay here on our next Carmel getaway.

Absolutely lovely cottage surrounded by beautiful flowers! Hosts were wonderful & available for any questions or recommendations. Definitely will be back!