Notes from the host
Guide 2/1 Cottage
Welcome to Guide Cottage! This charming, bohemian retreat is a short walk to restaurants, groceries, trails and historic sites around Bellingham.
Come hike, ski or bike, relax in the private garden, soak in the spa bath, or walk to nightlife.
Our dog-friendly space is 1 mile from an outstanding dog park and off-leash dog beach, has a fenced yard and, on request, includes food + water bowls, dog beds and XL kennel.
If you're charmed by light-filled spaces, architectural reuse and modern, thoughtfully designed comforts, Guide Cottage can be a great home base for your adventures.
You'll find yourself in a freshly renovated, 700-square-foot haven in the heart of Bellingham's Fountain District, an urban village filled with restaurants, taprooms, grocery options and parks. The neighborhood is built around the Guide Meridian, the north-south route for which the cottage was named and which was the primary road to Canada for much of Bellingham's history.
Guide Cottage received a significant remodel in 2021, adding a main-floor kitchen and bath and new laundry facilities and upfitting for our changing climate (including upgraded insulation, a heat-recovery ventilator to clean the air, and a mini-split heat pump for winter warmth and summer air conditioning).
You can see the bones of the original building in its vaulted ceiling and will find pieces of Bellingham history throughout -- from ornate paneling salvaged from local churches to the 2-inch-thick floorboards that were saved from local barns. It all comes together in a boho-chic living space that we hope you'll love.
And our rate is our rate: We do not charge any fees for cleaning or pets, but allow for those costs in our nightly rate. (AirBnB will still collect sales tax for our state.)
One more quick note: Bellingham requires short-term rental owners to go through an inspection and permitting process and apply for an annual license to ensure that guests are safe and the guest space is up to code. Our permit number is USE2021-0036.
(Although we understand why some hosts might prefer to take a shortcut -- because bureaucracy is ... beaureaucratic -- we hope that knowing our space has been inspected and permitted gives our guests confidence that what you book is what you'll get -- and that it's legal and above-board.)
MAIN SLEEPING SPACE: The main-floor bedroom features a queen-sized Novaform mattress (Consumer Reports top-rated!) in a ship's captain-style berth, with a luxe room-darkening curtain, a cozy jute rug and crisp bed linens. (Be aware that the bed is accessed from only one side.)
SLEEPING LOFT: For adult or teen guests only, a second, full-sized Novaform bed is accessible in the cottage's sleeping loft, which requires climbing a ladder and has a sloped roof (not recommended for anyone over 6'). Please note that there is no door to create a sound barrier between the sleeping spaces, and that the lights in the loft are battery operated; there is no outlet.
KID SLEEPING AND SAFETY: For young families, we can provide a pack-and-play for infants and toddlers, and a twin air mattress for an older child. Please note that there are still open stairs down to the basement and we do not (yet) have a baby gate. We're happy to host families, but want to be transparent about safety!
BATH: The cottage has a new bathroom as of 2021, with a two-person soaking tub with adjustable-height shower head, custom tilework and original oak floors, as well as shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
SELF-CATERING: Our kitchen includes everything you'll need for a self-catering holiday, but at an apartment-size scale, including an oven and range, a dishwasher, microwave, electric kettle, cast-iron teapot and French press, and cooking basics (pots, pans, utensils, oil, salt, pepper, basic spices, coffee, tea and sugar).
OUTDOOR SPACES: In the garden, you'll find a perfect, private spot for morning coffee on our brick patio, beneath a twisting grapevine over the porch, and you're welcome (encouraged!) to enjoy an evening cocktail in privacy during the gorgeous spring, summer and fall evenings.
SERVICE OR SUPPORT ANIMALS AND PETS: We welcome service and support animals but, due to allergies, cannot permit ANY cats at Guide Cottage (including emotional support animals, per AirBnB and federal guidelines). Guests are welcome to bring up to two well-behaved and house-trained dogs per reservation; we appreciate advance notice so we can make sure they have all the comforts of home, too.
Guide Cottage has a private, fenced garden with a low (3.5-foot) gate; for safety, we ask dog owners to always supervise their companion animals while they're outside and dispose of their waste in the alleyside garbage cans. Due to resident allergies, we cannot allow cats (including ESAs, per AirBnB and federal guidelines). We are a 15-minute walk (or 5-minute drive) to the Squalicum Park dog park, which has enclosed play areas for both small and large dogs, and to Squalicum off-leash park and Squalicum beach. We're also a two-minute walk to Fountain Veterinary Hospital (our vet!), which has provided excellent care for our pets and our guests' pets over many years.
LAUNDRY: You'll find a washer and dryer in the basement (beware the low ceiling, tall folks!).
PARKING: There is plentiful on-street, free parking around our block. For convenience at check-in, guests can pull directly up to the front door (on an alley) to drop off luggage before finding a parking spot. Please be aware that our neighbors use the alley and do not block access for more than a few minutes.
SMOKING: Smoking is not permitted in Guide Cottage or its garden; we ask anyone who needs to smoke to do so on the alley side of the property, away from our neighbors.
PARTIES and EVENTS: Unfortunately, we cannot permit parties or events at Guide Cottage, and require that anyone on the premises after 8 p.m. be a registered guest.
GOOD TO KNOW: This space does not (yet) have a television or projection screen! (We do have fast wifi, board games and cards, and plenty of activities to recommend.) We have two resident dogs who occasionally bark (please let us know if it disturbs you; we like to stay on top of it), very kind neighbors, and a beautiful and charming city to share with you. Welcome to Bellingham!