The Cottages at La Honda Park

We just came home from our trip to Murphys and our stay at The Cottages at La Honda Park. What an enchanting, fabulous place! The pool was divine and we loved playing in the creek with our daughter. We will stay again!

If you are lucky enough to be at La Honda… you are lucky enough.
La Honda Cottages make you feel like Jenny and Barr left you the key to their vacation home. The time, hard work and love they put into creating this magical place is evident everywhere you turn. The cottages are charming, comfortable and well appointed. The grounds are stunning — babbling brook, beautiful gardens, bocce, horseshoes, even a pool and pool house. Cats and butterflies seem to drift in and out of your day.
We sat out by the pool, played bocce and wandered the grounds. Inside The Barn we played fussball, darts and yahtzee. We had a local chef deliver dinner for my man’s 50^th birthday. But the best moments we had were sitting by the creek with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in hand, simply enjoying this incredible space. And only 3 minutes from the coolest small town in America, Murphys (which I am lucky enough to call home)

Amazing, relaxing and clean! Love the Pool House Cottage and The Barn Recreation room!

Love it beautiful natural landscape. Can’t forget the friendly cat Cosmo. Great rec stuff in barn. Can’t say enough it’s great. The cottages were like new clean & comfortable. So nice listening to the creek
Very serene!

Just got back from another weekend here. If anything it’s gotten nicer — the barn is now a gameroom, with a deck over the creek, big tv, fridge, bar, lots of games, pool table, etc. The pool is sparkling, the creek burbled all night, and as usual the house and cabins were immaculate and beautiful. This time we met the owners, who were fixing things up as we pulled in the first day; they’re wonderful, kind folks, and excellent hosts. We’re thinking about canceling our annual camping trip, and just having a long weekend for all our friends here instead!

At first, I didn’t want to write a review, because this is the kind of place you want to keep secret.
A gaggle of girlfriends rented three cottages here, as three of us were celebrating our 40^th/​41^st birthdays. The perfect «home base» for staging an attack upon Murphys downtown shopping, dining and wine tasting establishments, or as a leap-​off point for local hikes and the gorgeous Moaning and Mercer Caverns.
Each cottage is appointed with a gas-​fueled faux wood-​stove fireplace (easy operation via thermostat), fridge, micro, coffee maker, basic silverware/​plates/​cups, wonderful showers (great for power-​washing off the mud and sweat after a day of rappelling and spelunking!) and extremely comfortable queen beds.
Each cottage has its own character, giving the feel of the kind of décor a favorite aunt might select for your family’s personal mountain cabin. Extremely clean and comfortable! Hang out by the fire, or chill out on your own front porch overlooking the lawn and creek. Or…
…head over to The Barn, a communal recreation room appointed with an air-​hockey table, pool table, kitchen area (including a wine fridge!) and big-​screen satellite TV/​sat radio. The Barn was recently remodeled, using reclaimed barnwood, corrugated metal (for the ceiling sub-​roof) and a pretty brilliant wallcovering that looks like warm old plaster, but is actually recycled craft paper and some sort of natural varnish. Cool! Also, a few relics from the region’s mining days. There are board games, darts, books and other stuff to keep the individual, family or small group entertained.
There’s a large swimming pool (unheated in winter) and a small wading pool adjacent to another community kitchen and outdoor picnic area, and the only thing this area lacks is a hot tub. (Hint, hint!)
Finally, there’s Cosmo, the biggest, sweetest cat you’ll ever want to kidnap. He’s not allowed in the cabins, but he’ll happily keep you company as you read a book on the porch, or wander up to the beautiful waterfalls behind the barn. He’ll also keep score if you want to use the bocce court or horseshoe pits!
Parking is limited, so don’t expect to haul in ATV trailers or your RVs, but that’s about the only con to this wonderful little family-​run resort!

This is THE PLACE!!! My husband and I have stayed at so many places in the bay area and beyond that I feel qualified to give a fair and comparable review. That said, I can honestly say that The Cottages can’t be beat. Their owners are lovely people, have put their hearts and souls in The Cottages… and it shows. The rooms are charming, comfortable and cleaner than clean. They request that you remove your shoes before entering the cottages which we fully support and appreciate. The grounds are lovely and very well maintained. They have a common room «The Barn» which is equipped with a large screen tv, pool table, foos ball, slot machine and more. There’s a kitchen for guest use, a pool and hot tub. They even have an old miner’s cabin on the grounds which adds charm and history. It’s only a few minutes drive from Murphy’s for dining, shopping, wine tasting. I gave it a pricey rating simply because I’m kind of cheap. I can say however, that it’s well worth the price. I honestly can’t think of a single negative thing to say about The Cottages. You have to simply see for yourself. We can’t wait to return.

Unilocal needs to add a 6-​star category for The Cottages at La Honda Park. If you’re looking for the ultimate escape from the hustle and congestion of the Bay area, turn your wheels east and spend a few days in paradise. Charming cottages with kitchenettes, huge main house/​kitchen, game room, swimming pool, bocce, tranquil stream… perfect for a couple or group of close friends. We’ve been there in summer and winter, and you can’t miss. The proprietors are the sweetest people on earth too. Discover this hidden gem in the peaceful hills of gold country.